China's Distributors Have a "Titillating" Approach to Marketing Art Films

Following today's "deceptive practices" theme, I found this interesting article about the repackaging and creative copywriting for art films released in China. Here's a nice little bit:

The cast and crew of "Maiden Work" waited six years for their underground film to surface in China. They never thought it would. On finally seeing the packaged product, they almost wish it hadn't. "The first to reveal the biggest controversy in Chinese film - homosexuality," blares the DVD cover hyped by distributors, depicting two women entwined in an embrace. The women do not appear in the film. In fact, it has no love scenes. "Maiden Work" is a perfect example of what Chinese tabloids have termed "art films repackaged as porn."

I haven't seen much of this in the states these days, except the occasional crusty 1960s exploitation flick repackaged with new cover art.

Utusan Malaysia Online - Art films are repackaged as porn to sell in China