Echoes of Hollywood

Due to the need to complete the editing of "Inglourious Basterds" in his own style and form, rather than presenting it in the typical Quentin Tarantino chapter format, Murphy imposed quite strict requirements during the final editing process. Any unsatisfactory shots were sent back for redo, which caused the entire post-production to drag on for some time.

Fortunately, he had plenty of time and could carefully polish the film, striving to minimize flaws.

By late July, after being busy for months, the post-production of "Inglourious Basterds" was nearing completion, allowing Murphy to focus on the promotional marketing efforts with 20th Century Fox.

Murphy began closely collaborating with Fox's media outlets, releasing promotional materials in a planned manner.

"Recently, the appearance of James Franco in Murphy Stanton's new film 'Inglourious Basterds' was revealed. This still shows that he plays a character nicknamed 'The Bastard,' Lieutenant Aldo Raine. From the revealed photo, we can see not only James Franco's overall look but also a noticeable scar on his neck."

This report from Fox TV highlighted the film prominently.

"The film is set during World War II, where a group of convicted American soldiers, originally sentenced to death, are given a chance to redeem themselves by undertaking a dangerous mission deep into Nazi-occupied France to kill Nazi members brutally, thereby creating an atmosphere of fear in the Third Reich."

With this as the starting point, the pre-release promotion of "Inglourious Basterds" entered an intensive phase, with various materials continuously released by Murphy and the crew to major media platforms.

After the character image was revealed, James Franco became much more active in public, frequently appearing with Lily Collins. This golden couple attracted significant media attention, which benefitted the marketing of "Inglourious Basterds."

Simultaneously, James Franco and Lily Collins, in collaboration with 20th Century Fox and CAA, staged a drama of breakups and reunions, creating the biggest Hollywood gossip of late July and early August.

They were happy to play along. Considering how they came together, it was clear they couldn't be judged by normal standards.

A pedophile and a girl willing to fall in love with a pedophile, how could they be measured by common standards?

The first phase of the pre-release promotion of "Inglourious Basterds" focused entirely on James Franco. Although Franco didn't have the pull of Robert Downey Jr. after "Iron Man," he was definitely a top second-tier star.

Such an actor naturally had a certain level of recognition and influence.

However, no film's promotional campaign can revolve around a single person for too long without it becoming stale. The crew's promotional efforts were also advancing step by step.

In mid-August, Murphy released three teaser posters featuring a strong violent style. The posters didn't show any characters but focused on blood-stained batons, rifles, and daggers, filled with a sense of slaughter and visual impact.

"These three posters embody the typical dark style of Murphy Stanton, giving the first glimpse of the cult style of 'Inglourious Basterds.'"

Media and online comments were spot on.

Riding this wave, 20th Century Fox then released the first trailer for "Inglourious Basterds." The trailer, only one minute and forty seconds long, mainly featured James Franco's character Aldo Raine addressing his Bastard Squad, aligning with the previous promotional strategy.

Of course, the online version also included plenty of bloody and violent scenes, announcing to fans that the bloodthirsty Murphy was back.

From "Hard Candy" to "Deadpool," "Game of Thrones," and "Gone Girl," Murphy's films have always included almost crazily violent and bloody scenes. Only "Man of Steel" had some restraint due to its rating, but it still turned blood into violence, showcasing Superman and Wonder Woman's epic battle against Doomsday.

"Man of Steel" was Murphy's only PG-13 film. The release of the R-rated "Inglourious Basterds" trailer undoubtedly announced his return to R-rated films.

These were conventional promotional methods. Nowadays, Hollywood promotions have become increasingly diverse.

In mid-August, some major North American media outlets reported, "Too violent and bloody, Murphy Stanton's new film 'Inglourious Basterds' faces protests before its release."

20th Century Fox's shills deliberately leaked a small portion of the script online, sparking a protest movement overseas, drawing considerable attention from movie fans worldwide.

North American media, especially those controlled by Fox and News Corporation, widely covered this protest.

"Scheduled for release later this year, Murphy Stanton's new film 'Inglourious Basterds' has had its script leaked recently. The main character, played by James Franco, leads a group of brutal Jewish warriors deep into Nazi-occupied France. An Australian family organization is attempting to ban the film in their country."

"From the leaked script and the released trailer, Murphy Stanton continues his signature dark, violent, and bloody style in 'Inglourious Basterds.' James Franco's character, Aldo Raine, leads a Jewish squad into Nazi-occupied France to assassinate Nazi officials, with France harboring many people persecuted by the Nazis."

"The film's distributor also released three teaser posters showing blood-dripping knives, bats, and rifles, filled with a sense of murder."

"However, a leaked script segment is even more intense. One scene has James Franco's character, Aldo Raine, standing on a large rock, giving a speech to the Jewish warriors: 'Be ruthless to the Germans, let them know who we are. Each of you owes me 100 Nazi scalps, and now I'm going to collect what's mine.' Another scene features a warrior, played by Eli Roth, smashing a Nazi's head with a bat, described as splattering brains; the trailer frequently shows bloody close-up shots of machine-gun carnage."

"According to 20th Century Fox, 'Inglourious Basterds' is expected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, with a North American release slated for the Thanksgiving to Christmas period, and an Australian release in December."

"The Victoria Family Council from Australia has publicly stated that James Franco, as a youth icon, playing such a bloody, violent role is a bad example. Some Jewish organizations are also uneasy about the film's excessive violence, believing it doesn't reflect reality."

"But Murphy Stanton himself, in an interview with 'Empire' magazine, said that these 'bastards' are similar to the heroic Apache warriors of North America, who would fight to the last moment even in defeat. They are bastards, but they are also warriors!"

To meet promotional needs, Murphy also responded to the protests, granting an interview with "Premiere."

"Should movies be held responsible for social violence? I think it's a very broad topic, not something a single director can fully answer."

True to his provocative style, Murphy first threw out a hook, then continued, "We have perfect legal protections now, and the rating system can keep minors from entering theaters showing 'Inglourious Basterds.'"

He then dropped another bombshell, "Inglourious Basterds tells the story of a group of American Jewish soldiers who, originally sentenced to death, are given a chance to redeem themselves by going deep into Nazi-occupied France to wreak havoc. However, there may be a slight misunderstanding that needs clarification: the story actually centers on Margot Robbie's character, Shoshanna."

The next promotional focus would shift to Margot Robbie, helping her attract media attention.

Nowadays, Margot Robbie was no longer an unknown actress. She played the key role of Sansa Stark in the highly popular "Game of Thrones" series, which maintained a high level of heat, and its main actors received significant attention.

Especially since Margot Robbie was younger and more beautiful than her predecessor, her natural charm made her more popular.

The third season, which premiered in May, had a nearly insane "Red Wedding" episode that shocked countless viewers and media, earning an unprecedented 9.9 rating on multiple review sites. Some media even hailed it as the highest-rated episode in the history of television, pushing "Game of Thrones" to new heights.

The actors benefited greatly.

To pique interest, bait should be added little by little.

"Robbie's character, Shoshanna, is the central figure," Murphy continued to drop new topics. "She's not just an ordinary female character; she's also a ruthless Nazi killer."

After completing the post-production of "Inglourious Basterds," Murphy, like other notable crew members, began making high-profile appearances at various events, including attending the Saturn Awards ceremony this month.

Accompanying him was not Gal Gadot, but Robert Downey Jr.

"I'm a presenter," Downey Jr. explained simply. "And so is Michael Douglas."

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