Archive link Alternative title: "CCP didn't like US military movie". No shit hey? Correction: “We will import from whichever countries that make better films and films that are more suitable for...
Alternative title: "CCP didn't like US military movie". No shit hey?
“We will import from whichever countries that make better films and films that are more suitable for the taste of Chinese audience.”
Correction: “We will import from whichever countries that make better films and films that are more suitable for the taste of Chinese audience the CCP.” I'm sure there are plenty of Chinese people who would have enjoyed Top Gun if given the chance.
The appearance of a Taiwanese flag on a bomber jacket worn by Tom Cruise’s character also angered many Chinese social media users.
There's little respect to show to a culture where this kind of chauvinistic ideology is actively promoted and sown into the culture by the ruling party.
My opinion is that the divorce between China (and their huge audience but equally huge control issues) and Hollywood is going to happen eventually, so Hollywood needs to rip that band-aid and get...
My opinion is that the divorce between China (and their huge audience but equally huge control issues) and Hollywood is going to happen eventually, so Hollywood needs to rip that band-aid and get it over with.
I'd be willing to hedge my bets with you on that one, I think it's an eventuality but as long major Chinese players like Tencent Pictures exist in the western market they will not let things go...
I'd be willing to hedge my bets with you on that one, I think it's an eventuality but as long major Chinese players like Tencent Pictures exist in the western market they will not let things go quite that easily. It seems they were happy to rescind their investment in Top Gun as soon as they realised it wouldn't make it past Chinese censors but they have much more at stake - at the point Tencent exits from western media it would effectively mean China's given up on its efforts to disseminate the "Chinese values" into western culture.
If Tom Cruise was sporting a confederate flag and not a Taiwanese one, I'd expect similiar outcry from much of the USA. The situations are different, though not as much as I think the USA makes it...
If Tom Cruise was sporting a confederate flag and not a Taiwanese one, I'd expect similiar outcry from much of the USA. The situations are different, though not as much as I think the USA makes it out to be.
And while I won't speak to the new Top Gun (have not seen), pretty sure Russia wasn't a fan of the original. And I certainly think that an inverted film would not have been given a warm welcome in the USA.
There's a substantial difference between an outcry and blocking its release. It wasn't given a lukewarm reception though, or made to feel unwelcome. It was outright banned. Again, big difference.
similiar outcry from much of the USA
There's a substantial difference between an outcry and blocking its release.
an inverted film would not have been given a warm welcome in the USA.
It wasn't given a lukewarm reception though, or made to feel unwelcome. It was outright banned. Again, big difference.
Sure, but the difference between the situations you propose is in what they represent - the confederate flag has strong connotations with racism and bigotry while the Taiwanese flag (in today's...
Sure, but the difference between the situations you propose is in what they represent - the confederate flag has strong connotations with racism and bigotry while the Taiwanese flag (in today's political climate) represents a nation state fighting for their independence from an oppressive regime.
I agree a film about the Chinese military definitely wouldn't be welcomed with open arms in the US by any means either given the way things have gone with China over the past 10 or so years, but it probably wouldn't be banned from public viewing. The difference there is that Chinese people aren't being given the chance to form their own opinions on a piece of media, their government decides what the public opinion is by intervention, censorship and propagating a fear of anything that could be construed as dissent.
These are reasons why it's difficult to make bright-line rules about what's allowed, but people can still judge individual cases differently as a judgement call if they want, and so they will.
These are reasons why it's difficult to make bright-line rules about what's allowed, but people can still judge individual cases differently as a judgement call if they want, and so they will.
Definitely, but this isn't an issue of racists vs a country, and the relationship of ideology and government is, by and large, reversed in China. In China the CCP mandates the ideology of the...
Definitely, but this isn't an issue of racists vs a country, and the relationship of ideology and government is, by and large, reversed in China.
In China the CCP mandates the ideology of the people. In the US, despite many of our problems, it could still be fairly stated that if the government, as a single unit, has an opinion it is a result of the people, not a party controlling our opinions. Even with the current machinations of the GOP, people choose to subject themselves to it, but we have options.
We would object to the confederate flag not on a mandate from the government, but because the American people find it objectionable. The issue with Taiwan in this scenario is the CCP finds the very concept of Taiwan's existence objectionable, and has constructed an ideological framework with which to lead its people.
