Movies in General

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Colonel
I just read Jackie Chan's Chinese Zodiac just made $116 million in two weeks in China. I wonder if Chinese citizens have access and read Western entertainment news media. Interesting how these movies are now rivaling Hollywood releases in the Chinese box office after gloating US movies reign in China.

It always puzzles me why the Chinese box office for Hollywood movies is typically so small, something like 5-6 million at the opening weekend. I have heard that they charge $$$, about 100 Yuan or $16 a piece. And the Chinese market is so huge...
 

AssassinsMace

Lieutenant General
It always puzzles me why the Chinese box office for Hollywood movies is typically so small, something like 5-6 million at the opening weekend. I have heard that they charge $$$, about 100 Yuan or $16 a piece. And the Chinese market is so huge...

That's because they never built up theaters until in recent years and they still don't come close to how many the US has. Also Chinese movie goers are not like in the US where people have to see it the first weekend it opens. I don't think Beijing saw cinema as important until now. Now if only they just drop all the restrictive rules on their own filmmakers. Might happen since I've been reading domestic filmmakers are organizing and petitioning their end.
 

bladerunner

Banned Idiot
I just read Jackie Chan's Chinese Zodiac just made $116 million in two weeks in China. I wonder if Chinese citizens have access and read Western entertainment news media. Interesting how these movies are now rivaling Hollywood releases in the Chinese box office after gloating US movies reign in China.

Thats hardly surprising given that the Chinese viewing audience is so much larger and Jackie Chan is a big name in Asia. (my point being that Western Movies only cater to a minority of Chinese film goers)

However its interesting to note that it did do so well in Jackies home town "Hong Kong" It only racked in $Us64,000 dollars on opening weekend compared to "Breaking Dawn Part2" $US283.000 and Wreck it Ralph " $219000.
 

bladerunner

Banned Idiot
Re: Movies I plan to see in 2013

Ok guys, here are the movies I hope to see in 2013 (as listed on Movie Mojo's site), an "*" means it is a movie I will take my grandkids

Man of Steel (June) *

While not a Superman fan, this film could be rather interesting as the person (Long Ou Yang) who played a big part in the special effects and designed the weapon systems while receiving his training in animation in Massey Uni Design schooland later at Weta studios along with myson who preceded him by a couple of yrs,is from China.

Im singling him out because he's special. While my son is regarded as very good, having been top or near top and recommended for awards for his work, Long is in a class of his own.

He's the only intern that has passed through Weta's doors that Weta have bent over backwards to retain, and they have loaned out to Holloywood, hence his role in the Superman movie.
 

AssassinsMace

Lieutenant General
Sounds like Jackie Chan is a smart business man. Lost in Thailand is about be the top box office ever in China. A movie that only cost $4.5 million USD to make. Western entertainment media were taunting how China couldn't make a movie that could challenge Hollywood. Now they're moving the goal post and money is now all of the sudden not important. Now for China to be successful, it has to be successful in the US. The Guardian guy I was debating tried to pull that Chinese movies aren't successful in the US. And I said you mean like literally every foreign movie is not successful in the US. Yeah while they're saying that, Brad Pitt is about to visit China probably hoping World War Z gets released in China. Why? Because they already basically shot an entire movie in reshoots adding tremendously to the costs. Then the trailer got a tepid response in the US. Operation Save Ass is probably commencing.
 

bladerunner

Banned Idiot
He's right to a certain extent. To date China has not produced a successful movie that has a broad cross cultural appeal outside of Asia. But that does not mean they can't make profitable movies.However profitable movies aren't necessarily good movies.
 

AssassinsMace

Lieutenant General
Of course. Tis why the only people that care are people who need to save their titles hence move the goal posts. Who cares if in Hong Kong Chinese Zodiac didn't do well. It made $120 million in two weeks in China alone. Look at Hong Kong's own film industry. It's not like they churn out globally recognized critically praised movies. So it doesn't say at all that Hong Kong knows a good quality movie when they see it. I would argue that the Mainland Chinese is more open-minded to other tastes than every other country who have prejudices ingrained. The French notoriously being snobbing went out of their way recently to promote French cinema in China. Why? Because there's an audience in China. BTW, the Hollywood movies that do well in China are not critically considered quality movies at home. Why did I mention Brad Pitt? Because he's in the Hollywood camp of activists for the world. Even though he may not be as vocal publicly, his partner certainly is and vocal against China. His Hollywood friends are also more active. Interesting how not only Brad Pitt but other Hollywood activists have lately gone against the grain. Just like Hong Kong actors, I just read in Taiwan the Ministry of Culture is upset their actors are doing Chinese movies claiming Taiwanese were losing their cultural identity. If the Chinese audience weren't important, then why do all these forces that should be staying out of China getting in. Maybe it's just money. Yeah just like how that's what it was all about that until Lost In Thailand is now on track to beat the reigning Chinese box office champ Avatar. The difference is what's real soft power or fake soft power. As usual the soft power peddled to China doesn't give any sort of power to China. In order for China to be successful in cinema it has to be successful elsewhere? No China has to the real stuff because it's everyone else that's adjusting to China. Having to move the goal posts alone says how it's change against not for.
 

AssassinsMace

Lieutenant General
I saw Zero Dark Thirty last night. That was a very good movie. Not sure how much of it was the truth. Some of the accounts given from No Easy Day seem to confirm some of it.
 

kwaigonegin

Colonel
It always puzzles me why the Chinese box office for Hollywood movies is typically so small, something like 5-6 million at the opening weekend. I have heard that they charge $$$, about 100 Yuan or $16 a piece. And the Chinese market is so huge...

I have to agree with you 100% on this. All the other factors aside the biggest one is cultural. 'Going to the movies' is almost as American as apple pie. Like an american rite of passage. That's what people do. young, old, rich poor and everyone in between Americans have been 'going to the movies' for almost 100 years. It doesn;t matter with the invention of the VCR, DVD and now streaming videos.. movie watching in the theatres to me is like pen and paper. It can never be replaced regardless of the sophistication of replacement technologies.
 
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