From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

“Los Angeles Times,” “Obviously, this isn't the first time, and certainly won't be the last. The only thing that can be said with 100% certainty is that it's uncommon for a commercial film premiere to end with the entire audience rising to their feet in thunderous applause after the movie ends. After all, we're not at the Toronto Film Festival.

However, it happened.

‘Catch Me If You Can,’ starring Anson Wood and Tom Hanks, received a five-minute standing ovation after its premiere at the Chinese Theatre.”

Clap clap clap.

Clap clap clap!

As the movie ended, it's uncertain who stood up first; perhaps several audience members stood up simultaneously. The applause quickly swept through the entire theater, igniting a tsunami of cheers.

And, as Anson, Tom, Steven, and other main cast members stood up and took to the stage, preparing for the audience interaction, this wave of enthusiasm climbed to a new height. The energy released in that instant almost lifted the roof, showcasing unbelievable passion.

“TMZ,” “Everything was truly crazy and outrageous. At the time, the blocks surrounding Hollywood Boulevard were completely closed, with no vehicles allowed to pass. However, a siren suddenly blared from the street next to the Chinese Theatre, startling the Los Angeles Police Department.

After investigation, police officers confirmed that the sound inside the theater was indeed too overwhelming and frenzied, accidentally triggering the alarm on a police motorcycle parked by the roadside. However, the area was completely empty at the time, and the police quickly ruled out any danger, avoiding further chaos.”

The situation was both amusing and exasperating.

Even the seasoned paparazzi were amazed, and TMZ, which had risen to prominence in the past six months, provided detailed and in-depth coverage.

In 2002, “Twilight” hadn't been released yet; Justin Bieber hadn't debuted; the Korean wave of fan culture led by BTS hadn't swept the globe.

However, the fierce competition between the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC already hinted at the global sweep of idol culture, and the era of “looks are paramount” had quietly arrived.

Clearly, “Entertainment Weekly's” comparison of the ‘Catch Me If You Can’ premiere to a Backstreet Boys concert was just a small surprise. They also didn't anticipate that the idol craze in the music industry would soon invade the film and television industries, with more and more traffic stars entering the public eye.

However, judging from the situation on the premiere night, “Entertainment Weekly” wasn't exaggerating.

The enthusiasm was frenzied, bordering on losing control, and the scene was momentarily chaotic.

“The Hollywood Reporter” also stated in its follow-up report:

“The applause frenzy lasted for a full five minutes with no end in sight, to the point that the post-screening Q\u0026A couldn't proceed until Anson stepped forward.

At the time, Anson simply made a conductor's cut-off gesture, and the overwhelming wave of enthusiasm miraculously paused, echoing the opening's commotion. This young actor, who just celebrated his twentieth birthday last month, already possesses unparalleled influence.

When the frenzy finally subsided to a certain extent, a woman in the screening room burst into an incredible scream, confessing her love.

‘Anson, I love you.’

In response, Anson spread his hands and openly accepted the confession, which put the screening room at risk of another earth-shattering event.

This should be one of the nights with the most crises the Chinese Theatre has ever faced.”

Not to mention gossip media like TMZ and “Entertainment Weekly,” even authoritative media like “The Hollywood Reporter” couldn't escape the frenzy of the premiere night.

Furthermore, “The Hollywood Reporter” launched an in-depth report, believing that Anson's role in ‘Catch Me If You Can’ was perfect—

Not only did it fully showcase Anson's charm as an actor, possessing multifaceted appeal even as an idol face, but it also portrayed his struggles and growth through a single character, allowing the audience to empathize and resonate with him, powerfully declaring Anson's presence as an actor.

The film's ability to evoke such a reaction was largely due to Anson's contribution.

“After the minor setback of the mixed reviews for ‘Minority Report,’ Steven Spielberg delivered a perfect answer sheet, proving his ability.”

Clearly, as a professional media outlet, “The Hollywood Reporter's” in-depth report didn't just stop at gossip and behind-the-scenes stories, but used gossip as an entry point to conduct comprehensive coverage.

Another authoritative media outlet, “The New York Times,” approached it from a different angle.

“In the movie, Christmas Eve is a day of special significance. DreamWorks also specifically chose Christmas Eve as the day the movie would first meet the audience, breaking the fourth wall from within the story to truly allow the audience to feel the warmth conveyed by the movie, echoing the movie's ending.

After the post-screening audience Q\u0026A, the crew ingeniously arranged a special gift, randomly selecting a lucky audience member to be personally escorted home by Anson and presented with a Christmas gift, demonstrating the existence of Christmas miracles in real life through practical action.

Unexpectedly, this small activity became the biggest highlight of the night.

Anson Wood said that the original intention of the activity was to echo the movie, just as Frank Abagnale Jr. (the movie's protagonist) was constantly searching for family warmth, in the real world, he would escort a lucky audience member home, reuniting them with their family on the special day of Christmas Eve.

However.

Clearly, Anson Wood underestimated his charm, and the ‘Catch Me If You Can’ production team and DreamWorks also underestimated Anson Wood's current appeal.

Before drawing the seat number, the Chinese Theatre was once paralyzed, with screams, cheers, and tears sweeping through the entire venue, instantly entering the world of the movie. And after Anson Wood announced the winner, the envious and jealous gazes turned the Chinese Theatre into scorched earth, ending the premiere at its climax.”

Of course, the above is still not all. “The New York Times” further analyzed the reasons—

From “The Princess Diaries” to “Spider-Man” to “Catch Me If You Can,” how did Anson become the dream lover of the entire North American continent in just three movies?

It's not just the movies, but also the roles and scripts, one step at a time, ultimately achieving Anson's glory.

Merely from words, it's impossible to describe even one-ten-thousandth of the noise of the premiere night; however, the few strokes that outline the scene ignite a storm of imagination in the reader's mind.

Some people regret missing the premiere, some envy the participants who witnessed the miracle that night, some are full of anticipation to see the movie, and some gnash their teeth and say it's all hype.

The only thing that cannot be denied is the heat.

The ‘Catch Me If You Can’ premiere emerged with overwhelming force, easily stealing the attention of millions of families on Christmas Eve.

The next day, which was Christmas Day, besides unwrapping presents, what millions of people were most concerned about was:

What are the reviews for ‘Catch Me If You Can’?