Yao Ming movie barely stays afloat in local theaters

The Shanghai Daily has declared The Year of the Yao "a bomb" -- which means the movie has now attained that status on both sides of the globe. The story says:

Seven local theaters showing The Year of the Yao have taken in only 80,000 yuan (US$9,877) since the movie opened in the city on July 15.

"For each of the first three screenings, there were only several people sitting in the cinema," said Wang Tao, a manager at Stellar Cinema City. "Although the movie is actually an excellent one and has earned good reviews abroad, we had no choice but to reduce the number of scheduled screenings."

Managers at the Paradise Warner Cinema City said only 10 to 20 people have taken in each screening. Neither cinema would reveal the exact number of tickets they have sold for the movie so far.

Li Lan, a manager at Paradise Warner Cinema City attributed the movie's poor box office to a lack of promotions, and strong summer blockbuster competitors like Madagascar and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

You can blame Brad Pitt if you want to. But Shanghaiist will tell you the reason we didn't see The Year of the Yao in the theater -- we bought a perfect version of the movie on DVD for 7 kuai at our local movie shop. Haven't watched it yet, though. Been too engrossed in the first seasons of Veronica Mars and Lost -- also available at the local movie shop for 7 kuai a disc.

(Note to Shanghaiist readers: We are only up to episode nine of Lost. No spoilers in the comments section, please.)

Also on Shanghaiist:
The big man heads to the big screen