Chp 24 : Lucky Charm?
The next morning, Ari come to the orphanage carrying a stack of newspapers filled with critic's reviews.
That's normal, Ari also was like this after <E.T.> premiere, his two clients among this film and if he could make his clients into an A-list, his position in CAA can directly be promoted into senior agents.
Due to CAA's success in their first movie package system that they implement, only second in the box office ranking behind <E.T.> The CAA begins to expand wildly.
Now the A-list actors can be paid $10 million and this number keeps growing. This also means that the movie production budget increase.
Al despises this kind of packaging services. Although it gives better chance to other actors to experience the roles they never play, sometimes it's misused and forced the producer to use unsuitable and bad actors with connections in Hollywood.
He is going to build a production studio and CAA will become one of his stumbling blocks in the future.
He was not afraid of them, he definitely gonna blacklist any CAA actors in his film if CAA starts to act unreasonably in the future.
"Al, this is what you have requested, all the newspapers that have movie reviews."
"Thank you, Ari, I troubled you here."
"Don't say that Al, you are my best customer and this is also related to my future." Ari smiled.
Al opened the movie column in the newspaper and read most of the critic's review.
"Has a kind of calm, sneaky self-confidence that allows it to take us down a strange path, intriguingly." Chicago Sun, Roger Ebert give 4 stars and 2 thumbs up, full scores. He is the current top critics in the US and any of his words really affect any film perception of American people.
"The 12-year-old Alphonse evokes the boy's terror and awful predicament so memorably, you'll never forget him." Washington Post giving it 90/100 points.
"So disarmingly eerie it's virtually guaranteed to rattle the most jaded of cages, perfect performance from newcomer Tom Hanks and our new rising star Alphonse Brandt." Los Angeles Times
He smiled reading that 90% review is positive. As you know in the 80s, the internet has not yet a trend, and the only way you judge the movie qualities is either watch it directly or reading newspaper or magazine reviews.
As 10%, well Al just read it and amazed at these critics reviews, how the hell they hire this kind of people.
"This movie is trash, trash I tell you, not a horror film at all, just some middle-aged man with a boy finding out they can see a ghost, so utterly trash!!" Joel Rogers from the New York Post.
"I think he made a horror movies but in fact is just a childhood fairy tale, hate it, I hate hate hate really hate it, 1/2 star out of 4 stars, bad films." Kenny East from Hollywood Stars Magazine.
The last review maybe just a revenge attempt or some kind of like that from Hollywood Stars, so Al just shake his head.
In some pages, he saw the audience interview from the premiere yesterday.
"I will watch it 2 more times to find the missing clue, I will be recommended this to my friends and families." Some random guy.
"I thought is just a horror movie and doubt to take my kids, but because my son is a fan of Al, so I took him. It's the best family movie I ever watch besides <E.T.>" A family of four.
"I won't say anything about the movie, but you must watch it, it will blow your mind." A young couple
Most of the audience review either they like it, want to watch it again in search of the clue, and recommending this to their friends and relatives.
So Al really satisfied with these reviews, his only worry is only the box office now.
He won't know the box office of this film if released 20 years earlier as much as in future or will be lower, but he is sure at least the box office will be over $100 million.
Ari just saying farewell while Al is packing his belongings to his new room.
The renovation of the orphanage finally finished, the boys got their own room and for girls, they choose to be placed in one big room to take care of Alice.
What a kind girl they have in here. Mrs. K also said that because of donations that Al made, the orphanage can receive more orphans and hire more caretakers.
For boys and girls under 10, they will have to share a room and for older, they will be given a personal room.
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3 days after release, the box office result finally came out.
1st day of release, $3 million digits. Frank Price, the newest president of Universal MCA is a bit down, it's far from what he predicted with the combination of Brandt and Spielberg as producer.
2nd day, the number skyrocket to $8 million, Frank who drank his coffee spurt after his secretary told this news.
