บท 100: Happy Birthday!
(3rd Person POV)
Following the emotional scene of Tuco's beating, the film continued its tale of three men seeking confederate gold.
Despite their earlier sympathy, the audience was reminded of Tuco's true nature. His bathtub scene drove this home, with the ugly dwarf brazenly cleaning his teeth with bubbles.
Tension mounted as a confident man aimed a gun at the seemingly vulnerable Tuco. The audience jolted in surprise when Tuco suddenly fired, his hidden gun concealed beneath the bubbling water.
As his opponent tumbled to the ground, Tuco rose from the bath and fired again, coldly stating, "When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk."
This line, delivered with Tuco's characteristic bluntness, resonated with the audience. Many found themselves secretly cheering for Tuco, appreciating how he remained true to his nature even when appearing defenseless.
The scene showcased the film's ability to continuously surprise the viewers, subverting expectations and keeping them engaged. It reinforced Tuco's complex character - capable of evoking both sympathy and admiration for his ruthless survival instincts.
Before they knew it, the film approached its climax with the three men in a standoff.
Many viewers anticipated Tuco and Angel Eyes teaming up against Blondie, given Tuco's alliance with Angel Eyes and his complicated relationship with Blondie. The audience was uncertain which partnership was stronger - Blondie and Tuco's or Tuco and Angel Eyes'.
Relief washed over the crowd when Blondie and Tuco jointly shot Angel Eyes. A collective sigh echoed through the theater.
The film's conclusion, with Blondie once again saving Tuco from hanging, brought the story full circle. The audience recognized the return of Blondie and Tuco's authority-scamming partnership.
Only as the credits rolled did viewers realize the film had ended. Many found themselves wanting more, surprised by how quickly the time had passed.
As they left the theater, conversations buzzed:
"I can't believe I sat through an entire western film."
"Sat through? We watched the whole thing without getting bored!"
"Ha! All I can say is it was way better than that Titan Pictures film!"
The unexpected enjoyment of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" left the audience pleasantly surprised, especially in comparison to their earlier disappointment with "The Desired Crown".
***
(Arthur POV)
Another birthday, another solitary celebration. I'm thinking of whipping up some favorites from my previous life - burgers, pizza, 'elf fries' (this world's version of French fries, named after the Moonlight Kingdom's first elf king who invented them), carbonara, the works.
Back when the royal family kept my allowance tight, I could only manage burgers and fries. Now, the world's my oyster, culinarily speaking.
But before I can indulge, there's studio business to handle - namely, my third movie's release.
In my new office, Rayleigh Wang and Jerry Yan present the box office results. The paper shows we've sold a mere fifty thousand dollars worth of tickets.
"Hmm... Not bad..." I muse.
Rayleigh's not having it. "Not bad?" he sneers. "It's abysmal! We're in hundreds of theaters and this is all we've got?" Blunt as ever, this one.
I set the paper aside. "Don't worry, Mr. Wang. Our film will pick up steam."
"How can you be sure?" Rayleigh practically lunges at me, thankfully intercepted by Jerry.
"I've sunk a fortune into this, Your Highness! Do something!" Rayleigh's actually tearing up now.
Weird demon, indeed.
"Uh... Your high- I mean, Mr. Morningstar," Jerry interjects, restraining Rayleigh. "My apologies. We should be going."
He drags the tantrum-throwing Rayleigh out, looking utterly helpless.
As the door closes behind them, I can't help but chuckle. The day's been... interesting, to say the least. Now, about that birthday feast...
***
After buying ingredients, I returned to my penthouse. Opening the door, I was met with darkness.
"Hmm?" Before I could process this, the room suddenly blazed with fire magic. My eyes widened as I saw George, Firfel, Vivienne, Shafel, Imkrag, and others gathered there.
"Happy Birthday!!!" They shouted, accompanied by a flashy magical light show. A big cake and various meals adorned the table.
"What the..." I was genuinely surprised. It's the first time anyone's done this for me.
In my previous life, I celebrated alone. In this one, my demon family was too cold to care, with probably only my youngest sister Apollonia showing any genuine concern.
George chuckled, "Did you think we'd forget your birthday?"
I could only smile in response.
Firfel approached with a gift. "Happy birthday," she said warmly.
"Oh, what's this?" I opened it to find an expensive watch. "You shouldn't have."
"I know you like watches. I hope you like it," Firfel smiled.
"I do. Thank you," I replied sincerely.
Vivienne butted in, "Hey, don't forget my gift." She thrust a package at me.
"Okay, okay. Geez," I said, opening it to reveal a cute headband. "Do you take me for a girl or something?"
Vivienne just laughed at my reaction.
Then there was George, presenting me with one of his weird inventions.
As I looked around at these people who'd gone out of their way to celebrate me, I felt a warmth I hadn't experienced in either of my lives. Maybe birthdays weren't so bad after all.
***
(3rd Person POV)
Media outlets were having a field day with the box office results of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" and its rival "The Desired Crown."
