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17.05% Echoes of Hollywood / Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Horror

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Horror

These past few days have been exhausting, work has been so stressful. Is there ever enough time for writing when you have a job? I'm feeling drained, and in need of some recommendation votes for comfort.

Murphy remained silent, seemingly pondering the meaning behind Ross's words.

Seeing Murphy's lack of response, Ross coughed lightly and added, "I have a substantial amount of idle funds."

"I see."

Understanding Ross's intention, Murphy smiled and politely declined, "I don't need money at the moment. If I find myself short on funds, you'll be the first to know."

He sighed inwardly, his hands and feet growing cold at the thought. The world had a way of forcing these tough decisions upon people. Had their environment changed so much that even personal relationships could not remain unaffected?

Whether Ross's suggestion was spontaneous or premeditated, Murphy couldn't tell, but he had no choice but to refuse. Even if it meant their relationship could never be the same as it had been in prison.

Ross glanced at Murphy once more, nodded, and said nothing further. He turned his attention back to the barbecue on his plate.

Murphy stayed silent too, his calm demeanor giving no hint of his inner turmoil as he focused on his meal.

This was the kind of situation that couldn't be allowed to start. Once it began, it would become a never-ending cycle.

Ross soon finished eating, stood up, and said, "I have some business to attend to. I'll be going now."

After waving to the others at another table, he left the restaurant without Murphy trying to stop him.

Watching Ross's car drive away, Murphy paid the bill and walked in the opposite direction, his brows furrowed. Since leaving prison and choosing this career path, he and Ross had been on completely different trajectories.

Ross had helped him a lot, and Murphy felt he should return the favor. But if it were anything else, he would agree without hesitation. This, however, was too risky—especially since he might already be under the scrutiny of the LAPD. Getting caught could mean another stint in prison.

He hadn't expected Ross to propose such a thing; money laundering was beyond the bounds of friendly assistance.

Looking back in the direction Ross had gone, Murphy sighed, shoved his hands in his pockets, and resolutely moved forward.

In the following days, Murphy finished setting up his rented house, giving Stanton Studio an official office space. After the "Hard Candy" crew disbanded, he once again became the studio's sole employee.

Fortunately, Paul Wilson would graduate in the summer, and his next few months were primarily an internship. Upon hearing Murphy had new projects in the works, Paul expressed his intent to continue working for Stanton Studio.

Hiring more staff could wait. Murphy wasn't in a rush. Once the house was organized, he holed up in the study, preparing for his new film project.

Part of his preparation involved watching tapes. He rented a large number of horror films from a nearby video rental chain, planning to watch at least three per day and then write an appropriate script based on his memories of the main plotline.

The new project, like "Hard Candy," would be another R-rated cut film.

Even with nearly a million dollars in Stanton Studio's account—a significant sum even in Los Angeles—it was still a drop in the bucket for filmmaking.

Small-budget films remained his only viable option.

As February 2001 rolled in, schools across North America resumed classes, and someone came looking for him.

"I'm back!"

Hearing the doorbell, Murphy went downstairs and opened the door to find a blonde girl standing outside. "You're not happy to see me?"

Murphy rubbed his stiff face and quickly stepped aside to let Carey Mulligan in, saying, "These days have been exhausting. I'm not in great spirits."

"Still watching horror movies?" Carey Mulligan asked with concern.

Murphy had mentioned this during phone calls over the past few days.

Leading the way out of the entrance hall and into the living room, Murphy replied, "I've watched so many I feel like throwing up."

Too many American gore films were taking their toll.

"I told you..." Carey Mulligan looked around the living room, tossing her bag onto one of the partitioned office desks. "Don't overdo it, or you'll get another headache."

"This place is a mess," Murphy said, heading towards the stairs. "Let's go upstairs."

Carey Mulligan followed him to the study on the second floor. Once inside, she turned off the TV and VCR and opened the south-facing window. A fresh breeze blew in, dispelling the stuffiness in the room.

