Capitalist Decadence

The small auditorium. The screen dimmed. *Romance on Mount Lu* had finished screening once more, and dead silence hung over the room. Sitting beside Wang Yang, Wang Haowei felt uneasy, not knowing what fate awaited the film. Wang Yang, on the other hand, was calm and unperturbed, not even bothering to dwell on who had started the rumors. There were plenty of people who disliked Beijing Film Studio, disliked him, or disliked Wang Haowei. Snatching any chance to make things miserable for them was par for the course. *Romance on Mount Lu* had dealt with a sensitive subject to begin with; someone had likely just waited for them to finish shooting before slapping them with a report—the timing couldn't be better. People in the literary and artistic circles were petty, and there were plenty of troublemakers. "Old Wang!" The cadre from the municipal propaganda department held quite a high rank. Coming in person to screen the film already demonstrated his stance. He began, "You're a veteran revolutionary yourself. How could you make this kind of mistake?" "What mistake did I make? They spread rumors that the film advocated the Four Links with Taiwan. You've seen it with your own eyes—is there any such thing?" "There isn't, I admit that much; it didn't violate policy on that front. But..." The cadre paused, his tone turning severe. "Take a look at what you people made. Two people touring scenic spots, whispering sweet nothings all over the place! Using pleasure-seeking to romanticize life like this—how much negative influence will that have on the audience? "You are promoting a bourgeois view of romance! If everyone goes around pitching woo, who's going to build our country's Four Modernizations? "And that female lead—she changes into a new outfit in practically every scene! Is that necessary? She stays in such a luxurious room, carries a handbag, wears high heels—every single detail reeks of capitalist decadence! "And as for the film's theme, although you portrayed patriotic sentiment, I feel the overall tone lacks refinement, lacks depth, and is utterly pale!" "..." With every word he uttered, Wang Haowei's expression darkened another shade. It was tantamount to trashing *Romance on Mount Lu* as absolute rubbish. Yet the man held high rank and authority, so only Wang Yang could push back against him. "So what is your final verdict?" Wang Yang asked. "It shouldn't be screened at all!" "You're entitled to your opinion, but according to regulations, I still have to submit it to other departments for review. Whether it hits theaters or not isn't up to you alone." "Regardless, I object, and I stand by that objection!" The cadre stubbed out his cigarette, brushed off his Sun Yat-sen suit, and got up to leave. Not long after he left, Chen Qi slipped inside and asked, "Old Studio Head, Director Wang, what's the verdict?" "The municipal propaganda department explicitly objected. Said we're promoting capitalist decadence," Wang Haowei sighed. "What do we do next?" "First, send it to the Film Bureau, and then we'll organize another screening session, inviting leaders from the Municipal Party Committee's United Front Work Department and the Municipal Federation of Trade Unions to watch it. What the propaganda department says on its own doesn't settle it; the minority must still submit to the majority. The more voices of support we have, the more likely it can be released," Wang Yang said. "The United Front Work Department? Brilliant, Studio Head!" Chen Qi chuckled. *Romance on Mount Lu* was all about united front work, so the department would certainly back it. Then, thinking a bit further, he asked, "Then why not invite a few newspapers and let them help drum up some momentum?" "Newspapers have their own stances. If they think it's good, it's good; if they think it's bad, it's bad. The risk is too high," Wang Yang shook his head. "What a coincidence, then—I happen to know a reporter whose stance is very flexible. I'll have her help out!" *** Dongcheng District, Lishi Hutong. Here stood the screening room of the Film Bureau, where films were reviewed. Early that morning, Shi Dongming rode up on his bicycle. He was a staff member in the bureau's Arts Department, who later became deputy studio head of Beijing Film Studio and vice president of China Film Group. He entered the screening room and waited for a while. People trickled in one after another, over twenty in total. They included the director of the Film Bureau, along with several staff members and experts. In those days, there was no fixed organization for censoring films, nor any clear-cut standards—there wouldn't be in later generations either—reviews