The Grinch Who Stole Christmas is being shanghaied himself in China where videodisc copies of the movie went on sale in Shanghai street markets within a week after the Nov. 17 release in the U.S., the New York Times reported today (Tuesday).

"The discs are mocking reminders of the difficulties China has carrying out trade agreements," the Times observed in reporting on the sales of the video. It noted that movies in the VCD format sell for as little as 80 cents apiece, a price that makes it "almost impossible" to sell legitimate videos in the country.

The observation was corroborated by a top executive with Shanghai CAV Thakral Home Entertainment, China's largest VCD distributor. "Chinese consumers don't want to pay 36 yuan for a VCD. They would rather pay, 6, 8 or 10 yuan to see a pirated copy and then throw it away."

Source: Studio Briefing