Around ten o'clock, James Mangold and his group arrived at the Egyptian Theatre in Park City from their hotel. They were taken aback by the massive crowd outside the theater.
The already narrow road in front of the Egyptian Theatre was almost completely blocked. Some vehicles had no choice but to turn off their engines and stop where they were. Among the sea of people, what stood out the most were the numerous signs held high, requesting tickets.
As Mangold's group approached the theater, seemingly heading directly inside, a young man in a black jacket, accompanied by his girlfriend, immediately came over. "Hey, man, do you have tickets to The Man from Earth? How about selling them to us? Two tickets, I'll offer $1,500."
Hearing the offer, James Mangold, who wasn't exactly wealthy, was momentarily tempted. However, he quickly suppressed the thought and, pulling his girlfriend along, politely declined, "Sorry, man, our tickets aren't for sale."
Noticing Mangold's hesitation, the young man didn't give up. "I'll give you $2,000, man. That's my highest offer. My girlfriend and I can only stay in Park City for the weekend, so we really want to see Westeros' new film today. With $2,000, you could easily catch another screening during the weekdays, right?"
Mangold kept walking, still shaking his head, "I'm really sorry, man, but I can't sell them."
Seeing Mangold's firm stance, the young man turned to the other three in his group, but to no avail, and had to look for other targets.
After being approached several more times by other ticket seekers, Mangold and his companions finally made it into the Egyptian Theatre.
Unlike the screenings from the past few days, today's screening at the Egyptian Theatre included security checks. Ticket holders not only had to pass through a metal detector but were also scrutinized by security personnel whose sharp gazes were clearly beyond those of ordinary bodyguards. Additionally, any audience members carrying bags were politely asked to check their bags at the door, as no bags were allowed inside.
Perhaps to ease any potential discontent from the audience over the security checks, free snacks and drinks were offered to everyone today.
After passing through security, Mangold and his group picked up their complimentary popcorn and soda. Mangold still felt a bit pained at the thought of turning down the $2,000 offer earlier. However, the security measures reassured them that Simon Westeros would definitely be attending today.
This prospect was even more exciting than the movie itself.
James Mangold wasn't just a regular audience member; he was a director, here with his own work.
His feature debut.
At 31 years old, Mangold had been working in the film industry for ten years. After graduating from CalArts, he joined Disney, where he worked on the script for the animated film Oliver & Company. A few years later, he left Disney, moved to New York, and while studying at Columbia University's film school, continued to look for opportunities.
In recent years, the film industry had been booming, and the success of Danelys Entertainment's strategy of small investments yielding big returns had attracted many investors to the entertainment industry. This provided an opportunity for many young filmmakers to showcase their talents.
Mangold was fortunate enough to secure funding for his first feature film, Heavy, in this favorable environment, and it made its way into the Sundance main competition.
It seemed that his luck was finally turning.
Mangold's film was scheduled to premiere the following Wednesday, but a representative from Summit Entertainment, who had seen the finished product, was already in talks to buy the distribution rights for Heavy. They were also interested in signing Mangold for a three-picture deal.
Usually, when a studio spots potential in a new filmmaker, they cautiously sign them for one or two films to test the waters.
The fact that Summit Entertainment wanted to sign Mangold for three films at once indicated something unusual, even to someone less perceptive.
Not only that, but Mangold had also received an invitation to Simon Westeros' mountaintop villa party that evening.
Although Mangold told Summit that he needed more time to consider their offer, he had already decided to accept. While other studios might offer a higher price to woo him, he knew that collaborating with Danelys Entertainment, the most successful company in recent years, was the best choice for his career.
Danelys Entertainment not only offered better financial terms but also provided better career prospects. The new directors discovered by Danelys Entertainment over the years had all gone on to great success.
Inside the screening hall, the Egyptian Theatre, with its more than 500 seats, was almost full.
The theater, being an old-fashioned one, didn't have assigned seating. Some seats in the front were still available, but those were clearly reserved for important guests today. Mangold and his group could only find a few scattered seats at the back. Mangold and his girlfriend, Cathy Conrad, managed to sit together, while their three friends had to find seats elsewhere.
As they settled in, Mangold couldn't help but feel excited amidst the lively atmosphere of the theater.
He didn't dare to hope to one day stand shoulder to shoulder with Simon Westeros, but at the very least, he hoped that his films would one day be as eagerly anticipated as this one.
As he was lost in thought, his girlfriend Cathy nudged him, reminding him, "Look, it's Westeros."
As the theater fell silent, Mangold quickly looked up.
Simon Westeros was walking out from backstage, laughing and chatting with Robert Redford. Other familiar celebrities followed them, and the remaining front-row seats were soon filled by these big names.
Cathy continued whispering in his ear, "That's Nicolas Cage—he's so handsome. And there's Quentin Tarantino—so ugly. Tricia Helfer doesn't seem that tall; she's clearly overshadowed by Cindy Crawford. Oh, Jim, look, they seem to be competing for Westeros' attention. The Coen Brothers are here too. Their The Hudsucker Proxy flopped last year, but it looks like they're already working with Danelys Entertainment again. Their new film is probably a return to their strengths. And that's Whit Stillman. His Metropolitan was interesting, but last year's Barcelona wasn't as good. Nicole Kidman—wow, I didn't expect her to be here. She had such a great year last year with three blockbuster films in a row. I heard she's joined Gus Van Sant's new film. Smart move, maintaining her artistic credibility by doing indie films. But she didn't get to sit next to Westeros, so maybe she's out of favor. Hey, Jim, is that the director of Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Steven Soderbergh? Do you think he's joined Danelys too?"
