Plot-twisting Chow seen as potential box-office saviour
BEIJING: With box office receipts in China sagging by a wide margin compared with last year, production houses are desperately seeking moviemakers with the winning formula.
Judging by the unexpected money-making exploits of The Mermaid this year, they may have to turn their attention to quirky directors in the mould of Stephen Chow.
His penchant for twists and turns, coupled with rapid-fire punnery, makes the ideal choice for an audience that appreciates no-holds-barred humour with elements of raunchiness.
In other words, unpredictability. Chow took The Mermaid to blockbuster status by also appealing to the growing eco- consciousness in the country.
Cash registers rang to the tune of over two billion yuan in just eight days. It eventually recorded total revenue of 3.4 billion yuan.
The Crossing, by contrast, became a cautionary tale.
The two-part John Woo movie brought in a total of 800 million yuan in minimum guarantee from Le Vision Pictures, but the lavish historical epic, a cross between Titanic and Gone With the Wind, raked in only 250 million yuan combined.
Likewise, Gone With the Bullets, the much-awaited Jiang Wen follow-up to his runaway hit Let the Bullets Fly, was reported to have been promised one billion yuan in box- office receipts from Wanda Pictures.
But it fizzled out and made only half the amount. When Wang Sicong, son of the parent company’s big boss, railed against the film, it was seen by some as venting his frustration at its poor performance.
For newcomers who want a piece of action from the glitter of movie making, this has turned into a surprise entry point. It requires little in terms of industry expertise but a great deal of money and a gambler’s bravado just the right mix for many cash-flush aspirants.
The right mix could include tried- and-tested blockbuster makers like the effervescent Chow.