Hollywood Director 1992

[Chapter 17: The Premiere of Buried]

"Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Our flight is about to take off, with an estimated airborne duration of 4 hours and 52 minutes."

As the plane began to ascend, Link leaned back in his seat, letting out a sigh of relief, finally leaving New York safely without being caught in traffic by that group of black people.

---

Upon returning to Los Angeles, Link had no time to rest. He had reached out to Jerome Preston and William Mason, the manager at the United Theater, along with the newly hired lawyer Sean, to sign three contracts at the AMC theater in The Grove.

Two contracts pertained to film distribution, outlining terms regarding the release schedule, screenings, and promotional activities. The contract with William Mason also included provisions regarding a $30,000 security deposit. According to the contract, if Buried failed to hit the minimum box office threshold within the first seven days -- $5,000 per day per theater -- Link would be responsible for compensating the cinema's losses. If the box office surpassed this minimum, the deposit would be refunded after the film's run, along with a share of the profits.

Link also signed a collaboration agreement with a marketing studio recommended by Jerome Preston, which would help design and produce the movie posters. He personally visited the marketing department of the Los Angeles Times, spending $5,000 to secure a small ad in the entertainment section to announce the release of Buried.

Additionally, he was in charge of copying the tapes, arranging for workers to put up the posters, and tracking box office statistics.

In the three days following his return from New York, Link ran around tirelessly, draining all his cash and exhausting himself to the point of losing over five pounds. Fortunately, the effort paid off.

After a flurry of activity, Buried was officially set to premiere the next day at ten theaters in Burbank and two theaters in The Grove. After the film's release, he thought with a grin, "Then it would be time to witness a miracle."

---

"Ugh..."

Around nine in the evening, Link yawned, stretching his weary legs as he trudged up to the fourth floor. He planned to collapse onto his small apartment bed and get a good night's sleep, waking up fresh for the premiere of Buried next day.

However, upon reaching his apartment door, he was jolted to see an eviction notice taped on it, with the lock secured by a chain. Link froze for a moment, remembering the building manager had reminded him of the rent due on the 15th. But he had been so busy these last few days that it completely slipped his mind.

He slapped his forehead and had no choice but to head back to the first floor, knocking on the window of the dormitory office to apologize to the manager, Lucy. He explained that he had forgotten due to the rush and promised he would find a way to pay the rent tomorrow.

"Tomorrow? Don't try to fool me. You don't have money today; how do you expect to have it tomorrow?"

"I really do have the money, just not in cash. All my funds are in my bank account. Look, here's my Citibank card."

"Ha! Who doesn't have a few cards? If the balance on that card exceeds $10, I'll eat it on the spot."

"Lucy, I'm serious. This isn't just a regular card, it's a credit card with a $5,000 limit. I assure you, I'll settle all outstanding rent by noon tomorrow, you'll have no trouble with me."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. By the way, Lucy, what do you like to eat? I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow."

"Get lost! Don't think you can trick me; I'm not some naive kid."

Lucy slammed her palm down on the counter and then lifted her hand to reveal a key. "If you don't pay your rent by noon tomorrow, I'm throwing you and your junk furniture out."

With a loud clang, Lucy shut the little window.

"Hey, Lucy! Thanks!"

...

Link, holding the key to the lock, managed a smile just as he spotted Monica Bellucci walking by with a bag in hand.

"Hey, Monica, just got back?"

"Hey!"

Monica glanced at him and nodded as she sauntered past him in her heels, leaving behind a chilly silhouette.

Link smiled faintly, recalling some of the residents had mentioned a beautiful but distant woman had moved in, suggesting it was her.

"Monica, did you finish filming for Bram Stoker's Dracula?"

"Yeah, I only had two scenes in that movie."

She continued walking, clearly in a hurry.

"Have you been auditioning for new roles lately?"

"Yes!"

"Have you had any success?"

"No!"

"What a bummer. My new movie hasn't started shooting yet, or I could've given you a role."

"Your new movie?"

Monica paused her steps and turned to look back at him.

"I'm Link, a director."