"Make yourself at home," Murphy said, pointing to the chair in front of the desk as he sat behind it. "Would you like some tea?"

"No, thanks," Carey Mulligan replied, curiously looking around. "I'm not thirsty."

"You..." Murphy said, pouring himself a cup of tea and looking at Carey Mulligan. "You seem different."

Her doll-like face was still as innocent and cute as ever, her short blonde hair neatly combed. She looked the same, but something seemed to have changed.

Carey Mulligan pursed her lips. "Because I've been in hell for a month!"

Her eyes filled with resentment as she sarcastically said, "The great Mr. and Mrs. Mulligan hired an English etiquette teacher for me!"

Murphy nodded sympathetically. The thought of it sounded terrifying.

"I was tortured for a whole month!" Carey Mulligan held up one finger, her expression turning a bit crazed. "Surviving without dying was a miracle."

Looking at Murphy, her crazed expression quickly softened, and she said, "If I hadn't been able to call you, I wouldn't have made it."

Murphy took a sip of tea, feeling somewhat better, and offered comfort. "It's all over now."

"Yeah..." Carey Mulligan nodded lightly, removing her hair clip and tossing it onto the desk. "I never want to go back to London again."

Thinking of the rigid and stubborn Mulligan couple in London, Murphy shook his head inwardly. They had no idea how to communicate with their daughter.

Carey Mulligan, seeing Murphy's silence, raised her voice slightly. "I'm serious. I'm not joking with you."

She leaned over the desk, resting her chin on her hands. "I'll be sixteen in May. I can drop out of school then."

"Drop out?" Murphy looked at her curiously.

"Yes, drop out." Carey Mulligan straightened up and said earnestly, "School, parents, homework... they're all tying me down. I've had enough. I need to drop out and become a real actress."

She blinked her lively big eyes, looking pitiful. "You'll support me, right, Murphy?"

Murphy smiled and replied, seemingly serious but in a casual tone, "I'll always support you."

"Great!" Carey Mulligan jumped up from her chair, shouting, "I'll make it in Hollywood with you! I'll be the best actress, and you'll be the greatest director!"

She grabbed Murphy's hand. "Come on, let's go out."

Murphy, unsure of her intentions, slowly stood up.

Carey Mulligan pulled him towards the stairs, talking as she went, "Let's go to the movies. I've been waiting for this day for so long. I finally get to see myself on the big screen!"

Her words reminded Murphy that he had isolated himself these past few days, forgetting that "Hard Candy" had already been pushed into theaters by Miramax after a brief promotion.


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Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Special Screening

So engrossed was Murphy in preparing for his new project that he completely forgot his first film had already been released in theaters. On the way to the cinema, he called Jones Butler to get some updates on the situation.

Miramax had done some initial promotion for "Hard Candy," placing posters and trailers in select theaters and airing TV commercials late at night on two public channels.

Miramax's promotion of "Hard Candy" was restrained and budget-conscious, in line with the film's modest production costs. They couldn't afford to spend too much on marketing without risking a loss.

As the car pulled into the parking lot of a relatively secluded theater in Santa Monica, Carey Mulligan's voice rang out from the passenger seat. "Are you really a director? How could you not know your own film premiered last Friday!"

Watching Murphy park the car, her doll-like face was full of indignation. "I wanted to see it in London, but there were no screenings there."

"Alright, darling," Murphy said, motioning for her to get out of the car. "I've been busy with the new movie."

Carey Mulligan shut the passenger door, turning to glare at Murphy. "A new movie? What's it about?"

"That's a secret." Murphy locked the car and led the way towards the west-side theater. When Carey Mulligan caught up and tugged on his arm, he added, "You'll see the script once it's finished."

Carey Mulligan's face lit up with a wide smile.

As they entered the cinema, Carey Mulligan pointed excitedly to the poster display. "Look, Murphy, our poster."

In a corner at the front, the poster for "Hard Candy" designed by Miramax was displayed. It showed a little girl in a red hood standing in the foreground, while a menacing figure in gray loomed behind her.

