Cinemas and stages had bumper box offices over the Tet holidays.
Tickets to a total of 18 films at eight theaters across HCMC were sold out with operators adding extra sessions to cope with the demand. Most of the productions were comedies, thrillers or social dramas.
The theaters said they have sold out tickets until the end of February, with many people resorting to buy tickets from outside the theater for as much as VND800,000/pair, compared to the set price of VND100,000. Seats for live shows of local comedians for VND1.5 million were also sold out.
Vietnam’s first 3D movie, Bong Ma Hoc Duong (School Ghosts) produced by Galaxy Studios, lived up to expectations with a record VND22 billion after 12 days of screening nationwide, mostly attracting students.
Minh Thuy, a high school student in Ha Dong, said, “The movie covered some real issues such as school fights and violence.”
School Ghost has sold 300,000 tickets so far turning over VND1.8 billion a day, higher than local blockbusters last Lunar New Year. Co Dau Dai Chien (Battle of the Brides) produced by BHD was next with VND14.2 billion and 230,000 viewers during Tet.
Phuoc Sang Corp’s production Thien Su 99 (Angel 99) with VND9 billion and 200,000 tickets sold, ranked third but was down a third on Phuoc Sang’s offering last year called Cong Chua Teen va Ngu Ho Tuong (Teen Princess and the Five Brave Generals Teaser).
A representative of Hung Vuong MegaStar Cineplex in HCMC’s District 5, said every day from the first to the fourth day of Tet, the cinemas welcomed 10,000 movie lovers, but American 3D cartoon, Tangled, was the biggest attraction.
