Star Chinese Movies
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Predecessor | BBC World Service Television |
| Founded | May 1, 1994 |
| Fate | Ceased operations in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macau on 1 October 2023; ceased in Taiwan on 1 January 2024 |
| Successor | Catchplay Movie Channel (Taiwan) |
Area served | Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan |
| Owner | Disney Networks Group Pacific Ltd. |
| Parent | Disney International Operations |
Star Chinese Movies () was a subscription-based television channel delivering Chinese-language content, operated by Disney Networks Group Pacific Ltd.. Its programming mainly consisted of films in Chinese, encompassing Cantonese productions, Taiwanese cinema, as well as movies from Singapore and Malaysia. The channel also aired bilingual features including Japanese films, Anime, Korean movies, and Thai films, alongside digitally remastered classic action titles from Hong Kong. When expanding its reach into markets like Thailand and Indonesia, the owner, Fox International Channels, touted it as the most broadly distributed Chinese-language entertainment network.
History
Debuting on 1 May 1994 under the name Star Mandarin Movies, this channel took over from BBC World Service Television. Initially, its lineup included both Hollywood blockbusters and Chinese-language films aimed at a pan-Asian audience, delivered through two channels: Star Movies International (currently known as Fox Movies) and Star Mandarin Movies (which was later rebranded as Star Chinese Movies).
In its early phase, film rights were managed by Star Chinese Channel, which launched in 1991 and shared Western titles for two years. On 1 February 1996, the channel adopted a new box-shaped star logo and continued to broadcast Western movies with subtitles until 30 June 1998.
On 31 March 1996, the content offering split into English and Chinese segments. Star Chinese Movies concentrated on audiences in Southeast Asia—including Taiwan—as well as Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China. Distribution partners included Astro in Malaysia and SKY PerfecTV! in Japan. The channel officially launched in Malaysia on 1 June 1996.
Broadcasting ceased in Malaysia on 31 August 1997 and subsequently ended across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, and mainland China on 28 August 1998. After these closures, the channel’s availability was confined to Taiwan; viewers in other regions were directed toward alternatives such as the Phoenix Movies Channel or Malaysia’s Astro AEC.
Starting 1 July 1998, the channel’s programming was dedicated exclusively to Chinese-language cinema. A significant logo update took place on 1 April 1999. Later, on 26 September 2003, Star Chinese Movies became available via Now TV in Hong Kong and introduced region-specific feeds tailored for Hong Kong and Macau (Cantonese), Singapore (Mandarin), Southeast Asia (Mandarin), and Malaysia (Cantonese).
A companion channel named Star Chinese Movies 2 launched on 25 January 2008, followed by the introduction of HD broadcasting and video-on-demand services.
On 19 May 2012, the channel replaced its star logo with a stylized crown. Expansion continued with launches in Thailand and Indonesia on 1 November 2013, and after a sixteen-year hiatus, it returned to Malaysia through HyppTV on 1 September 2014.
Bilingual audio tracks were introduced on 29 April 2017, enabling simultaneous broadcasts in Mandarin alongside original language soundtracks.
Star Chinese Movies held exclusive pay television rights for prominent events such as the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards throughout Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia—excluding Singapore and Malaysia.
Following Disney’s acquisition of FOX International Networks and its strategic pivot toward developing Disney+ services across Asia, Disney Networks Group Asia Pacific resolved to terminate all pay TV operations including Star Chinese Movies. Consequently, the channel ceased transmissions in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Macau on 1 October 2023; the Taiwanese service concluded on 1 January 2024. In Taiwan, it was succeeded by the Catchplay Movie Channel.
Feeds
| Country/Region | Star Chinese Movies | Star Chinese Movies Legend |
|---|---|---|
| Template:TWN | From 1 May 1994 until 31 December 2023; launched simultaneously with Star Chinese Movies HD (星衛HD電影台) | Not applicable |
| Template:HKG Template:MAC (localized) |
Star Chinese Movies (衛視電影台)
Phoenix Movies Channel (鳳凰衛視電影台): Operating continuously from 28 August 1998 onward |
15 December 2007 – 30 September 2021 |
| Template:SIN (localized) | ||
| *Southeast Asia Template:MYA Template:MDV Template:THA Template:CAM Template:LAO Template:VIE Template:PHI Template:IDN Template:TLS Template:PNG Template:BRU | ||
| Template:MAS (SEA Feed; Cantonese) | ||
| Template:AUS Template:NZL |
Australia: Available from 2013 to 2018 New Zealand: Broadcast between 1 March 2016 and 28 February 2018 |
Not available |
| Template:USA Template:CAN |
Aired from 2010 to 2018 (with SCM Legend titles continuing until 2013) |
Star Chinese Movies Legend
Operating under Fox Networks Group Asia Pacific and owned by Disney International Operations, Star Chinese Movies Legend (SCM Legend) functioned as a companion channel to Star Chinese Movies. It debuted on 15 December 2007 originally as Star Chinese Movies 2, before rebranding on 1 October 2012 to spotlight classic Hong Kong cinema spanning from the 1970s through early 1990s. The channel primarily showcased films from the historical and colonial periods, mainly sourced from STAR TV Filmed Entertainment.
In line with Disney’s transition towards streaming platforms like Disney+, SCM Legend discontinued its broadcast on 1 October 2021, coinciding with the wider shutdown of pay television services across Asia.