In an instant.
Jack thought he was dreaming. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief, but when he opened them again, the bright, colorful images were still there. He could even hear the other moviegoers gasping in astonishment.
“My God, it has color?”
“How did they do this? It’s absolutely incredible.”
“Joan, I’m so glad we came.”
“Me too.”
The commotion soon died down as the story officially began. No one was willing to take their eyes off the screen—not even the couple sitting in front of Jack. His heartbeat gradually settled.
His first thought was—
This is bad.
But it wasn’t the movie that was doomed. It was him, once the movie became a huge hit and proved him wrong.
Even the most inexperienced viewer would realize the film’s potential. This groundbreaking color movie was completely different from the black-and-white films that had come before. Something similar had happened when silent films gave way to talkies. This would be a revolution for the entire film industry, and nothing could stop it.
Su was bound to make a fortune!
Even if the plot had been terrible, countless people would still have paid to see it.
Wait. The plot seemed to be… pretty good, too?
It was obvious that the director was a newcomer. Some of the camera movements were a little clumsy, but he knew how to film. The ornate sets seemed almost alive, and he was even better at filming people…
That leading lady.
Jack wasn’t unfamiliar with her. He had seen her play supporting roles in many films before.
In his impression, her face had always been bitter, sorrowful, and sometimes so hateful that one couldn’t help but pity her. But now, she was completely different.
Beautiful.
That single word occupied all of his senses.
Perhaps it was the layers of vivid, dazzling, and intensely exotic clothing she wore. Perhaps it was her thick hair, resembling clouds or lofty pavilions. Or perhaps it was the hair ornaments, earrings, and jewelry adorning her from head to toe. She even wore a long strand of jewels around her waist.
Not a single part of her was anything less than lavish and elaborate.
And yet she didn’t look bulky.
Everything merely accentuated the beauty of the leading lady, making her seem almost inhuman.
Within the story, she truly wasn’t human. She seemed to be some kind of fairy or spirit.
She was also the one leading the others—the characters played by James and the rest of the cast—through one grand feast after another in different eras. Before coming here, Jack had planned to focus on analyzing them so that he could write his article and keep the film in the public eye. Now, though, he merely glanced at them in passing.
They traveled again and again through banquets in different ages.
Some were eerie, some magnificent, and some warm and intimate.
No wonder the movie was called The Feasts!
Jack marveled at it.
Even while dazzled and utterly captivated, as a writer who made his living off publicity, he still noticed the one thing he had temporarily overlooked:
Money.
Take one of the feasts in the film, for example. It seemed to celebrate a war—the victor had finally defeated a powerful opponent who had enjoyed far greater advantages, ending their long rivalry and becoming the ruler of a brand-new empire.
There was even a battle sequence!
At a glance, he saw countless people, horses, banners, and weapons, all rendered with exquisite realism. And the scene lasted less than a minute!
There were countless other extravagantly lavish scenes like it.
“This is so beautiful. I think my ticket was absolutely worth the price.”
“Yeah. All the banquets look amazing.”
Hearing the couple whispering, Jack thought, Of course they look amazing. They’re all massive set pieces. With that much money poured into them, how could they not be spectacular? Every second of this film is like throwing money into a fire.
He was certainly amazed by Su’s wealth.
But he was also intensely curious about this director, “Zhou.”
How had he managed it?
First, he had to be chosen by Su. Now, it had been proven that he truly possessed the necessary talent. Then he had to convince Su to invest so much money in him, allowing him to shoot these spectacular scenes without restraint.
Even the most famous directors of the day would have found that extremely difficult.
A film’s box-office performance was impossible to predict.
A movie might be well made.
But there was no way to guarantee that audiences would like it. Even if they did, there was no guarantee they would discover it and spend money on tickets. Unless, of course, the investor was a fool.
But Su was clever—and difficult to deal with.
That made “Zhou,” who had managed to persuade her to provide the money, even more impressive.
The movie ended soon afterward.
