Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 273: Screening

Bradley wasn't entirely certain if his decision was correct.

Lately, there had been much buzz about Renly, creating quite the commotion. But "Buried" was merely a low-budget independent production. Even with the momentum from Toronto and Telluride, its prospects during award season remained uncertain. Moreover, films like "127 Hours" of similar genre were also making waves. In the long span of award season, it wasn't an easy task for any film to make it to the end.

Attending the midnight premiere of "Buried" right away, interviewing the audience's thoughts, gauging their reactions – it seemed unnecessary. There probably wouldn't be any noteworthy material to report from these independent art films. Covering the rush for the midnight premiere would be futile. They could just wait for critics' reviews, followed by Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb ratings lifting the embargo, then proceed with further reporting.

Logic told him so, but emotions yielded a completely different answer. Bradley recalled the glimpse of brilliance at the premiere of "The Pacific". On instinct, he chose to attend the midnight premiere. He had even mentally prepared himself for an empty cinema, maybe a couple of cats around, and he would consider it his contribution to the box office.

Unexpectedly, completely unexpectedly, his impulsive sixth sense choice led to a huge surprise.

Bradley was suddenly thrilled. He looked at the bustling ticket hall before him and immediately started chatting with the audience.

Most of the audience was driven by curiosity, specially coming to see who this "Renly-Hall" was.

Renly's recent rise had been lightning-fast. Discussions about his background had been ongoing, and although the praise for "Buried" at the Toronto and Telluride film festivals to some extent answered the questions, the discussions had been reignited with the news of his involvement in "Fast 5".

"Buried" had become the best medium. If Renly's performance was truly commendable, then regardless of whether he had strong backing, at least his skill would silence doubts. But if Renly's performance fell short, things would instantly become intriguing. "The Pacific" had just concluded, and the hype began at Toronto and Telluride. Renly's backing was undoubtedly remarkable.

Thus, supporters, opponents, and busybodies all emerged, contributing to the lively atmosphere of the midnight premiere.

A small portion of the audience were fans of Renly Hall, or at the very least, they had grown interested in Renly due to "The Pacific". Their expectations for "Buried" had gone through the roof.

Bradley heard an interesting viewpoint, "Don't you think Young Heir's "Cleopatra" complements his role in "The Pacific"? Or maybe it's a kind of comprehension." The petite yet lively girl before him, with determined eyes, said, "That bard-like aura allows us to feel Eugene's vulnerability and confusion deep within."

He remembered, this girl had introduced herself as Hope.

"So, is that the reason you like him? His music and his acting?" Bradley found this to be a novel perspective.

In fact, before Renly released his two singles, Bradley had also entertained the same thought: was this guy being heavily promoted by Disney or Warner Brothers as the new generation star? From actor to singer, an all-around explosion? Otherwise, his recent trajectory was indeed too bizarre.

However, upon closer investigation, he had gained no answers. Bradley's doubts remained unanswered.

Now, Hope's explanation had opened a completely new door for Bradley. This way, many things were explained.

For instance, why there was no accompanying promotion for Renly's two singles; not even music videos were filmed. Why these two singles didn't make it onto radio stations, as their airplay data was quite pitiful, and the songs gained recognition purely through strong streaming data. Another example was why Renly's film choices were so peculiar. After "The Pacific", he took on "Buried" and "Like Crazy", two low-budget productions.

In the end, these two singles were merely Renly's sentiments, akin to those of a bard, sensing emotions. If "Cleopatra" was inspired by "The Pacific", then was "Ophelia" inspired by...the Emmy Awards?

Bradley was suddenly excited. He felt he should go back and give those two singles another good listen!

"No, that's not it," Hope provided a negative answer, which caught Bradley off guard. "You didn't understand my point. Whether it's his music or his acting, he infuses them with something of his own. He meticulously studies, chews on it, reflects on it, and then incorporates his talent, his understanding, and his thoughts into them. That's the reason his works are outstanding and the reason I like him. Trust me, after you watch "Buried" tonight, you'll understand what I mean."

