Shanghai Youth Daily reports that Zhang Weiping, head
of the New Picture Company, confirmed that Zhang Yimou's Curse
of Golden Flower will push its screening date in China one
week earlier than scheduled to December 14.
Zhang said that the change was made as a result of earnest
urging from audiences and cinemas. Also, it will allow the film
more time to take in higher box office yields before the end of the
year.
As a big-budget blockbuster with a stellar cast, the film's
screening date will decide the destiny of other relatively small
films.
Four other Chinese movies, which planned to screen in December,
are considering pushing forward or delaying their screening dates
in an effort to avoid competition with Curse of Golden
Flower and the resulting box office losses.
Only Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's new film Confession of
Pain plans to weather the storm--it will begin screening on
December 8?with the hope that it will attract bigger
audiences.
(CRI October 26, 2006)
