Doggy movie date: Chinese social media delighted as scores of dog owners take pets to cinema for ‘educational’ canine engagement
- Scores of pet owners take their dogs to the cinema to watch a remake of a hit Japanese film about a loyal dog and its master
- The Chinese movie retells the story of a professor whose dog continues to wait for him at a railway station every day long after his death
A canine-friendly event in Shanghai which saw dozens of dog owners take their pets to watch the Chinese remake of a famous Japanese movie about an animal’s loyalty to its master has struck a major chord on social media.
A video showing pet owners holding their dogs in cinema seats has gone viral after it was posted online on March 25.
A large number of online observers suggested jokingly that it was an “educational” event for the dogs to “learn” from the film.
Adapted from the hit 1987 Japanese movie Hachiko Monogatari, the Chinese movie tells the story of the special bond between a professor and his pet dog, which culminates in a climax as the loyal pet, Hachiko, insists on waiting for his deceased owner at a railway station where he used to greet him every day after work until his own death.
The tearjerker has been adapted many times, including the 2009 American remake, Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, starring Hollywood star, Richard Gere.
The Chinese version of the movie is set in the unique hilly landscape of southwest China’s Chongqing municipality, and stars Chinese director and actor Feng Xiaogang as well as Chinese-born American actress and director Joan Chen.