"Nice to meet you, Director Link!"

Monica replied flatly before turning and heading upstairs, swaying her curvy hips.

Link watched her go, a smile tugging at his lips.

...

Back in his fourth-floor apartment, he flopped onto the bed, initially planning to lie down for just a moment before showering and cooking something to eat. Yet, exhaustion overtook him, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

...

When the dawn broke, Link woke up early and headed to the Citibank counter to withdraw $5,000. Lucy was right; the balance on that card barely exceeded $10, but the card did hold a credit line of $5,000.

After settling the rent in the morning, Link took Chris Barnes with him to The Grove, where Buried was set to premiere that day.

----

"Wow, so many people! Link, did you invite them for the film's support?"

Arriving at the bustling Grove, they saw a long red carpet laid out in front of the entrance, crowded with citizens on either side, along with around fifty media members wielding cameras and microphones.

In the center of the red carpet, several glamorous individuals slowly walked forward, stopping in front of a massive movie poster to sign autographs and pose for photos. This included Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins, renowned actress Cybill Shepherd, A-list star Diane Lane, acclaimed actor and director Richard Attenborough, and notable actress Julianne Moore, among others.

"Isn't Chaplin dead? Why is there a poster of him here?" Chris pointed out, noticing the large movie banner featuring a guy in a bowler hat standing at the entrance, leaning on a cane, striking a classic pose reminiscent of the comedy icon.

The top of the poster read "Chaplin," directed by Richard Attenborough, starring Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Kline, and Geraldine Chaplin.

...

"Downey! Downey!"

Suddenly, the crowd along the red carpet erupted with shouts as Robert Downey Jr. made his entrance.

At 28 years old, he looked significantly younger than his appearance in the Iron Man series, his face clean-shaven.

Dressed in a sharp Armani suit, he wore Chaplin's classic black bowler hat, right hand grasping a cane, striding confidently down the red carpet.

Following closely were three stunning young actresses, including lead actress Moira Kelly, third lead Marisa Tomei (Aunt May), and fourth lead Milla Jovovich, who would become the future protagonist of the Resident Evil series.

As Robert walked, he waved at the fans, occasionally striking a pose that echoed Chaplin's classic antics, prompting enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

Robert Downey Jr. was a celebrated Jewish actor, having started his career as a child star, his father being the famed director and actor Robert Downey Sr.

Thanks to his father's connections, Robert Jr. began working at the age of five and now, at 28, had already appeared in 27 films. Thanks to hits like Less Than Zero, Weird Science, Back to School, and Air America he had cemented his status as a prominent young star in Hollywood.

However, he also carried a reputation as a notorious playboy and drug addict, with tabloid newspapers frequently documenting his escapades.

Last year, Carolco Pictures invested $30 million in a planned adaptation of the comedic legend Chaplin's biography, aiming for an Oscar-worthy film. Robert landed the lead role after defeating numerous competitors.

Richard Attenborough was an Oscar-winning director, previously known for directing Gandhi, which took home the Best Picture award in 1983, earning him a lifetime achievement award from the BAFTA.

The collaboration was highly regarded within the industry, marking it as one of the year's most anticipated artistic films.

...

"What were you thinking, choosing to premiere on the same day as Chaplin? Are you worried Buried won't be obscure enough to stand a chance?"

Chris gestured to the chaotic red carpet scene with an expression of disbelief.

Link couldn't answer Chris's pointed question. When pushing for Buried to release, all he had considered was ensuring it screened without issues. He hadn't given a second thought to which day it would debut.

He was just a struggling nobody, lacking funds, connections, or popularity -- how could he afford to choose a release date?

As the old saying goes, if you're broke, you can't be picky about your wife; if you're freezing, you can't be choosy about your clothes; and if you have no money, there's no use waiting for the perfect day.

"Stop wondering so much; just watch."

"We're just going to watch here? And when does it end?"

Link didn't respond to that. He stood by the red carpet, observing for a moment. Just as he was about to head inside, a staff member from the theater approached him.

...

