Star War: Episode III - The Revenge of Sith has been at cinemas in China for over a week, but it has failed to create the box office frenzy it did in the United States and other major markets.

The Star War films are frequent box office record breakers. In the United States The Revenge of Sith, the third and final instalment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, was the top movie with more than US$70 million taken at the box office over the Memorial Day weekend, a position it has held since its debut on May 20, the day of its simultaneous global release.

In China, although it incorporates the mystic and picturesque scenery of Southwest China's Yunnan Province, the highly computer-generated science fiction saga has failed to compete with top local blockbusters, such as Kung Fu Hustle, The House of Flying Daggers and A World Without Thieves.

The Revenge of Sith had receipts of 28 million yuan (US$3.37 million) in the first week after its release in the Chinese mainland market. While Hong Kong director Stephen Chow's Kong Fu Hustle took 64 million yuan (US$7.71 million) within four days after its premiere late last year.

This is possibly attributable to cultural differences and taste preferences.

Although the Star Wars series features the universal theme of conflict between good and evil, the message is conveyed through fictitious figures in a virtual world created by modern digital technology.

Like many Hollywood blockbusters, the Star Wars series mainly attracts its audience by its marvellous sound effects and the grandeur of its scenery. But it takes more than these elements to ensure a film will sell well to audiences from different cultural backgrounds.

Chinese film consumers seem to prefer stories that happen in the "real" world. Themes Chinese like may be similar to those of the Western world love, justice, growing up, war, history, and legends. But a virtual world seems too celestial to be acceptable to many Chinese movie fans.

Moreover, the Star Wars series is, in one sense, based on fairy-tale-like legends. In China, grown-ups prefer "real" stories.

The difference partially explains why cartoon films are popular with both children and their parents in the United States, while in China such films are often for children only.

The Disney blockbuster Mulan, a cartoon based on a traditional Chinese story and introduced into the domestic market in 1998, failed to inspire Chinese audiences. This also shows what kind of films Chinese cinema-goers like.

Check all the movies, foreign or domestically made, that have been aired successfully on the Chinese mainland market in recent years; Titanic, Hero, Kung Fu Hustle, The House of Flying Daggers and A World Without Thieves. They are all stories for adults, eespecially "Titanic," the Hollywood product that generated a record revenue of 320 million yuan (US$38.55 million) from the Chinese mainland market. This film features the universal theme of love, a favourite with ordinary Chinese audiences.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the Hollywood blockbusters that have sold well in the Chinese mainland market are those that happen to cater to the tastes of Chinese viewers.

This is not denying the other intrinsic features and value of Hollywood products, of course, it is simply recognizing the cultural differences that count in the appreciation of art in different countries. The film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, for example, has been criticized by some domestic audiences as being "not really Chinese" because the director modified the film's style to suit Western tastes. Its popularity in US cinemas is proof of this cultural difference.

This is an interesting cultural point. It is also a valuable one for overseas film-makers. The Chinese mainland market is yet to become a major global venue for Hollywood or other foreign films, but its influence is rising continually.

Last year, the total box office revenue of the mainland market was registered at 1.5 billion yuan (US$180.72 million). Admittedly, it is not that impressive, but it does represent a 50 per cent year-on-year increase. The explosive growth rate makes the market one of the most important in the world that no film-maker can afford to ignore.

It may be advisable if Hollywood film-makers incorporate more foreign elements into their movies to attract foreign audiences. This strategy would pay off in the long run if filmmakers want to tap into the Chinese market, one with a potential audience of 1.3 billion people.

International producers in other industries have moved in this direction.

As global competition intensifies, more film-makers will look to foreign markets to generate more revenue.

Don't be surprised if someday a Hollywood movie is tailored to Chinese tastes.

 (China Daily June 8, 2005)