No one is born a clown

Chapter 901 No one is born a clown

The preview screening of "Joker" has just ended at the Burbank Theatre.

Christopher Nolan rubbed his temples and turned to look at Martin as if he were seeing him for the first time.

This film marketing guru, who is particularly adept at grasping the market, said: "In today's social environment, this is a film that perfectly meets market demands, and it will become a classic."

Facing Nolan, Martin humbly replied, "I also took a shortcut."

"Commercial films are inherently speculative," Nolan bluntly stated. "And your choice was perfect. Look at the current social situation; how many people will your film resonate with?"

After a moment's thought, he added, "This film is even darker and more realistic than The Dark Knight, and it's closer to people's lives. I personally have high hopes for its market prospects."

Martin said, "Chris, thank you for your kind words."

Nolan and Emma Thomas then said goodbye and went to find people from Warner Bros.

Compared to a true master of film marketing like Nolan, Emma Thomas's market sense is somewhat lacking, and she has some doubts: "The film's content is so crazy and realistic, will the audience...?"

Nolan muttered as they walked, "A regular movie made like this might get high ratings, but its market prospects are uncertain. But you've overlooked the most important point: this is a Joker movie! The Joker who completely overshadowed Batman in 'The Dark Knight,' the Joker who's already a legend on the internet and among movie fans!"

Upon this reminder, Emma Thomas realized what was happening and said, "No wonder Martin dared to film it like that; the Joker gave him the confidence."

"Not only that, this way of filming also fits the Joker's character." Nolan has never strayed far from the front lines of the film market and has some understanding of the psychology of most audiences: "Think about the ordinary people whose lives have become increasingly difficult in recent years, and then watch this movie. I think it will resonate deeply with them."

Emma Thomas didn't quite understand and looked at her husband with a puzzled expression.

Nolan explained softly, "Why did the Joker's life fall into such a predicament, unable to escape the mire? Why did he lose his job? Why did he go completely insane? It's all the fault of those around him, his colleagues, his boss, the passersby, the media, and the politicians. It's the cruel social environment that forced him to this point, not because he did anything wrong."

Emma Thomas, recalling the movie she had just watched, realized it was indeed true and asked, "Would this cater to their psychology and win their approval?"

Nolan said, "It's a common human psychology that when people encounter difficulties, they always assume the problem lies with others, especially now that the social environment is not good, so it's definitely a societal problem."

Emma Thomas then asked, "Do you think Martin did this unconsciously, or was it intentionally designed this way?"

Nolan countered, "What do you think? Don't you know how strong Martin's grasp of the film market is, given how many times we've collaborated with him?"

After the test screening, the crew also hosted a welcome party at the nearby Burbank Hotel.

This was a special screening for industry professionals, media, and film critics. The film's serious themes and realistic storyline received unanimous praise from both inside and outside the industry.

Charles Rowan approached Martin and shook his hand: "A true masterpiece."

He said very seriously, "Based on my thirty years of experience as a producer, this will be a blockbuster."

"Thank you," Martin said politely.

Many people came to see Martin, including many frontline film workers. These people all seemed to be optimistic about the film's market prospects, and they all spoke very nicely.

Indeed, Martin stood in the banquet hall and looked around; everywhere he looked, there were good people.

People who try to please him.

Not long after, film critics Kenneth Turan and Todd McCarthy found Martin.

The former immediately launched into a chorus of praise: "The film is exceptionally well-made; its artistry and thematic depth are unmatched by any other film in recent years."

He breathed a sigh of relief: "I was a little worried that you might be pressured by DC to turn the good material from The Dark Knight into a flashy comic book movie."

Martin listened to these words, but simply maintained a smile.

Todd McCarthy chimed in: "It turns out, Kenneth, your worries were unnecessary. Martin Scorsese's film is incredibly realistic, truly reflecting our current social problems. The film achieves a certain level of artistry and social relevance."