"Jerome Preston arranged a premiere ceremony for Buried too."

"Where is it?"

"Over there!"

The staff pointed to a smaller poster beside the grand Chaplin poster. The massive banner for Chaplin towered over eight feet long and four feet wide, while the Buried poster was only about four feet tall and two and a half feet wide.

If he hung the poster on his apartment wall, it wouldn't seem too small. But next to the eight-foot-long poster, it looked like an elephant was followed by a tiny mouse.

"He said Buried lacks star power, no journalists, and not much fanfare; it would be detrimental to our box office. So he thought we could ride the coattails of the Chaplin premiere to gain some media attention."

The staff paused, "He also said that walking the red carpet was entirely up to you."

...

After the staff left, Link and Chris exchanged glances of hesitation.

"We're also walking the red carpet?"

"Do you want to?"

"Of course! It's a red carpet, but this isn't what I expected at all, and I'm completely unprepared."

"There's nothing to prepare. Just follow my lead, stride forward, don't mind the spectators, and envision yourself as Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone, and you won't feel nervous."

"You're going to walk the red carpet? Are you serious?"

...

Just then, the premiere ceremony for Chaplin concluded, and the cast entered the cinema while reporters and fans were preparing to leave. The host suddenly raised the microphone again, declaring, "Let's give a warm welcome to the crew of Buried!"

"What?"

"There's another premiere ceremony?"

"Why didn't I hear about this or receive a paycheck?"

Dozens of journalists stopped, confused, and turned to look at the entrance of the red carpet.

Two young men stepped onto the red carpet. The first was a tall man with an appealing appearance, dressed in a simple blue shirt and casual pants, looking neat and polished, exuding a gentle charm that made an impression.

Directly behind him, a short, stocky young man who looked out of place quickly retreated back into the crowd, red-faced after taking a few steps.

The man confidently walked to the center of the red carpet, waving at the crowd and the media -- there was no applause, no flashes from cameras. Yet he remained unfazed, his warm smile unchanged.

A photojournalist couldn't resist capturing shots as he kept snapping away.

...

On the red carpet, Link noticed someone taking pictures, so he instinctively paused, turning to the photographer and offering a smile.

"Sir, could you please introduce yourself?"

The red carpet host passed him the microphone.

"Thank you! My name is Link; I'm a director and an actor. Today marks the premiere of my film, and I wrote, directed, and starred in it. It took six months to complete and received rave reviews after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It's regarded as a high-quality indie film akin to Reservoir Dogs. In this film, viewers will see the struggle of human nature and an unyielding will to survive. You're in for a unique experience, and I promise after watching it, you'll be mind-blown. Thank you!"

Link returned the microphone to the host, grabbing a pen to sign his name on the small poster beside the Chaplin banner -- Link!

Click! Click!

Several reporters snapped shots, unable to resist.

Noticing more flashes, Link shifted, gesturing enthusiastically at the Buried poster.

...

The design mirrored that of the Chaplin poster but featured a black backdrop.

The film's title Buried was set in bold letters at the top, beneath which were deep shadows consuming the lower half of the poster. Below that, a lone light illuminated a wooden box, revealing Link's face and upper body.

The poster had one striking tagline -- "The coolest film in the world: watch a man buried alive fight for survival."

Besides this poster, there were over ten others of various sizes around the entrance of the shopping center and on the street, with lines like--

"The world's loneliest film."

"A must-see for the lonely."

"The most unconventional film in the world -- featuring only one actor!"

Due to limited time and funds, Link crafted those posters himself.

Sadly, the imposing Chaplin poster overshadowed his Buried poster, rendering it almost invisible.

...

"The premiere ceremony for Buried concludes here; thank you for participating!"

The host announced.

"Wait, that's it?"

"One crew member shows up?"

"Does the world's loneliest film have to be this lonely?"

"How interesting! This is the strangest premiere ceremony I've witnessed in over a decade in the industry."

The reporters exchanged puzzled glances, some gazing at the Buried poster, pondering whether to check out this film that could rival Reservoir Dogs and Chaplin.

*****

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