Prints! Prints!

Back then, Changping was still just a county town. Although it had movie theaters, it couldn't get first-run screenings and had to settle for the leftovers. Wang Xiaomei was a worker at a thermos factory. Having heard that a newly released film called Romance on Mount Lu was exceptionally good, and happening to have the day off today, she invited two coworkers into the city to see the movie and do some shopping along the way. In those days, taking a bus from an outer suburban county into the city took quite a long time. After spending the morning browsing around downtown, they found themselves near Qianmen and stopped to grab a bite to eat at a cooperative restaurant beneath the Arrow Tower. "Wontons are up!" Huang Zhanying nimbly served the wontons onto their table, brought over three large bowls, and said with a smile, "Hot out today! This complimentary tea is on us to help quench your thirst!" "Thank you, comrade!" Wang Xiaomei was pleasantly surprised. Complimentary tea with wontons—the Qianmen cooperative truly lived up to its reputation. She tasted a wonton, found it quite good, and asked, "Where are we going to watch the movie in a bit?" "There's one right nearby called Daguanlou." "Xiao Li came into town last time to catch Romance on Mount Lu, and boy did he brag to high heaven once he got back! You should've seen how smug he was!" "I heard it was shot really daringly—the actress's skirt came up to here!" Wang Xiaomei gestured against her own thigh. Her two companions' eyes lit up as they indignantly decried, "Heavens, that's far too capitalist! Weren't her legs showing then?" "Exactly! Nothing like our plain living and hard struggle that everyone praises!" All three looked down simultaneously at their own trousers—uniform gray trousers, at most rolled up slightly at the cuffs to reveal an ankle. "Are you three planning on seeing Romance on Mount Lu?" Huang Zhanying suddenly walked over and chimed in, "It's already noon—you definitely won't be able to buy tickets now. Better come back another day." "Huh? How can there be no tickets left?" "If you'd queued outside at the crack of dawn, you might've managed, but at this hour, forget the afternoon screenings—even the evening shows are sold out." "But we only have one day off! Coming again means waiting until next week—we're from Changping." "What are we going to do?" With downcast faces, Wang Xiaomei and her friends looked utterly crestfallen. Seeing this, Huang Zhanying simply said, "Oh, never mind. We were originally planning to go tonight, but since you've come all this way and it wasn't easy, I'll spare you three tickets. Just pay me face value." "Really? But won't that mean you can't watch it?" "Don't worry about it. I'm close with the screenwriter. I'll make him get me tickets, or I'll punch his lights out!" Huang Zhanying generously parted with three tickets. Wang Xiaomei and the others quickly finished their wontons and headed straight south, soon spotting Daguanlou Cinema. Having had their tickets checked and entered the auditorium, the three young women were brimming with anticipation—they could finally watch Romance on Mount Lu. The film certainly did not disappoint. The scenic splendor of Mount Lu, the lead actress's fashion parade, and the handsome, endearing innocence of the male lead thoroughly captivated them. Twenty minutes passed in the blink of an eye. The auditorium was dead silent, countless pairs of eyes glued to the screen, entirely immersed in the film. Up in the second-floor projection booth, however, it was an entirely different scene. "Hurry! Hurry! Hand over the reels!" "Take them, take them! Don't let them spill! Be back on the dot, or both of us will be in deep trouble!" "Then tell the cinema to install an elevator! My legs are practically ruined every single day!" Xiao Zhang frantically clutched two reels of film, sprinted down the stairs like a madman, jammed the canisters into the pannier bags on the back of his bicycle, and pedaled so furiously sparks could have flown, racing like a bolt of lightning toward the next cinema. He was Daguanlou's film runner. A single print of Romance on Mount Lu was shared among four cinemas. Each reel was about ten minutes long, making a ninety-minute movie nine reels in all. The four theaters had coordinated—for example, staggering showtimes by thirty minutes. Once Daguanlou finished projecting the first two reels, the film runner would deliver them to the next cinema. That cinema had its own runner too, who would take the reels to the cinema after that once they were done... Ge You and Xie Yuan starred in a 1990 movie called The Street