Star wars flare up

For historical reasons the world's foremost sci-fi franchise has a gigantic blind spot. But a new venture could relaunch it into the hearts of Chinese filmgoers, says Raymond Zhou.

When my American friends talk to me about Star Wars, it usually takes me a long time to explain to them why their favorite sci-fi franchise has not caught on in the Middle Kingdom the way it has in the rest of the world.

The biggest piece of the puzzle lies in 1977, the year the first installment debuted. That was right after the end of the "cultural revolution" (1966-76). There were sporadic mentions of the runaway hit in the Chinese press as I remember, but I did not get to see the film until the early 1980s when it was screened for a limited audience as part of an American film festival. There was a palpable feeling of disappointment - or ennui at best - among college students and teachers.