Many are calling it a wise decision, as the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced at the end of June that it will no longer cooperate with films and TV shows that are censored by China. The Pentagon has announced that it will no longer cooperate with films and TV programs that are subject to Chinese censorship. What has been going on behind the scenes between Hollywood and China?
It was a bad idea for Hollywood to sell its spirit for China’s money,” said a TV producer.
TV producer Dave Spector says so. To understand this point, it is necessary to know how much Hollywood and China have been in bed with each other in the past. According to a journalist familiar with U.S. affairs,
The Chinese movie market has expanded rapidly since around 2010, and Chinese money has taken Hollywood by storm. A number of films financed by Chinese companies began to appear one after another.”
Portraying China in a bad light has become a taboo.
But this was a devil’s bargain.
It became taboo to portray China in a critical light or to have Chinese people appear as villains. It was essential that the Chinese government and the Chinese market be kept in mind during the production of the film. In addition, the release of a film in China was often denied after censorship by the government. Naturally, some filmmakers were concerned about this situation.
The uproar over “Top Gun: Maverick,” starring Tom Cruise, which was released in 2010, caused a stir.
The flight jacket worn by Colonel Maverick, played by Tom Cruise, was originally supposed to have Japanese and Taiwanese flag patches on it. But this was changed in the trailer released in 2007. Public opinion was confused, claiming that it was a political consideration because a Chinese company had invested in the project. In the end, the Chinese company withdrew its investment and the patch was restored.
Winnie the Pooh
The Pentagon was deeply involved in the film.
The Pentagon lends fighter planes and warships to action movies like Top Gun when requested. But of course, the Pentagon also takes the trouble to check the scripts and conduct safety control. Yet, scenes are cut or the story is changed because of the discovery of China. This is essentially inconvenient from the production side. I think the decision to refuse to cooperate with a film that allows Chinese censorship is the right one,” said Dave.
After that, unless the authorities in Beijing gave up their intervention, China would no longer be able to get involved even in major military productions that had the potential to be hits. There was no point in paying for it.
The U.S. film industry has long been plagued by censorship by China.
The film “Pooh and Me as an Adult,” released in 2006, has been banned in China. Winnie the Pooh has long been said to resemble President Xi Jinping, and that alone was considered a censorship target. He is a man who doesn’t speak the same language.
Sensitive to criticism of China outside the film
There is more. According to film critic Buffy Yoshikawa,
In “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” released in 2009, China is said to have pressed the producers to remove the Statue of Liberty in New York. For example, when Chinese director Chloe Zhao won an Academy Award, it was never reported in China because of her past criticism of the government.
Another journalist said,
Richard Gere, who criticized China over Tibet, has been hung out to dry in Hollywood. Keanu Reeves and Sharon Stone have also had limited success because of their criticism of China. Regardless of their value as actors.”
If China leaves with the money and the great actors return, will the effect of the wise decision be the strongest in the world?
