The preview screening of 'Basic Instinct' was held at a cinema in Century City, Beverly Hills. Simon and Janette set off from Malibu, reviewing Sophia Fessey's investigation report on the way.
There were too many cases in his memory of wealthy and famous individuals encountering misfortune due to bad judgment, with many even experiencing family ruin and death. Sophia Fessey's responsibilities were closely related to Simon's private life, so he was very cautious about this matter.
Sophia Fessey's resume in the report left Simon very satisfied.
A girl from an ordinary seaside town on the French island of Corsica, she graduated from the University of Paris 10 with a major in administrative management. Her academic performance in college was impressive. After graduating at 22, she worked for an investment company in Paris for three years before unexpectedly enrolling in the ETH Zurich to study business administration. However, she dropped out after only a year to marry her ex-husband, Paul Brennie.
Paul Brennie was a businessman in the wine industry. The Brennie family owned vineyards in popular wine regions in France such as Bordeaux, Provence, and the Loire Valley. However, the marriage lasted only three years and ended in failure. Sophia Fessey was granted custody of their two children. In recent years, she has been working as a luxury real estate agent for a top real estate agency in Nice, a city near Cannes, achieving outstanding results.
Simon flipped through the pages of the document, and Janette leaned in beside him, asking, "How is it? Very interesting, right?"
In addition to her main resume, the report also included details about Sophia Fessey's marriage to her ex-husband, who was eleven years her senior, and the reasons for their divorce. During the divorce proceedings, she successfully gained custody of her two children by citing Paul Brennie's history of domestic violence. However, the cost was a one-time alimony payment of only 5 million francs, which was almost entirely depleted after paying expensive legal fees for a year.
Clearly, the businessman named Paul Brennie was also a ruthless and decisive individual. The information showed that Sophia Fessey's two children were now only 7 and 5 years old. The Brennie family's assets exceeded 300 million francs, yet Paul Brennie had not paid a single cent in child support for his children in recent years.
Simon heard Janette's question, reached out and pinched her chin, smiling, "You just come from too good a background. You don't know how difficult it is for a helpless young woman to come all this way, and you find it interesting instead".
"That's not it", Janette said, shaking off Simon's hand in annoyance, snatching the investigation report, flipping through a few pages, and then handing it back. "Look, actually, that businessman wants to regain custody of those two little ones recently. He was in an accident two years ago while yachting and likely lost his fertility. And look at Sophia Fessey, it's no coincidence that she agreed to work for you. She wants a strong support system to protect herself and not lose custody".
Simon quickly scanned the few pages in front of him, just smiling and saying, "It's only right for a boss to protect his employees. Since you're so interested in this, you can step in when needed".
Janette indeed looked very interested, nodding and humming a few times with a mischievous expression. Seeing that the woman was about to get carried away, Simon quickly reached out to suppress her. Attacked in the ribs, Janette immediately softened, laughing.
The preview screening started at seven o'clock, and Simon and Janette arrived ten minutes early outside a cinema of AMC Theatres in Century City.
To maximize publicity, Fox had made quite a big splash for this preview screening, even arranging a red carpet. Outside the cinema, a large number of media reporters and enthusiastic fans holding various posters had gathered.
As Simon and Janette got out of the car, the once orderly crowd immediately became restless. If it weren't for the security guards, the crowd would have almost rushed towards them. Seeing this situation, Simon didn't accept any interviews, but after posing for photos, he quickly led Janette into the cinema.
The staff led them to a lounge first. Barry Diller, Chairman of Fox Corporation, and Ronald Goldberg, President of 20th Century Fox, had already arrived. Besides Brian De Palma, Michael Douglas, and other key creators of 'Basic Instinct', there were also several prominent film critics in the lounge.
The preview screening was about to begin, so everyone didn't engage in much small talk and quickly took their seats in the screening room.
