A busy summer for foreign movies

A busy summer for foreign movies

From June to September, theatres in big cities throughout the country will screen 3 or 4 foreign movies a week, most of them American and Korean imports.

   
     
      HCM City-based BHD forte this summer will still be made-in-RoK movies. Doan Phu, the communications chief of the company, said: œWe will kick off the summer with movies of romance and a little comedy for youth like Say You Love Me, Millionaire First Love and especially 200 Pound Beauty starring singer Kim Ah Joong."

200 Pound Beauty, which has attracted 6 million viewers and ranks third in ticket sales after The Host and The King and the Clown, will begin playing in Hanoi and HCM City on June 1, promising to attract public attention since lead actress Kim Ah Joong, who has won the title of the most attractive woman in the RoK, will meet with fans in HCM City tonight, May 30 and tomorrow evening in Hanoi.

As for American movies, Megastar theatres are leading in the race with Spiderman 3, Mr. Bean Holiday, Pirates of the Carribbean 3, and Shrek the Third.

Khai Hoang, Megastar vice president said: "Shortening the time between the premieres of American movies in the US and Vietnam is Megastar effort to satisfy Vietnamese audiences entertainment needs.

Mr. Bean Holiday, for instance, will open in theatres in Hanoi and HCM City on June 8, which is much earlier than its debut on August 31 in the US, since American filmmakers believe that this movie better suits Asian tastes and movies about Mr. Bean have always made more money in Asia than in the US. And Ultimatum 3 will hit theatres both in Vietnam and the US on August 3.

And to attract audiences, Megastar theatres in Hanoi recently threw a special screening night for Spiderman 3 one week before its official screening. 500 tickets were sold at the relatively high price of VND120,000 (US$8) each.

"We havent held sneak screenings in HCM City since we are yet to have our own theatres there. At the end of August, when the Megastar complex in HCM starts running, there will be sneak screenings for other movies, said Khai Hoang.

And Saigon Movies Media Company (SMM) has diverse discount plans in mind. Besides full-package tickets (including movie tickets, water, and parking fees), it will also offer a 50% discount on all tickets every Thursday afternoon after a movie has been screened for two weeks. SMM is also working with other film makers and importers on wider-ranging Thursday discount plans.