Chapter 53: Test Screening

After Christmas, the last week of 1986 quickly slipped away.

And just like that, it was 1987.

At the start of the new year, the image and sound editing for "Run Lola Run" were smoothly completed. Thanks to the excellent quality of the footage, Simon managed to finish the color grading of the test reel in just one week.

Following that, "Run Lola Run" began the final printing process.

Meanwhile, "The Butterfly Effect" had wrapped in mid-December and had moved into post-production.

Simon learned from David Giler and Brian De Palma that Fox had not yet finalized the release schedule for "The Butterfly Effect," as they needed to decide based on the final quality of the film.

The most likely release windows were either the summer or Easter.

During this era, the Easter box office in North America wasn't as lucrative as it would become later, with Hollywood still primarily focusing on the summer and end-of-year seasons.

The box office performance of "The Butterfly Effect" was crucial for Simon's future in Hollywood, and naturally, he hoped the film would be slotted into the popular summer window. However, this was clearly not his decision to make.

At the moment, the only project Simon could control was "Run Lola Run."

On January 13th, Simon finally received the final copy of "Run Lola Run."

January 14th.

Fox Studios, in the afternoon.

Inside one of the screening rooms, David Giler and Brian De Palma entered and found that a large group of people, mostly crew members from the shooting of "Run Lola Run," had already gathered.

Noticing their arrival, Simon, who had been chatting with everyone, quickly stood up to greet them, and the others also nodded in acknowledgment.

Since Simon had been busy with post-production for "The Butterfly Effect," his interactions with the two had been limited. After some greetings and a short conversation, David Giler asked, "Simon, can we start now?"

"Sorry, David, we have to wait a bit longer," Simon shook his head. "Mr. Sanders has promised to come, but he isn't here yet."

David nodded in understanding.

Simon had invited Peter Sanders, the vice president of Fox Pictures, clearly concerning the distribution of "Run Lola Run." David had previously advised Simon on distribution details.

After checking his watch and seeing it was past the appointed time, Simon stood up, intending to look outside the screening room.

After nearly ten more minutes of waiting and contemplating whether to go check the administrative building himself, Peter Sanders finally appeared from a nearby corridor. Seeing Simon waiting outside the screening room, Peter showed a remorseful expression and extended his hand, "I'm terribly sorry, Simon. I just got out of a meeting."

"It's okay," Simon replied with an unchanged smile and shook hands. "Let's go in, Peter. I'm really looking forward to showing you the film."

They entered the screening room, and Peter Sanders warmly greeted everyone. The screening room had six rows of seats, divided into two sections. David Giler and Brian De Palma sat on the left side of the front row, while Janet and Catherine were on the right, with one empty seat on each side.

After a moment of hesitation, Peter chose to sit next to David.

Simon, standing beside Peter, noticed his hesitation and simply smiled slightly.

Although suave, this small detail indicated that Peter Sanders was not particularly magnanimous. As a high-ranking executive directly responsible for "The Butterfly Effect" project, he seemed to avoid sitting next to David and Brian, whom he felt had sidelined him during the film's production. However, Peter didn't dare to make this discord public.

Once Peter was seated, Simon instructed the screening room staff and then sat down next to Janet.

The lights in the screening room soon dimmed.

Although Simon had already viewed the test reel, the anticipation of formally presenting the film to an audience after months of hard work still made him somewhat nervous. He clenched his fists unconsciously.

A cool hand reached out in the darkness and patted the back of Simon's clenched fist.

Turning his head, Simon saw Janet's sparkling eyes. He smiled at her and took her cool hand in his.

Catherine, who had come specifically for this first screening of "Run Lola Run" before heading off to Arizona to shoot "Night of the Living Dead," was sitting on Janet's other side. She noticed Simon holding Janet's hand and felt a tinge of melancholy. After returning to Los Angeles post-New Year, Catherine had clearly sensed the progression in Simon and Janet's relationship.

Before Catherine could inquire, Janet had already enthusiastically shared the details of their Christmas Eve together, not holding anything back.

Until Catherine couldn't stand it any longer and covered Janet's mouth to stop her chattering.

Trying her best to ignore Janet's endless chatter, Catherine nevertheless caught herself glancing at Simon's profile and remembered Janet waving her five delicate fingers while recounting her 'tragic experience'

 of being tossed around all night during her first time.

Feeling her cheeks heating up, Catherine quickly turned her attention to the large screen in front.

Based on her understanding of the personalities of the two beside her, she suspected Janet was actually quite pleased with the experience.

However, since when did women need to be rational?

Who says they should be?

With that thought, Catherine recalled a term Janet had used to criticize someone, and she muttered it under her breath with a trace of resentment.

Beast!

A small hand reached over, trying to pull her own.

So greedy. One hand held was not enough.

Focus on the movie.

As the screen lit up and the film projector whirred softly, the movie began to play.

The first thing to appear was a line of text.

Unlike "The Butterfly Effect," which would later begin with an explanation of the term itself, Simon decided not to add such an introduction to "Run Lola Run." However, he still adjusted the original opening credits, keeping only a quote from British poet T.S. Eliot.

As the credits faded, the ticking of a clock started to accelerate, accompanied by the movement of a shiny pendulum, and several lines of credits appeared one after another.

Production Company: Daenerys Productions.

Executive Producers: Brian De Palma, David Giler, Robert Redford.

Director: Simon Westeros.

Since Brian and the others were willing to lend their names, Simon did not shy away from modesty and placed the names of these industry heavyweights at the most prominent part of the opening.

As the pendulum stopped, the camera moved to a custom-made metal gear clock, and the fast-paced electronic music that would permeate the entire film began to play. The powerful music unconsciously steered the emotions of everyone in the screening room.

Then came the zombie-like crowd and a voice-over centered on the philosophical question, "Who am I, where am I, what am I supposed to do?"

Despite the philosophical undertone of the voice-over, the film left no time for the audience to ponder.

The compelling electronic music seemed to urge everyone to sprint along.

Thus, in the animated opening, Lola began to run.

And so, the story began.

With a quick zoom, the loud ring of a bright red phone filled the air.

The small-time criminal Manny received a task from his boss and everything went smoothly until his girlfriend Lola, who was supposed to pick him up, failed to show. He tried to find his own way back to town but ended up losing the money from the deal.

$100,000.

Enough for his boss to turn him into ashes and scatter them in the sea.

In panic, Manny tearfully explained the situation to Lola over the phone.

To save her boyfriend's life, Lola had to come up with $100,000 in a short time and deliver it to a phone booth in downtown Santa Monica.

She had only 20 minutes.

Without hesitation, she dashed out of her house.

She ran all the way to her father's office at the bank, not only to find no help but to have her paternity called into question.

Unable to secure the money, she still ran tirelessly towards her goal.

Her boyfriend had already entered a supermarket with a gun.

Alright then, if you insist on being Clyde, I'll be your Bonnie.

The robbery succeeded.

The escape did not.

She was mistakenly shot and killed by a foolish rookie cop.

Unwilling to accept this end.

Let's start over.

The red phone falls, signaling another beginning.

This time, I'll be Bonnie; you don't have to be Clyde.

It seemed successful.

Until the last moment.

It seemed God didn't favor those who gained without effort, so he took him away.

Let's try again.

Dodging the troublesome neighbor and his vicious dog in the staircase—maybe saving a second, maybe wasting one.

Who knows.

Missing the father, but stumbling upon a casino.

Then.

Everything started to go well.

She earned the $100,000 herself and made it to the destination on time.

A beggar who found the lost $100,000 got a thief's bicycle and also arrived early to return the money to her boyfriend.

A perfect ending.