The video and music streaming industries in China continue to thrive as more Chinese watch their favorite TV series or movie and listen to music using their mobile devices. On Friday, “Mad Sheila” added to the movies that Chinese techies could watch as a Tencent video.
New Film Media, a studio based in Beijing, produced the rip-off version of “Mad Max,” an Australian movie. The apocalypse film was shot in Inner Mongolia, but it could only be viewed through Tencent Video on streaming which started on Friday since the movie would not be released in theaters in China, Shanghaiist reported.
The original “Mad Max: Fury Road” was also not released in China, likely because of its intense scenes. Observers view “Mad Shiela” as a poor imitation based on similarities in their posters.
New Film Media is reportedly planning to make more movies of the “Mad Shiela” franchise, namely “Mad Shiela – Virgin Road” and “Mad Shiela – Vengeance Road,” Chinafilminsider reported.
The entertainment website pointed out that the Australian vernacular for woman is “shelia” which sounds a lot like “Shiela.” In “Mad Shiela,” the women are considered possessions and assets in an economy where resource is scarce. New Film Media began to shoot the movie in October 2015 which was completed in eight months under the direction of Lu Lei, CEO also of New Film Media.
“Mad Max” Fury Road,” cost the producer in 1979 AU$450,000, or US$332,000, but it earned the producer US$150 million. Besides “Mad Shiela” looking like the 1979 Australian film, Chinafilminoticed “Mad Shiela’s” also sharing its madcap spirit.
Daily Mail pointed out other similarities between the two films include desert wastelands where high-speed car chases are held. But the daily noted that probably due to lower budget, the Chinese version does not have the same effect as the Australian movie.