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James Cameron’s sci-fi spectacular ‘Avatar’ is hugely popular in China, but the government has been pulling it out of various theaters to replace it with the new epic about the life of Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher, starring Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun-fat. Mary Kay Magistad went to the movies to find out what people in China make of this.

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MARCO WERMAN:  China is also taking some steps to restrict what its citizens see in the movie theater.  Lately they’ve been clambering to see Avatar. The film’s already raked in $76 million in ticket sales, a record for China.  But China’s government has decided to cut short Avatar’s run in most of the theaters it’s been playing in.  Replacing it is a new film on the life of Confucius.  The move has prompted some howls of protest.  The World’s Mary Kay Magistad reports from Beijing.

MARY KAY MAGISTAD:  Audiences of the movie Confucius are getting a serving of what’s become a familiar recipe in Chinese cinema.  Lush costumes, elaborate designs, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sorts of special effects and epic battle scenes.  They’re also getting something of a morality take home message.  From Hong Kong actor, Chow Yun Fat, playing the great man himself.  Here, Confucius, as an old man with a long, white beard is saying maybe my dream of peace and harmony will have to be fulfilled by future generations.  There are familiar messages in the film.  Put your country ahead of yourself.  A leader who had internalized ethics will not be corrupt and without stability, a state will descend into chaos.  A young teacher named Mao says the film worked for her.

MAO:  I think it’s very touching and it’s about the traditional Chinese culture and Confucius is one of the greatest ancestors so I find the movie striking.

MAGISTAD:  Of course, she says Avatar was better produced and had slicker special effects.  She said she also liked its message of saving the environment.  She heard that other people here have been picking up on another message.

MAO:  I read something, a line which says the movie is about forced eviction and I think that in America that’s something that’s not very usual.  That the movie has a message of protecting people’s rights.

MAGISTAD:  In recent years, tens of millions of Chinese have been forced from their homes and their property by local officials selling the land out from under them to property developers.  They’re able to do that because in China, the land official belongs to the people, that is the state.  People here have been speculating online that the propaganda ministry decided to pull Avatar from most cinemas because they didn’t want Chinese audiences to be getting ideas about standing up to authority and defending their property.  Some people online have been encouraging a boycott of Confucius the movie to teach the film authorities a lesson.  The China Film Bureau has scrambled to explain in the state run media.  It says it’s only ending the run for the 2-D version of Avatar, the one that was more affordable and in two-thirds of the cinemas.  The 3-D version will continue to play in some theaters.  Meanwhile, Confucius is opening with 2,500 copies, a national record.  All this is scene as a move to protect the domestic film industry and make room for a film with a message Chinese leaders are more interested in having the public absorb.  Filmgoer and civil servant, Cai Jiang says he can get behind all that, sort of.  He says Chinese absolutely should understand Confucius as part of their cultural heritage, but then he adds of course, some of Confucius’ ideas are kind of out of date for China today.  What’s important now is to build the economy.  I asked him which of Confucius’ ideas he thinks are relevant in today’s China.  Can’t think of any now he just says and he heads into the movie.  For The World, I’m Mary Kay Magistad in Beijing.

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