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Feb. 23, 2024
The Movie Emperor, Viva La Vida pulled from CNY race in China
Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau’s film was pulled suddenly from cinemas in China a week after it was released on Feb 10, the first day of Chinese New Year. It is now showing in Singapore cinemas. By K Dass.
In a surprising turn of
events during the bustling Chinese New Year film race, two movies - The
Movie Emperor and Viva La Vida were withdrawn from cinemas in China.
The Movie Emperor is a satirical comedy which stars renowned Hong Kong actor Andy Lau. In
the film, Lau portrays a dissatisfied A-list actor yearning for validation from
his peers. Unfortunately, the movie’s box office performance fell short of
expectations, leading to its withdrawal from theaters.
Viva La Vida directed by Han Yan, known for his critically
acclaimed films on life and death, Viva La Vida is a romantic
comedy-drama. It revolves around the fight against serious illness and the
journey toward courage and love. Despite receiving a commendable rating of 7.9
on Douban, the film struggled at the box office, prompting the suspension of
screenings.
The decision to pull these
films was likely influenced by their less-than-ideal box office results.
However, fret not—the producers of Viva La Vida have acknowledged their
scheduling error and plan to re-release the film on March 30.
Viva La Vida faced challenges at the box office despite its commendable rating on
Douban. The reasons for its struggle could be multifaceted.
Competition during Chinese
New Year: The film was released during the highly competitive Chinese New Year
period, where numerous movies vie for audience attention. With so many options
available, it’s challenging for any single film to stand out.
Genre and Audience
Preferences: Viva La Vida is a romantic comedy-drama that delves into
serious themes like illness and courage. While this combination can resonate
with some viewers, it might not have appealed to the broader audience seeking
lighter entertainment during the festive season.
Marketing and Promotion:
Effective marketing and promotion play a crucial role in a film’s success. If
the film’s marketing campaign didn’t reach the right audience or failed to
create sufficient buzz, it could impact box office numbers.
Scheduling and Screenings:
Release timing matters. If Viva La Vida clashed with other high-profile
releases or faced limited screenings due to theater availability, it could have
hindered its performance.
Word of Mouth: Audience
reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations significantly influence a film’s
fate. If initial viewers didn’t enthusiastically recommend the movie, it might
have struggled to attract subsequent audiences.
Cultural Factors:
Sometimes, cultural nuances and preferences affect a film’s reception. Certain
themes or storytelling styles resonate differently across different regions and
demographics.
Hence, a combination of
factors ranging from timing and genre to marketing and audience response likely
contributed to Viva La Vida facing challenges at the box office.
However, the decision to re-release the film indicates the filmmakers’
determination to give it another chance to shine.
