Chapter 42

Time quickly reached August, and over these two months, Chen Tian had been busy with the promotion of the movie every day.

Working under the supervision of Katzenberg, he quickly became familiar with Hollywood's movie promotion and distribution model. DreamWorks had prepared thirty film copies, which were sent to thirty cinemas in cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York for trial screenings.

Today was the first day of the trial screening for "The Sixth Sense." The director and actors were not well-known, so there would be no grand premiere ceremony, which was reserved for big-budget films.

The movie was scheduled to be shown from midnight until the early morning of the next day. Although this was the best time to watch horror movies, it was also the time for sleeping. Especially now, as it was August, the summer movie season was gradually cooling down. After watching a big movie in the evening, moviegoers would be satisfied and spent their money, so it was predictable how many would stay to watch the midnight screening.

However, there weren't many influential blockbusters being released at the same time. "Armageddon," starring Bruce Willis, had already been in theaters for over a month. Coincidentally, Bruce Willis was also the lead actor in "The Sixth Sense," which, despite not having Bruce Willis's fame and box office appeal, had ample promotional funds and the collective recommendation of the "Saving Private Ryan" cast, ensuring it wouldn't be ignored.

The only noteworthy release was "Rush Hour," starring Jackie Chan, which was set to premiere in mid-September. This was Jackie Chan's first official foray into Hollywood, and Chen Tian knew it would be a big hit, but that was still a month away.

Although there was no official premiere ceremony for the movie, Chen Tian had his own premiere. He and Kate were now preparing to drive to the cinema.

Chen Tian was dressed in a brand new black suit, looking very formal, which complemented his tall and robust figure, making him look very good. Kate was also dressed beautifully, with her long brown curls cascading over her shoulders, her unique cold beauty captivating everyone's attention.

In a nearby coffee shop, the young couple was still occasionally talked about.

The burly man, Cook, still didn't believe it. "Is 'Saving Private Ryan' really written by that guy? Maybe it's just a coincidence. How could such a famous person live here?"

The old man, James, was not pleased and shouted, "Cook, what's wrong with this place? I've lived here for decades."

As the two were being discussed in the coffee shop, the door opened, and two striking young people walked in. Although they had only met once, the man's good looks and the woman's beauty left a strong impression.

"Two lattes, please. One with extra sugar," Chen Tian and Kate, dressed in their finest, walked into the coffee shop. It was still too early for the midnight screening, so they planned to spend some time sightseeing before the movie.

"Hey, I remember you. The screenwriter of 'Saving Private Ryan'?" the old James said.

Chen Tian smiled, "Yes, it's me. I remember you too. Did you go see the movie? Did I deceive you?"

Cook, disbelieving, walked over, "It really is you. We only remember when we see the name in the credits. Hey, beautiful, why haven't you been coming for coffee lately? You're an actress, right? I told you I've seen her before." After a few words with Chen Tian, he eagerly went to chat with the stunning Kate, who had golden curls.

Kate smiled, "Yes, I've been busy with filming. Maybe I'll come more often in the future."

"That would be great. What movie are you filming? We'll come to support it."

Chen Tian said, "She's my leading lady. I directed my first movie, 'The Sixth Sense,' which is having its trial screening tonight. Everyone is welcome to come and watch."

The coffee shop suddenly became lively. They didn't expect to run into a celebrity, and a movie director at that. "The Sixth Sense" had been widely advertised, and even if the trailer wasn't very clear, at least the name was familiar. Upon hearing that he was the director of "The Sixth Sense" and the screenwriter of "Saving Private Ryan," they all expressed their intention to see the movie.

James had already brought out the coffee, "The coffee is on me. Kid, as a World War II veteran, I have to say 'Saving Private Ryan' is a great movie. Your movie is called 'The Sixth Sense'? I'll close the shop to go see it."

"Thanks, we won't refuse that."

The two had entered the coffee shop twice, and the attitudes were completely different. This was the charm of movies.

They took a walk around Universal Studios under the night sky, and when the time was right, they went directly to the cinema. On the poster wall in the ticket hall, it was easy to spot "The Sixth Sense," as it was distributed by DreamWorks.

Kate excitedly waved to Chen Tian, "Christmas, come over! Look, this is the poster for 'The Sixth Sense'!"

Chen Tian walked over, and on the wall, there was the poster for "The Sixth Sense." The design was very mysterious, with a glowing "6" in the upper right corner of a dark background, and a silhouette of a little boy in the center.

On another poster, Cole was in the upper left corner, and Dr. Malcolm was in the lower right. In the center, it read "smell/sight/sound/taste/touch" followed by "sixth sense," with a black background. There were also the DreamWorks logo, producer, director, and actor information.

"Not bad..." Chen Tian reached out and gently touched the poster on the wall.

Kate smiled at him, her eyes full of warmth.

