Chapter 60: Stirring Emotions

The theater was silent, and as fewer than twenty audience members focused on the screen, the theater door suddenly opened from the outside. A man with messy hair and glasses walked in. Noticing the annoyed looks from several viewers, he quickly flashed an apologetic smile and found a seat towards the back.

The film was about to start, and like Jones Butler in the center, this man also took out a pen and notebook. His name was Tony Guzman, a professional viewer from Fox Searchlight.

Unlike the previous three invited by Bill Rosseys, Tony Guzman had wandered in on a whim after noticing the imminent screening.

Typically, before each film festival starts, the committee screens out most quality films, assigning them to prominent theaters and times. Professional buyers from major companies primarily focus on those screenings.

However, some overlooked films do emerge as high-profit hits, such as "The Blair Witch Project," initially discovered during a roadside screening by Artisan Entertainment.

While Park City's theater district is a more straightforward place to find good films, it also attracts more companies and buyers, increasing competition. Therefore, many, like Tony Guzman, wander around to less prominent locations seeking hidden gems.

Before the screening began, Tony Guzman glanced ahead, confirming that there were few peers present. In such a remote theater, films shown usually had budgets not exceeding $300,000, hardly attracting a large crowd.

Sure enough, the film opened with simple text credits indicating the production company, Stanton Film Studio, without any opening visuals.

Stanton Film Studio? Despite his broad experience, Tony Guzman had never heard of this film company.

It appeared to be one of those inconspicuous small-time outfits from the bottom rungs of Los Angeles. The director's name that followed confirmed this: Murphy Stanton, an unknown.

Feeling somewhat disappointed, Tony Guzman leaned back in his seat, planning to watch the opening. If it didn't catch his interest, he wouldn't waste any more time.

The credits flashed by in seconds, and a black-and-white image appeared on the screen, with the camera seemingly shaking. A woman sitting in front of Murphy suddenly cursed softly, "Damn, not another one of these."

"Shh..." Her companion gestured for silence. "Daisy, quiet."

The young woman named Daisy still complained, "Ever since 'The Blair Witch Project,' there've been so many weird films with handheld shooting, shaky cameras, first-person perspectives. It's so annoying!"

"Can't they shoot films properly anymore? Can't they let us watch movies in peace?"

Murphy glanced at her, understanding this was the negative effect from "The Blair Witch Project." The marketing for that film was a stroke of genius but had also short-term exhausted the market. Audiences, having been tricked once, were now wary and disdainful of similar films. The North American film industry is notorious for its bandwagon tendencies, with many trying to emulate the success, only to fail, further depleting the market for such films.

However, under her companion's persuasion, the girl soon quieted down.

Seeing the black-and-white image and shaky camera, Jones Butler inwardly shook her head, thinking this was another "Blair Witch" imitation. As a professional buyer from Miramax, she understood the market well, knowing that such films had little value now.

But the camera stabilized after a few shakes. A large hand covered the lens, seemingly setting the camera on a stand, and at the same time, faint, agonizing female screams began. The low, harrowing cries suggested the woman was undergoing inhuman torment.

"Uh..." The girl named Daisy opened her mouth slightly, "What's happening?"

The large hand adjusted the camera, and Daisy immediately covered her mouth, muttering, "Oh, my..."

In the black-and-white footage, a girl lay on the ground, her face covered in bruises, a split brow, swollen lips, torn skin, disheveled hair, and fresh blood dripping onto the grass.

Though the image was black-and-white, the scene was chilling, especially since the girl seemed only thirteen or fourteen, the age of youthful beauty. Why had she ended up like this?

The answer came quickly. The large hand appeared again, clenched into a fist and descending. A gray figure followed, skillfully avoiding fully blocking the camera, showing the fist landing on the girl's nose.

The impact scattered fluids, and the girl's head jerked back as if hit by a car, demonstrating the punch's force.

Violence... raw, unfiltered violence! Jones Butler noted it down.

"You are so arrogant, thinking you're so great..."

A crazed male voice spoke as the gray figure turned to face the camera. "I like girls your age. I tried everything to win you over, but you rejected me. This is your punishment!"

In just one line, he revealed his identity and character—twisted, extreme, and a pedophile!

His words were fierce and violent, yet his bespectacled face appeared scholarly and kind, creating a stark contrast on screen.

"Good acting, good makeup..." Tony Guzman rested his chin on his hand. "The director's use of the camera is excellent, capturing this contrast between appearance and nature. The camera work couldn't afford any mistakes."

A vicious adult man and a pitiful young girl, one meting out punishment, the other begging, formed a strong contrast, driving the opening scene's conflict.

Watching the film, Daisy couldn't help but empathize with the girl, hoping for a savior to rescue her from death's grasp.

However, a sharp wallpaper knife shattered her hopes. The man walked to the girl, grabbed her hair, and placed the knife against her seemingly white throat.

"Please..." The girl's pleading voice was heartbreaking.

The man made a slicing motion, and the screen went black...

Murphy exhaled. The throat-slitting scene had been cut during final editing. Even in black-and-white, such a scene would likely have earned an NC-17 rating from the MPAA.

The screen lit up again, now in color, showing the same man sitting at a computer. The camera panned up, finally focusing on the screen, revealing an online chat.

Seeing the chat log, Daisy felt her heart race. Was another girl about to be victimized?

Jones Butler glanced at Murphy, recognizing his clear grasp of pacing and ability to stir the audience's emotions.