Mangold had been eyeing the front row full of big names, and when his girlfriend asked, he looked over and, though not entirely sure, nodded, "It could be."
Cathy Conrad leaned back in her seat, then lowered her voice even more, "With so many big names under Danelys, Jim, do you think joining the company is a good idea?"
Mangold had indeed considered this.
Danelys Entertainment was practically half of Hollywood now, and in recent years, they had consistently produced great films. However, with so many top filmmakers joining, internal competition for resources would undoubtedly be fierce.
But after only a brief hesitation, Mangold reaffirmed his decision and said to his girlfriend, "If Danelys was only offering me a one-picture deal, I might hesitate. But three at once means someone at Danelys really believes in me. It would be foolish to pass up this opportunity."
Cathy Conrad thought for a moment and then nodded, agreeing, "Do you think it's Simon Westeros himself who sees potential in you? Otherwise, why would they offer a three-picture deal?"
Mangold had considered that possibility but didn't dare to hope too much. "We'll probably find out tonight."
At Simon Westeros' mountaintop villa party that evening, if the young mogul showed him special attention, certain things might become clear. However, even if he didn't, Mangold wouldn't change his mind.
Once Simon's group was seated, the time quickly reached ten o'clock.
Robert Redford personally took the microphone and stepped onto the stage. Scanning the audience, he smiled and said, "This is a very interesting film. I just asked Simon what inspired such an idea, especially for a small film with a budget of only $1.5 million. For someone like him, that's practically nothing. He said he wanted to show us all the possibility that films can have limitless creativity, as long as you unleash your imagination, any external limitations are insignificant. So, let's all enjoy The Man from Earth."
As the audience applauded, Robert Redford stepped off the stage, and the theater lights dimmed.
Since the film was greenlit, Simon Westeros' new movie had been a major focus of the media. However, before this premiere, aside from the title sparking various speculations, no other information had been released. This only heightened the curiosity of the media and fans.
On the big screen, after the Summit Entertainment logo appeared, the picture came to life.
The film began with a beautiful series of establishing shots, capturing the cold, desolate atmosphere of winter in the mountains, accompanied by a subtle, ethereal score that immediately drew the audience into a mysterious mood.
Soon, the camera focused on a white man loading boxes into a pickup truck.
The audience immediately recognized him as the film's lead, George Clooney.
This actor, who had been in the Hollywood scene for many years, had recently experienced a surge in popularity. First, he gained fame through the hit TV show ER, and now, with Simon Westeros personally writing the script for his role in this film
, his popularity was soaring even higher, hinting at his imminent rise to A-list status.
A moment later, other characters began to appear.
Through a simple exchange, the audience quickly grasped the premise of the story.
John Oldman, a university professor, had suddenly decided to resign and move away, and a group of colleagues had come to see him off.
At the same time, the film quickly introduced some tension and suspense.
Everyone was surprised by John's sudden resignation.
There was a clear spark between John and his female colleague Sandy, played by Elizabeth Perkins.
Another colleague, Edith, noticed a painting John was loading onto the truck and suggested that it might be an authentic Van Gogh, advising him to get it appraised.
John seemed particularly concerned about the whereabouts of another colleague, Will. He appeared disappointed that Will hadn't shown up yet but was visibly relieved when he learned that Will would arrive soon.
As they chatted, the group entered John's small cabin.
The conversation continued.
None of them wanted John to leave and they kept pressing him for answers.
This led to another layer of suspense.
John's appearance hadn't changed at all over the past ten years—a trait that many of the female colleagues envied.
Under their persistent questioning, John finally, cautiously, broached a topic.
Could humans achieve immortality?
As university professors, they all became excited at the question, each analyzing the possibility from their own field of expertise.
Then, John casually mentioned that he almost had the chance to join Columbus on his voyage of discovery.
The room fell silent.
By this point, the film had been running for 20 minutes.
Simon had always believed that the highest standard for a good film is when the audience loses track of time. Although this film lacked any car chases, explosions, or CGI effects, the slowly unfolding plot and the actors' seamless performances achieved this perfectly.
At the 20-minute mark, the first major plot point arrived, and the audience's attention was once again fully engaged.
They also began to sense the film's central theme.
A story about an immortal man.
On the big screen, after a moment of silence, everyone's first reaction was that John was joking.
John played along, letting them discuss the topic lightheartedly. As the conversation continued, John's flawless arguments in support of his claim to be an immortal gradually shocked and unsettled his colleagues.
They began to realize that John might be an immortal who had lived for about 14,000 years.
They learned that John's body had a remarkable ability to heal, surviving various illnesses without leaving a single scar.
They also learned that John's extraordinary knowledge was the result of endless years of accumulation.
At the 50-minute mark, the plot reached its second major turning point.
In the midst of everyone's shock, John casually drew back an ancient bow and accurately shot an arrow into a tree outside the cabin.
In the original film, the bow was merely a prop that none of the colleagues could draw, and John didn't attempt to either. Simon changed this detail, replacing the original bow with a specially made ancient bow from China, which required an estimated draw weight of three "stone" (about 300 pounds).
None of the crew members, including the stunt doubles, could fully draw the bow, so Simon had to step in during a set visit and complete the shot himself.
Thanks to his good exercise habits, Simon hadn't lost his physical fitness despite years of luxury.
Although the 300-pound draw weight was challenging even for Simon, he managed to hit the target tree after just five attempts.
Because of Simon's special cameo, the cast and crew involved in The Man from Earth privately speculated that, in a way, this film might actually be Simon Westeros' "personal biography."
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