Art Can Be Down-to-Earth

If the game "Hyakunin Isshu" made Xu Duzhong feel that even watching a movie was too terrifying.

After that, the opening of the Poetry Festival made him realize that ordinary people really couldn't pull off such an underworld-like feat.

In the past, when Xu Duzhong watched horror games and movies, the most he saw were zombies, ghosts, blood flying everywhere, and eerie winds, which had a strong visual impact.

But now, on the computer screen, those monsters dancing to what sounded like mournful music from the underworld, those humanoid figures twisting into inhuman shapes, gave Xu Duzhong a different kind of terror.

It was the terrifying thought that something was gradually heading towards destruction, and even if you knew the ending, you were powerless to reverse it.

Just like being hit by a car and killed while walking on the street, it's not that scary, since it's over in the blink of an eye.

However, if you slip and fall on the road for some reason, and while you are still conscious, you see a slippery Mud Truck running over you, that would be very threatening.

If you survive being run over once and then watch helplessly as other vehicles continue to run you over, that would be terrifying.

What Xu Duzhong found even more unacceptable was that he actually felt a strange beauty in the way these monsters danced!

He considered himself a good person overall, even though he occasionally had some dark thoughts. However, when the inverted, bizarre, and distorted dance was combined with a variation of a song he had heard before, Xu Duzhong began to wonder if there was something wrong with his brain.

He found the scene, which should have made him feel scared, terrified, and disgusted, to be beautiful.

[This underworld performance, once you accept the premise, actually seems quite captivating.]

Art can be down-to-earth, but please don't be from the higher society.

Am I a pervert? I actually find this scene enjoyable???

I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds this disgusting.

This movie is strongly advised against being watched by anyone under 18; it's too terrifying.

[Oh no, I think I'm hopeless. I actually find that monster kind of cute.]

[Those of you who think it looks good, take a look in the mirror. You might already be turning into monsters.]

Upon seeing this comment, Xu Duzhong immediately paused the video, picked up his phone, and took a selfie to look at the screen.

He saw that he looked exactly the same in the phone camera's view.

"Fine.!!!"

Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, Xu Duzhong noticed that a piece of skin on his face seemed to be peeling off, revealing green, viscous flesh underneath.

Just like the monsters that appear in movies.

"Grass!"

Unable to hold back his curses, Xu Duzhong threw down his phone, got up, and went to the bathroom to look in the mirror.

In the mirror, he reverted to his original appearance, as if what had just happened was an illusion.

"Oh, you're looking in the mirror now? You know you've gained weight, huh?"

His mother, who was watching TV, saw this and made a sarcastic remark.

Xu Duzhong did not refute, and hurriedly returned to the house.

"It's all my own delusion. It must be because these images are too impactful. That must be it."

He muttered to himself, not paying attention to the plot that followed, and the climax had already arrived, with thick fog enveloping Momiji, Lu Ban, and the painter who had just returned to human form.

Xu Duzhong felt the pain in his throat again, but surprisingly, he felt that he had gotten used to it.

He saw that Momiji was on fire and heard Momiji story.

A flashback followed, accompanied by mournful music.

This music is also a variation of the Oldest One ballad, but the originally eerie and cold ballad now possesses a certain power to touch people's hearts.

Although the flashbacks only consisted of a few scenes, Xu Duzhong was still able to quickly fill in the blanks of Momiji's past experiences.

Strangely enough, even though it was only a movie of a little over an hour, he felt as if he had spent a whole day in that world. Even though he had no connection with Momiji, he felt as if she were an old friend with whom he could talk about anything.

Those emotions, like insects, burrowed into Xu Duzhong's brain through his nostrils, eyes, mouth, and ears. The intense resonance made him feel as if he had witnessed the end of Momiji's life, and he burst into tears.

Xu Duzhong recalled a saying: tragedy is about shattering something beautiful and showing it to people.

In this film, the Momiji represent something beautiful.

A girl, fragile and gentle, tries to protect everyone, but is betrayed without mercy. After a long period of torment, she finally finds redemption.

However, this redemption turned out to be self-destruction.

How tragic the story must be when death can be the best ending.

Xu Duzhong, a tough man, shed tears.

At the end of the film, Lu Ban is sitting on the small boat again, with the painter lying next to him. The boat drifts on the vast ocean, drifting into the distance. Finally, the film ends under a magnificent sunset.

Even after the credits were finished and the video was interrupted, Xu Duzhong was still in a daze.

Few movies have been able to evoke such a strong sense of empathy in him, making him feel as if he were actually experiencing an adventure, complete with encounters, dangers, laughter, and separations.

Especially Momiji, who didn't really have much room to express herself, but just through a narration and flashback at the end, people could feel her sadness.

Such a strong yet tragic girl is the most regrettable.

Xu Duzhong scrolled down to the comments section. The movie was released at 7 p. m., and some people had already watched it, so the comments naturally had a lot of likes.

[This film differs from traditional horror movies that rely solely on visual effects to scare people. Instead, it utilizes atmosphere, build-up, and even music. Many scenes actually evoke deep-seated fears within the viewer. I think this approach is excellent and worth learning from!]

[I watched several clips repeatedly, the ones where people felt controlled by the plot and their bodies seemed to be out of control. I think this might be because the director added some unpleasant infrasound or ultrasound to the soundtrack. These sounds are imperceptible to our ears, but they can resonate with our internal organs, creating a palpitation-like effect. Everyone, please trust science!]

When we first met Momiji, it felt a bit odd that she was forcibly investigating the protagonist. However, as we see later, we realize that the entire movie might just be a dream the protagonist had after encountering the fog. Since it's the protagonist's dream, Momiji must know about the protagonist's special nature, so it doesn't seem abrupt.

[I've roughly summarized the logical conclusion of the entire film. It seems that several hundred years ago, Momiji came to this island to become a shrine maiden. The island was struck by Uncertainty Fog that caused mutations. Momiji tried to suppress it but was captured and sacrificed by the islanders. The entire island transformed into monsters and fell into a dreamlike state within the fog. A painter accidentally entered the fog and was turned into a monster. The protagonist arrives, encounters Momiji's consciousness, and begins an investigation. The ending should be that the protagonist and the painter escape the fog. But honestly, I think the ending might have a deeper meaning. Just like in the story, the monsters can't even tell if they are monsters. So, is the protagonist still in the dream state in the end?]

[Momiji, my Momiji, my wife]

"?"

Upon seeing this, Xu Duzhong finally couldn't hold back any longer. He clicked "dislike" and then typed a reply.

Get lost! Momiji is my wife!!!

Thank you to "Book Friend 20190812221133709" and "Daoist Anran" for the 100-coin reward!