CHINA TOPIX

03/29/2024 09:25:00 am

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Hollywood May Learn Trick That Made ‘The Mermaid’ Instant Box Office Hit

'GOLDEN ASIA' Tokyo Premiere Press Conference

(Photo : Photo by Keith Tsuji/Getty Images) Actor Stephen Chow attends the press conference for 'GOLDEN ASIA' at Grand Hyatt Tokyo on July 22, 2014 in Tokyo, Japan.

Hollywood may learn a trick from Stephen Chow's latest box office hit The Mermaid. In an interview with producer Bill Borden, he mentions how Chinese people love and adore their own culture so much that they are obsessed with seeing it being portrayed on the big screen.

Borden, who served as a consultant for The Mermaid, says that this is the reason why Chow is an effective director as he is culturally aware and sensitive of what his audience wants to see. He further states that this can be a source of inspiration to Hollywood film makers who want to achieve the same favorable results in China.

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This, of course, goes against the current trend where Chinese film makers and stars focus their endeavors and talents on Hollywood in order to "make it big." Celebrities like Jet Li, John Woo, and Jackie Chan have succeeded in this path, however, not everyone makes it big in the United States.

Chow's sensitivity to his society and to the issues it faces has been highlighted as the reason behind his success. In just two weeks after it was released, The Mermaid grossed about $440 million. To date, it has collectedd a record $510 million.

The Mermaid is a fantasy, science-fiction, and comedy movie. It showcases a team of brilliant actors led by Devil and Angel star Deng Chao, Taiwan-born Chinese actor Show Luo, Shaolin Girl actress Zhang Yuqi, and new-comer Lin Yun.

The film depicts the story of a womanizer businessman, who eventually falls in love to someone unexpected - a mermaid that was sent to kill him. The story thickens into a plot of romance and fight scenes and is accentuated further with great cinematography and visual effects. The movies broke all box-office records in China and now holds the title of being the country's highest grossing film.

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