Chapter 111: Comedy vs. Horror Movies

Words : 839 Updated : Sep 30th, 2025

Americans were getting ready for summer vacation again. The movie Beverly Hills Cop went head-to-head with The Shining as they both premiered on the same day. The rivalry was obvious, with Warner Bros. investing five million dollars in promotions. For a horror movie, this budget was huge, as many only made around a million at the box office. The Shining was indeed excellent, but Warner was a bit dizzy in their thinking. The horror genre had a limited audience and couldn't compete with Beverly Hills Cop in terms of box office numbers. They also overlooked one small detail -- the black community really stuck together. Support from other demographics might not materialize, and watching one movie didn't mean much to them. ... Once Friday's box office numbers were announced, Warner Bros. was silent. "Boss, here are today's numbers," an assistant said, seeing the hopeless expression on Steve Ross's face. "Go ahead," he replied. "Beverly Hills Cop, 7.12 million; The Shining, 750,000." "Alright, got it. You can leave now," he said, letting his assistant scurry away. Shortly after, Steve Ross emerged from a trashed office, storming home angrily. Having toppled Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back within a week of release, William White had reason to be proud. Although Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back had been in theaters for a month and its takings were naturally dwindling, this was still Star Wars. It had no peers in America and its production costs were much higher than Beverly Hills Cop. ... "Haha, I bet the old guy's livid!" With the box office booming, celebration was in order, and this time it was quite the event. Beyond the Beverly Hills Cop cast, there was also Johnny English's crew and his circle of friends, and you could imagine the scene. It was a swimsuit party, and the chaos was best left undescribed. William White was quite cautious in this regard, aware that some diseases couldn't be cured. At crucial moments, it was better to play it safe, as he'd hate to be left crying with no tears. "Boss, you've vanished three times now. Aren't you being a bit much?" Jason quipped mischievously. "You don't get it. My efficiency lately has been through the roof. One batch of ammo isn't used up before another arrives. It's quite the bother." "Really, do you have to exaggerate?" "You don't know. I haven't been out for fun in a while now. I can't keep up with you guys. If I don't relax a bit, I'm gonna stiffen up." "Boss, what's the plan for this summer vacation?" "Let's hit the Bahamas. Those pink sands are pretty romantic. Wonder if I might hurt myself while... you know, trying something out." "You should give it a shot." "Good idea, worth a try." The two were brainstorming where to enjoy summer break, watching the men and women flounder around the pool. The early '80s were the era of last hurrahs. When faced with incurable diseases, people finally reined in their reckless behavior. It's easy to let loose, but drawing back in isn't simple. Halfway through the event, William was tipsy again. Security and his assistant quickly helped him back to the villa. Things would only get more chaotic otherwise. ... Enjoying the wake-up service from the helpful assistant Suzuki, William walked into the bathroom stark naked. You have to hand it to her; despite obvious exhaustion, she still dutifully helped him clean up. Is this the quality life people talk about? Having someone take care of you makes all the difference. Since this Japanese assistant joined, William's quality of life improved significantly. The strangest part was, this Japanese girl seemed to have a serious Stockholm syndrome thing going on, which amused him greatly, always giving him a sense of superiority. No matter how late he stayed up, William got up promptly at 6:30, starting to exercise by 7. After basic aerobic exercises, it was time for swimming and running. Suzuki was curious how he always seemed so energetic, rarely showing signs of fatigue. Once he got going, there seemed to be no stopping him. Oh, how nice it'd be to stay by his side forever. William sweated easily and didn't like summer. Sweat seemed to pool on his head, always leaving him drenched -- a tad embarrassing. "Suzuki, tell marketing to ramp up the promotions, reach out to the critics." "Yes, boss." She handed William a towel before heading off to make calls. William had no plans to stop while ahead. Kicking someone when they're down is easiest since they can't fight back. With the box office numbers out, Hollywood was collectively speechless. They had no idea what to say. Once was luck, twice was fortune. If fortune strikes repeatedly, it's clearly due to skill; talking about anything else was a waste of breath. ***** https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.

Chapter 111: Comedy vs. Horror Movies

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