China s Lord of the Rings Re-Release Rollout Marred By Chaos, Refunds
Rebecca Davis, provided by
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Chinese audiences have gotten used to hearing at the last minute that a film won’t be screened for “technical reasons,” and know that the phrase is usually a euphemism for state censorship. It came as a real surprise to many that they were, for once, unable to watch a film for actual technical reasons this weekend.
Chinese film authorities on Wednesday approved a Friday debut for the 4K remastered re-release of Peter Jackson’s “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first film in his classic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. The approval came so close to the release date that cinemas across the country were unable to receive their digital prints in time, forcing droves of refunds for cancelled screenings on opening day.