Shadow Magic Page #2

- I love a good show.

Let's go in and see it!

Five coins.

Thank you.

Right this way.

What the bloody hell do you think

you're doing? This is my place!

- I help you.

- What?

I don't want your bloody help.

Go on, get out of here.

This is all very strange.

I don't have all day!

What sort of show is this?

No tea or seeds?

Right this way, young fellow.

Come on!

Look, why don't you go outside

and make sure everything is okay, yeah?

All right? Go ahead.

Go outside.

And close the door.

It's got to be dark in there.

Please, don't panic!

It's just an illusion.

See? It's all right.

What happened?

Typical, isn't it?

This is a special trick.

Keep your eyes on the screen.

Watch the screen!

Come on!

Put it on my account!

I've had enough of this!

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Help-- Help you.

Bloody hell.

I don't believe it.

A little bit to the left.

A little bit to the left.

To the left, to the left,

to the left.

Up a bit, up a bit.

No, over there-- Yeah.

Hold it there.

Slightly to the left.

Perfect! Perfect!

Let's go!

I don't believe it.

It's bloody working.

White light that moves.

Incredible!

What a strange experience.

Young man...

how did you get those foreigners

to come here?

Behind that funny face

is a magic lens.

When we shine light through it,

another world is revealed.

I am lucky to have witnessed this.

As the old proverb says, "There are

mountains beyond the mountains."

-It's true!

-Come back with your family and friends.

Thank you. We will!

Something new at my age!

This is for you.

Be careful with that.

Be careful with that.

It's very expensive.

One, two, three--

Four. For you.

Thank you.

No, no, it's for you.

They're for you.

It's yours.

It's yours.

No, it's yours.

You earned it. Yours.

- Not enough.

- Eh?

Not enough?

This is my show.

It's my show.

Mine. Mine.

The show.

But no I...

no-no people.

No people, no I.

Fair enough.

All right.

Four, five...

six.

There you are.

Seven.

Eight.

How much do you want? I mean,

I've got expenses to pay, you know?

I need job.

It's like that, is it?

Well, I suppose I could find

some use for you somewhere.

All right.

You can call me Raymond.

- Master Raymond.

- Raymond.

Your name?

Liu Jing Lun.

- Shou Liu.

- Shou Liu.

Congratulations, Shou Liu.

You've got yourself a job

working for Raymond Wallace...

showman extraordinaire.

See you tomorrow.

Oh, Liu.

They liked it, didn't they?

- Like.

- Good.

- Good.

- This enough.

We're in...

I think, luck.

Your future husband

is very attentive.

Let's get out of here!

I want to see Shadow Magic.

What about Lord Tan's new opera?

Listen to this.

"Shadow Magic comes alive

in the dark.

Every moment is a delightful surprise.

A Western girl dances...

her yellow hair flies in the air."

It's silly, but lovely.

It's true.

I've seen it.

Wonders from a thousand miles away

appear before your eyes!

I've got to see this!

That's foreign mischief.

We should be loyal

to Lord Tan's opera.

Such coarse food!

I chop my carrots so delicately,

they melt on your tongue.

I looked upon foreigners as soldiers.

I never imagined them with families.

They appear to have feelings.

Even a sense of humor.

The next scene

is a snowball fight.

It's very realistic.

Thank you, thank you.

Come again. Please.

Watch your step.

Liu?

Miss Tan.

This is a strip of film.

Look. All the pictures are similar.

So this is Shadow Magic.

I'm surprised you're playing

with these Western tricks.

I never got your full name.

It's Liu Jing Lun.

But you can call me Liu.

Liu.

Why are you so intrigued

by Western gimmicks?

They're wonderful inventions.

Why should we care

where they come from?

Let me show you something.

There's old Zhang--

a new grandfather.

His life is suddenly full of hope.

And there's Xiao Xing...

with her lover.

What a smile she has for him.

I can capture all this

with that machine.

You see what I mean?

What do you think?

What does it matter what I think?

It matters.

It matters very much.

You're important to me.

I think about you often...

Miss Tan.

Revenues have dropped

considerably, sir.

Lord Tan, how have you been?

Please, sit.

Your photograph.

It's kind of you to bring it to me.

It's my privilege, sir.

See how it captures

your magnificence?

The lighter background...

makes your shoulders appear broader.

The darkness of the foreground...

suggests strength.

He means to say

you're very photogenic.

Greetings, Master Ren.

Lord Tan, I have news for you.

It's the same foreigner...

who disrupted your photo session.

They call it Shadow Magic.

Shadow Magic?

Master Ren,

there's a Western show in town.

They play ghostly tricks

in the dark.

It's surprising...

how many of our people...

are captivated by its spectacle.

Our opera is an ancient art.

It takes years to turn a student...

into an artist.

Why should we compare ourselves...

to this "Shallow Magic"?

It's called Shadow Magic.

The foreigner had trouble at first.

But then...

after a young Chinese man...

started helping him,

business picked up.

Pathetic.

Our culture will be destroyed...

by our own people.

I'm gonna show you

a new foreign trick.

I'm gonna show you

a new foreign trick.

There we go.

Here, put that in the middle.

Then you get a little bit of glue.

It's called "splicing."

Okay.

Ready?

Yeah.

Hey, how did that happen?

- That's called editing.

- Editing?

- Editing, yeah.

- Editing.

Watch this. Ready?

Watch.

Just fooling around, you know?

How'd they get on this reel?

Family. Your family.

That's right-- family.

To my sister.

To my nephews.

Don't worry.

Now...

I take care of Raymond.

Raymond...

how can put that

on the Shadow Magic?

Put what?

- Kissing.

- Kissing.

Kissed many girls, have you, Liu?

No, never.

You know how to flirt,

don't you?

Flirt?

You tell her that...

she's the most beautiful woman...

you've ever seen

in all your life.

No, no.

Exaggerating.

Women can't believe.

She'll believe it if you mean it.

When you fall in love,

you'll mean it.

Raymond.

I have a beautiful woman...

in my heart, here.

But my father...

want me to marry...

a rich widow, you know?

- Yeah.

- He think it's good for me.

But I want to marry--

Why can't you live your own life?

Why not marry her?

How? No possible.

Why not?

Her here, rich.

My family, you know.

Long distance.

I thought Shadow Magic...

could change my situation.

But now...

our work...

offend her family's business.

This is something I cannot do.

Liu, I'll tell you something.

The truth is that...

my wife, she left me.

Took my children...

went to live with another man.

Why?

Because I'm--

Because--

Because I'm poor.

You know why? I've frittered away

every cent I've ever earned.

That's all gonna be different.

I-- Liu.

Leave your home. Leave that

stupid photo shop and come with me.

A few years from now,

our women will be begging at our feet.

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