With a huge roar of applause, Gilbert stepped out of the car, then helped Naomi Watts out, and they walked onto the red carpet together. They waved to the fans around them and slowly walked the red carpet, allowing Naomi Watts to experience the treatment of a Hollywood star.
Gilbert quietly whispered in Naomi Watts' ear, "You pose for pictures, and I'll interact with the fans."
"Okay!" Naomi Watts remained in the center of the red carpet, posing for the media. With the light rain, a beautiful image of a woman in the rain was created. Gilbert, meanwhile, went to both sides of the red carpet to interact with fans, greet them, and sign autographs. When he felt it was enough, he returned to Naomi Watts' side, and they continued down the red carpet.
---
## Gilbert's Public Statements
Inevitably, they chatted for a bit. Gilbert first mourned the victims of the Los Angeles riots and paid tribute to River Phoenix, before sharing his insights on making the film. In reality, these victims had nothing to do with him, but since he was in this business, he had to say what people wanted to hear. The purpose was simple: to get the money from moviegoers' pockets.
Gilbert once read a book that stated: in Western society, whether it's charity, animal protection, or environmental protection, it's essentially a business. So, as long as it could bring higher box office revenue to his film, Gilbert didn't mind doing some unethical things.
Clearly, Gilbert's statements were very appropriate and aligned with the prevailing mainstream societal views, drawing widespread acclaim. Naomi Watts followed suit, adding a couple of casual remarks, echoing Gilbert's sentiments.
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## Notable Guests Arrive
After the main cast and crew entered, it was time for the guests. Matt Damon and Cameron Diaz arrived together. Old Gilbert also invited several friends and producers to attend, showing support for his son. Steven Spielberg arrived with Gwyneth Paltrow. Rumors outside claimed Gilbert was Spielberg's student, and Spielberg tacitly agreed. On the red carpet, Spielberg praised, "I've long known Gilbert possesses extraordinary filmmaking talent. I believe this film won't disappoint us."
However, what surprised Gilbert the most was the presence of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Although Tom Cruise's arrogance was well-known in Hollywood, with reminders from his agent and Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise wasn't foolish. Gilbert was clearly a rising star director in Hollywood, and fostering a good relationship with such a director was very necessary.
"Hello, Mr. Cruise, Ms. Kidman," Gilbert greeted the couple.
Tom Cruise flashed his signature charming smile: "Director Gilbert, are you interested in us collaborating on a film?"
"Of course, who in Hollywood wouldn't want to work with Tom Cruise?" Gilbert replied. Hearing this, Tom Cruise seemed very pleased. He also didn't forget to seek an opportunity for Nicole Kidman: "Do you have any suitable roles? Could you give Mary an opportunity?"
Gilbert looked at Nicole Kidman, who was standing nearby, and nodded slightly: "Certainly, if there's a suitable role, I'll have someone inform Ms. Kidman."
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## The Premiere Begins
Once all the guests had arrived, the premiere quickly began. Gilbert's family didn't walk the red carpet and were already waiting inside the theater. At the same time, dozens of diverse audience members, invited for the public relations event, had already taken their seats. The media arranged by Disney and Warner also began setting up their cameras and equipment, ready for photos, reports, and interviews.
Among these dozens of audience members, a few representatives were chosen to speak, mostly delivering platitudes about abandoning discrimination and prejudice, and promoting unity and friendship. It was clear that being "represented" wasn't exclusive to any one country. Wherever you were in the world, if you couldn't speak for yourself, being represented was inevitable.
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## The Film's Impact
The movie quickly started, immediately giving the audience a big impact. Steven Spielberg was also sitting in the front row watching the movie. His presence alone was a great show of respect for Gilbert. However, in his view, Gilbert was still young. Although very capable, he still needed more experience. But unexpectedly, the first twenty minutes of the film completely changed Spielberg's mind. The fast-paced plot, sharp editing, rapid scene changes, dazzling visuals, and storyline undoubtedly showcased "Speed" as an action film of excellent quality.
Tom Cruise was initially chatting in a low voice with acquaintances around him, not paying much attention to the movie. He didn't even notice Nicole Kidman reminding him about proper viewing etiquette. But it wasn't until the film's first explosion scene, with its deafening sound reverberating throughout the theater, that Tom Cruise's attention was drawn back. From that moment on, Tom Cruise's eyes never left the big screen.
A house being blown sky-high, a bus flying over a broken bridge, an airplane colliding with a bus, and finally, the male and female leads passionately kissing at sunset.
Sarah, a reporter from The Los Angeles Business Journal, managed to secure a spot at the premiere thanks to her good relationship with Gilbert. She silently watched the film from the media section, making a judgment about "Speed" in her mind. This was an A-list commercial film with blockbuster potential. Compared to Gilbert's previous two films, "Speed," despite its seemingly novel filming approach, was essentially a mainstream Hollywood commercial movie. Films of this type, as long as the quality was decent, usually achieved good results.
Among the dozens of ordinary audience members from various ethnic backgrounds, some had never been to a movie theater to watch a Hollywood film before. Their first movie experience left them captivated by the quality of "Speed." Is this what Hollywood movies are like? No wonder Hollywood is world-renowned; its films are truly captivating.
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## Post-Premiere Discussion
The movie ended successfully, and thunderous applause erupted in the theater for this exciting action film. Gilbert then led the main cast and crew onto the stage for a curtain call, thanking the guests for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend the film's premiere.
After the curtain call, it was time to discuss thoughts on the film. The cast and crew shared some interesting anecdotes from the set and made a few playful jabs at director Gilbert. Keanu Reeves gave Gilbert his second nickname: "The Explosion Maniac." This was because Gilbert often blew things up on set, driving the crew members crazy. Audiences who had seen the movie fully agreed with Keanu Reeves' nickname, as some of the explosion scenes in the film were truly wild.
Producer Charles Roven also jokingly complained, "Every day on set, I was on pins and needles because Gilbert loved to use practical effects for explosions. We actually blew up a house, and the bus jumping over the bridge was also a practical effect."
The final scene in the film, where the bus crashes into the plane, was actually filmed using miniature models. However, most of the other shots were practical effects, and there was nothing wrong with that. When it was mentioned that the scene of the bus flying over the broken bridge was a practical effect, Tom Cruise's eyes lit up. He felt as if he had grasped some sort of trick, but he couldn't quite articulate what it was.