CHINA / Regional

Mission Impossible III under strict review
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2006-05-15 16:16

The box office hit "Mission Impossible III" may not open in China's mainland because some scenes that were shot in Shanghai are considered by officials as "damaging to the city's image," Beijing News reported today.

A tipster told the newspaper that the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television will make its decision later this week, and the film is expected to debut on the mainland after July 10 if it is approved.

An official of the administration said that the movie is expected to bring the mainland over 100 million yuan (US$12.5 million), but some scenes need to be deleted first.

Shanghai-based Xinmin Evening News said the first scene showing Shanghai in the movie have bamboo poles with underwear hanging from them, and Shanghai policemen all behaved clumsy and slow in the movie.

Mr Chen, the executive of the movie's local publisher United International Pictures, refused to comment on the report directly, but said many film critics are highly appreciating the segments shot Shanghai.

"There is no word about the scenes that include the Bund, Jin Mao Tower, Chenghuang Temple and the Oriental Pearl Tower, in regards to damaging the city's image," Chen said.

The hero Tom Cruise filmed several scenes of the motion picture in Shanghai and Xitang -- a Shanghai's neighboring town in Zhejiang Province in November.

The movies director JJ Abrams said the best parts of the film were shot in Shanghai and that Cruise felt very satisfied with those particular scenes.

The movie has topped the box offices in many countries since its debut in April.