Two-thirds of the audience chose to buy tickets and watch it again. Jack wanted to do the same, but forced himself to resist the impulse. As he left, he heard the couple, who couldn’t afford another ticket, speaking with regret and excitement:
“I really want to see it again…”
“It’s all right. We’re among the very first people to see this movie. Liana and the others will definitely be jealous.”
“That’s right.”
Hearing this, Jack quickened his pace once more. By the end, he was practically running.
There was only one thought in his mind—
He had to publish his article before everyone else!
…………
“…I would like to take back everything I said before. To Miss Su, Director Zhou, and the Chinese actors, I owe you an apology. This is a great film, with never-before-seen color imagery, an original story, and grand set pieces that spare no expense. To be honest, I used to think that everyone in ancient China wore a queue. I’m sure many of you thought the same. That’s why I recommend seeing this film. It will completely overturn your previous ideas.”
“And watching this movie only once is nowhere near enough.”
“The first time, you’ll be overwhelmed by the groundbreaking color images. They’ll consume all your attention, and you won’t be able to resist buying a second ticket so you can start appreciating the story. To be honest, I’ve already bought three tickets and seen it three times. Don’t accuse me of wasting money. Once you see this movie, you’ll understand that it’s worth it.”
“After seeing it, I gained a profound understanding of Miss Su’s identity as a tycoon.”
“Even though I love this movie and believe it will inevitably become the highest-grossing film in cinematic history, I still have to wonder whether Su can recoup her investment.”
A brand-new newspaper, still carrying the fresh scent of ink, lay on the table.
Lin Sen’s unhurried voice continued to fill the room.
This time, however, the atmosphere was completely different from before. It was relaxed and cheerful, and everyone wore a smile.
Even Su Ning was smiling.
Although the initial box-office results had not yet come in, the fact that even the columnist who had once condemned the film so fiercely had changed his tune had undoubtedly eased the pressure on them.
“Hmph. Someone even claimed that we bribed him with money,” Zhou Tian said with a cold laugh.
As if money could buy him off!
“They’re talking nonsense because they haven’t even seen the film. Our movie really is that good.” The leading lady was radiant with happiness as she smiled and said, “Besides, he’s right that seeing it once isn’t enough. I’m not just praising my own product—I feel as if The Feasts has some kind of magic. I always want to watch it a few more times.”
What she didn’t say was that The Feasts clearly lacked any profound meaning or compelling narrative.
Su Ning could have answered her.
That was because it was a commercial film.
New technology, lavishly funded spectacle, beautiful scenes that constantly seized the audience’s attention, an all-star cast… Even if they had mainly been assembled to pave the way for the unknown male and female leads, the film had gathered every essential ingredient.
It was nothing but pure sensory stimulation.
In the modern era, where people had high entertainment thresholds, a commercial film like this might be enjoyed once and then forgotten.
But this was an age starved of entertainment.
The audience had been thoroughly stimulated, yet had no alternatives. Wanting to experience that shock and excitement again was only natural.
Watching it repeatedly was inevitable.
“The cost of the banquet really is incredibly high,” the male lead exclaimed. The expenses for the extras alone were a huge sum, not to mention the props and sets—the houses and scenery were all made with real materials.
As he spoke, his spirits rose again.
“But you get what you pay for. Without such a massive investment, how could we have made a film as world-shaking as The Feast?”
“Even if we don’t make the money back at the box office, it’ll still be worth it!”
“Wouldn’t you agree, Director Zhou?”
Zhou Tian: …
To those who didn’t know the truth, it certainly looked as though Director Zhou had worked tirelessly to secure all the investment. Surely it couldn’t have been because Miss Su had insisted on financing it.
Hahahahahahahaha.
Facing the lead actors, who seemed to regard him as an idealistic director willing to sacrifice everything to realize his dream, Zhou Tian opened his mouth—but in the end, he still couldn’t bring himself to utter the simple word yes.
Don’t listen to him, heavens.
The box office absolutely has to cover the costs!
“Ding! Detected that the host is being benevolent with other people’s money. Level-three plot character…”
Su Ning glanced at Zhou Tian.
How amusing.
……………
Perhaps Director Zhou’s prayers had reached the heavens.
The Feast became a massive box-office hit.
