WTR-LAB: The Greatest Showman #834 - The Craze Never Fades

Early in the morning, William Taylor did something unusual: he got out of bed and sat down at his computer. Instead of his usual routine, he was scrolling through the news.

A simple Google search of "Berlin Film Festival" or "Renly Hall" revealed an overwhelming amount of results. Although it was dawn in Los Angeles, it was a good afternoon in Berlin, and William had gotten up early to follow the premiere of Renly's latest film.

Transcendence, showing on the other side of the Atlantic, was clearly drawing attention. William didn't have to search hard—news stories were flooding his screen. However, there was something off.

Headlines like:

"'Transcendence' Suffers from Negative Word of Mouth, Renly Hall's First Failure as an Actor?""Praise and Criticism Intertwined as 'Detachment' Faces Backlash from Critics.""Word of Mouth Far Below Expectations—'Detachment' Faces a Severe Test at the Berlin Film Festival.""Four Minutes of Standing Ovation at the Premiere; 2.3 Stars for the Official Release. The Two Worlds of 'Detachment'!""A Flood of Negative Comments from the Audience: Cold, Egoistic, Hypocritical. 'Transcendence' Faces a Controversial Reception.""Extreme Praise VS Extreme Disgust—'Detachment' Faces a Severe Test, What Happened to Tony Kaye?""Renly Hall's Best Performance of His Career; Tony Kaye's Worst Work of His Career—The Dilemma After 'Away From' Premiere."

The flood of news, both positive and negative, made it hard to process. William could barely keep his thoughts straight as he sifted through the chaos.

Though Renly's previous films had never been without controversy, even his most acclaimed work, Love Crazy, had been heavily criticized. The pattern of controversy seemed to follow Renly's career—a challenge faced by many independent films. But this time, it felt different.

William could sense a growing negative atmosphere surrounding the Berlin Film Festival. It was as if it was on the verge of slipping into a downward spiral, with just a single rope left to keep it from total collapse. This realization made William nervous. He quickly navigated to Yahoo's community forum, hoping to get a better sense of what was happening.

The hottest post was titled, "The Premiere of 'Transcendence'—Live at the Berlin Film Festival."

The post had already garnered over 500,000 clicks and 8,000 replies. Clearly, many had stayed up through the night to follow the event.

The post began with an enthusiastic exclamation: "First of all, the young master is so handsome! The young master is so handsome!" The host went on to describe the events of the premiere in vivid detail, from the red carpet to the behind-the-scenes moments, even mentioning conversations with German fans and recounting the forty-eight hours leading up to Renly's arrival in Berlin.

As William read through the post, a sense of longing began to grow. He envied those who got to meet Renly on the streets of Berlin or talk to him in the halls of the midnight cinema. The energy of the film festival was infectious, making every film lover's dream come true.

By the time William reached the part where the audience stood and applauded for four minutes at the screening, his nervousness eased. This was the first standing ovation of the Berlin Film Festival that year. But his relief was short-lived. As movie reviews began to pour in, his anxiety crept back.

One review described the film as "not flattering," with too much narration and empty footage. The atmosphere was likened to a cold, depressing Berlin winter, making the film difficult to engage with. But despite the critiques, the review acknowledged the film's worth, praising Renly's "textbook-level performance" and the depth of the character, which reflected societal challenges. It was "bold and crazy," the reviewer wrote, but ultimately a tragic and helpless story.

William couldn't help but feel a little reassured. The review was positive, albeit cautious. The reviewer seemed to be a seasoned fan of both Renly and the Berlin Film Festival, offering a thoughtful analysis.

But things quickly took a turn for the worse. As William continued reading the replies to the post, the opinions became overwhelmingly negative.

"It was terrible. I just didn't understand it. Really disappointed.""I was already depressed, but after watching this movie, I wanted to commit suicide.""I felt like an outsider, unable to connect with the emotions of the film. I don't want a second viewing like this.""What happened to the Berlin Film Festival? Why did they allow this movie into the competition?""Zero points. If possible, I would give it zero."

Other replies pointed out the film's artistic techniques and metaphors, but complained about the emptiness of its content. Renly's performance was praised, but the overall execution was criticized. The film was described as a self-indulgent monologue, too focused on the director's own artistic vision, with a narrative that felt superficial and contrived.

As the discussion swirled online, the Berlin Film Festival's usual low profile was overshadowed by the dramatic reactions to Transcendence. The festival, often overlooked compared to the Oscars or Cannes, found itself at the center of attention. However, the attention wasn't necessarily positive.

In North America, Transcendence was also generating a buzz, with discussions of its darker, more controversial themes gaining traction in the awards season. The film's presence at the Berlin Film Festival only added to its mystique.

The lively debate about the film continued, reaching a level of intensity that had not been seen in years for the Berlin Film Festival. In less than 24 hours, the Yahoo forum had seen 10,000 replies—unprecedented for the event.

For William, however, this wave of attention only deepened his worries. He feared that Transcendence might suffer from the negative feedback, tarnishing Renly's reputation and the future of the film. He knew that independent films often faced challenges, even when they were led by established actors like Meryl Streep or Daniel Day-Lewis. But seeing Renly caught in this storm made him anxious. He hoped that the film would find its place and that Renly would gain the recognition he deserved, but with so much negativity swirling around, William wasn't sure what the future held for Transcendence or the Berlin Film Festival itself.