Chapter 133: All Are Masters

"Are you a reporter, or were you invited to today's awards ceremony?" Hearing the flattery from Shinichi Ozawa, Yan Xu felt a bit carried away. At this time, the three major fantasy film festivals were still dominated by Europe and America; it was nothing like the blossoming diversity of twenty years later. Asian faces were a rare sight here.

"I am a representative from Nikkatsu Corporation. I came this time with the film crew for *Farewell to the Ark*." Shinichi Ozawa hurriedly took a business card from his suit pocket and presented it to Yan Xu with both hands in a respectful gesture.

"Section Chief of the Promotion and Distribution Department, Nikkatsu Corporation." Yan Xu took the card and read the text aloud softly. Japan was deeply influenced by Chinese culture, and in many formal occasions or official introductions, characters were still predominantly used, so this did not hinder Yan Xu's reading.

Yan Xu knew Nikkatsu Corporation all too well. As an enthusiast of Japanese action cinema, Yan Xu’s interest went beyond mere viewing; he took great pleasure in collecting. Nikkatsu's "pink" film series was an indispensable category in his collection. Unlike companies like Momotaro, SOD, Natural, Kamimine, and others that focused purely on adult combat films, Nikkatsu was one of the five major Japanese film studios. Its historical dramas were a signature of the company, though financial difficulties in the 1970s led them to incorporate soft-core elements into their productions, resulting in classic pink film masterpieces. Titles like *Female Teacher*, *Wife in the Apartment Complex*, and the *Wet* series were all iconic works.

"You mentioned you came with the *Farewell to the Ark* crew; could you introduce me to Director Shuji Terayama?" Yan Xu put away the business card and looked at Ozawa.

Although information in the future internet age was abundant, and it was easy to obtain even the most explicit combat films, the older pink films from Nikkatsu were difficult to collect due to their age and decreasing recognition. Information on many directors was also scattered and incomplete, leaving Yan Xu with little more than names—names of films, names of directors, names of actors.

Among the four great masters of Japanese pink cinema, Yan Xu was more familiar with Nagisa Oshima, who directed *In the Realm of the Senses*, and Koji Wakamatsu, known for his political-erotic series, as both frequently appeared at major award ceremonies. As for Tatsumi Kumashiro, Yan Xu had only seen a couple of films from his *Wet* series. Regarding Shuji Terayama, his only real point of reference was *Farewell to the Ark*. Now that he had the chance to meet a legendary master of the genre, Yan Xu naturally felt it was an opportunity he couldn't miss.

"I am very sorry, but I cannot fulfill that request. Director Terayama passed away in Tokyo from cirrhosis shortly after finishing this film. *Farewell to the Ark* is his final legacy." Shinichi Ozawa bowed slightly.

"Ah, I am very sorry to hear that. That is truly a great pity." Hearing Ozawa's words, Yan Xu was slightly stunned. It was no wonder he hadn't seen more of Terayama's work; he had passed away so early.

***

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Stuart Gordon?" Aside from having his own fans, Yan Xu was primarily a fan himself at this film festival. This festival was full of future masters—figures who had once been beyond Yan Xu's reach, existing only in Google search results. He had never imagined he would meet them in person, yet here they were right before his eyes.

In his memory, Stuart Gordon was a bald, white-bearded old man, but currently, he was not even forty. His hair was beginning to thin, but it was still present, and his trademark beard had yet to be grown; his chin was clean-shaven. The only resemblance was his slightly stout build.

The film he was presenting, *Re-Animator*, was his feature film debut. It had garnered significant attention upon release, driving fans into a frenzy. It could be called the pinnacle of 1980s horror, pioneering new directions and trends in the genre. Despite a budget of $900,000, it grossed over $2 million—though Yan Xu felt the Wikipedia figures were often inaccurate, as after accounting for marketing and theater splits, it was likely a financial loss, which would have precluded any sequels.

