By Jason Apuzzo. Regular Libertas readers know that we’ve been raving about Mao’s Last Dancer for months (read the LFM review of the film here). This past weekend the LA Times did a nice new feature on the break-out success of the film at the indie box office – which has come particularly outside the big cities, and (predictably) without the help of the American critical establishment.
Here is the crucial excerpt from the LA Times article:
Despite a tough climate for specialty films, the largely English-language movie is nearing the $5 million mark in U.S. box office ($4.5 million coming into this weekend) — an impressive run that’s lasted nearly three months. More people have gone to see “Mao’s Last Dancer” than they have some much higher-profile, star-studded specialty films this year, including the Carey Mulligan-Keira Knightley dystopian drama “Never Let Me Go” and the Ben Stiller dramedy “Greenberg.”(The biggest stars in “Mao’s” are the the workaday actors Bruce Greenwood and Kyle MacLachlan; Li is played by the Chinese ballet dancer Chi Cao.)
The movie’s returns have also surpassed far more publicized films such as the social-media thriller “Catfish.”
“Mao’s” has done all this despite fading quickly in independent-film strongholds such as New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Instead, it has garnered the lion’s share of its audience in cities such as San Diego and St. Louis, where it continues to play, according to its distributor Samuel Goldwyn/ATO Pictures.
“It’s more of an audience film than a critic’s film,” said Michael Silberman, the president of distribution and marketing at IDP, the company that releases Goldwyn and ATO films. “Critics respond with their heads, but audiences respond with their hearts.”
Older audiences in particular have embraced the movie, Silberman and theater executives said, sparking to its redemptive story of a man who, through talent and determination, was able to defy and defeat a powerful government.
I’d just like to mention that the film works quite effectively if you have a head, as well, and not just a heart. (I’m a little uncomfortable granting film critics such a vital part of our anatomy.) In any case, do yourself a favor and go see this film! You’ll be glad you did.
Posted on November 8th, 2010 at 2:58pm.
“Mao’s Last Dancer” was great. Pro-American, anti-Commie, plus nice references to Bush Sr. and Reagan. What more do you want? People – you need to go see this.
I’m glad you noticed all that, TH! Thanks for putting in the good word for this film. It deserves it.
Yes, its politics were right–and so was its love story(stories), its love of the creative spirit, and the hottest male dancer since Baryshnikov!
There you go!