Knight, which was all about film runners. Xiao Zhang was an expert cyclist—he wouldn't have looked out of place in the Tour de France. A ten-minute ride took him just eight. The next cinema enjoyed better facilities: no running up the stairs, as they had rigged a hoist on the exterior of the building. He placed the reels inside and rang a little bell; upstairs, they knew the reels had arrived and hoisted them straight up. Xiao Zhang pedaled back in a frantic rush, even more hurried than before. From this moment on, he had to shuttle back and forth between the two cinemas over and over until the final screening of Romance on Mount Lu concluded—a young life consumed by endless repetitions, trapped in a relentless loop like walking in circles in a graveyard. "Where are the reels? Where are the reels?" "Right here, right here!" He darted up the stairs in three bounds, grabbed another two reels, and didn't pause for breath. This time he pedaled a bit too fiercely. With a clatter, the bike chain slipped off. Xiao Zhang lurched sideways, nearly taking a nasty spill. Cursing under his breath, he jumped down to reseat the chain. The next cinema was going frantic! The first two reels had finished projecting, but the next batch hadn't arrived yet. The theater had no choice but to project a slide onto the screen: "Reels delayed in transit. Please wait patiently." The auditorium erupted in boos, catcalls, and jeers in total chaos. ... "This movie was wonderful! Shall we come see it again next week?" "Sure! I still haven't had enough of it either!" "I don't know how to describe it, but the scenery, the dialogue, the actors—I loved every bit of it!" As the screening of Romance on Mount Lu ended, Wang Xiaomei and her companions strolled out in high spirits, happily dissecting every detail. Xiao Zhang dragged his exhausted body past them, completely oblivious. There was no such thing as peace and calm at the movies—it was just film runners shouldering the burden for you. With that screening over, Xiao Zhang earned a brief respite. Panting heavily in the projection booth, he slammed a hand onto the table. "I can't live like this for another day! Where's the manager? I'm lodging a complaint with the manager!" "Why didn't you order more prints? If management is short a screw, it's us who get worked to the bone!" "What is the film company even doing for a living?!" He shouted from inside, while outside the manager didn't dare utter a peep. A film runner wielded more clout than top sales champions; if he walked off the job, the chain reaction would cripple the entire theater. The manager composed himself, pushed the door open, and stepped in with a placating smile. "Our Comrade Xiao Zhang is getting worked up again? You're right, of course—the company really dropped the ball. They knew Romance on Mount Lu was going to be a hit, yet they didn't order more prints. They deserve to be cursed out by the audience!" "Save your breath! I want more prints, or I'm going to work myself to death!" "There will be prints, absolutely! We're not stupid. Given the situation, of course we're placing additional orders! But developing and striking prints takes time; there's nothing we can do about that. You're the pillar of this cinema—you have to lead everyone in overcoming these hardships!" Xiao Zhang was somewhat mollified. After resting a while in the projection booth until the next screening started and ran for twenty minutes, he grabbed another two reels, bolted downstairs, and resumed his endless loop of a life. ... In those days, there was no infrastructure for a simultaneous nationwide release. Exact release dates for Romance on Mount Lu varied by region, but all fell between early and mid-July. In the capital, for instance, a week had flown by since opening day. Managers from dozens of cinemas banded together to storm the municipal film company's doors; the municipal company in turn besieged China Film, running into representatives from neighboring provincial companies like Liaoning, Hebei, and Shanxi. Meanwhile, phone calls and telegrams poured in like snowflakes. There was only one demand: order more prints, or both the audience and the film runners were going to revolt! China Film then led the delegation to corner the leadership of the Film Bureau, since their approval was required. "How many more?" "One hundred and eighty?!" The official's expression was thoroughly mortified and awkward. After all, he was the one who had rejected the initial order of 360 prints for Romance on Mount Lu, approving only 200. And now, the total had even exceeded that by another 20. Good lord, 380 prints! "This is going to set a record!"