Chapter 25: Conquering the Audience

Jackie Fore, the observer from Universal Pictures responsible for the Los Angeles area, arrived early on Friday morning at a cinema near Century City. He stationed himself near the ticket counter to observe audience choices.

Despite it being a relatively slow October, the selection of films was limited, and not many people were opting to purchase tickets for *The Shallows*.

The ticket counter faced the cinema's lobby, where a poster of Gwyneth Paltrow in a bikini with a shark in the background was prominently displayed. Similarly, the cinema's large screen was intermittently showing trailers for *The Shallows* alongside other recently released films.

As the first screening of *The Shallows* began, Jackie Fore followed twenty or so moviegoers to the ticket check.

It appeared that these twenty or so people were the audience for this screening of *The Shallows*.

While waiting in line, Jackie Fore overheard some moviegoers talking.

"I'm telling you, if you don't watch this film, you'll definitely regret it. Don't say I didn't recommend it."

"Is it really that amazing? Lewis, are you just bragging?" One companion seemed skeptical.

Lewis, a white male, looked displeased and said, "Bragging? This is my honest opinion. I saw it at the preview and convinced you all to come to the screening.

I can't believe Universal is making us wait for a preview to see such a great film."

Jackie Fore chuckled at this remark. There were only four cinemas in the Los Angeles area showing the film, with others scattered across major cities in the U.S. Universal Pictures was taking a conservative approach, not fully believing that *The Shallows* could ignite the box office from the start.

Even in Los Angeles, and on a Friday morning, the audience was this small. However, it was possible that the number of viewers might increase during the evening prime time.

It was surprising to see fans from the preview eagerly bringing others to the screening, indicating that *The Shallows* had left a strong impression on them, making them eager to share it with friends and family.

If the screening turned out as successful as the preview, the word-of-mouth buzz would quickly spread.

After entering the theater and finding seats, Jackie Fore counted about thirty viewers, slightly more than expected. Notably, Lewis had brought over ten people himself.

Before the film began, Lewis's group was still chattering, mainly around Lewis's enthusiastic recommendations.

"Has the director of this movie done anything before?" asked the only girl in the group.

Lewis shook his head, "I checked when we got back. This should be his first feature film.

To make a film this exciting on his first try, he must be a genius."

The others were clearly doubtful, and the girl said, "Lewis, if it turns out badly, you're buying drinks at the bar tonight."

"No problem, I'll cover it. But if the movie is good, what then?" Lewis retorted.

"In that case, I'll introduce you to the head cheerleader. I know you've wanted to date her for a while," the girl replied.

"Wow," the others cheered, "Lewis, this is a great opportunity, so make sure you take it."

Lewis confidently replied, "Don't worry, you won't be disappointed. Also, I suggest you don't drink too much."

"Why?" someone asked, puzzled.

Lewis answered mysteriously, "Trust me, you won't even remember needing to use the restroom."

Seeing Lewis's over-the-top enthusiasm made the ten or so companions skeptical.

Could this film really be as good as Lewis claimed?

Sarah Morton, the girl who had promised to introduce the cheerleader if the film was good, had come to the cinema today as part of their university club activities, with Lewis suggesting the movie.

When the film started, after the Universal Pictures logo, Sarah Morton was still engrossed in her popcorn, not paying much attention to the lengthy credits that typically followed.

To her surprise, the film jumped straight into the action after the opening credits, which was a refreshing change from the usual lengthy and dull credits.

The film opened with a man and a woman driving, with the woman being Gwyneth Paltrow. The credits briefly rolled at the bottom of the screen, listing producer Steven Spielberg, writer-director Gilbert Landrini and star Gwyneth Paltrow, among others.

Jackie Fore noted that this was a clever approach, integrating credits into the scene rather than using a lengthy, separate credit roll.

This introduction immediately caught Sarah Morton's attention, and she momentarily forgot about her popcorn as she focused on the screen.

The initial scenes were mild, but the part where characters were undressing on the beach quickly increased the audience's excitement, particularly the men's reactions.

One male audience member couldn't help but mutter, "God, she's so hot…"

If Gwyneth Paltrow had heard this, she would likely have been pleased. Despite knowing Gilbert for a long time and even being intimate with him, he had never complimented her looks.

The film's plot advanced quickly. After a brief beach scene, a whale carcass appeared, followed by a shark attack. Two male characters surfing and swimming on the beach disappeared, and the protagonist, Sally, was left injured and trapped on a reef 200 meters from shore.

The bleeding wound attracted the shark, which circled the reef.

As the plot progressed, the sounds of popcorn eating, soda drinking, and talking gradually disappeared. All the viewers were focused intently on the screen, anxious about Sally's predicament.

Sarah Morton, terrified, clutched her friend's arm but refused to take her eyes off the screen, not wanting to miss a single moment.

Later, when Sally's rescue attempt failed, and the two men who had arrived the day before fell victim to the shark, Sally used a camera found by the reef to record a farewell message and sent it back to the beach with the rising tide.

She then saw a signal buoy closer to shore and decided to swim to it.

The film frequently showcased the predator's perspective, simulating the shark's point of view, which kept the entire audience on edge.

The suspense and thrills were exhilarating. How could audiences from 1991 handle such intense horror and thriller scenes from decades ahead?

The relief was palpable when the protagonist was eventually rescued by the driver introduced at the beginning of the film.

The thrilling shark movie left a deep impression on all viewers.

As the film ended, Gilbert Landrini name appeared in the credits.

Sarah Morton turned to her friends and said, "Remember this name. I think he'll surprise us even more."

Lewis smiled and asked, "What about the cheerleader?"

Sarah Morton rolled her eyes at Lewis, "Don't worry, I'll introduce you when we get back."

A companion then suggested, "We still have time. Why don't we watch it again?"

"Sure,"

"Let's watch it again. Wow, Gwyneth Paltrow is so hot."

"Yeah, I declare she's my dream girl now."

"Hey, Davis, how many dream girls do you have?"

"Can't I have just one more?"

Listening to their conversation, Jackie Fore noted in his notebook: "Gilbert seems to have a magical effect; he conquered the audience with just one film.

*The Shallows* deserves a larger-scale promotion. Recommend a nationwide release as soon as possible."

After just one screening, Jackie Ford was confident that *The Shallows* would indeed create a buzz for Universal Pictures.