The Taiwanese flag is not a symbol of racism. I also highly doubt that the US government would say anything about it, let alone ban the film. These are not even remotely comparable.
The Taiwanese flag is not a symbol of racism. I also highly doubt that the US government would say anything about it, let alone ban the film. These are not even remotely comparable.
My response is basically: And? Yeah, American media is very popular internationally for many reasons. But if it doesn't sell in one country it's not the end of the world, even if it's the second...
My response is basically: And?
Yeah, American media is very popular internationally for many reasons. But if it doesn't sell in one country it's not the end of the world, even if it's the second most populous nation in the world. I'd insist that it's American culture first, and much like any other country's media doesn't need to conform to the expectations of other cultures. If they don't want it, they don't watch it. Many countries have media that doesn't make it to other countries for the same reason, China just wants to be the world's cultural police.
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Alternative title: "CCP didn't like US military movie". No shit hey?
Correction: “We will import from whichever countries that make better films and films that are more suitable for the taste of
Chinese audiencethe CCP.” I'm sure there are plenty of Chinese people who would have enjoyed Top Gun if given the chance.There's little respect to show to a culture where this kind of chauvinistic ideology is actively promoted and sown into the culture by the ruling party.
My opinion is that the divorce between China (and their huge audience but equally huge control issues) and Hollywood is going to happen eventually, so Hollywood needs to rip that band-aid and get it over with.
I'd be willing to hedge my bets with you on that one, I think it's an eventuality but as long major Chinese players like Tencent Pictures exist in the western market they will not let things go quite that easily. It seems they were happy to rescind their investment in Top Gun as soon as they realised it wouldn't make it past Chinese censors but they have much more at stake - at the point Tencent exits from western media it would effectively mean China's given up on its efforts to disseminate the "Chinese values" into western culture.
If Tom Cruise was sporting a confederate flag and not a Taiwanese one, I'd expect similiar outcry from much of the USA. The situations are different, though not as much as I think the USA makes it out to be.
And while I won't speak to the new Top Gun (have not seen), pretty sure Russia wasn't a fan of the original. And I certainly think that an inverted film would not have been given a warm welcome in the USA.
There's a substantial difference between an outcry and blocking its release.
It wasn't given a lukewarm reception though, or made to feel unwelcome. It was outright banned. Again, big difference.
Sure, but the difference between the situations you propose is in what they represent - the confederate flag has strong connotations with racism and bigotry while the Taiwanese flag (in today's political climate) represents a nation state fighting for their independence from an oppressive regime.
I agree a film about the Chinese military definitely wouldn't be welcomed with open arms in the US by any means either given the way things have gone with China over the past 10 or so years, but it probably wouldn't be banned from public viewing. The difference there is that Chinese people aren't being given the chance to form their own opinions on a piece of media, their government decides what the public opinion is by intervention, censorship and propagating a fear of anything that could be construed as dissent.
These are reasons why it's difficult to make bright-line rules about what's allowed, but people can still judge individual cases differently as a judgement call if they want, and so they will.
Definitely, but this isn't an issue of racists vs a country, and the relationship of ideology and government is, by and large, reversed in China.
In China the CCP mandates the ideology of the people. In the US, despite many of our problems, it could still be fairly stated that if the government, as a single unit, has an opinion it is a result of the people, not a party controlling our opinions. Even with the current machinations of the GOP, people choose to subject themselves to it, but we have options.
We would object to the confederate flag not on a mandate from the government, but because the American people find it objectionable. The issue with Taiwan in this scenario is the CCP finds the very concept of Taiwan's existence objectionable, and has constructed an ideological framework with which to lead its people.
The two aren't remotely similar.
The Taiwanese flag is not a symbol of racism. I also highly doubt that the US government would say anything about it, let alone ban the film. These are not even remotely comparable.
My response is basically: And?
Yeah, American media is very popular internationally for many reasons. But if it doesn't sell in one country it's not the end of the world, even if it's the second most populous nation in the world. I'd insist that it's American culture first, and much like any other country's media doesn't need to conform to the expectations of other cultures. If they don't want it, they don't watch it. Many countries have media that doesn't make it to other countries for the same reason, China just wants to be the world's cultural police.