Chapter 130: Interview

[Chapter 130: Interview]

After the second week's box office numbers came out, the media and film companies collectively lost their minds, completely baffled by what the audience was thinking.

With so many classic films in theaters during February and March, why were people flocking to see The Blair Witch Project?

Although the movie was undoubtedly novel and interesting, satisfying the audience's curiosity about the mysterious, many media outlets repeatedly emphasized that the film was a hoax. They claimed the distributors had created hype to lure viewers into theaters, urging everyone not to fall for it. The media insinuated that anyone watching The Blair Witch Project was foolish, yet an astonishing number of people still went to see it. This was just too strange.

Reporters rushed to cinemas to interview moviegoers, asking why they were drawn to The Blair Witch Project.

Audience members expressed that the film was captivating. After watching it, they felt they had learned a lot about the lore surrounding the Blair Witch and discovered the astonishing aspects of the real world.

"Did you see media reports claiming The Blair Witch Project is a scam? There's supposedly no witch named Blair in Wilton, Illinois, and that college student didn't really disappear. The actors were just that -- actors. The whole thing was manufactured by Trimark Pictures as a faux supernatural event," a reporter questioned.

When asked if they had seen such reports, the audience members provided varied responses.

Some argued that without a thorough investigation, the media's claims weren't enough to prove that Blair Witch didn't exist or that the entire story was fabricated. They believed that the criticisms aimed at The Blair Witch Project stemmed from jealousy over its box office success, leveraging public opinion to undermine a creative venture.

They had seen this kind of war of words too often to be fooled.

The reporter felt frustrated, practically wanting to smash his microphone over the head of one audience member to get a clearer understanding of their thought processes.

Other viewers admitted that after watching The Blair Witch Project, they realized the entire affair was indeed a hoax orchestrated by Trimark Pictures.

Encouraged by this response, the reporter quickly inquired, "If you understand it's a hoax, why did you still choose to watch it?"

The interviewee looked at him with an incredulous expression, replying, "How else would I know I was being deceived if I didn't go to the theater to see the film?"

Al Simmons from the Los Angeles Times clenched his jaw in frustration, nearly crushing his microphone. How could these people not communicate normally?

"Al, look over there! Isn't that Robert Downey Jr. and Kiefer Sutherland? Should we go interview them?" a photographer pointed out, gesturing toward the theater entrance.

"Of course!" Al Simmons rushed over, microphone in hand, eager to ask if they were open to an interview.

Kiefer Sutherland seemed inclined to decline, but Robert Downey Jr. nodded without hesitation.

"Have you seen The Blair Witch Project, and what did you think of it?" Al Simmons asked Robert.

"Oh, it was great! The Blair Witch Project is one of the most interesting thrillers I've seen these days," Robert Downey Jr. responded enthusiastically.

Al Simmons was momentarily speechless, unable to believe his ears.

If he had been speaking to an ordinary audience member, such an answer would have made sense after interviewing dozens of people. But now he was standing in front of a Hollywood star -- Robert Downey Jr., a Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated actor.

He had previously criticized low-budget films like Paranormal Activity for ruining the industry, claiming they drove out better films. Now, this same star was calling a movie that was arguably less impressive than Paranormal Activity "really great" and "one of the most entertaining thrillers" he had seen.

This response was baffling and uncharacteristic of Robert Downey Jr.

Al Simmons couldn't help but scrutinize him; he was in his twenties, dressed in designer attire, sporting a Rolex, looking pale with stubble.

It was indeed Robert Downey Jr.

Gathering his composure, Al asked Robert what made the film so appealing.

Robert confidently talked into the microphone, praising everything from the storyline of The Blair Witch to its filming techniques and artistic merit. He felt compelled to commend the director, Ed Merrick, and insisted that those who criticized the film simply didn't understand its depth, which he claimed he did, thus appreciating its value.

Al Simmons was perplexed. Had Robert received a kickback from Trimark Pictures? How else could he explain this?

Not only was Al confused, but Kiefer Sutherland, too, couldn't understand why Robert was praising The Blair Witch Project -- though it had its amusing moments, it hardly warranted such accolades.

...

After the interview, the two stars left the venue. Kiefer asked Robert why he praised The Blair Witch Project and director Ed Merrick.

Robert laughed heartily, slapping his knee.

"Kiefer, who do you think is the most annoyed that The Blair Witch Project is such a hit?"

"Richard Gere? Jodie Foster? Warner Bros? I heard that because of The Blair Witch Project's success, the opening weekend for their film fell below expectations. They must be pretty upset."

Kiefer speculated.

"Ha! No, no -- the most frustrated person is definitely Link."

"Link?"

"Absolutely. Anyone who's seen The Blair Witch Project knows it's a complete rip-off of Paranormal Activity -- from the filming style to the promotion. It's like they made a fortune using Link's method without paying him a dime. Don't you think Link would be pretty irked seeing others profit from his approach?"

"Sounds about right."

Kiefer nodded in agreement, stroking his chin. He thought if it happened to him, he'd be equally mad.

"Also, before, only Link could make big bucks using this technique. Now Ed Merrick and Trimark Pictures have proven it's viable too, which means this method really works. We can expect more films like this coming out of Hollywood. Once the market gets saturated, Link won't be able to rely on this trick to profit anymore -- which is a pretty sweet deal, don't you think?"

Robert Downey Jr. winked as he spoke.

"You make a compelling argument."

Kiefer regarded Robert with admiration. "You're quite the clever guy."

"Ha ha ha!"

Robert Downey Jr. burst into laughter.

*****

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