2-D Avatar To Be Pulled From Theaters In China 344
SimonTheSoundMan notes that Avatar is being pulled from screens in China for being too successful, and too provocative in its anti-authoritarian message. (The 3-D and IMAX versions will remain.) "The communist nation's state-run movie distributor China Film Group is unexpectedly yanking the James Cameron-directed blockbuster Avatar from 1,628 2-D screens this week in favor of a biography of the ancient philosopher Confucius starring Chow-Yun Fat. ... According to a report in the Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, the move was made at the urging of propaganda officials who are concerned that Avatar is taking too much market share from Chinese films and drawing unwanted attention to the sensitive issue of forced evictions."
Purge the Foreigners - at least, their competition (Score:5, Interesting)
Those who imagined that Google was taking a principled stand against Chinese dictatorship might want to read this article in Foreign Policy:
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/01/14/chinas_foreign_internet_purge [foreignpolicy.com]
It builds a strong case that Google was simply cornered into protesting by an extreme and deliberate provocation - the most recent of many that have chased out by blocking or having their buttons pushed until they walked.
After reading it, I can't help but think that this is yet another case of protectionism disguised as censorship. That sounds strange - to most at /. that's like disguising a common assault as a kidnaping. But, of course, to the money guys at the top, protectionism is by far the worse - and more actionable - sin.
Re:even if Avatar is out of the theaters... (Score:5, Interesting)
I thought that the Cuban export of importance to the US was a large vocal population of disenfranchised Cuban expats in a swing state
Forced Evictions... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:This seems stupid. (Score:1, Interesting)
Around the turn of the 20th century, Dr Weston A. Price, a dentist, found indgenous peoples who avoided unrefined foods to
have much better dental health than city dwellers.
Re:This seems stupid. (Score:5, Interesting)
Because most of the people are opposed to developer's actions in such cases, it has created a rift between the government and the people. The government has required all news organizations to stop reporting on eminent domain cases, and now here is a movie that features forced eviction, and shows how to fight against it. People in China have latched on to that theme.
Violating their WTO obligations (Score:5, Interesting)
When the Chinese became part of the WTO, they signed treaties stating:
"China will provide non-discriminatory treatment to all WTO Members. All foreign individuals and enterprises, including those not invested or registered in China, will be accorded treatment no less favourable than that accorded to enterprises in China with respect to the right to trade." - WTO, 2001 [wto.org]
In other words, "all foreign enterprises will be treated the same as domestic enterprises in China".
By pulling Avatar in favor of domestic movies, limiting foreign films to 10 days run time, and limiting the number of screens available China is violating its commitments under the law. It would be like the US banning Chinese manufactured imports because those imports were too successful compared to domestic brands.
China needs to honor its commitments to free trade, or be kicked out of the WTO. Which, coincidentally, would make it legal for the US to ban their imports.
Re:Sure the MPAA wasn't worried about piracy? (Score:5, Interesting)
Seriously, when are corporations going to realize that the PRC is an oppressive government and no matter how much they let Wal-Mart grow, or let us feed them KFC, or build our toys for us, we are not making them more free?
Corporations know that. They also know that China is where they make money. Try explaining to someone that they're doing something wrong when they're paid well to do what they're doing. Doesn't work.
More to the point, corporations *like* China. It is an entire country run as a corporation: a corporation with laws and guns to enforce its profit margins. Individual corporations don't like China so much when their interests collide with China's interests and they get mangled, but right up to that point it's a fabulous situation for them. It's like being the henchman of the schoolyard bully. If you can't be the bully, the henchman is definitely the next-best option.
You got it ALL WRONG. (Score:5, Interesting)
If we wanted Castro to fall, all we had to do was allow American money to have effect on Cuban agriculture. It is a hard thing to sit by and watch wealth being created and have no part of it (except for being the stoop labor, of course). The problem with HAVING peons is keeping them from finding out that something better exists... once they know they start doing crazy stuff like going to sea on an inner-tube. If enough of them are aware, then they burn the palace.
It's a moot point because nothing will happen with Cuba until Imperial Sugar, ADM, C&H, Dole, Chiquita, Sunkist, et al have some kind of a market lock in place... after all, that's what they paid for.
Re:Piracy (Score:5, Interesting)
Wait - you say that like pissing off (or on) the US and the MPAA is a "BAD THING". I don't see it, myself.
You don't? Because I do. Chances are a large percentage of your technology and your modern culture come from the U.S. No matter how trendy it is to hate them for being large, somewhat insular and comfortably well-off, you can't deny that the U.S. contributes a lot to the rest of the world. And no, I'm not from the states - I just hate the hypocrisy of people who eagerly download movies made with MPAA money while badmouthing all that is American in some vain attempt to appear 'cultured'.
Re:This seems stupid. (Score:3, Interesting)
Why would a movie like Avatar help anyone respect religion? The Na'vi culture, as portrayed, is based on an actual, tangible, real aspect of their biology and their environment. So, it's not religious for them to speak in terms of their interconnectedness, etc., because it's real. This, as opposed to real-life religions here on earth, which are based on magical thinking, childish fantasy, and mostly on people who want social power and know perfectly well that the frameworks on which they've built their social clubs are pure fiction. See? What Cameron is really doing with Avatar is reminding you to look at your own religion and realize what a fake it is, and to get on with a life that derives its meaning from your own actions, based on reality, and not from the dream of post-death reward/punishment system that doesn't exist.
LOL (Score:1, Interesting)
"It continues to remain a symbol of successful resistance to American control"
If that's a successful symbol, what does an unsuccessful symbol look like? Hawaii?
The Cuban people live like cavemen in falling down cities, with all personal wealth stripped away, where you disappear if you have a cell phone or TV that isn't approved, where "knowing too much" isn't a joke, it's a crime.
Seems to me they can brag about something theoretical, while people are starving, you're not allowed to express yourself, and people will do anything to get away, but of course, it's illegal to leave.
Just kidding of course. We all know that Cuba is the worker's paradise, where all are equal. I'll bet the people are sure glad they showed the United States who's in charge. Hooray for them.
Re:Violating their WTO obligations --- WTF? (Score:2, Interesting)
Dear American geek,
American courts and tribunals have held on many occasions that your country has violated WTO and other treaties in regards to softwood lumber from Canada. Please return the money or perhaps urge your government to drop out of the WTO.
Yours in Stunned Silliness,
A Canadian
Re:That's about right if your name is Fidel Castro (Score:2, Interesting)
Lovable ? (Score:1, Interesting)
That''s a rather sadistic kind of love you've got there - we "love" passive, culturally different, exploitable, indigenous populations - they're "cute" and curious, until one of us foreigners takes advantage or behaves in a culturally insensitive or destructively murderous manner, and then we get all self-righteous and pissy at them when some of them sacrifice themselves to get our ugly boots off their faces. Captn. Christ had words about "no man has such love as to give his life for his brother". It's so peculiar how that maxim doesn't gain traction when it's "them" doing it instead of our valiant "honorable marines".
I'm so happy that the Pope is upset about Avatar, and I personally love the blood fury of the Na'vi exterminating the invaders. Squirrelly blue poly-sexual soft porn and "Dances with Smurfs" aside, hopefully one of the messages that people pick up from the movie is that humanity is on the fast track to destroying its own supportive ecosystem, egged on by corporate-sponsored consumerism. "There's no green left on Earth". I don't give a rat's arse about rising sea levels, a few less people on the planet won't hurt much - and YES, I subscribe to the voluntary human extinction project - no children for this couple. But it's the fucking chemical, toxic pollution that we're using to destroy our foodchain. Stupid fucking humans.