"Aftershock" breaks China's box office record
BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Director Feng Xiaogang's Aftershock（余震） has been a box office success and moved viewers to tears but it has had mixed reviews. The movie focuses on a family during and after the 1976 Tangshan earthquake in Hebei province that claimed 240,000 lives.
According to Huayi Brothers, the film grossed 36.2 million yuan ($5.3 million) on the day it premiered, July 22, which was 200,000 yuan ($29,500) more than James Cameron's Avatar when it screened in China in January.
However, the numbers have caused controversy（争论,争辩） as critics say the figures are exaggerated.
In response, Feng fought back on Sina Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter.
"Our elites 1 are so worried the Americans will lose face. How can it be possible that a local film beats a Hollywood blockbuster(好莱坞大片)? Something must be wrong!
"Sorry, I hurt your feelings, but the first day gross was 36.2 million yuan, or even more than that. Our nation has experienced many frustrations 2 and that makes some of our people feel inferior all the time."The State Administration of Radio, Film and TV, China's senior regulator of the industry, confirmed the figures to Sina.com last Thursday.
When filming started last year, Feng anticipated the film would gross 500 million yuan ($73.8 million) at the box office. By Friday, the film had raked in more than 400 million yuan, breaking the record of the highest-grossing Chinese film Founding of a Republic, which featured more than 100 stars and was directed by film mogul Han Sanping.
Aftershock has the benefit of Feng's directorial talents, a strong marketing 3 campaign and the fact that it is the only major movie currently screening, on some 4,000 screens.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)
- The elites are by their nature a factor contributing to underdevelopment. 这些上层人物天生是助长欠发达的因素。
- Elites always detest gifted and nimble outsiders. 社会名流对天赋聪明、多才多艺的局外人一向嫌恶。
- The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
- Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。