I became a son-in-law in the United States

Chapter 59 The First Time Ever!

Audiences in the past were used to black and white films, and characters with only facial expressions and no dialogue. Everything was conventional and had become a habit.

But today, just now, when Van Persie said "Hello, ma'am" on screen, the entire audience erupted in cheers.

Some people exclaimed in surprise, some covered their heads, and some couldn't help but burst into tears.

It was an experience I had never had before, a completely unexpected and novel one.

The characters in the play, those men and women who captivated everyone, actually started talking!

Moreover, his voice was so vivid and beautiful, like a bird hopping and singing on the treetops in the morning, so clear and so natural.

That's how people are; once the boundaries of their imagination are broken, passion and madness follow.

At this moment, for most viewers, Van Persie in the play seems to have become the most lovable person, and everyone is holding their breath, waiting for his next line.

Sure enough, the next moment, seeing that Trissy remained silent, Van Persie took another step forward and came to a position very close to Trissy.

"Hello, my name is Robin van Persie..."

Since the film was recorded live, footsteps and other ambient sounds were inevitably included in the recording.

But this is good, it makes it seem more real and closer to real life.

Amidst this ambient noise, the audience could clearly hear the sound of the wind and the laughter of others.

real!

This is so true!

Only then did Trish raise her head and, upon seeing the handsome man before her, she was slightly taken aback.

"Hello......."

Such a simple scene of striking up a conversation would normally be met with indifference from the audience, who wouldn't express any particular opinion.

Because in 20s Hollywood, such scenes and plots were so common that they were nothing new.

However, with the addition of sound, these clichéd plot points seem to have regained their fatal charm, captivating many viewers.

"They're having a conversation!"

"Hit-ups! This is the most authentic hit-up experience!"

"Tracy's voice is so beautiful!"

"So that's how it works?"

"This movie is amazing, completely different from any other movie!"

"This is incredible! This will be a day to remember!"

............

Luther hid in the crowd, paying close attention to the audience's comments. He only felt slightly relieved after hearing these few excerpts of the audience's discussions.

As I expected, the impact of sound films on audiences is unimaginable, especially the audience in front of me, whose attitudes toward sound films have changed dramatically in an instant.

In the past, no one thought sound movies were good; they just thought they might be dangerous and unfamiliar things.

However, nowadays, viewers seem to have gotten used to the dialogue between the male and female leads in the show.

Soon, the story continues. After the male and female protagonists meet, they fall in love with each other and gradually grow closer.

They read books together, played together, went to the movies together, and attended those somewhat crazy dances together.

This time, not only are there audio recordings of the male and female leads talking, but Luther has even included background music.

At the ball, when beautiful music played, the audience on the dock gasped in amazement.

"Listen! Listen! It's a waltz!"

"Yes, I never imagined that they could not only have conversations, but also sing."

"Amazing, absolutely amazing!"

"The box office hit did something amazing!"

"I heard dancing footsteps!"

The audience was so captivated by the continuous audio-visual experience that they overlooked some of its shortcomings.

For example, the set design was somewhat rough, the lead actress, Trish, had a slightly stiff acting style, and some parts of the plot didn't flow very smoothly.

This is not hard to understand, because it was Luther's first time doing this, and it was inevitable that there would be oversights.

But the audience didn't care; they were completely absorbed in the experience.

And so, the projector moved forward little by little, and the film inside slid along with it.

The male and female leads in the drama also experienced a familiar story: they fell in love, but were ultimately forced to separate due to family pressure. Although they were separated, their passionate hearts remained connected, caring for and missing each other.

In the end, when Trissy finally met Van Persie again, she discovered that it had all been a hoax.

Van Persie had long been diagnosed with an incurable disease and knew he didn't have long to live, which is why he had been proposing to Tracy so relentlessly until she accepted.

To give his wife the courage to live, Van Persie had to devise this tragic drama, dying silently and leaving his thoughts to the living.

Because he knew that if Trish had known about his condition from the beginning, she probably wouldn't have survived either.

That's the story, similar to the American drama "Devdas," it's definitely a bit melodramatic, but audiences these days love that kind of thing.

"Waaaah! This is love!"

"What a wonderful girl, what a wonderful young man! It's so touching!"

"Tracy was crying so hard, it broke my heart!"

"It was an impressive movie. Since I still have time, I'll buy a ticket and see it again."

"Look, you have to watch it again!"

The same scene was unfolding at twenty other screening venues, where audiences were moved to tears, both by the experience of the sound film and by the sorrow of the simple story.

In short, "Walden," produced by Box Office Film Company, became a hit.

The next morning, Boston newspapers published the shocking news.

"A stunning cinematic experience, and gratifying technological advancements!"

"Filmmaking technology is undergoing another revolution, with sound films completely outperforming silent films!"

"The open-air premiere of 'Waden' was a success, with projected earnings exceeding $3000 that evening!"

"Small companies can create big miracles! This box office hit did something amazing!"

"The first time we heard sound, the film industry entered a new era!"

..............

Sure enough, influenced by these newspapers, more and more people paid attention to the matter, and the popularity of "Waden Lake" grew.

It's important to understand that Boston is a city with a population of nearly 90. In an era where watching movies is mainstream entertainment, the sustained popularity and influence of a hit movie can be astonishing.

The following afternoon, another piece of good news arrived: tickets for "Waden" for the next week were sold out!

If a ticket costs 9 cents, and all 20 venues are filled in one round, then the revenue would be $810.

In fact, the actual revenue is definitely more than that, because it is an open-air screening and the number of attendees is not strictly fixed. Once it becomes popular, it is entirely feasible to sell more tickets for each show.

If each venue can host 3 games a day, that's basically around $2500, and you can break even in about 20 days.

That evening, on the way back, Jia was still somewhat dazed.

"Luther, it seems we...we've succeeded?"