Craig
01-05-2003, 02:25 AM
http://www.abc.net.au/news/justin/nat/news...5jan2003-58.htm (http://www.abc.net.au/news/justin/nat/newsnat-5jan2003-58.htm)
Posted: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 15:58 AEDT
Man in China sues after ads delay movie by four minutes
A disgruntled customer who went to a cinema to watch the hit Chinese film "Hero" is suing the picture house and a movie production company because it started four minutes late.
Lawyer Zhang Yang took action after being forced to watch four minutes of adverts, which delayed the start of the film until 9:34 pm when his ticket said it was due to commence at 9.30 pm, the weekly Beijing Today said.
Mr Zhang lodged a writ against Zhejiang Cuiyuan Movie World and Beijing New Picture Distribution in Xihu District People's Court in Hangzhou, in eastern Zhejiang province, on December 25, the paper said.
He is demanding the adverts are halted, a refund of his 40 yuan ($US4.8 ) ticket and 40 yuan in compensation.
Guan Yinshi, manager of Beijing Sino-Film Montage Advertisement Company which Beijing New Picture Distribution appointed to deal with advertising for "Hero", said adverts ahead of movies was standard practice.
"As an industry, each movie company wants to benefit from its production," the paper quoted him as saying.
"It's reasonable to put some advertisement along with the movie if you have the production company's permission.
"I'm surprised about the lawyer's behaviour."
Experts quoted by the paper said Mr Zhang had a solid case.
"The theatre-going public has made a contract with the cinema after buying a ticket - the time printed on the ticket is the screening time according to the contract agreement," associate professor Liu Zhihui at the China University of Political Science and Law said.
"In this case the cinema actually broke the contract with the audience.
"I think the compensation for the loss caused by such a delay should be equal to the benefit that the cinema got through screening the adverts."
It was not clear when the case would be heard.
"Hero" is the most expensive Chinese movie ever made at $US31 million.
One of its producers has said he expects it to earn $US24 million around China but in order to minimise losses, the distribution company had agreed to screen adverts.
Posted: Sun, 5 Jan 2003 15:58 AEDT
Man in China sues after ads delay movie by four minutes
A disgruntled customer who went to a cinema to watch the hit Chinese film "Hero" is suing the picture house and a movie production company because it started four minutes late.
Lawyer Zhang Yang took action after being forced to watch four minutes of adverts, which delayed the start of the film until 9:34 pm when his ticket said it was due to commence at 9.30 pm, the weekly Beijing Today said.
Mr Zhang lodged a writ against Zhejiang Cuiyuan Movie World and Beijing New Picture Distribution in Xihu District People's Court in Hangzhou, in eastern Zhejiang province, on December 25, the paper said.
He is demanding the adverts are halted, a refund of his 40 yuan ($US4.8 ) ticket and 40 yuan in compensation.
Guan Yinshi, manager of Beijing Sino-Film Montage Advertisement Company which Beijing New Picture Distribution appointed to deal with advertising for "Hero", said adverts ahead of movies was standard practice.
"As an industry, each movie company wants to benefit from its production," the paper quoted him as saying.
"It's reasonable to put some advertisement along with the movie if you have the production company's permission.
"I'm surprised about the lawyer's behaviour."
Experts quoted by the paper said Mr Zhang had a solid case.
"The theatre-going public has made a contract with the cinema after buying a ticket - the time printed on the ticket is the screening time according to the contract agreement," associate professor Liu Zhihui at the China University of Political Science and Law said.
"In this case the cinema actually broke the contract with the audience.
"I think the compensation for the loss caused by such a delay should be equal to the benefit that the cinema got through screening the adverts."
It was not clear when the case would be heard.
"Hero" is the most expensive Chinese movie ever made at $US31 million.
One of its producers has said he expects it to earn $US24 million around China but in order to minimise losses, the distribution company had agreed to screen adverts.