Hollywood, the biggest entertainment industry in the world, could be seen through different prisms. But from the prism of geopolitics, it is also called the ‘American propaganda machinery’. However, for the past one decade, it seems this propaganda machinery has got a new ‘boss’ — China.
Hollywood is surrendering itself before the Chinese might.
Currently, the biggest concern for the world is the growing Chinese dominance, particularly in Indo-Pacific and with regards to Supply Chain. Even when world leaders unite under G7 and G20, they discuss concerns with regards to Chinese policies. Groupings such as AUKUS, QUAD, etc. are being forged to corner China, with ‘Free & Open Indo-Pacific’ not only a slogan, but a driving agenda.
Meanwhile, Hollywood is nowhere showcasing or projecting China in bad light. Instead, they are still happy bashing Russia, Iran and discussing the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq when Taiwan, Philipines and Indo-Pacific nations have taken centrestage.
The film market in China has surpassed everyone. The lure of Chinese money is giving rise to a phenomenon where Hollywood, a soft power for America, is becoming a soft power for China. The Chinese are financing some of the biggest films and buying theatre chains. Major Chinese production companies are teaming up with Hollywood, leading to concerns over pro-China propaganda making its way into major American blockbusters. The Chinese government only allows a small number of foreign movies in China each year. After America, China is the number two moviegoing country in the world. The attempt is also to please Chinese censor board, so American filmmakers can earn money from the Chinese box office.
BOX OFFICE MATTERS
Sriparna Pathak, associate professor of China Studies at OP Jindal University, said: “’Seven Years in Tibet’, ‘World War Z’, ‘Marvel’ films, ‘Call Me by Your Name’ are some examples of films which were banned by the Chinese censor board. Producers don’t want to give up on theatres in China, so they agree to the terms.”
Chinese films are openly bashing the West through films such as ‘Wolf Warrior’, in which a Chinese spy defeats world forces. But Hollywood content is nowhere showcasing China’s defeat and also shows China in a ‘benign light’.
Sriparna said: “Hollywood is constantly targeting Russia by projecting them as evil forces. Since Russia does not have deep pockets and influence like China over USA, the same year Cold War-era narrative is still being shown in films”
The recent Netflix Show ‘Diplomat’ based on the life of an American diplomat also has a storyline, where Russia and Iran are the evil forces.
Meanwhile, films like 2012 show China as a nation building ships to save the mankind and the only Indian character dies in the movie.
MODERNIZATION, CHINA STYLE
Namrata Hasija, China Studies expert, said, “The Xi Jinping’s ‘important’ speech at the Central Party School recently highlighted the need for correct understanding and vigorous promotion of Chinese style modernization. China’s modernisation breaks the myth of ‘modernisation equals westernization’, and provides a Chinese solution to explore better social systems for humanity. This is dangerous as the ultimate goal for China is to have an alternate democracy.”
On the ‘Heritage Explains’ podcast in December 2018 to discuss intersection of free markets and Chinese censorship in Hollywood, one of the speakers Mike Gonzales said, “There is a quota system. China is not a fair trader. If you are lucky enough to have been chosen, you have to submit your script beforehand to Chinese censors. They can and will change your script and movie in order to portray China not as a dictatorship that it is, but as a benevolent country, no different from the UK or France.”
HOLLYWOOD STUDIO ENTRY
China has problem with three Ts — Tianmen, Tibet and Taiwan. Tianmen is a proxy for human rights. Very famously, China crushed a student-led protest in 1989 at Tianmen Square, killing thousands of peaceful demonstrators. China does not want any mention of the fact that Taiwan is a separate island and also does not want discussion on the Tibet issue.
Hasija said: “Indians have grown up thinking Pakistan is the real enemy. The same way, the US generations have grown up thinking that Soviet Union is their No. 1 enemy. It will take time to change the thinking, although Chinese have created lobbies in the US and Europe to support their narratives. One such move is buying out and heavily investing in Hollywood studios.”
Experts on the subject say the trend is dangerous as what people are reading in newspapers is not reflected in movies.
A ‘gentle China’ narrative could help film producers earn billions of dollars at the Chinese box office today, but the move could eventually undermine the democracies and push communist agenda, they say.
Comments
0 comment