In the dark cinema, there weren't many people, but the occupancy rate was about 20%. In a cinema that could hold hundreds, only a few dozen people were watching. For a midnight trial screening, this was not a bad situation, especially since it wasn't a highly anticipated blockbuster that required fans to stay up all night.

"Christmas, it's fine. There are thirty cinemas. Maybe this one is just a bit quieter," Kate comforted Chen Tian as they stood at the top of the cinema.

Chen Tian gave her a reassuring look, "I'm fine, Kate. Don't worry about me. This was expected. As long as people come to watch, it's important that they recommend it to their friends after leaving the cinema. That's the key."

He smiled and shrugged, "You know, someone has to be the first to try. Once they try it, others will know it's good. I've always been confident in my movie."

Kate couldn't help but smile.

The movie began, and the first scene immediately captured the audience. The handsome man and beautiful woman, with their deep gazes and sweet smiles, gave a brilliant performance.

"The two actors' performances are pretty good, right?" someone commented.

But soon, the increasingly mysterious plot drew everyone in, making it hard to stop watching.

In the middle of the movie, Cole encountered ghosts one after another, and with the eerie sound effects, the entire cinema shivered. Kate nudged Chen Tian and pointed to a viewer in the front row, whose cola had spilled from his hand without him noticing, his mouth wide open as he stared at the big screen.

Chen Tian smiled, relieved that everyone was so focused. The first half-hour was a critical point for a movie. If the audience watched for more than half an hour, they would generally continue until the end. The audience in the cinema was indeed becoming more engrossed, and even the small discussions in the back rows had stopped. Occasionally, heavy breathing and gasps could be heard.

This movie wasn't a particularly scary horror film; the story and its deeper meaning were its essence.

Kate was initially paying attention to the reactions of others, but soon she was also immersed in the plot.

The movie quickly reached its climax.

With Dr. Malcolm's help, Cole helped a little girl who had been poisoned find the real culprit, who turned out to be her stepmother. At her funeral, Cole handed a video tape, which he claimed was the girl's legacy, to her father. Her father, confused, played the tape in front of the funeral guests, and the truth was revealed, leaving him in tears. The stepmother, dressed in red, was still talking to other guests, but she noticed that everyone was looking at her differently. When she turned to see her husband watching the tape with tears in his eyes, she froze.

Cole finally found his confidence and decided to confess to his mother and have a good talk.

Dr. Malcolm's task was complete, and he said goodbye to Cole, "This is our last meeting. I don't think we'll see each other again. I need to focus more on my family."

Cole said, "Can we pretend we'll meet again, Dr. Malcolm?"

"…See you next time, Cole."

Dr. Malcolm finally ended his treatment of Cole and went to save his marriage. But he sadly discovered that he was a ghost.

He had been shot and killed behind the door that he could never open. He had been trying to help Cole, but in reality, he was seeking help for himself subconsciously.

"He… is actually a ghost. God, I didn't notice at all."

Recalling the earlier scenes, Anna had always been eating, paying, and watching TV alone. Dr. Malcolm was like an invisible person, completely unaware that he was dead.

At this point, Cole's words explained the mystery that had enveloped the entire story: "I can see dead people. They don't know they're dead. They're everywhere, all the time. They only see what they want to see." Dr. Malcolm had been shot and killed at the beginning of the movie, and this ending had been hinted at from the start, but everyone had subconsciously ignored it.

"Wow, I'm covered in goosebumps. It's unbelievable."

All the audience in the cinema held their breath, shocked by the bizarre ending. Chen Tian looked at Kate, who was also staring at the big screen, and decided not to call her. The final scene was a wedding, and the movie ended.

It wasn't until the last scene ended that Kate turned her head, seeing Chen Tian looking at her. She asked, puzzled, "Wait, what did you say? I was so engrossed I didn't hear clearly." She quickly turned back.

"..."

The big screen showed Chen Tian's name as the director, followed by the DreamWorks logo and a few small lines of text, including "Producer: Jeffrey Katzenberg."

The audience came to their senses, and exclamations and discussions filled the cinema. These first-time viewers had the highest level of immersion and fear, and their opinions were crucial in determining whether they would help spread the word.

"Unbelievable! Oh, God! I don't think it's a horror movie, but I got goosebumps at the end. The performances of the main actors were excellent. Dr. Malcolm's eyes, I love them. And Cole, he's heart-wrenching."

"The suspense was revealed early, but it wasn't until the end that we realized it. It's amazing, we were completely drawn in." "A great movie, this midnight screening was worth it." A few young white men walked through the aisle, still unable to shake off the sensory impact of the movie, discussing it enthusiastically.

The two stayed until the last credits rolled before standing up to leave.

"I'm really moved. As I said before, I don't think it's a horror movie. Congratulations, Christmas."

Chen Tian grinned, cupped her face, and gave her a passionate kiss.