Superman's triumphant return to China, however, has done nothing to diminish the popularity of Crazy Stone (Feng Kuang De Shi Tou) in cinemas.

 

After the premiere of Superman Returns, the box office revenues of Crazy Stone increased by less than 3 million yuan (US$375,000), confounding local critics who had predicted a slump.

 

"This movie is very good. And it is unique when compared with many previously made Chinese comic movies which bombed in box office largely due to their tendency to be instructive instead of being entertaining," civil servant Chen Zhisong remarked after watching Crazy Stone.

 

"I came to the cinema not to be educated but for the entertainment. Though Crazy Stone could hardly become a classic like Farewell My Concubine (Ba Wang Bie Ji), directed by Chen Kaige, or To Live (Huo Zhe), made by Zhang Yimou, this picture from a young director did make me laugh," said Chen.

 

As for a comedy, there is no higher praise and honor than a remark like "the movie is laughable" when the viewers walk out of the cinema, he concluded.

 

Many viewers attributed the suspense, funny dialogue and vivid characters to the success of Crazy Stone.

 

Regarded as a "dark horse" in terms of its box office performance, the comic flick stars popular Chinese actors Guo Tao, Liu Hua and Xu Zheng.

 

It unfolds with the "accidental" discovery of a priceless jade jewellery piece in an arts and crafts factory. And the jade unexpectedly stirs the craziness of people around it, both the bumbling thieves and the guards.

 

"Our company bought this precious jade called Treasure of Xanadu at the price of 8.5 million yuan (US$1.06 million)," claimed the wily land agent, played by Xu Zheng, a well-known young actor.

 

Actually, this rare "treasure" has enjoyed a remarkable box office journey. Till July 16, the popularity of Crazy Stone among audiences had reportedly pushed the box office revenue of this movie, which debuted on June 30, to as high as 10.5 million yuan (US$1.3 million).

 

"A great many people have been attracted to commercial movies these days. But what they care most is merely which actor or actress will act, how much money will be invested, or how flashy the marketing will be," Director Ning Hao was quoted as saying.

 

"However, the key to a commercial product is its core. We don't have big stars, large-scale marketing, or big investment. What we have is wisdom, our special sense of humor," said Ning, a 29-year-old film director, whose big-screen work has won applause from both the audience and the media.

 

The director's innovative integration of various elements adds to the comic effects of this movie, critics say.

 

"Modern rock, Western symphony and Peking opera rub shoulders, filling the comedy with the ideal tempo and atmosphere. The Chongqing local dialect also colors the movie and even brings this stone to life," commented Beijing-based viewer Luo Jie, who admitted that he has watched the movie three times and still cannot stop himself from laughing at it.

 

The film is so popular that several lines from these movies have even become the vogue words these days such as "you insult my personality and also insult my IQ."

 

Moviegoers' imitations of these lines from this movie are now reverberating along the streets and lanes of several big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

 

(China Daily July 25, 2006)