"The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" pulled in a mere fifty thousand dollars, promptly labeled a failure by newspaper articles. Smug experts who predicted its downfall wrote: "This was no surprise - western-style movies have never found success in Horn Kingdom or the wider Anatolia region."
In contrast, Titan Pictures' "The Desired Crown" boasted a four million dollar box office. Headlines trumpeted: "The Desired Crown performs spectacularly on opening day! Viewers claim it surpasses Lord of the Rings!"
The narrative was clear: "The Desired Crown" was a roaring success, while Hellfire Studio's "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" was deemed an epic failure.
However, a different story circulated among actual viewers. Many warned friends and family: "Don't bother with 'The Desired Crown.' It's so bad, people are walking out before it ends."
Indeed, reports of mid-screening exits were numerous, but largely suppressed. Only newspapers like "Powerful Times" dared to publish these accounts.
Meanwhile, those who'd seen "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" were recommending it: "You won't believe it! The film's actually good! I never thought I'd sit through an entire western style movie, but I did!"
The word-of-mouth for "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" spread slowly at first. On its second day, the box office only reached about two hundred thousand dollars.
Meanwhile, "The Desired Crown" raked in 2 million dollars. Though a significant decline from its opening day, it still outperformed "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly".
However, the third day brought a shocking twist. "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" box office skyrocketed to six million dollars! Even more surprising, "The Desired Crown" plummeted to a mere five hundred thousand.
This dramatic shift left the media and those who hadn't yet seen "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" stunned and confused.
Many felt betrayed by the initial media reports. Comments like, "The Desired Crown was awful. I can't believe I trusted those newspapers claiming it surpassed Lord of the Rings," became common.
Others chimed in, "The ex-prince's western style movie was actually entertaining and more interesting."
"Yeah, it was refreshingly different," another agreed.
The tables had turned. Public opinion now favored "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," while "The Desired Crown" faced mounting criticism.
This reversal highlighted the power of genuine audience reactions over initial hype and misleading media reports. It showed how word-of-mouth could dramatically impact a film's success, even when starting from a seemingly disadvantaged position.
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NewComer714
NewComer714 There's really no bonus chapter for reaching top 3, but this is a chapter as a thank you.
บท 101: Breaking Preconception
(3rd Person POV)
At Righteous Film Studio headquarters, anxiety was mounting. Rayleigh Wang and executives like Jerry Yan grew increasingly nervous as "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" struggled at the box office.
Investors demanded explanations, criticizing the decision to back Arthur's third film: "We're hemorrhaging money! That exiled prince's film doesn't stand a chance against Titan Pictures!"
Many pushed to pull "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" from theaters after just two days, citing the high costs of maintaining it in hundreds of cinemas.
But Rayleigh, eccentric as ever, stood firm. "No, no! We can't stop screening it! I still believe there will be returns!" he insisted. "We'll continue showing the film across the kingdom until I recoup my investment!"
So, despite the disappointing first and second-day performances, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" remained in hundreds of cinemas for its third day.
Rayleigh's stubborn faith, initially seen as foolish by many, was about to be put to the test.
Investors, resigned to Rayleigh's stubborn decision, approached the third-day box office results with low expectations for "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly."
However, when they saw the stunning six million dollar figure, their eyes widened and jaws dropped in disbelief.
The fourth day brought even better news: a 6.8 million dollar box office.
At Hellfire Studio's hall, executives from Righteous Film Studio joined Rayleigh in celebrating with Arthur.
"Hahaha!" Rayleigh's joyful laughter filled the room. "Those investors wouldn't believe in my vision!"
Nearby, the major investor of RFS smiled, raising his glass in a toast.
Rayleigh, unable to contain his glee, bragged to Arthur, "That guy was forcing me to stop the screening - but look at him now!" He guffawed, "He's as tame as a dog after seeing my vision was right! The film's earning millions!"
The investor looked embarrassed in Arthur's presence.
Arthur simply offered him a toast as the party continued.
Rayleigh continued his boastful tirade, "Investors and executives were afraid of Titan Pictures - but I said, damn Titan Pictures! Our film will make it!"
Two hours into the celebration, Rayleigh was thoroughly inebriated.
Jerry, equally tipsy, attempted to scold him, "You're drunk, Rayleigh! Stop acting like a spoiled kid!"
"I'm... I'm not drunk!" Rayleigh swayed, slurring his words. "I am... I am not a spoiled kid! My mommy said so!"
George leaned towards Arthur, asking skeptically, "You sure it was the right decision to have a party here at your studio with these people?"
Arthur chuckled, "Let them be. These people, especially Rayleigh, are weird, but they're very interesting."
Firfel, standing nearby, commented, "That Rayleigh is beyond weird. He acts like a child."
"Yeah," Vivienne nodded in agreement. "He tried to get touchy with me too, but fortunately, he's not forceful. Otherwise, he'd have tasted my fist."
