Chapter 73: The Little Rascal Arrives

William White was in a peculiar situation. Classes barely ran for long, and there was already another break coming up. With just over a year left until graduation, the final year of college mostly focused on practical experience or writing a thesis, and no one stayed on campus the entire time. Due to the time difference, Home Alone premiered in Europe about eight hours earlier than in the United States. William White was curious to see if the Brits enjoyed this American brand of humor. If the box office results weren't great, he'd need to increase the promotional efforts. He underestimated his own influence. The Brits loved it, treating him like one of their own. Rowan Atkinson, in an interview with British media, graciously praised him, saying, "William White is a true gentleman, not a rough cowboy." The world is a realistic place. Success brings praise, but if you stumble, the media won't go easy on you. As a comedy aimed at humor, there wasn't much to criticize. The British sense of humor was even more robust than that of the Americans. For them, the film was a laugh-out-loud success. In such tough times globally, a film that lets people forget their troubles and laugh wholeheartedly is a rare gem. Home Alone was definitely such a film. Excessive criticism was unnecessary. ... The Americans didn't react much to the Brits getting to watch it earlier. They were fairly tolerant of the innovative approaches of White Films. This was one of the perks of being perceived as a young talent; people treated him like a kid. Even if the movie wasn't as good as expected, audiences might not criticize too harshly. With positive reviews from across the Atlantic, confidence soared. The Brits were famous for their pride, often critical of American culture, but this was one of their last strongholds in the arts, and the Americans didn't mind too much. The proud Brits actually liked it, so it couldn't be that bad. Although the Americans weren't thrilled by the Brits, they trusted their opinion on films more. Even in artier films, many lead actors were Brits. These guys were regulars at the Oscars. Despite all being labeled as Hollywood, there were many distinct styles. The British certainly produced good actors, and some scripts just didn't work for Americans. Take James Bond, for instance. Unless you plan on making wild changes, let the Brits make it. Tom Cruise might be great, but if he played Bond, it'd end up like Mission: Impossible. Not that Mission: Impossible is bad, but these are two different styles and should not be confused. As the movie began, laughter never ceased. Critics were stumped on how to judge it. If anyone claimed it lacked depth and corrupted kids, they'd be drowned out by the audience. If they argued it had educational value, that'd be sheer nonsense. But one thing was certain, audiences loved it. The craziest thing was when people left the theater and went straight back to see it again. Watching another show wasn't a big deal for parents. If the kids were happy, why not let them watch it again? ... Major studios were losing their minds. Another series in the works implied it'd return next Christmas. The post-credit scene made that clear. Exhibitors were definitely the happiest. Whether it'd surpass Police Academy was unclear, but it was definitely a box office smash. Christmas wouldn't be as bleak with this film. Hollywood's big guns needed to take note. One film might be luck, but two successful comedies in a row showed real skill. Thinking of the films this guy was making, all studios were getting headaches. Police Academy was called a phenomenon due to its marketing, but how did a low-budget comedy get successful? Dammit, they knew marketing. Couldn't others figure it out? Sure, he had tricks, but couldn't anyone break it down and understand? Couldn't they just mimic the successful formula? Even the investors were displeased. They had invested huge sums in Hollywood, so why were their films flops? No money for promotion? Let's not kid ourselves. Their promotion cost just ten million. If the movie's quality is good enough, just spending money on advertising isn't hard. TV networks were happy. There's another big spender in town. No need to match William White's budget, but at least half is necessary. Over the years, Hollywood boasted about standardization and industrialization, but compared to White Films, Hollywood seemed outdated. They shot movies in segments and handled everything in modules. From casting onwards, they were extremely professional. Their contracts were the most pristine in Hollywood, and the legal team at White Films was formidable. Rumor had it even William White couldn't interfere. After a thorough analysis, they found White Films could mass-produce movies with more robust internal systems. Now that they had an example to follow, it was time to learn. Anyone resistant to change was fired. Their positions were being threatened, and not adapting would spell doom. Incorporate them? Dream on. Their own boss said, it's uncertain who's wealthier, so better give up on that idea. They weren't as simple as they looked. Simple? Michael Eisner felt helpless. What appeared simple couldn't have had more layers. Who knew what connections this guy had? The folks at USC were thrilled. They learned quite a bit from William White, who was willing to teach his juniors some things. The central philosophy was key. William White's studio management was like an assembly line, and he digitized everything, leading to shockingly high filming efficiency. ... The evening's celebration party was chaotic, mostly the film crew and a few classmates. Someone clearly drank too much again. Fortunately, he had bodyguards; otherwise, he'd have been in trouble with the ladies. Folks who blame alcohol for their actions are just jerks. It's just a lousy excuse. If you truly drink too much, you're either puking all over or sleeping. Forget about those things, no matter how desperate you are. If you end up blackout drunk like last night, don't expect any special treatment -- just wash up and sleep early. "Dang it, I can't keep drinking like this. How much did I really drink?" William White mumbled as he stumbled into the shower. ***** https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.