China's comedy box-office hit stirs debate

 BEIJING, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- A low-budget comedy has become the box office hit of the year on the Chinese mainland, leaving a heavily-funded domestic¹ blockbuster trailing.

"Lost in Thailand", which was produced for only 30 million yuan (4.8million U.S. dollars), earned 700 million yuan (112 million U.S. dollars) up until Christmas Eve, after debuting² on Dec. 12.

The movie tells the story of two company managers scrambling³ to obtain contract authorization⁴ from the company's biggest shareholder⁵. Hilarity⁶ follows when the duo travel to Thailand to search for the secluded⁷ shareholder.

However, the blockbuster "Back to 1942", which cost 200 million yuan and directed by Chinese director Feng Xiaogang, only earned 400 million yuan, far off the one billion yuan that was predicted.

The film focuses on the drought in that year which killed three million people in Henan Province and left millions as refugees⁸. Feng spent more than ten years to research and make the movie.

Feng expressed his anger online after his movie failed to meet expectations at the box-office.

"I'm not proud of my nation anymore." Feng posted on Weibo.com, China's Twitter-like microblog service.

Some in the Chinese media were also critical. The People's Daily said, "Facing the heavy and painful theme of 'Back to 1942', audiences chose to enjoy a modern comedy. We need a fast food culture, but we also need stories to remind us of the hard times."

Chinese netizens had different thoughts. "I think 'Lost in Thailand' is a good movie. Everybody deserves to sometimes relax and have fun," according to a blogger named "gonggongma."

Shi Chuan, a film reviewer and professor from school of film and TV arts and technology of Shanghai University said that the success of "Lost in Thailand" and Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" in China indicated that the domestic film industry is experiencing a transitional period.

"Chinese audiences don't prefer those 'heavy' movies these days," Shi said,"Chinese youngsters⁹ especially white-collars in big cities live under huge pressures which make them want to watch sweet and easy-going movies."

Other native film makers¹⁰ and reviewers believed comedies like "Lost in Thailand" bring hope to the Chinese film industry and that it can compete with foreign blockbusters.

Domestic films accounted for 41.4 percent of total ticket sales from January to October this year, compared with 54 percent for the same period in 2011.

The government allowed an extra 14 U.S. movies to be screened in cinemas this year.

"It is hard for a Chinese movie to compete with a Hollywood blockbuster. But if we have ten domestic movies like 'Lost in Thailand', Hollywood will have to re-evaluate the Chinese film industry. If we have twenty of them, it will no longer be a dream to defeat foreign blockbusters," Shi said.

1 domestic   

adj.家里的，国内的，本国的；n.家仆，佣人

参考例句：

• This is domestic news.这是国内新闻。
• She does the domestic affairs every day.她每天都忙家务。

2 debuting   

初次表演，初次登台（debut的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• New debuting analog thermostat welding machine, easy to operate. 新登场模拟式调温电焊台，操作简单。
• With the new tablet device that is debuting next week, Apple Inc. 苹果公司的新型平板电脑将于下周发布。

3 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 authorization   

n.授权，委任状

参考例句：

• Anglers are required to obtain prior authorization from the park keeper.垂钓者必须事先得到公园管理者的许可。
• You cannot take a day off without authorization.未经批准你不得休假。

5 shareholder   

n.股东，股票持有人

参考例句：

• The account department have prepare a financial statement for the shareholder.财务部为股东准备了一份财务报表。
• A shareholder may transfer his shares in accordance with the law.股东持有的股份可以依法转让。

6 hilarity   

n.欢乐；热闹

参考例句：

• The announcement was greeted with much hilarity and mirth.这一项宣布引起了热烈的欢呼声。
• Wine gives not light hilarity,but noisy merriment.酒不给人以轻松的欢乐，而给人以嚣嚷的狂欢。

7 secluded   

adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• Some people like to strip themselves naked while they have a swim in a secluded place. 一些人当他们在隐蔽的地方游泳时，喜欢把衣服脱光。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This charming cottage dates back to the 15th century and is as pretty as a picture, with its thatched roof and secluded garden. 这所美丽的村舍是15世纪时的建筑，有茅草房顶和宁静的花园，漂亮极了，简直和画上一样。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 refugees   

n.避难者，难民( refugee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The UN has begun making airdrops of food to refugees. 联合国已开始向难民空投食物。
• They claimed they were political refugees and not economic migrants. 他们宣称自己是政治难民，不是经济移民。

9 youngsters   

n.孩子( youngster的名词复数 )；少年；青年；年轻人

参考例句：

• We followed the youngsters at a more sedate pace. 我们跟在年轻人后面，步子稍慢一点。
• The camp is for youngsters aged 8 to 14. 这次夏令营是为8至14岁的少年儿童安排的。

10 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》