He apologized to Martin: "I must apologize for my comments before The Shallows was released. I said you were not suited to be a director, which was a complete prejudice. You did a great job with The Shallows, and this one is even better! Martin, you have directed a masterpiece."

Martin shook his hand and said, "Those things are in the past. Let's look forward."

Kenneth Turan and Todd McCarthy both laughed.

After the party ended, Leonardo and Nicholson, who had been trying to find some peace and quiet, got into Martin's car.

On the way back to Beverly Hills, Leonardo said, "I really suspect that you found someone else to replace you as director."

Martin made no secret of the fact that "I actually distributed the director's work among various departments, and hundreds of experienced people completed the preparation, filming and production of this film. All I did was coordinate the specifics and keep writing checks."

Leonardo DiCaprio disagreed: "These two points alone wouldn't make a movie like this."

Nicholson said, "Martin brought the Joker character into social reality."

He looked at his best friend: "Your clown has completely surpassed me."

Martin didn't mince words with him: "My Joker has already become a god, and that's the source of my confidence in making this film."

Nicholson cautioned, "This film is aiming for an Oscar, right? You're directing and starring in it. Here's my advice: it's best to only submit one nomination, either for the lead role or the director. Two nominations will severely split the votes, leaving you with nothing."

Martin wasn't an idiot who knew nothing about the Oscars, and he was well aware of the consequences of splitting votes, saying, "I will only submit one for Best Actor and Best Director."

Leonardo reached out, grabbed Martin's shoulder, and shook him violently: "You absolutely have to apply for Best Director, apply for Best Director!"

Martin chuckled: "I almost forgot, your 'The Revenant' is coming out in December, and you're aiming for Best Actor."

Leonardo DiCaprio quipped, "You gave up Best Actor, and my film 'The Revenant' gave up Best Director."

Martin extended his hand and shook hands with Leonardo: "It's a deal!"

Leonardo DiCaprio was first and foremost the producer and investor of "The Revenant," and only secondarily the lead actor. He had the final say on the project's details: "Okay, it's settled then!"

Nicholson looked at him with disdain: "The Oscars, a prestigious institution, are ruined by bastards like you."

Martin bluntly stated, "Given the current environment in Hollywood, how can you win awards without causing trouble?"

Leonardo DiCaprio completely agreed: "You old bastard, stop pretending to be innocent. You told me years ago that winning awards just because of good films and roles is a pipe dream."

Nicholson said, "I wish you a fair and square win at next year's Oscars."

Martin and Leonardo were both laughing.

Those two bastards have already reached a private agreement, and given their status and position, they will naturally influence the outcome of next year's Oscars.

The following day, two more screenings of "Joker" were held, with audiences mainly consisting of theater managers from North America and around the world, as well as ordinary moviegoers from the lower and middle classes.

After several test screenings, the film received excellent reviews.

It received widespread praise in the media.

"Martin Davis explored the themes of 'Joker' with exceptional depth, providing a complex, cold, and remarkably realistic ultimate answer!"

"Through this film, Martin Scorsese reveals a harsh social reality: the world is constantly sinking, and those at the bottom are always the ones who suffer the most!"

"Joker is a cinematic, political commentary on the brutal side of our society by Martin Davis. It's a realistic film that can terrify us, absolutely."

Kenneth Turan, the Los Angeles Times' top film critic and president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, wrote in his column: "After watching Martin Scorsese's new film, you'll realize that nobody is born a clown!"

"The violent madness born from the darkness and oppression of 'Joker' is Martin Davis's resounding voice. This is a masterpiece that far exceeds expectations. It's not just a film that focuses on the underprivileged and ordinary people, but also a socially cautionary allegory!"

This type of film, with its serious content and thematic depth, perfectly suits the tastes of film critics.

These sentiments resonated with ordinary moviegoers, evoking a sense of connection within them.

When people, especially ordinary people, encounter problems, they first attribute them to environmental issues.

The Joker is a god they created, and his development in the film aligns with their understanding of the world.

Fans who saw the preview screening poured out their emotions online.