Simon, Janette, Barry Diller, and others sat in the slightly front rows. Scanning around, the medium-sized screening room with over two hundred people was almost full, all of them media reporters and film critics from across North America. This also showed that 20th Century Fox had spared no effort for this preview screening, as Fox covered the expenses for most of their accommodation, meals, and travel.
The lights dimmed, and the film quickly began.
After a brief and psychedelic opening, a naked and passionate scene appeared before everyone, catching many film critics off guard.
Although Simon's previous film, 'Pulp Fiction', was very bloody and violent, it never contained any nudity from beginning to end.
However, this passionate scene was just the beginning. When the woman suddenly pulled out an ice pick and mercilessly stabbed the man beneath her, blood splattered, and some media reporters and film critics in the screening room were almost dumbfounded.
Is this Simon Westeros's script?
Is this the script written by Simon Westeros, who created a series of films like 'Run Lola Run', 'The Butterfly Effect', 'Final Destination', and even the recently equally stunning 'Pulp Fiction'?
In the screening room, not far from the main creators, Terence Rafferty, a renowned film critic from The New Yorker, glanced at the young man's figure not far away after the opening sequence ended, and turned to ask Richard Schickel, the chief film critic for Time magazine, who was also frowning, "Is it possible that it's someone else's script with Westeros's name attached?"
Richard Schickel also glanced in a certain direction and shook his head, "I actually think that if it weren't for his contract with 20th Century Fox, Westeros wouldn't have put his name on this film at all".
Terence Rafferty thought for a moment and couldn't help but nod.
However, he quickly felt that perhaps other well-known directors or screenwriters would try their best not to associate themselves with controversial films, but a young man like Westeros, who didn't play by the rules, might not care about such things. The controversy surrounding 'Pulp Fiction' during this time was also significant, with a youth protection organization in New York State even protesting to the state government, demanding a ban on the film due to its explicit depiction of drug injection.
Now, Westeros had just recklessly indulged in violence, and then began to shamelessly display eroticism.
He really didn't know what he would do next.
Terence Rafferty was actually also a fan of the 'Batman' comics. Looking at some suggestive scenes that were everywhere on the big screen less than half an hour into the film, he even worried that Simon Westeros would turn 'Batman' into an R-rated film unsuitable for children.
Heaven was truly too kind to that young man.
Perhaps, this time, he should suffer some setbacks.
Having made up his mind, Terence Rafferty once again shifted his attention to the big screen. Even if he was going to criticize this film, he would certainly watch it carefully.
As he became engrossed, Terence Rafferty quickly noticed the performance of the female lead, Linda Fiorentino. He didn't actually know the actress's name, but he remembered her playing a quirky artist in Martin Scorsese's 'After Hours'.
Although he strongly disliked the theme of this film, Terence Rafferty had to admit that, like Sandra Bullock in 'Run Lola Run', Meg Ryan in 'When Harry Met Sally', and Nicole Kidman in 'Pulp Fiction', Simon Westeros had once again chosen the right leading actress.
However, for the same reason, this actress might find it difficult to escape her typecasting from 'Basic Instinct'.
In addition, the performance of the newly crowned Best Actor, Michael Douglas, was also commendable, and director Brian De Palma even showed his fondness for Hitchcock to the fullest in the film.
Moreover, besides the ubiquitous sexual theme, the core of this film, just like its title 'Basic Instinct', ultimately demonstrated how deep-seated desires in human nature drive a person's behaviour. The femme fatale protagonist also manipulated the men around her by exploiting human instincts. However, her actions might also stem from the dark instincts within human nature.
As the screening ended, Terence Rafferty realized, without knowing it, that if the sexual parts of the film were removed, it would still be a film worth savouring. But then, thinking about it again, if those elements were truly removed, this film, titled 'Basic Instinct', would ultimately lose too much of its appeal.
This was a dilemma.
As the end credits began to roll, Terence Rafferty was still replaying the earlier scenes when Richard Schickel, sitting beside him, suddenly leaned over and whispered, "Roger left early".
