[264] "The Garden of Sinners" Oblivion Recorder! (1)
Chapter 264: "The Garden of Sinners" Oblivion Recorder! (1)
The release of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure swept across the empire like a storm. Thanks to the film's exceptional quality, it became the hottest topic of conversation in almost every corner of the land.
As the director who presented this masterpiece on the first day of the Lunar New Year, Durin naturally became a central figure in these discussions. People everywhere began to talk about this legendary filmmaker.
Although the name Durin was already familiar in the southern regions, where he was known as a super genius who had achieved the rank of Grand Mage at a remarkably young age, the eastern and western regions were largely hearing about him for the first time.
However, once his name spread, stories of his accomplishments quickly permeated both the east and west. Everyone learned that the creator of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure was an incredibly young Grand Mage.
Moreover, this Grand Mage had already released several outstanding films in the southern region more than half a year ago!
This revelation left the audiences in the east and west, who had already been captivated by the movie, utterly astonished.
They found it hard to believe that such a prodigious talent existed in the world, and many began to idolize him.
In contrast, the fate of another film released at the same time, The Vampire's Song, was far less fortunate.
Due to its poor quality and a ticket price ten times higher than that of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, the movie experienced a disastrous start at the box office.
Many viewers, after hearing about its negative reviews, refused to buy tickets or even step foot into the theaters.
As a result, the film's director, Southern Viscount Ranier, saw his reputation plummet. Everyone came to know him as the person responsible for this poorly made movie. Consequently, the noble partners and investors who had previously collaborated with him quickly distanced themselves, leaving him completely isolated.
This also deterred many who had initially eyed the vast potential of the film market, hoping to make a quick fortune. At the very least, no one would be as reckless as those southern nobles who had rushed in with dreams of striking it rich.
Under these circumstances, the financial reports for the first week from major cinemas were finally compiled and delivered to Viscount Banil.
...
"Hahahaha!"
In the office on the second floor of the Norsrick Cinema.
Viscount Banil's boisterous laughter could be heard clearly even halfway across the building, a testament to his current elation.
On the other side of the room, Durin sat quietly on the only sofa in the room. After reviewing the detailed cinema financial reports, he slowly spoke:
"It seems everything is going smoothly."
Durin's calm demeanor did not escape Viscount Banil's notice. With an almost reverent expression, he exclaimed:
"Director Durin, your film Jojo's Bizarre Adventure has completely taken the eastern and western regions by storm! The number of tickets sold daily at the cinemas is piling up like a mountain. In contrast, that trash The Vampire's Song those fools made—I'm not being harsh, but the moment I first saw it, I knew no one would ever like it. After all, as you once told me..."
"Things that are interesting will naturally be loved, while things that are dull are destined to be forgotten by history."
Durim's voice echoed softly.
To this, Viscount Banil nodded with the utmost respect, as if hearing sacred words:
"Exactly! Things that are interesting will naturally be loved, while things that are dull are destined to be forgotten. Director Durin, your words are truly profound!"
Seeing through Viscount Banil's obvious flattery, Durin waved his hand impatiently, cutting him off, and asked:
"By the way, what's the situation with that Viscount Ranier now?"
Hearing Durin's question, Viscount Banil was momentarily taken aback, seemingly surprised that Durin would care about the fate of a defeated rival. But after a pause, he slowly replied:
"That guy? He's probably been completely abandoned by his noble peers and can no longer strut around as arrogantly as before. Moreover, due to the colossal failure of his film, the debts he's incurred are enough to strip him of everything he has. While he might still retain his noble title, his family fortune is essentially gone. He's practically a ruined man now."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, indeed. I even heard rumors that other nobles have been chasing him for debts, and he's now running around in a pitiful state. He's sold off everything he could, but even that isn't enough to repay the gold coins those investors poured into his project. He's lost all his reputation and dignity."
"Serves him right..."
Durin felt no sympathy for Viscount Ranier.
After all, the man had treated the art of filmmaking—something Durin deeply cherished—with such disdain, attempting to exploit the industry with shoddy methods to amass wealth. Durin couldn't help but wish for him to suffer even more.
Of course, while teaching him a lesson was satisfying, Durin hadn't engaged in this cinematic competition solely to ruin him.
In truth, Durin held a certain expectation for the people of this world—an expectation that had been with him since the very moment he first conceived the idea of making films.
At this point, whether that expectation could be realized remained uncertain. But at the very least, he hoped to catch a glimpse of hope, no matter how faint it might be. He longed to see it.
After all, what changes the world is never the first torch, but the brilliant flames that ignite and continue to burn after that torch is lit!
Durin eagerly anticipated greater changes in this world.
...
Time flew by, and a month had passed since the release of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.
During this month, a significant portion of the audiences in the eastern and western regions had already watched the film. They became free promoters, drawing in even more people who had never seen a movie or even knew what a movie was, gradually filling the cinemas.
In the meantime, Durin resumed the production of The Garden of Sinners. After all, the one-month hiatus had been quite disappointing for the fans. Although the TV taverns couldn't be expanded beyond the southern region just yet, he owed it to the southern audience, who had been eagerly waiting for updates, to give them something.
While overseeing Chase's progress on the third chapter of Fate/Zero and checking on Geberu's work on the second half of Steins;Gate, Durin also managed to produce the seventh episode of The Garden of Sinners as quickly as possible.
Thus, in the southern region and the Mage's Tower, the sixth episode of The Garden of Sinners finally premiered, much to the relief of the anxiously waiting audience!
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