"I'll get the tickets."

Murphy went over to buy two tickets, and they entered the screening room. Despite "Hard Candy" being rated R, having Murphy with her made it easy for Carey Mulligan to get in. In North America, it wasn't uncommon for minors to sneak into R-rated films.

"There are so few people here," Carey Mulligan remarked, looking around. "Most of the seats are empty."

It was a small theater that could hold about a hundred people, but including Murphy and Carey Mulligan, there were less than fifteen viewers.

"That's normal," Murphy reminded her. "Don't forget, it's a Monday."

Niche films rarely drew large audiences.

In fact, during his phone call, Jones Butler had mentioned some relevant screening data. "Hard Candy" had opened in North American theaters the previous Friday, with Miramax securing screenings in ten theaters. It grossed $36,538 on Friday, with slightly better numbers on Saturday and Sunday, breaking the $100,000 mark over the opening weekend.

This meant that "Hard Candy" had achieved a per-theater average of over $10,000 in its debut weekend, earning it a chance for wider release.

There was no denying Miramax's skill in distributing independent films. Starting from this Monday, "Hard Candy" expanded to 160 theaters across North America.

As the film began, Carey Mulligan fell silent, completely absorbed in the movie. When Hayley first appeared on screen and turned around, Murphy saw tears in her eyes, her body trembling with emotion.

Achieving one's dream is always an overwhelming experience.

Murphy understood this feeling well. He reached out and gently patted Carey Mulligan's arm. She turned, wiped away her tears, and tried to smile at him, then lowered her head and playfully butted his shoulder.

They shared a smile and turned their attention back to the film.

Soon, Carey Mulligan was grinning from ear to ear.

With so few people, most viewers were clustered in the middle rows, and their murmured comments occasionally reached Murphy and Carey Mulligan.

"That girl is really good."

"She's so pretty, so cute, so cool!"

"I like that girl. I love her red outfit and sneakers too."

People behind them even commented on her performance.

"That little girl's acting is amazing. She's really scary."

Hearing these remarks, Carey Mulligan felt as though she was floating on air. It was even better than the feeling of drinking Chivas with Murphy.

Though there were some voices critical of the film's intensity, most comments about Carey Mulligan's performance were positive.

Murphy also believed Carey Mulligan had done an excellent job. Her nearly natural performance had effectively hidden her flaws, and her looks added significant appeal compared to the original actor, Ellen Page.

Audiences often respond to appearances.

The final scene, where Little Red Riding Hood turned the tables on the Big Bad Wolf, drew gasps of amazement, delighting the women and discomfiting the men...

As the screening ended, the audience trickled out, with Murphy and Carey Mulligan being among the last to leave.

"Did I do well?" Carey Mulligan asked eagerly.

Murphy nodded. "You did very well..."

A hint of disappointment crossed Carey Mulligan's face. She swayed, humming, "Just very well?"

"Darling, you have to let me finish," Murphy shook his head and continued walking. When Carey Mulligan followed eagerly, he added, "You performed better than James Franco."

Carey Mulligan lifted her chin proudly. "I'll do even better next time."

Following Murphy out of the screening room, she glanced back at the promotional poster, admiring the striking image of Little Red Riding Hood.

The only thing that disappointed her was the small audience.

How wonderful it would be if the theater had been packed with people all praising her performance.

Thinking about these things, Carey Mulligan followed Murphy out of the theater, squinting at the bright sunlight. To her right, a voice with a hint of confusion called out.

"Excuse me..." A brunette girl, about twenty years old, looked at her and asked, "Are you... Hayley?"

"Hayley?" Carey Mulligan was momentarily confused.

Murphy also heard the question and turned, reminding her, "Hayley from the movie."

Realization dawned on Carey Mulligan, and her eyes crinkled in a smile. She politely extended a hand. "Hello, I'm Carey Mulligan."

After the brunette shook her hand, Carey Mulligan added, "I played Hayley in 'Hard Candy'."

The brunette looked thrilled. "Really? You were amazing!"


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