China's box office totals for domestic movies have kept rising in recent years, but the critics' assessments of them have been getting worse. Famous director Feng Xiaogang slammed movie-goers for their lack of taste, describing them as a "rubbish audience" on June 18 at the Shanghai International Film Festival. In The Beijing News, however, commentator Cui Hong contended that the blame shouldn't fall on the audience.
All markets have different segments, Cui argued. Bad movies made a ton of movie, but so did ok films and even good movies. That demonstrates that there's a cultured audience in China, despite Feng's claims, and that bad movies are only part of the market, as in any other country.
But, Cui added, when there are so many bad ones and not enough good ones, they have no choice but to go and see terrible films. Since Feng, as a director, is in the inner circles of the industry, he should direct some more classics himself and nurture an appreciative audience rather than trying to blame others, Cui concluded.
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