Chapter 220: Premiere Premiere I
July 5, 1985. Friday. Calvin and Hobbes Day Nth.
Mom and Dad just got home from outside. They were sort of expecting for the house to be a mess but it seems that Calvin was behaved this time around.
Of course, everything would not be written in a comic strip so it was revealed that Calvin may have watched a scary movie and went full-on house defense with it.
It was a movie themed one again but it was still chuckle inducing.
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Ever since the start of July, the famous comic artist Alexander Creed and the wide-reaching 'Calvin and Hobbes' have been centered around film jokes and topics.
Although the people had no clue why that was the topic of the week, it at least gave them some enforcement that watching movies this summer shouldn't be that bad.
Of course, Alexander's purpose has been more or less achieved with that. The Calvin and Hobbes strips weren't too specific with having people watch Back to the Future but it had probably some help to the entire thing.
Granted, some other films in their box office run or upcoming run, were more or less thankful for the assistance.
Still, a comic strip has an unclear effect on the entire awareness concept of a film.
Depending on unclear propaganda tactics wasn't the only option to go for though as the film industry has many and other much concreter ways of doing it.
Back to the Future trailers, Back to the Future articles, Back to the Future slight news coverage, Back to the Future cast spotlights, Back to the Future gossip, and many others have been used already.
Before the official widespread theatrical and box office tallying could go on though, a planned 11th-hour propaganda event had to happen.
It's called a premiere! The 'Back to the Future' film premiere!
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The summer night sky is apparent in Los Angeles as such a red carpet formed the perfect contrast to attract attention.
A venue for the premiere was chosen and Columbia Pictures and Creed Picture put out their best to accommodate and put forward the best occasion for the film to stand out.
Of course, a lot of Back to the Future I posters and stands were displayed around for everyone to remember and familiarize themselves with what everything was for.
Michael Fox in hip clothing looked shocked at his wristwatch and the future-esque DeLorean had its door opened beside him. It was full of intrigue and a lot of curiosities popped up for people to get to the bottom of.
Reporters, paparazzi, invites, and mob fans were called out in one way or another to form the liveliness that the current event is showing.
There was still quite a ways to go until the true film screening inside the chosen theater, so there was still ample time for the premiere's true purpose.
The very red carpet lies still on the ground but it is also the dividing line that separates the ones who should be in the spotlight and the ones who judge them up.
Well, there's no denying that the premiere and its red carpet is a perfect avenue to praise the film and put topics into the film while also advancing corresponding people's agendas as well.
Publication and media representatives are asking for their articles while casts and stars answer in the best propagandistic way that they can.
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"Mr. Wilson, what do you think of the film?" A reporter asked a well-suited big guy that he remembered from the cast list.
"It's an amazing one for me..." Thomas, the Biff actor, replied. "...it's even more amazing with the sequels to come."
"Do you think you played your part well?"
"I hope so and I think I have." Thomas answered. "Although Biff is sort of the antagonist throughout the whole film, it is still a central role to everything that would happen next. The pressure is big but I think I did alright."
Those words were boring for the questioning paparazzi and the eavesdropping paparazzi but they at least had some idea of what to write.
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With boring Wilson done in their checklist, it just so happened that Eric Stoltz and Lea Thompson came hand in hand.
"Eric, Lea. I hear that you guys will be playing a couple in the film." Someone along the questioners gossiped. "Seeing that the two of you came together, does that mean that the fictional coupling has become a reality?"
"No. We're just friends." Lea denied but her arm was still braced in Eric's, so there was no denying that gossip articles would deconstruct everything the next day.
"Why the closeness, then?" Someone in the gossip crowd followed up.
"Well, our roles in the film are together most of the time and it just feels right to be with our partner the whole way through." Lea answered. "Don't tell the others that I told you this but Eric and I are quite the chameleons in the entire BttF story. It tested both our mettle in the acting field and the shapeshifting field as well."
"True. I believe that the chance to be in this film had helped my acting skills a lot." Eric was the one to say this now. He was no longer in George McFly and method acting mode but there was no denying that his focus was on acting through and through.
Lea, his partner, could only shake her head. They're supposed to "act" like the gossip couple for the propaganda. Why is this teammate of her's such an acting fanatic but can't act like a secretly infatuated guy?
Is his method acting so deep that the 'secret infatuation' can't be noticed by anyone at all? At least, make it obvious and easily misunderstandable for the paps, Eric Stoltz!
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Of course, the other casts had their time to shine as well, such as the McFly sister, Jennifer Parker's Claudia Wells, and the rest. However, they were mostly relegated to Thomas Wilson-like questioning.
But... when it came time for an eye-candy batch of supporting characters, the non-red carpet bunch seems to have livened up.
Nobody can't be blamed except the 'Phoenix Reeves through the Depp' trio's supportive handsomeness.
"Johnny, how do you feel about your second movie? It wasn't that long last year that we saw you in The Nightmare of Elm Street." Of course, the gossip bunch wanted the ask the whole trio but they had to start with the more senior Johnny Depp.
"It's alright, okay." Well, Depp was weird as he usually is. Still, he was a good friend, so he expounded. "However, I have to say that 'Back to the Future' has a special place in my heart as I happen to find these two."
"Hello." River supported while Keanu was more lively. "That's us!"
"Oh... care to share how it happened?" A gossip columnist was excited.
"We auditioned for the same role, the three of us didn't get the role but found camaraderie in each other and other roles to play in the film as well." Johnny explained as succinctly as he can. "This film brought the three of us together and I hope it could do the same to whomever comes across it."
Of course, to top that, the heartthrob trio huddled together and posed for the cameras.
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"Mr. Lloyd, you're the oldest in the cast list, I believe." A paparazzi's question stood out. "Is it pressuring to be the most mature one?"
"Haha! I don't really know since I'm not mature on set at all" Christopher answered with a chuckle "It's quite a good thing that there's the director and the production crew to handle all of our rowdiness all at once."
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"Michael, I heard you're the busiest guy on set." A reporter dug into some info. "It's not just because you're the main protagonist but you have other appointments as well. You didn't just jump from TV to film but did both at once."
"Haha! That's true." Michael humored with facts. "In fact, after this premiere, I have to film Family Ties. And after all the scheduled travels, I still have to film the last few parts of Back to the Future."
"Ooh... that's some dedication." A press person could only commend.
"It's going to be worth it though since the film or... films, are going to wow all of you." Michael declared.
"Is it really that worth it to split yourself like that?"
"Well, we also do stuff for the green." Michael joked while rubbing his thumbs and fingers against each other for the effect.
Being a blunt money guy always elicited laughs so the questioning crowd can't help but chuckle at Michael Fox's antics.
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The red carpet was a hustle and bustle, however, the BttF cast was among the most glamorous, energetic, and quite well-spoken in it.
It was hard to imagine that this group of people had been filming almost nonstop for more than a year.
Being part of something like this presents opportunities and limelight, something that stars need and even actors want. After all, they were not wearing their best dresses and suits for naught.
In any case, the premiere was their time to shine and they don't want to miss out on it.