Terence Rafferty paused for a moment before remembering.
There might not be only one person named Roger in this screening room, but the person Richard Schickel referred to without a surname could only be the famous Chicago film critic, Roger Ebert.
Because of his preconceived notions, Terence Rafferty still held some prejudice against the film he had just watched, but deep down, he was no longer as repulsed. With a touch of scholarly disdain, Terence Rafferty even chuckled teasingly, saying, "That's normal. Roger Ebert has never been too fond of this type of suspense and thriller film".
Terence Rafferty's words were subtle, but Richard Schickel understood and smiled along.
As one of the few top film critics in North America who could be considered truly accomplished, Roger Ebert's review style was always known for its mildness, with the exception of certain types of films: thrillers and suspense films.
There's actually an anecdote behind this: many years ago, an ambitious young man wanted to become a screenwriter and loved thrillers and suspense films, but his scripts were repeatedly rejected. Under duress, he had no choice but to switch careers and become a film critic. Because of his 'tragic experience' as a screenwriter, this self-taught critic, who eventually became famous, was particularly harsh on thriller and suspense films.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Richard Schickel saw that the credits on the big screen were about to end, and he couldn't help but ask Terence Rafferty beside him, "Are you still going to the Fox reception party?"
Terence Rafferty hesitated. He was still very interested in Simon Westeros and had originally planned to chat with him during this opportunity. However, given the current situation, the Fox reception party clearly had a public relations nature. If he attended and was lobbied there, Terence Rafferty felt it would be difficult for him to give 'Basic Instinct' too harsh a review.
Although, after watching the entire film, Terence Rafferty's impression of 'Basic Instinct' wasn't too bad, he ultimately wasn't willing to have his opinions swayed by others.
He turned his head and looked around. Besides Roger Ebert, there were clearly some other people who had already left the screening room early. It was obvious that, although they had accepted various hospitality from 20th Century Fox, a large number of people still expressed their attitude in this way, and perhaps those people would no longer accept Fox's return flight tickets.
Withdrawing his gaze, Terence Rafferty nodded and said, "Let's go. I'm still very curious about that young man, Charlie, how about you?"
Richard Schickel also nodded: "I plan to go too".
The movie screening hadn't even finished, but Ronald Goldberg kept hearing reports from his assistant that people were leaving early. Fox intended to use a controversial marketing strategy for distribution, and that was correct, but as things progressed, Ronald Goldberg became worried again. What if the reputation of 'Basic Instinct' completely collapsed? Then there would be no 'controversy' left to speak of.
The reception party was held at the nearby InterContinental Hotel in Century City.
Of the more than two hundred film critics who attended the preview screening, over a third did not reappear after the screening, casting another shadow over Ronald Goldberg's heart. Starting with last year's 'The Butterfly Effect', Fox's performance had suddenly improved, and this summer, they even had an unexpected success like "Big." The company had high hopes for 'Basic Instinct', and Ronald Goldberg also hoped to accumulate more experience and earn a bonus from 'Basic Instinct' before his official departure this autumn, to build up more capital for starting his new company after leaving.
But now, the situation suddenly became uncertain again.
After enthusiastically weaving through the crowd and exchanging greetings, Ronald Goldberg also roughly understood the strong polarization of film critics' overall opinions on the film. However, at the same time, due to the overly high expectations for Simon Westeros, this polarized reputation actually leaned more towards criticism.
Clearly, 'Basic Instinct' would certainly be controversial, but its reputation might become very bad.
Ronald Goldberg was completely unsure whether audiences would still pay for a highly controversial but poorly-received film, even if it was a Simon Westeros film, or perhaps, especially because it was a Simon Westeros film.
With this worried mood, Ronald Goldberg found Simon and Barry Diller, who were chatting, and looking at their relaxed and smiling expressions, he couldn't help but say, "You two don't seem worried at all".