Chapter 47: Viewing I
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"This theater is tiny"
Emily's immediate reaction upon taking her seat.
However, she soon found it surprisingly cozy and perfect for enjoying a horror movie.
She settled comfortably into her seat and thought, "The premiere for this movie feels quite low-key. There's no grand red carpet, and the lead actress is casually sporting jeans. Maybe they wanted to keep it simple, considering they might not be A-list stars?"
As Emily mused, the lights in the projection hall dimmed, and the film began.
"Wow, that's impressive"
A brief title sequence was introduced by Christian and the photographer, Addison Young, and their creative use of motion shots instantly captured the audience's attention.
These seamlessly connected motion shots created a thrilling visual experience, like a turbulent wave crashing over the audience, gripping their attention, which had initially been somewhat scattered.
The shot of the male climber falling to the ground with a head resembling a broken watermelon had a shock factor that made a few viewers, either deeply immersed or particularly brave, let out involuntary screams.
However such reactions were limited, considering that not many dare to watch a midnight premiere of "Wrong Turn".
Not without a touch of disdain, Emily murmured, "Yeah, yeah."
She couldn't help but scoff at the sharp cries of surprise from a nearby male viewer who found the scenes shocking.
Howard, sitting nearby and unaware of Emily's disapproval, was busy consoling his friend Rajesh, whose loud reaction was a bit embarrassing.
Howard acknowledged, "If you're used to watching lighter films and not so keen on direct violence, it's understandable."
He smiled, relieved that the initial scare had everyone's attention, and no one was complaining about the realism of the falling corpse.
He thought, "As long as people stay quiet and watch, this movie experience will be great."
He glanced at Rajesh and continued, "Isn't this movie-watching experience interesting?"
Across the aisle, Charlize observed Christian, who sat beside her, closing his eyes to rest.
"Isn't it your movie? You didn't have to bring me if you didn't want to watch" Charlize thought, irritated by Christian's disinterest.
The two had slipped into the auditorium unnoticed because the premiere was relatively low-profile. Few in the audience recognized or paid much attention to Charlize and Christian, who were making their debut as the lead actress and director of "Wrong Turn." This anonymity was typical before a premiere.
Christian's choice of sitting in the inconspicuous corner at the back row caught Charlize off guard. She had assumed Christian simply wanted to watch his movie in a formal theater and gauge the audience's reactions. But it appeared there might be more to it.
"Plus, he even asked me to bring that bottle with me earlier. Could it be that he wanted to..."
Charlize glanced at the mysterious man beside her, who kept his eyes closed and motionless. He only occasionally pinched his left hand's fingers in response to exclamations from the audience, as if calculating something.
"Forget it, I can't figure it out."
Charlize decided to let it go.
"Regardless, from what he said, He'll need my help at some point, and he'll explain then. In the meantime, I'll focus on my performance. Come to think of it, I haven't seen Penny since the premiere. Has she shown up? I gave her several premiere tickets! Did she not come? Oops"
Charlize suddenly realized that her behavior was inadvertently rubbing salt in Petunia's wounds, given the struggles in her acting career.
"What have I done?"
This revelation hit Charlize like a bucket of cold water. She deeply regretted her actions, and the inflated ego she'd developed since taking on the lead role was deflated.
"No, I need to apologize to Penny tomorrow"
At the same time, someone else in the theatre was also thinking about Petunia.
"Penny should've come with us. This movie is pretty good, and her friend Charlize did an excellent job"
Leonard was sometimes clueless about understanding a woman's emotions.
"Leonard, I don't get why they're doing these things on the car hood in this dangerous setting. Shouldn't they be more vigilant and conserve their energy?"
Sheldon, on the other hand, lacked a certain emotional understanding or hormones.
"You don't understand, Sheldon"
Leonard gazed at the screen, a fascinated smile on his face.
"This is the romance of road movies"
"Yes"
Howard chimed in, his eyes fixed on the screen, his throat involuntarily swallowing. Even Rajesh, who had been a bit apprehensive earlier, was now wearing a delighted expression.
"Men"
Meanwhile, Emily seated not far behind them, observed the red-haired girl on screen and couldn't help but smirk.
"What a predictable plot"
As a seasoned moviegoer who had watched countless films with her father since childhood, Emily knew what to expect from movies. Still, she couldn't deny that the red-haired girl's performance was enticing, and it reminded her of her own experiences.
"Is this more comfortable?"
Apart from her inclination towards the alternative and some rebelliousness, Emily was a decent person, but she couldn't help being curious about the American culture.
However, a few minutes later...
"Holy crap"
Emily exclaimed as the red-haired girl's mouth was grotesquely mutilated by a barbed iron chain.
Of course, Emily understood that such horror movie clichés were expected, but their impact varied from person to person.
"The sensation of hormones turning into adrenaline in an instant is unsettling"
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Dark_Symphony
Dark_Symphony Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
Chapter 48: Viewing II
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Emily wasn't the only person feeling "sad" about the red-haired girl's death. However, they were aware that this film wasn't produced in the Fernando Valley, so they didn't have high expectations regarding it.
"The layout of this small wooden house is genuinely eerie, with about 80% of it being the lair of those murderous demons" Leonard muttered to himself, the eerie ambiance from the film seemed to permeate the screen, prompting him to utter something involuntarily.
