However they keep the 3D version running as it provides two thirds of the revenue grossed by the movie in China. So go figure why and how they made such a decision  that makes no sense ? Or are the Chinese government afraid of some real and fair competition. Think about this when you buy crappy Chinese products in the USA.

BBC AUDIO

PLAY HERE

China announced on Wednesday that the government has ordered theaters nationwide to stop screening the blockbuster film Avatar only 2 weeks after it premiered in the country.

Avatar, which recently won the Golden Globe awards for Best film, has grossed more than $1.62 billion world wide and $73.2 million in China.

The film's financial success concerned the Chinese government, according to a report in Hong Kong's Daily Apple newspaper, which said the government feared the blockbuaster would stifle the local film industry.

The report said the government feared the revolt by the indigenous Na'vi population shown in the film would ignite the Chinese people's imagination to instigate a similar popular revolt.

Movie studio 20th century Fox confirmed that the 2D version of the film will be banned in more than 1,600 theaters and will be replaced by a Chinese biographical production about Confucius.

The 3D version is expected to continue showing in more than 900 cinemas until February 28.

Chinese commentators have also pointed out the similarity between the film's story of the Na'vis' battle to protect their land and culture with Chinese citizens fighting to protect their property from the government and developers.

"Foreigners think this kind of brutal interference is beyond imagination, that it can only happen on a different planet or in China," Chinese blogger and commentator Huang Hung wrote.

Tickets for the blockbuster, selling at an all-time high of $11 per ticket, and up to $40 in the black market for the 3D version, were sold out in China weeks before the film premiered, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Yet despite the film's box office success, official Chinese policy placed limitations on the screening of Hollywood films in the country to 20 a year, in order to support the local film industry.

During the promotion tour for his film, Avatar director James Cameron urged the Chinese government to lift the limitation on foreign films, and said that the encouragement to visit the cinema would only stimulate the local film industry to build more cinemas.

In 2008 the Chinese government banned blockbuster The Dark Knight, due to "cultural sensitivity" that could offend the Chinese people.
 

Solomon Borgawker wrote on  Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 7:02 PM :
 

I agree with Pradeep's points.
 

The chinese are freeking liars and if they can get away with it, they will try it always as their first move. Look at the olympics. something as simple as the fireworks was fudged up to FOOL the entire world how brilliant the chinese atmosphere was. Add to this  the kicking the chinese poor people out of the city without compensation so they could show the world how grand their stadiums are. Hide the not so pretty girl with the beautiful voice and put on a prertty face to fool the world. These are critical early signs of how much we can trust them.
 

This is the pattern that will make you believe how the Chinese will build their economy by selling goods to USA and selling nukes to the N. Koreans while keeping a straight face as a honored member of the security council.
 

Just a mild criticism of the oppressive communist regime that we call China.
 

Truly,
   Sammy.
 

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Pradeep G wrote on Saturday, January 23, 2010, 7:16 PM
 

Sammy:
This seems absurd - but if you have been reading news on the knee jerk reactions of the chinese communist party, to various events inside and outside china, it is not at all surprising.
 
Whats next for the communist party of china? Maybe it is time for them to go through all stories of redemption and victory for the downtrodden and ban them all. This may include fairy tales like the "Three little pigs".
 
I am so amazed at the ham handed and crude manner in which the chinese govt issues statements against the Dalai Lama, forcing or bribing Govts to ensure he does not get a visa or meet the head of the state etc.
 
It is ironic and hilarious to see a nuclear power, with a million strong army, including the most advanced weaponry and the next in line to be the hyper power on this planet - and they feel threatened by a 70+ year old unarmed monk! Maybe it is time they realize that "truth" is more powerful than everything they have.
 

More realistically maybe it is the following:
 

    * They want to protect their movie on confucious, and they could only make a success of that if they banned avatar.
    * The reason they are interested in Tibet, is because it is a source of water and very rich in rare earth metals - so they want to kick the tibetians out, and grab the resources, under their land.
 

From this hyper power to the next, the transition will be difficult - and even after that, the prospects for the planet aren't very good as one rapacious will be replaced by another rapacious paranoid regime. We can only say that it is better than islamic radicals taking over the world.
 
Regards...
...Pradeep

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