Doggy Movie Date: Chinese Social Media Delighted As Scores Of Dog Owners Take Pets To Cinema For ‘educational Canine Engagement

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4 Apr, 2023

Doggy Movie Date: Chinese Social Media Delighted As Scores Of Dog Owners Take Pets To Cinema For ‘educational Canine Engagement

Dozens of pet owners are taking their dogs to the cinema to see the remake of a hit Japanese film about a loyal dog and his handler.
The Chinese film tells the story of a teacher who is still waiting at a train station after his dogs have been killed.

Dog owners who took their pets to see the Chinese remake of the famous Japanese film about an animal's loyalty to its owner in Shanghai caused an uproar on social media.

A video showing pet owners strapping their dogs to cinema seats has gone viral after it was posted online on March 25.

A crowd of online viewers jokingly suggested the event was "educational" so the dogs could "learn" from the film.

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Adapted from the 1987 Japanese hit Hachiko Monogatari , the Chinese film tells the story of the special bond between a teacher and his dog, which reaches a climax when the faithful pet Hachiko insists on waiting on a train for his late owner . He welcomed the train station where he worked every day until his death.

Dozens of dogs and their owners attended the film event in Shanghai. Photo: Weibo

The tearjerker has been adapted several times, including the 2009 American remake Hachi: A Dog's Tale, starring Hollywood star Richard Gere.

The Chinese version of the film is set in the unique mountainous landscape of Chongqing in southwest China, starring Chinese actor-director Feng Xiaogang and Chinese-American actor-director Joan Chen.

The main dog character is named Batong, after a mahjong tile known as "Eight Circles" in English, and the Japanese and American versions of the film replace the Akita with a Chinese village dog.

The original Japanese film, written by renowned screenwriter Kaneto Shinto, is based on a true story from 1920s Japan.

A Hollywood remake of the original Japanese film starring Richard Gere was a huge hit. Photo: pamphlet

He became a symbol of genuine Hachiko loyalty to Japan after his story was reported in 1932, and after his death in 1935 he was still remembered around the world through books, films and statues in Tokyo. Season. .

The film's viral event in Shanghai was one of the dog warm-up shows ahead of the film's official release in China on March 31.

Online viewers loved the Shanghai event.

"This is an educational dog tour," said one.

Another joked: "Hope they don't have to write reviews after the movie."

A third said he supported dog film events: "I'd rather have a dog barking in the cinema than a child screaming and kicking the seat back."