(3rd Person POV)
Across Horn Kingdom's public spaces - bus stops, train stations, lobby cards - film posters for "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" and "The Desired Crown" vied for attention, their simultaneous release date fueling a promotional battle that caught the public eye.
A demon, spotting a fallen poster, picked it up. It depicted three figures: a demon, a dwarf, and an elf. Below read the title: "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly".
"Western style, huh?" The demon sneered, tossing the poster aside. "Bound to be trash like those Empirican westerns."
This sentiment echoed throughout Horn Kingdom. Most believed "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" would flop, given that even Empirican western style films struggled to captivate Horn citizens.
Arthur's third film faced widespread indifference. Demonfather fans, upon seeing the posters, often shook their heads in disappointment.
"What a shame," one fan sighed. "If that exiled prince had made a Demonfather sequel, I'd be interested. But this?"
Meanwhile, "The Desired Crown" garnered more attention. Its premise, reminiscent of "Lord of the Rings," intrigued many. Titan Pictures' lavish promotional spending - renting expensive venues and plastering the city with massive billboards - ensured the film was hard to ignore.
In the capital, Titan Pictures' high-quality poster for "The Desired Crown" dominated the city's largest billboard. They'd outbid Arthur for this prime spot, along with key advertising sites across the city.
Rayleigh often grumbled, "I despise Titan Pictures! Can't they leave even one billboard for us?"
Jerry sighed, "It's just business, boss. Our hands are tied."
"His Highness must be fuming at Titan Pictures," Rayleigh mused, feigning concern.
Jerry, seeing through Rayleigh's act, replied, "I just spoke with Arthur. He said he wouldn't care if Titan Pictures rented the entire city."
Rayleigh's astonishment was genuine. "Does he care at all?"
Jerry chuckled wryly, "I think Arthur's just confident in his film."
***
As days passed, the rivalry between Hellfire Studio, Righteous Film Studio, and Titan Pictures intensified.
Finally, on May 25, 1271, both "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" and "The Desired Crown" was about to premier across Horn Kingdom.
That early morning, Arthur turned 17. He celebrated his birthday alone in his penthouse, his mind likely on the day's events to come.
Meanwhile, in cinemas across the kingdom, "The Desired Crown" premiered to eager audiences. Excited chatter filled the air as people filed in:
"I can't wait. Hope it's as good as 'Lord of the Rings'."
"Hmph. Titan Pictures says it's better than 'Lord of the Rings'. I believe them."
"Yeah, I hope so too. Been waiting weeks for this, man."
Long-time Titan Pictures fans were already declaring the film's superiority before it even started.
They settled in with popcorn and drinks, anticipation high.
But as the film progressed, their expectations slowly crumbled.
From start to finish, "The Desired Crown" proved utterly mediocre. Not only did it fail to surpass "Lord of the Rings," it couldn't even hold a candle to it.
Audiences left spitting with disgust.
An elf cursed as he exited, "Fucking trash. Nothing but a 'Lord of the Rings' rip-off."
His companion agreed, "Yeah. What's with that protagonist Freya? Becoming the crown's protector, chased by enemies? It's just 'Lord of the Rings' with a crown instead of a ring!"
The disappointment was palpable as viewers, once excited, now left the theaters feeling cheated and let down.
After "The Desired Crown" screening, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" was up next. A few disgruntled viewers from the previous showing decided to stick around, buying tickets for the exiled prince's third film.
It seemed the Horn citizens had money to burn, willing to risk disappointment again after "The Desired Crown" let-down.
While the western-style film didn't draw the same crowds as its predecessor, curiosity about Arthur's third offering after two hits ensured a decent turnout.
The holdovers from "The Desired Crown" entered with low expectations, ready to bail early if needed.
Yet as the film began with its catchy orchestral piece introducing Tuco, "The Ugly," the audience fell silent, intrigued.
The introduction of Angel Eyes caught them off guard. Initially appearing upright, his merciless killing of a father and son sent chills through the viewers.
When Angel Eyes murdered his employer, smothering him with a pillow before firing a bullet, the audience tensed. As he was labeled "The Bad," someone piped up from the audience, loud enough for many to hear, "You don't say."
Laughter rippled through the cinema. Indeed, Angel Eyes was "bad" to the bone. The film's labeling seemed almost comically obvious.
Without realizing it, the audience found themselves drawn deeper into the story. From Tuco's introduction to Angel Eyes' ruthlessness, and especially Blondie's entrance as "The Good," they were hooked.
Blondie and Tuco's partnership in fooling the authorities and splitting the bounty drew chuckles from the crowd. Blondie's sharpshooting skills particularly impressed them.
However, Blondie's morally ambiguous actions didn't go unnoticed. Someone in the audience questioned, "If he's 'The Good,' why's he tricking the police like that?"
The question hung in the air, unanswered but adding to the film's intrigue.
What the audience did realize was that Blondie and Tuco were two compelling and humorous characters. The film they'd expected to be tense and serious turned out to have light, even comedic moments.
Of course, Angel Eyes' presence brought gravity to the story, especially in scenes showcasing his ruthlessness.
The film masterfully alternated between the light-hearted antics of Blondie and Tuco and the serious, menacing presence of Angel Eyes.
As the story progressed, Blondie and Tuco parted ways.
Later, Tuco's gun acquisition from a firearm store had the audience in stitches, particularly when he unceremoniously shoved the "Closed" sign onto the old shopkeeper.
The film then ramped up the tension, with various characters gunning for Blondie. Yet, Blondie's cool competence in handling these threats kept the audience on the edge of their seats.
When Blondie reunited with Tuco by the window, delivering the line "There's two kinds of spurs," the audience chuckled. Tuco's habit of making the Solarus Faith's "circle" sign added to their amusement.
As minutes ticked by, tension built around Blondie and Tuco's dangerous relationship. Despite their funny dynamic, the threat of them killing each other loomed large.
The scene with a weakened Blondie in bed and Tuco's ambiguous empathy struck a chord. Tuco's line, "I have you, you have me," seemed genuine despite his crocodile tears.
This scene evoked conflicting emotions in the audience - humor mixed with an undercurrent of something deeper. It was a novel experience for many, a film scene evoking such complex feelings.
Tuco's persistent "circle" sign habit continued to draw laughs, clearly an ingrained quirk of his character.
Without realizing it, the audience had forgotten their disappointment with "The Desired Crown," fully immersed in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" for hours.
Tears began to flow as Tuco endured his beating. The scene's impact was intensified by a group of musicians within the film, playing instruments that perfectly matched the brutal spectacle.
The audience's emotions were further stirred by the violinist in the scene, whose own eyes brimmed with tears as he played with raw feeling. This diegetic music added a layer of realism and emotion that deeply affected the viewers.
Gone were the light, comedic moments between Blondie and Tuco. In their place was a powerful, heart-wrenching scene that had many in the audience sniffling.
An elf elder, choking back tears, muttered, "I didn't expect that I would cry over an ugly criminal dwarf like this..." as he dabbed at his eyes.
The sadness was palpable throughout the theater. The audience, caught off guard by the depth of their emotional response to a character they'd initially seen as merely comical, found themselves deeply moved by Tuco's suffering.