"Yes, it's quite terrifying," Sheldon, who was seated beside him, chimed in.
"Especially that huge jar of grimy teeth; it brings back memories of that dental clinic visit..."
As he spoke, he shuddered involuntarily.
"Chilling"
Sheldon might be a bit eccentric, but in America, dentists were indeed notorious. Their drills were as terrifying as their bills. The former could make some skittish individuals tremble, while the latter could make anyone with a tight budget dread poverty.
Nonetheless, the true horror was yet to come. Right from the moment Emily saw the four protagonists entering the cabin, she knew they were heading for their doom. She eagerly anticipated the appearance of the murderous demons. Despite misleading scenes and suspenseful moments that quickened the audience's heartbeats, the young girl who had been tested by R-rated films was convinced that the true stars of this film would soon reveal their sinister intentions.
After all, the cinematic version of "Wrong Turn" had been significantly edited compared to the samples shown to Jodie Foster, which had accelerated the early storyline. Now was the time for actual carnage.
This wasn't just about pacing; it was also about meeting the audience's expectations. Perhaps the request seemed somewhat peculiar, but that was what midnight screenings were for, and everyone in the audience was well-prepared.
On the other hand, the idiom "Not my cup of tea" was not without reason.
On the big screen, the killers finally stepped into the cabin after all the build-up, and before their faces were revealed, the entire auditorium fell into a hushed silence. It was not just the anticipation of a crucial plot twist but also a testament to the film's successful creation of a horrifying atmosphere.
Emily keenly felt this atmosphere.
In particular, the four protagonists on the big screen had foreseen the danger and hid beneath a bed just before the killers entered the wooden house. The camera angle shifted to their perspective, making the space seem narrow, dark, and filled with unknown dread. Coupled with the heroes' and heroines' anxious breathing, Emily momentarily felt as if she, too, was hiding beneath that bed, evading the malevolent madmen.
"Thud"
The lifeless body of the red-haired girl, who had met a gruesome end, was flung onto the filthy floor, her face, torn by a barbed chain, seemed to leer at the audience.
"Wow"
Emily managed to stifle her cry, but the whispers and screams of others filled the room.
Of course, there were those few brave women in the front row.
Emily smirked again, impressed by the director's mastery in crafting a terrifying atmosphere.
"Could another master of horror be in the making?" She couldn't help but wonder.
At last, the long-anticipated killers made their entrance.
"My lord, I've finally found someone uglier than my elementary school bus driver. They must be mutants," Sheldon, influenced by his mother's religious beliefs, involuntarily spoke of the Lord, especially in moments of astonishment.
"Yes, just like the newspapers stated at the beginning of the film, their bodies must have mutated due to industrial pollution," Howard concurred with Sheldon, but then added, "It seems even with only a master's degree, my movie comprehension remains intact"
"..."
It truly took a broad-minded individual to be friends with this prankster.
As he thought dejectedly, Howard mentally noted to pay Sheldon back in the future. Among the four, only Howard had a master's degree; the others were bona fide Ph.D. holders. In particular, Sheldon, the fellow with the quirky personality, held a Ph.D. in theoretical physics.
In the world of geniuses, there was room for classes, right?
However, during a movie, most people didn't dwell on such distinctions.
"You four are funnier than a comedy show. Whoever talks again, I'll escort you to meet God. Don't chatter like schoolgirls on a shopping trip while watching a movie"
It was Emily, a genuine schoolgirl, who scolded them. She couldn't bear the intermittent chatter from the four individuals sitting in front of her.
A true moviegoer knows how to watch in silence, after all.
Faced with Emily's reprimand, the four, now realizing their error, promptly pledged to remain quiet. Emily nodded in approval, engrossed in the film.
If you acknowledge your mistakes and rectify them, there's still hope.
At this moment, on the big screen, the four protagonists had successfully escaped while the mutant dismembered the deceased red-haired girl, evading the pursuing mutants. However, Emily's thoughts were still fixated on the cabin scene from earlier.
When the mutants dismembered the red-haired girl's body, the camera provided a deliberate close-up from a bird's eye view. At that moment, the broken body of the red-haired girl, the flowing blood, and the existing dirty marks on the floor combined to form a distinct pattern.
"It's like a black magic ritual," Emily thought, recalling scenes from the many related movies she had watched. She always sensed that something more had happened in that shot, but...
"I can't quite remember it anymore. Well, I'll figure it out when I watch it again"
Emily relinquished her doubts and refocused her attention on the current big screen.
"Many people have noticed," Christian, seated in the last row of the projection hall, smiled slyly.
"It appears that among those attending this midnight premiere, some possess a bit of insight. Whether they're sensitive or simply have good memories, such people are quite valuable."
As she spoke, Christian cast a significant glance at Charlize, who sat beside her. The blonde girl had seen the sample earlier, and her eyes widened now.
She had noticed it as well.
"This is just foreshadowing. The real 'premiere' for us is the second one, Sally"
Christian's smile seemed to conceal something like a "trap."
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References-
1. Fernando Valley- The valley is known for its iconic film studios such as Warner Bros. Studio and Walt Disney Studios.
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If you want to support me check out my patréon at
https://www.patreon.com/Dark_sym
I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 10 chapters ahead as a bonus.
Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.
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