Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is set to be China's biggest box office hit this year after reaping more than 80 million yuan (about US$9.8 million) since its release three weeks ago, once again testifying to American movies' huge influence in the world's most populous country.
The movie, together with other the three installments of the hugely successful series of films, features the adventures of a little wizard boy who has created millions of "Harry fans".
China's other two Hollywood hits for the year, Star Wars Episode III, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, have earned 75.4 million yuan (about US$9.3 million) and 62 million yuan (about US$7.6 million), respectively, since their releases in June.
Along with its economic rise in recent years, China has been opening wider to anything foreign - from management expertise to fast food to western movies, Hollywood blockbusters in particular.
During 2000 to 2004, China imported 4,332 films, 40 to 50 percent of which were made in America. Of the 88 foreign movies China enjoyed, 70 of were from the US.
According to Mao Yu, an official with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, China introduced 16 American movies among the total 20 foreign films distributed in 2005.
But just 10 or 20 years ago, few Chinese had watched or even heard of American movies in that ideology-highlighted era.
Wang, a 40-odd-year-old, said most of the few foreign movies he watched during his childhood were from the "socialist camp", such as Vietnam and the People's Republic of Korea. Indian movies left a deep impression on him by featuring love stories with singing and dancing rare in Chinese films.
Most Chinese movies screened were news clips. When the first American movie, The Fugitive, landed in 1994, Chinese distributors were afraid that the movie might cause controversy. The poster read "Time of reform and hot debate; risky screening in the movie market."
Ten years later, more and more Chinese are accustomed to the Western scenes and thinking depicted in movies and are attracted to Hollywood movies for their hi-tech production techniques. They no longer regard them as a threat.
"American blockbusters, while taking hold of the Chinese movie market, help the Chinese movie industry progress in creativity andproduction," said Yin Hong, professor with the Tsinghua University,who believed that the Star Wars series has stimulated Chinese enthusiasm about space exploration
China's most prestigious film awards - the Huabiao Awards and Golden Rooster Awards - have given prizes to dubbed movies such as Saving Private Ryan, Pearl Harbor and Forrest Gump.
According to an agreement reached between China and the US in1999, China would no longer hold a movie import quota and allow the distribution of imported American movies by sharing box office earnings after China's entry into the World Trade Organization.
Foreign investors are allowed to hold less than 49 percent, or non-controlling stake, in cineplexes and film studios. In October 2004, Warner Brothers, China Film Group, and Zhejiang Hengdian Group, a local film producer, launched China's first joint venture in film production.
Chinese movie directors and producers have turned to Hollywood to learn the American way of movie production and distribution. Chinese blockbusters Hero and House of Flying Daggers by China's first internationally famed director, Zhang Yimou, have reaped millions of dollars, like Hollywood blockbusters.
Ordinary Chinese also find movies instructive.
Lu Ya and her 11-year-old daughter are fascinated by Harry Potter's wizardry, the movie's imagination and the English mythology. The daughter even reads books to understand more about the wizard world.
Lu was happy that her daughter has learned new things from the movie. "'Harry Potter' has become an important part of my life," she said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 8, 2005)
