In the 1980s, there was a quiet small town with a surging river and green trees on both sides. What I miss most about that distant era is outdoor movies on summer nights.
Summer dusk always comes late, the setting sun slowly sinks in the horizon, leaving a faint afterglow; the breeze brings a hint of coolness, blowing away the scorching heat of the day. As soon as the evening arrived, my friends and I couldn't wait to run to the square in the residential area, seize the best position, spread out the mat at home, and put out melon seeds and soda. Later, adults also arrived one after another, some carrying fans, some carrying small benches, and some pushing bicycles with fruits and snacks in the baskets. The whole square gradually became lively, bustling with people, full of expectation and joy.
There is always a small waiting time before the movie starts. During this time, we kids would chatter about the upcoming movie and speculate on the plot. The adults would chat about their parents' stories or recall movies they had watched. There is a warm and lively atmosphere in the air.
As night falls, the stars begin to twinkle in the sky, and the white curtain slowly rises, like a window to another world. The projector buzzed, and as the film rolled, a beam of light penetrated the darkness and was projected on the curtain, instantly transporting us into a whole new world. At that moment, all the noise disappeared, leaving only the dialogue and background music in the movie, as well as the occasional chirping of insects and the rustle of the leaves in the breeze. Among the many movies shown on
, "Shaolin Temple" and "Old Stories in the South" are undoubtedly the two movies that evoke the most emotional resonance for me.
On the outdoor movie screen, when Jue Yuan in "Shaolin Temple" persisted in practicing in the difficult situation, and finally developed a unique skill and defeated the evil forces, the atmosphere reached a climax. The children stood up excitedly and imitated the moves in the movie. , the adults also showed excited expressions. And when the clear singing voice of the interlude "Shepherd's Song" slowly flowed out along with the accompaniment of guitar and flute, we were all deeply attracted under the starry sky.
"Old Stories in the South" is a film that I still like very much. It shows the ups and downs of family, friendship and life through the perspective of a little girl. The little girl's strength in the face of family changes and her warm interactions with her neighbors touched the softest part of our hearts. When those warm and slightly sad scenes appeared on the open-air curtain, our eyes became moist. Under the stars, we breathed and shared the fate of the characters in the movie, and experienced the joys and sorrows of life.
While watching the movie, we will not forget to enjoy the unique summer night style. The evening breeze blows away the heat of the day and brings a little bit of coolness. The stars in the sky shone faintly, complementing the pictures on the curtain. Occasionally, a firefly would fly by. We looked up at the stars and felt the tranquility and beauty.
Sometimes a breeze suddenly blows, causing the curtain to flutter gently, and the picture becomes blurry. At this time, everyone will sigh with regret. Sometimes, there will be some mosquitoes flying around, and we keep waving our little hands to drive them away. Occasionally, some naughty children will sneak behind the projector to see the projection equipment, and then run back excitedly to share their findings with their friends.
The charm of open-air movies lies not only in the story itself, but also in the cheerful atmosphere. The lines and music in the movie, the sounds of conversations among neighbors, the sounds of children playing, and the cries of nearby vendors create a unique and charming world.
As the movie ended, the crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only me and a few children sitting there, recalling the story just now. We talked about the plot of the movie and speculated about the future plot until late at night before leaving reluctantly. On the way home, the moonlight shone on me and the stars twinkled overhead, but my heart was still wandering in the square and in the story.
Nowadays, movies have become within reach. Modern theaters, high-definition picture quality, and shocking sound effects make people immersed in it.However, the simple and pure movie-watching experience and the warm time shared with neighbors cannot be replaced by modern cinemas.
Open-air movies are not just a form of entertainment, they carry the memory of an era and record periods of ordinary yet precious life.