Of course, this work only served to get his foot in the door. Later films like *From Beyond*, *Dolls*, and *Honey, I Shrunk the Kids* would earn him the title of a master. Right now, he was still a newcomer in the industry. However, thanks to the acclaim *Re-Animator* received from critics and fans alike, he was more popular than Yan Xu. Seeing the reporters around him disperse, Yan Xu walked over to strike up a conversation.

"Yes!" Gordon looked at Yan Xu and nodded. "Are you Yan?"

As noted before, there were so few Eastern faces at the awards ceremony that Gordon easily guessed Yan Xu's identity. Yan Xu was the biggest dark horse of the festival; for days, the small Spanish town had been buzzing about this man from the East and the film he brought. Gordon had also seen reporters interviewing him earlier.

"Mr. Gordon knows of me?" Yan Xu was slightly surprised that Gordon could name him so quickly.

"Of course. I just watched your film *The Mansion No. 1*. It was truly excellent, especially the special effects. They were so realistic; I didn't expect to see such a high-quality special effects makeup team in Hong Kong." Gordon was deeply impressed by the young man before him.

He had thought his own film's effects were realistic enough to earn praise, but after seeing *The Mansion No. 1*, he realized there was always someone better. While *The Mansion No. 1* didn't have the same scale as *Re-Animator*, the realism in certain scenes—especially the details—far exceeded his own work.

"You are too kind," Yan Xu said modestly.

Since *The Butcher of the Rainy Night*, Yan Xu had focused on cultivating his special effects makeup team. After two films, his team had matured, showcasing their skills perfectly in *The Mansion No. 1*. After establishing the Dragon Clan Film Company, he brought these freelance artists under fixed contracts—a rarity in Hong Kong at the time.

Although Yan Xu had no formal training in special effects, his time as an assistant director had allowed him to learn techniques from makeup artists that were twenty years ahead of the current era. Many of these methods, such as using white latex to treat wounds—common knowledge for any future artist—were considered cutting-edge technology at the time.

"My film mostly features small-scale scenes, so I focus more on the details. I could never pull off the grand scale of *Re-Animator*. I absolutely loved the beheading scene in your film." In this era before CGI matured, most special effects relied on models or makeup, and the work in *Re-Animator* remained stunning and iconic even two decades later.

After exchanging compliments, the two men, despite their age gap, found common ground in their shared interests and hit it off immediately. Their discussion on special effects techniques—often sharing insights that sparked new ideas—would prove invaluable for their future projects.

Moreover, although *Re-Animator* was Gordon's debut, he had over twenty years of theatrical experience and even ran his own troupe; his expertise was far richer than Yan Xu's.

"Yan, wait a moment." Gordon seemed to see something and paused suddenly. He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out an exquisite notebook and a pen.

"What's wrong?" Yan Xu had only seen this behavior from fans—it was the classic stance of someone desperate for an autograph from an idol. Yan Xu turned his gaze toward the area that had caught Gordon's attention.

If Yan Xu and Gordon had been surrounded by a few media personnel, the people currently stepping off the red carpet were swarmed by a sea of reporters. With microphones, tape recorders, and cameras held high, the scene had the air of a true superstar arrival.

George A. Romero. Seeing the middle-aged man with a thick beard surrounded by reporters, the name flashed instantly through Yan Xu's mind. At this film festival, only this man could cause such a sensation.

For lovers of cult films, B-movies, exploitation cinema, or horror, this was a legendary name—a symbolic figure surrounded by an aura of greatness: master of horror, progenitor of modern horror, and the creator of the zombie film.

Romero was the pride of independent filmmakers; he stayed away from Hollywood and avoided the New York cultural circles. He was a multi-talented artist who served as writer, director, editor, and producer, always insisting on making films according to his own vision.

His latest film, *Day of the Dead*, had received mixed reviews, leaving many fans feeling it lacked freshness. Additionally, the budget had been slashed repeatedly, from an initial $5 million down to $3.5 million. Nevertheless, with Romero's name, he still drew audiences, grossing $34 million—though it fell short of the $50 million his previous film had earned.