were entirely guided by the spirit of speeches from the central leadership. Nobody wasted words. Once everyone was gathered, the film rolled, and discussion began as soon as it finished. "I find this film rather refreshing. While it has a romance theme, it's shot with great purity and doesn't push the boundaries too far." "That's not pushing boundaries? Bare arms, bare legs, walking with their arms around each other in broad daylight, and even a kiss on the cheek! What an outrage against public morals?!" "I think it fits the character setup quite well. She's an overseas Chinese from America, so her behavior and mannerisms are naturally different from folks here at home." Shi Dongming offered his opinion as well: "I think it's fantastic. The film grafts the romance between a man and a woman onto patriotic sentiment, grounding their love in fertile soil rather than making it feel superficial. It was filmed very movingly." Opinions varied, and everyone argued back and forth with great relish. To be fair, from the 1980s to the early 1990s, the Film Bureau operated with a remarkably open attitude, nothing like the stereotypical impressions of later years. One had only to look at the ceaseless stream of cult films produced back then: *The Lonely Spirit of the Black Building*, *The Silver Snake Murder Case*, *The Tomb Robbers*, *The Head in the Haunted House*, *Poisonous Kiss*, and so forth. *The Tomb Robbers* was even an outright tomb-raiding flick! That was right—for a period in the 1980s, tomb-raiding themes were wildly popular. Studios everywhere jumped on the bandwagon, though most of the films were of poor quality. Younger folks today couldn't begin to imagine how lenient the film and television environment was back then; television dramas were even looser, with several featuring overt nudity. Starting in the mid-1990s, however, main melody productions began to dominate. Enough said on that for now. After arguing for half the day without reaching a consensus, they had no choice but to set *Romance on Mount Lu* aside for the moment and reconvene later for further study. *** Meanwhile, the screening session Wang Yang organized was underway. His clout was formidable indeed; he had invited dozens of leaders, high and low. After the film ended, the attendees discussed it in an unexpectedly harmonious atmosphere, with almost no one bringing up those doubts or flaws. "The last time I visited Mount Lu was ages ago. The scenery was enchanting, unforgettable to this day. Once I retire, I must go again." "The film depicts it so authentically! That Pillow Stream Rock looks just like that. The landscapes were shot beautifully!" "The leading man and lady are both handsome and pretty too. All in all, a feast for the eyes!" The cadre from the United Front Work Department was the happiest of all, laughing heartily: "Old Wang, this film of yours is good! Children of the two parties marrying, safeguarding national reunification, welcoming overseas compatriots back to build the Four Modernizations—every single note hits the spot! "Just one thing: wouldn't it have been even better if her background were changed from America to Taiwan?" "Don't even joke about that! If we'd done that, I'd have been branded a traitor for sure! Even as it stands, they're nitpicking left and right and refusing to let it screen!" "Why do you care about them? That's just the municipal propaganda department, not the Central Propaganda Department. If push comes to shove, submit it straight to the Ministry of Culture!" "I've actually been thinking about doing just that!" As the officials chatted, Chen Qi sat in a corner keeping company with his old friend, Yu Jiajia. "Aiyo, this leading actress is really pretty. Her name's Gong Xue? How old is she?" "None of your business! I brought you here to write an article." "I know, I know. Isn't it just blowing smoke for you in the paper?" "No, this time needs to be a bit more layered. First, write a glowing review, dropping in a few sensitive points where appropriate—like the romance, how fashionable and Westernized the female lead is, the union between the two parties... Then I'll write a letter to the editor blasting those very points to grab eyeballs." "Aren't you afraid of outsmarting yourself and getting the film banned from theaters?" "Not a chance. This is nothing compared to what's coming..." Chen Qi wasn't worried. In the original timeline, *Romance on Mount Lu* had faced an absolute sea of criticism. He said, "In short, we'll drum up some buzz and make the movie blow up before it even premieres, getting everyone eagerly waiting." "And that's what you call journalism?" "No, no—this is called marketing!"