Following the debut of the blockbuster Pirates of the
Caribbean in China last week, another movie, The Italian
Job has also been a hit, as Hollywood movies conclude their
2003 run in China, gaining impressive annual box office
revenue.
Pirates of the Caribbean earned 10 million yuan (about
1.2 million US dollars) after its first week's screening, closely
followed by the 15 million yuan (about 1.8 million US dollars)
opening week box office of Matrix Revolution.
Hollywood blockbuster Titanic was a great success in
China, bringing in 320 million yuan (about 39 million US dollars)
annual box office revenue in 1998, exceeding one fifth of the
country's total box office income in the year.
Since 1994, China has started to import a number of foreign
films each year, and thereafter, Hollywood films including the
Fugitive, Forrest Gump, Titanic,
Matrix, The Lord of the Rings and others have
become popular hits in China.
Weng Li, deputy general manager of the Film Exhibition and
Distribution Corporation of China, said that China imported 20
foreign films annually and over 80 percent of them were from
Hollywood.
Statistics show that there is a "box office potential" of 1 to
1.5 billion US dollars annually in China's movie market and the
figure is expected to grow five percent annually. In the capital of
Beijing, if each citizen watches five movies a year, box office
income should hit 600 million yuan (about 73 million US
dollars).
However, more Chinese people are concerned that the domestic
movie industry could be harmed by the increasing number of imported
films, especially after China's entry into the World Trade
Organization.
An official with the State Administration of Radio Film and TV
said: "We will smile and say sorry to those who are against
importing films, because the government can't nurse losers in this
industry any longer."
Yin Hong, professor with the Film and TV Communications Center
of Qsinghua University, said that importing Hollywood movies seems
a mixed blessing to the domestic film industry, most likely
promoting renovation in the existing Chinese movie industry while
introducing successful expertise to film making.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, directed by Taiwan-born
director Ang Lee in 2001 gained great popularity among Westerners.
And China's famous director Zhang Yimou's Hero has also
illustrated the country's martial arts through delicately crafted
scenes.
Chinese film producers have also learned from Hollywood to
exploit marketing opportunities from movie byproducts through DVDs,
soundtrack and related products.
(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2003)