Chapter 89: Three Women Watching a Movie
[Chapter 89: Three Women Watching a Movie]
The reason Link chose to invest in The Blair Witch Project was threefold.
First, it was an appropriate time to shoot The Blair Witch Project. Originally, the screenplay was set in 1994, where the characters didn't have cell phones, which explained why they got lost in the woods. Filming it this year matched the timeline and background well.
Second, while promoting Paranormal Activity, he had leveraged media hype surrounding the 'Blair Witch Incident,' giving many people a preliminary impression of the story after reading about it in newspapers. This would make marketing easier.
The third reason was the primary one. After the system update, he found himself out of the loop on how the new system evaluated movies, including which factors were involved and how box office subsidies had changed. Before investing in the production of Final Destination, he wanted to experiment with a small film project to determine whether continuing with Final Destination would be more lucrative or if other indie projects would provide better subsidies. He aimed to avoid unnecessary efforts.
...
Knock, knock, knock!
"Come in."
Michael Leeson pushed the door open and walked in.
"Link, you wanted to see me?"
"Mike, I need you to get in touch with World News Weekly. I want to collaborate with them to hype up the Blair Witch Incident. It would be best if we presented it as a real situation."
Link placed a copy of World News Weekly on the table.
...
Established in 1979, World News Weekly had a reputation for publishing sensational stories -- most of them fabricated. They typically focused on strange events and bizarre news. In their twelve years of reporting, they had covered topics like alien encounters, time travel, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Bermuda Triangle, Bat Boy, the death hoax of Marilyn Monroe, and even Adolf Hitler's supposed faked death.
Half of the content in their best-selling The Top Ten Unsolved Mysteries had been concocted by the magazine, allowing it to boast millions of readers worldwide.
In March of this year, World News Weekly collaborated with a television station to produce a feature on Bat Boy, presenting an alleged sighting by scientist Ron Dillon in West Virginia, complete with a shaky video clip. The airing caused a nationwide sensation.
In the early '80s, the magazine's circulation reached 1.2 million copies but now hovered around two to three hundred thousand, still maintaining some influence in the U.S.
Using World News Weekly to manufacture buzz about the Blair Witch Incident was perfect.
...
"How extensive do you want the hype to be?" Michael asked.
"We can use the same tactics World News Weekly employed for the Bat Boy promotion -- sustained coverage for over two months. Besides newspapers, we can utilize radio and TV stations to ensure more people hear about the Blair Witch Incident. Create a promotional plan, and we can discuss it together when you have time."
"Sounds good. I'll arrange for the team to gather related materials and see what aspects are worth promoting."
Michael left the office.
---
By four in the afternoon, it was time to head home. Link called Lily to give her a heads-up before driving back to his Golden Oak Apartment.
As he stepped inside his apartment, he heard lewd sounds coming from the living room.
It was the unmistakable sound of a woman's voice, high-pitched and thrilling.
That voice was familiar; it was Monica Bellucci's.
Link hung up his coat, slipped on some slippers, and made his way to the small living room.
The room had been transformed into a home theater, complete with three rows of seats, a bar area, and a sound system with laser projection equipment. The lights were dimmed.
Sofia Coppola and Milla Jovovich were on the couch, their eyes glued to the projection screen.
Monica sat in the middle, her arms grabbed by the two women.
"Let's stop now; I think I heard someone outside. It sounds like Link is back," Monica blushed as she spoke.
"It's okay; let's watch for a bit longer. Wow, is Link really that impressive? He doesn't look too strong with his clothes on, but when he takes them off, he's all muscle. No wonder you said he could fulfill all your needs," Sofia remarked, still fixated on the screen.
Link took a glance at the film being screened, an unreleased version of Paranormal Activity -- it was a video of him and Monica filmed in their bedroom.
After finishing the edit for Paranormal Activity, he had cut together an adult-themed home movie, over 80 minutes long. It captured their time living in their San Diego villa from morning to night, including intimate moments like cooking, bathing, and more.
That tape was meant to be a keepsake of their time in San Diego, a memory he and Monica occasionally revisited.
He hadn't anticipated Monica would share it with Sofia and Milla.
...
To ease the awkwardness, he stepped back into the hallway, grabbed a glass of water, and called out, "Monica, I'm back!"
"I'm right here," she quickly emerged from the small living area, her cheeks redder than strawberries on the table.
"What were you doing? Why is your face so flushed?"
"Nothing!"
"Really?"
Link reached out to touch the hem of her skirt.
"Don't!" Monica clung to his neck, lowering her voice as she giggled, "Sofia came by at noon, wanting to watch a movie. I told her to go ahead and watch it on her own, but I don't know how she found our private tape. By the time I saw it, she and Milla were already watching it and wouldn't let me turn it off."
...
Just then, Sofia and Milla walked out of the home theater with small steps, their faces even redder than Monica's.
Milla stood behind Sofia, stealing glances at Link before quickly looking down. It was hard to tell if she was shy or scared, but being slightly taller, she couldn't fully hide behind Sofia.
"Hey, Sofia, Milla, what's up? Didn't you both have to work today?"
"Nope, no work lately," Sofia replied.
"A new movie is set to shoot next month. If you want to traipse along, you're welcome to join us."
"Isn't your new movie scheduled for next year? What are you shooting next month?"
"It's a small project worth a few tens of thousands. I'll be managing the investment and production."
"Alright, I'll swing by your office tomorrow, and we can discuss it there."
Sofia quickly pulled Milla out the door.
...
Monica chuckled softly as she closed the door behind them.
"What's so funny?" Link asked while tidying up the dining table.
"Don't you think Sofia has a little crush on you?"
Monica came over to help.
"Really? I didn't notice that."
"Oh, totally! Every time we gather, she brings you up and thinks highly of you. Have you considered dating her?"
"I haven't thought about it. I prefer someone like you, don't you know?" Link teased, lightly pinching her cheek.
"I'm serious! I'm older than you, and I could be your forever lover, your eternal lover; as long as you don't leave me. I'd follow you forever."
Monica wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Don't overthink it. You're so beautiful and outstanding; I don't want to let a woman as outstanding as you leave."
"Really?"
Monica gazed at him seriously.
Link said nothing; instead, he gently pressed her down onto the dining table, using actions to communicate his feelings.
*****
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