"Dark, realistic, twisted, and shocking, Martin Scorsese truly lives up to his reputation as a star and director who rose from the slums. He understands the realities of society and, through this film, has voiced the lament of the entire American people!"

"The pacing of the plot is perfect, the tension of the thought-provoking themes is perfect, the artistic drama is perfect, and the character development is perfect. Only Martin can bring a true Joker to life."

"Just how severe is the social stratification in this world? It's reached the point where anything can become good movie material! Martin sees it very clearly: when facing these people at the bottom, there are only a few choices: struggle, protest, or go crazy..."

Warner Bros. and the production team have lifted the embargo on the film's reviews.

Rotten tomatoes have a freshness rate of up to 98%!

MTC received an overall score of 86!

With its high level of professional reputation and the buzz it generated on the internet, "Joker" has garnered a lot of attention since September.

Martin went to extreme lengths to generate publicity, even dragging the already retired Nicholson into the fray.

As the previous Joker actor, Nicholson famously said in an interview: "Twenty-five years ago, making a Joker required throwing a person into a vat of chemicals. Twenty-five years later, all you need to do is throw a person into society..."

Nicholson's comments were shared wildly on social media, even reaching the top of the Instagram trending list in early October!

The overwhelmingly positive word-of-mouth from test screenings, Martin Scorsese's own star power, and the A+ rating from theater managers all contributed to North American theater chains' willingness to allocate substantial resources to the theatrical release of "Joker."

After obtaining the total number of 4250 opening theaters, Warner Bros. went all out to produce and distribute copies.

Digital copying is simple, convenient, and offers good confidentiality.

In addition, the film has also gone all out in terms of publicity and marketing.

Martin's Joker-themed poster graced the cover of Empire magazine.

As the head of the crew who is both the director and the lead actor, Martin Scorsese gave an exclusive interview to The Hollywood Reporter.

A massive number of promotional articles have emerged on the internet.

"Joker is darker than The Dark Knight!"

"This movie absolutely deserves another Oscar for Martin Davis!"

Martin Scorsese stated that "Joker" should be categorized as a social realism film, not a comic book adaptation.

Not only the media, but the FBI also joined in, stating that they would fully cooperate with the Joker production team to ensure the safe premiere of the film.

The shooting at the premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises" is still fresh in people's minds, and Martin is also worried about the emergence of extremists.

The social environment today is worse than it was a few years ago.

To ensure the safety of the premiere, the production team hired a professional security company to handle all security matters.

The FBI also dispatched several teams to provide assistance throughout the process.

On the day of the Joker premiere, hundreds of security personnel were deployed at key locations around the Chiefstone Theater.

Even so, security remains a problem.

Because so many clowns came to the scene, thousands of clowns, the road in front of the Chiefstone Theater was completely blocked.

A crimson suit, a deathly pale face, and a gaping, blood-red mouth have become the most popular fashion look in Los Angeles today.

All the main members of the production team were present at the premiere.

Many of Martin's friends and partners, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicholson, Chuck, Menez, David Fincher, and Nolan, came to cheer him on.

Elizabeth Olsen, who has rarely appeared in public, also accompanied Martin to the premiere red carpet.

Most unexpectedly, Zack Snyder accepted Daniel's invitation and came to the theater with Deborah.

In addition, several actors from the Justice League cast also attended.

On the contrary, none of the DC executives came.

"I proposed making a director's cut version by Zack Snyder after the film's release and airing it on HBO, but DC rejected it." Zack Snyder appeared frustrated, saying, "In DC's eyes, I'm just a superfluous person now."

Nolan, who had personally recommended and promoted Zack Snyder, offered words of comfort: "Exes are always enemies."

Martin didn't say anything.

Based on what he knew, it wouldn't be long before Warner Bros. and DC released the Zack Snyder version.

Thousands of movie fans, hundreds of media reporters, and dozens of guests flooded into the screening hall, ready to watch the premiere of "Joker".

(End of this chapter)