Sex and 3-D have worked their magic as Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy surpassed on its premiere the first-day local box office takings achieved by Hollywood 3-D epic Avatar.
The local production, billed as the world's first 3-D soft porn movie, is estimated to have drawn about 30,000 viewers and took in HK$2,785,918 on Thursday, according to the Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Motion Pictures Industry Association. Avatar earned HK$2.5 million on its first day.
A mainland couple were caught and fined trying to film the movie with their mobile phones.
Two 'ladies only' screenings held last night at Times Square and Langham Place were sold out. More women-only screenings will be held during the Easter holiday.
'We had responses from a lot of women saying that they wanted to watch this movie, but they did not want to be surrounded by men in the cinema,' said the film's producer Stephen Shiu, who initially expected the movie to open by taking about HK$2 million.
The HK$25 million production also surpassed the opening-day box office of another category III film Lust, Caution, which earned HK$2,634,133 on its first day. The award-winning movie by legendary Taiwanese director Ang Lee grossed HK$48,758,480.