"Sex and Zen" 3-D porn climbs at box office

Giving a whole new meaning to the Buddhist expression, "After the ecstasy, the laundry," 3-D pornography goes mainstream. But with mainland China imposing a ban, audiences must go to Hong Kong to see "Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy."

HONG KONG (AP) — A pioneering Hong Kong 3-D erotic comedy has powered ahead at the box office, bringing in $6.7 million globally.

As of Monday, "3D Sex and Zen: Extreme Ecstasy" has earned $4.1 million in its home market, $1.75 million in Taiwan and $870,000 in Australia, where it has been screening in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney at movie theaters catering to ethnic Chinese communities, publicist Carmen Wong said Tuesday [May 3, 2011].

The $3.5 million production, which opened in Hong Kong on April 14, has drawn audiences with its novel mix of 3-D visuals and the moral tale of an ancient Chinese scholar who loses himself in a duke's harem.

In Hong Kong, it earned $360,000 on its opening day, shattering the territory's previous first-day box office record of $340,000 set by James Cameron's 2009 3-D sci-fi epic "Avatar."

Its $4.1 million take so far makes it the Hong Kong box office champion for the year. The previous champion is the Chinese New Year comedy "I Love Hong Kong," which earned $3.3 million. Ticket sales were boosted by tourists from mainland China, where the lack of a ratings system has ruled out a release, as well as by female-only screenings.

However, "Sex and Zen," a remake of a 1991 Hong Kong movie by the same name, still has a long way to go before beating the cumulative take of "Avatar," which raked in a record $23 million in Hong Kong and then another $400,000 with an extended version.

"Sex and Zen" is to be released in South Korea on May 12 and in France, India, and Italy in June.