Bradley was somewhat surprised, even a little dazed. Clearly, he hadn't anticipated that Renly, who had entered the public eye only six months ago, having presented only a TV series and two singles so far, could already have garnered such dedicated fans. Moreover, the praise was so high and so profound, truly making people take notice.

"Isn't this excessive praise?"

That was the only thought in Bradley's mind. However, before he could inquire further, a commotion erupted at the entrance of the Landmark Cinemas. Being a journalist, his sensitive intuition reflexively turned his head to look. He then saw Vin Diesel and Ludacris walking through the night.

Tonight had already brought plenty of surprises, and it seemed the surprises weren't over!

As one of the few top action stars in contemporary Hollywood, Vin Diesel's muscular build made him highly recognizable. The moment he appeared, hushed discussions arose among the audience, and a fervent excitement surged through the crowd. Bradley was quick to react and approached them.

Vin raised his head, looking past the surging crowd, trying to spot familiar faces from the crew.

He paid no attention to the bustling crowd before him, not finding it odd at all. For the sake of creating news, Renly had invited the entire crew and had even personally invited two hundred audience members to the screening. It wasn't anything unusual.

In his view, there existed a type of art film where film critics applauded and became wildly excited, almost as if they wanted to devour the cinema seats, yet the audience remained uninterested, having no intention of stepping into the theater. They wouldn't even consider renting the DVDs. Each awards season, a few of these films would emerge. Clearly, "Buried" was one such film.

Thus, he wasn't concerned about what kind of tricks Renly had up his sleeve. His only current thought was to quickly get through this occasion and return home. Just thinking that he had actively come to promote Renly's new work and had to do so with a cheerful smile, his stomach burned fiercely, nearly causing him to vomit.

However, why hadn't he seen any members of the crew? There were less than twenty minutes left until the midnight screening. To dispel suspicions of being a big shot, Christian deliberately asked him to arrive twenty minutes early to demonstrate his friendliness. Yet, he couldn't spot any familiar faces within his line of sight. What was going on?

"Vin, Ludacris," Bradley's steps had already brought him before the two, and he greeted them familiarly. "Why are you here? Did you come all the way to watch a black and white classic at the midnight screening?" Bradley was being deliberate, intentionally not mentioning "Buried". The news about the filming of "Fast 5" was known throughout North America. How could he not know?

Vin recognized the journalist before him. He couldn't recall the name, but he knew he was from the New York Times or the New York Post. Regardless of which one it was, they were both top-tier media outlets, not to be easily offended.

Thus, Vin put on a warmly enthusiastic smile. "Don't you know? I came specifically to support Renly." Vin felt his stomach churning. Every inch of his skin felt uncomfortable, as if he were about to explode any moment. "I've already watched this film in Toronto. It's so captivating that I couldn't get enough. The film officially premieres in the U.S. today, so how could I not come to support it? Besides, Renly is currently a vital part of the cast."

Vin nearly bit his tongue. He despised Renly, loathed him to his core! That bastard should roll as far away as possible! But tonight, he couldn't lose his composure. He recalled Christian's threat, and he shivered involuntarily. He not only had to be appropriate, but he also had to shower Renly with praise.

"If necessary, you can hug, get close, or even kiss Renly at the event. I don't care. You need to use every means to make Neil and Long feel your sincerity. This isn't just promoting "Buried", it's public relations for "Fast 5"! You have to understand that it's not only you who's uncomfortable. If you give Renly an affectionate hug, his aversion won't be any less than yours. So, make him feel overwhelmed, make him resist your intimacy. Only then can we turn the situation around!"

He didn't want to hug Renly, but at the very least, he could show friendliness.

"In fact, today our entire crew will be the earliest ones here. I can hardly wait!" Vin rubbed his palms together, speaking with exuberance.

Bradley widened his eyes. This was the true surprise of the night! "So, the whole cast of "Fast 5" will be here tonight?"

Vin turned his head to glance at Ludacris and they both smiled. "That's right, Renly is a modest guy. Yes, he's reserved two theaters and invited all members of the crew to attend. Originally, I was worried whether the premiere's box office was dismal, which led to this gesture. Now it seems I overthought it. Hehe, hehe."