A newly-released horror film by Hong Kong twin directors has failed to thrill mainland Chinese as they prepare for Halloween parties.

The Pang brothers' Diary has taken just three million yuan (US$375,000) at box offices across the mainland since opening two weeks ago. 　　

Oxide and Danny Pang enjoy a worldwide reputation for scary movies, including The Eyes (I and II), and Re-cycle. The former helped the Malaysian actress Angelica Lee win the Golden Horse, Golden Statue and Golden Bauhinia Awards in 2003.

The 85-minute Diary, starring Hong Kong singer Charlene Choi of the female pop duo Twins, and Shawn Yue, tells a story of a mentally troubled woman haunted by the death of her boyfriend. 　

In contrast, the movie topped the box office in Hong Kong last week with a weekly taking of HK$2.5 million.

It is the first Pang brothers' movie to debut on the mainland, but it has failed to emulate its success in Hong Kong. 　　

Gao Jun, assistant general manager of the Beijing New Film Association, said horror films had fallen out of popularity on the mainland. 　

"The main reason is the domestic directors haven't paid attention to the quality of movies, which is critical to attract an audience," Gao said. 　　

The Pang brothers were in Thailand in September to shoot the Hollywood remake of their 1999 film Bangkok Dangerous, this time starring Nicolas Cage, when the military coup interrupted production.

(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2006)