2006-02-08 09:24:43
Three domestically produced romantic comedies will open in Shanghai on Valentine's Day, which has become a busy day at the box office for local movie theaters. Peng Xiaolian's "Shanghai Rumba" tells the story of two filmmakers working in Shanghai in the 1940s. "The Road" stars actress Zhang Jingchu, who shot to fame last year with her performance in "Peacock," which was honored at the Berlin Film Festival.
Famous mainland actress Mei Ting plays the lead role in "Aspirin," another romantic comedy.
"Last year, our chain took in around 2.33 million yuan (US$289,171) at the box office on Valentine's Day, and this year we have a few more romantic comedies to add a sweet and hilarious flavor," said Wu Hehu, deputy director of Shanghai United Cinema Lines, the city's leading cinema chain.
Paradise Warner Cinema City will give out gifts and red roses to audience members next Tuesday, while the SFG Village Cinema City will hold a speed dating event at its theaters that evening.
However, "Memoirs of a Geisha" will not be screened for Valentine's Day as previously reported, Shanghai United Cinema Lines said yesterday.
The US$85 million romance directed by Rob Marshall and starring Chinese actresses Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li, was originally scheduled to debut on the Chinese mainland around the Valentine's Day.
Shanghai Film Dubbing Studio had begun work on a mainland version of the movie, but stopped when it failed to receive a permission from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. SARFT officials declined to say more about the movie yesterday.
While it won't be allowed on local cinema screens, copies of the movie have already shown up in DVD stores around the city.