3rd day, another $9 million, so a total of $20 million box office of the first week, setting the second place of the 1st-week box office champion behind <Star Wars Ep VI> and $6 million higher than <E.T.>
Frank and the Universal executives, Spielberg, Zemeckis, and Amblin Entertainment crew all cheered loudly.
If this trend can be maintained, maybe this film can surpass the newly record-breaking of North American <E.T.> box office of $359 million and $300 million worldwide box office.
From this moment, Hollywood called Al Hollywood's Lucky Charm. A superstitious belief that as long as Al play your film, at least a $100 million guarantee.
2 films, one set a world record of highest box office and other soon with a prediction not lower than $200 million.
Not only that, but the 35% share of the net profit from <The Sixth Sense> also gave Al prediction income at least $50 millions.
The youngest millionaire and combine with the income of the sales of his children's book that sold 70 million worldwide and translated to 100 languages made Al the rising multi-millionaire, now Forbes even called Al to have an interview with him.
Al has another pen name Edward and he doesn't want to let his secret known before the right time. So he rejects Forbes's proposal.
He also will attend high school and already applying for admission to Hollywood High School. They have some program that made him easier to get into USC.
Well, he can also ask Robert Zemeckis for some recommendation, he was graduated from there. Not only him but George Lucas also from there.
Steven Spielberg although he was not graduated from there always gets an invitation to their alumnus party to improve his connection in Hollywood.
'High school life, here I come!' Al thought.
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"A party? Well okay then, see you next week." Al answer the call.
5 months passed after the first week of the box office of <The Sixth Sense> and now it grossed over $200 million in North American and $150 million overseas.
Another good score on Al's Hollywood report card, and now he just received a call from Robert for <The Sixth Sense> box office celebration party.
A week later, they held the party at Hilton Hotel and meet with many members of Hollywood.
Finally, he meets with Spielberg who was talking to Lucas and Zemeckis.
"Oh here are our little heroes! Al, come here." Spielberg said.
"Oh my Godfather, what an honor of me meeting such prestigious members of the Hollywood elite." He replied in a gentlemen manner.
"Kid, say that again and I will make sure to put laxative in your ice cream," Spielberg said faking anger.
"Oh and I'll make sure to tell Amy that you bought another Norman Rockwell's painting for $7 million."
Steven give up and said, "Okay you win." Al smiled replied with a bow, "With a pleasure."
"Both of you are the weirdest people I have ever known," Lucas said with a smile.
Lucas then smiled and said to Spielberg and Zemeckis, continuing their topic, "After <Star Wars> has finished and also my divorce with my ex-wife, I need to reduce the operating cost by selling some of the equipment and the Computer Graphic Department and maybe fired some employee. I hope maybe one of you is interested in buying and hire all of them to work?" He said hesitantly.
"I'm sorry George but special effects studio is a money-burning machine, and currently I'm not into special effects studio," Spielberg said.
"I'm poor." Zemeckis checkmating him.
"Um Mr. Lucas, do you want to sell the Computer Graphic Department for me?" Al suddenly barged in.
"You understand it kid?" Lucas was quite surprised by this kid's proposal.
"Kind of, I am interested in computer programming and development, but they lack the graphic rendering component, so maybe with your division, I can research it by myself with a team so I can make my own 3D games, special effect studios, and a 3D animation. So, are you interested in selling them to me?"
Lucas just opened his mouth, he was completely led to a maze by this kid. But after silent for a while, he finally understood what this kid meant.
"Hahaha, kid you will be one of my competitors in special effects someday. Okay, I will sell it to you but I must make sure you will hire some of my employees."
"Well, the most dangerous thing that can hold back the companies from growing is a lack of strong competitors, maybe we can also work together to solve some problems. No problem with an employee, I can't work this thing alone."
"Yes, you are right! ILM is too far ahead of technologies and lack of competitors."
"So what is your price, Mr. Lucas?"
"$10 million, I'll give a low price to you."
"I can give you a full cash if you sell me $7 million!"
George Lucas thought for a while and finally agree.
"Deal!!" Both of them shake their hand
To Be Continued.....