China screens original 'Star Wars' in cinemas for first time

China has become one of the Force by displaying the original "Star Wars" film in cinemas for the first time, nearly four decades after it became a worldwide hit and a cornerstone of Western popular culture.The Shanghai International Film Festival will show all six "Star Wars" movies this week, including the first screenings in the Chinese mainland theaters of the original trilogy, said festival organizers. There are no plans for nationwide release.In 1977, as foreign audiences followed the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away", China has just got out of the chaotic Cultural Revolution and had yet to economic reforms that would change launch the communist-ruled country.Tuesday was the first screening by the festival of "A New Hope" - made first but eventually the fourth film in the series - all hard-core fans were treated to a specially arranged screening of the original trilogy shown back-to-back on Sunday .In a central cinema, Tuesday show was almost sold out. The Star Wars theme song played in the lobby entered as the young crowd, a man with a C-3PO T-shirt and a woman sporting white stormtroopers on her black shirt.Sales assistant Joy Han took a day off to see the film, although she has seen all six through illegal downloads and illegal copies. The six-DVD box set sells for about $ 12 in the Chinese commercial city."It looks better on the big screen," she told AFP. "This is the first time for China."Some audience members said they were more familiar with the newer, prequel films "The Phantom Menace", "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" than the original three films - "Star Wars", " The Empire Strikes Back "and" Return of the Jedi ".American studio Walt Disney hopes the screenings will prepare for the Chinese audience on the seventh installment in the series, due for release later this year."This will be the first theatrical screening of the original trilogy in China," Kerwin Lo, vice president and general manager of Walt Disney Studios China, told AFP before showing films."The tremendous buzz and excitement generated is great for the Star Wars franchise and the upcoming" Star Wars: The Force Awakens "to be," he said.On the Chinese site Douban, the original 1977 Star Wars film received a score of 8.3 out of 10 and attracted more than 35,000 responses."We need to view it in a comparative perspective," said one message under the name T-maxdo."In 1977, the United States had such a wonderful imaginative creativity and movie special effects though, while China had just ended the Cultural Revolution period and his people had just come out of a dark age."But some Chinese viewers criticized the movie for weak characters."Although the character design is weak, the protagonist is not beautiful, not handsome protagonist and the action parts like children fighting, placed in 1977, the visual effects are amazing," said Xiaosi Buxiang on the website.