Zhang just wants to have fun
- Source: Global Times
- [22:55 December 14 2009]
- Comments
Oodles of noodles cashing in at the box office
Zhang Yimou's latest production A Simple Noodle Story, which started national screening Friday, is already reaping in the dough, scoring a total box office revenue of 67.1 million yuan ($9.83 million) by Sunday morning and is expecting its first weekend to reach 100 million yuan ($14.65 million).
The film earned 11.1 million yuan ($1.63 million) in prescreening Thursday night and another 21 million yuan ($3.08 million) Friday when it premiered on 4,600 screens across the country. With Saturday's box office exceeding 35 million yuan ($5.13 million), the film's producer Zhang Weiping claimed that the first weekend box office is likely to reach 100 million yuan ($14.65 million).
In spite of the box office success, the film has received mixed reviews. Most local media acknowledged Zhang's success in entertaining the public, but writer and critic Han Han wrote in his blog that A Simple Noodle Story is more like a lengthened TV comedy sketch and that Zhang has made no improvement in terms of directing since his first film.
Some parents have complained about the racy second half and sex-related puns, which they say are too much for children.
In his defense, Zhang said that he was just trying to have fun with the film. "I'm not a master of artistic films. I'm just trying to make a fun movie."
