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Hong Kong Local Movies Lag Hollywood
2001-08-25
Hong Kong - While local stars and film-makers who once pulled in Hong Kong audiences are wowing the Hollywood box-offices, moviegoers here are noticeable by their absence. One of the main reasons is the poor quality of today's local productions.This is the conclusion of a study of Hong Kong moviegoers commissioned by the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (Tela), Hong Kong iMail reported. In the survey, conducted by the Hong Kong Policy Research Institute early this year, more than 55 per cent of the 1,309 respondents interviewed said they preferred foreign films. Just 17.5 per cent said they preferred local films while a little over 19 per cent liked both. Meanwhile, local heart-throb Chow Yun-fat basks in the success of Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and action man Jackie Chan has scored big again with Rush Hour 2 which took US$66.8 million (HK$521 million) at US box-offices in the first three days after opening on August 4.The survey found an overwhelming majority - 63.8 per cent - of respondents went to cinemas no more than four times in 2000. Just 17.7 per cent went to cinemas 10 times or more. Of the infrequent movie-goers, 55.2 per cent said the availability of VCDs and videotapes was the main reason for not visiting cinemas. Fifty-one per cent thought tickets were too expensive, 50.3 per cent had no time and 40.7 per cent blamed low quality productions. ``Ticket prices can be lowered to enhance the attractiveness of movie-going but in the long run, improving movie quality will be the most appropriate means to enhance the competitiveness of the film industry in Hong Kong,'' a Tela spokesman said. Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Motion Picture Industry Association chief executive Woody Tsung Wan-chi said the survey only presented a general perception but not a definitive conclusion on local movies. ``Most of the Hong Kong movies are subject to a limited budget and the quality may not be comparable to a Hollywood masterpiece with huge production costs,'' Mr Tsung said. Local movies have done better this summer, with comedy Shaolin Soccer, starring Stephen Chiau Sing-chi, scoring the year's best first-day gross of $1.95 million on July 5 and $45 million by the end of July. Action film Fulltime Killer , starring Andy Lau Tak-wah, broke the first day record of Shaolin Soccer on August 4, at $2.21 million.
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