Arthur, Firfel, George, and the others shared a hearty laugh when they heard that.
***
The media initially predicted Arthur's third film, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," would be a colossal failure. Headlines boldly proclaimed: "Exiled Prince's Third Film Set to Be His Biggest Flop."
This confidence stemmed from the Horn Entertainment Industry's apparent desire to pull Arthur down, jealous of his rapid success with his first two films. Titan Pictures, wielding significant influence in the industry, spearheaded this effort.
The film's western genre, unpopular among Horn citizens, made it easy for these industry giants to generate negative press. They were certain Arthur's streak of success was about to end.
However, from the third day onwards, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" defied expectations. Its box office numbers soared, earning millions day after day.
Meanwhile, Titan Pictures' "The Desired Crown" saw a dramatic decline. Its earnings plummeted from millions to hundreds of thousands, and finally to mere tens of thousands daily.
This unexpected turnaround left the media scrambling to explain the phenomenon.
The dramatic box office shift reached Titan Pictures headquarters in the Muscovy Empire's Evros region. In his spacious office, Chairman Alexander Leonidovich Volkov, stroking a cat in his lap, reviewed the Horn Kingdom box office reports with Ed Louis.
"What happened? Aren't western-style movies unpopular in Horn Kingdom?" Alexander questioned, eyeing the papers on his desk. "Why is that infamous prince's third film performing so well?"
Ed Louis replied, "Boss, you've seen 'Demonfather' and 'Lord of the Rings.' This film is likely just as good."
Alexander nodded, his expression darkening as he considered "The Desired Crown's" performance. "What about our film? Didn't our director boast it would surpass 'Lord of the Rings'? Why did it only perform well initially?"
"It's been widely criticized," Ed admitted. "Many call it a shameless copy of 'Lord of the Rings.'"
Alexander's response was swift and cold. "Fire the director and the team. They created an obvious imitation." He paused, then continued, "This failure is acceptable as the film was merely an experiment. We'll improve next time." His eyes narrowed as he added, "Deal with the Hellfire film. Bribe Horn film critics for negative reviews. Have our popular Horn artists criticize the prince's film in interviews."
"Of course," Ed nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.
This scene reveals the cutthroat nature of the industry and the lengths to which powerful studios will go to maintain their dominance.
It also highlights the growing threat Arthur's success poses to established players like Titan Pictures.
***
As planned, popular film critics in Horn Kingdom began publishing scathing reviews:
"The film is terrible. It labels Blondie as 'Good,' even though he's just as evil! Don't waste your time on this movie!"
"It's a one-dimensional film. There's no point in watching such shallow content."
"The film's only gaining success because Blondie is half-demon."
More negative reviews flooded in, but those who had actually watched the film met these critiques with disdain.
"No way Dudu would give this review! Was he paid off or something?" some fans speculated, suspecting foul play.
While some were swayed by the reviews, others who had seen the film were quick to counter:
"Don't trust these reviews. Go watch the film yourself. It's worth it."
"Is it true that Blondie, labeled as 'The Good,' isn't a good person at all?"
This question lingered in the minds of many, even those who had watched the film.
"Watch the film and then read those unbiased review to understand," became a common response.
Amidst the controversy, unbiased critics emerged, offering nuanced analyses of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." One such review stated:
"The three men were bad in their own way. Blondie, labeled 'The Good,' was indeed a terrible person. While he distanced himself from 'The Bad' Angel Eyes, he still associated with 'The Ugly' Tuco. Yet, the film cleverly portrays Blondie as the lesser evil. Despite his illegal activities, his actions somehow seem less reprehensible. The film ingeniously challenges our moral standards. Ultimately, it's an amazing western-style film."
These balanced reviews cleared the air for many viewers, deepening their understanding of the film's complexities.
Intriguingly, these in-depth analyses sparked curiosity among audiences. Many were inspired to rewatch the film, eager to catch the subtle details pointed out by perceptive critics.
This phenomenon demonstrated the film's layered narrative and its ability to provoke thought and discussion.
It also highlighted how thoughtful criticism could enhance audience appreciation and engagement, turning a single viewing experience into a deeper exploration of the film's themes and nuances.
As "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" continued to rake in significant box office success, the media's attempts to thrash it proved ineffective.
History seemed to repeat itself, echoing the "Lord of the Rings" era. The negative press paradoxically piqued audience curiosity, fueling the film's popularity to unprecedented heights.
The Horn Entertainment Industry and experts found it hard to believe that a western-style movie like "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" could become such a huge success. It was well known that Horn citizens, and indeed the whole of Anatolia, typically disliked western-style movies.
The fact that Arthur, a demon not even from the west, had created a western-style film that proved to be a significant success brought wonder not only to the Horn Entertainment Industry but also to western countries and kingdoms. They were curious about the film's content and quality.
Many in the west wondered if Arthur Morningstar had once again created a film that could stand alongside "The Demonfather" and "Lord of the Rings" in terms of quality and appeal.
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