entertainment

Chinese censors slash 'Cloud Atlas' by 40 minutes

14 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2013 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

14 Comments
Login to comment

For once I agree with the Chinese dictatorship. I thought it was much longer than it had to be as well.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

chinese government practices info-terrorism: it has absolute control over the information a citizen has access to

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"info-terrorism?" That sounds a bit self righteous. Why do people have to associate anything they don't like with terrorism?

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

" it said weakened the theme or confused the plot."

I have read the book and seen the movie. The plot in both are very good and do not need editing to make it less confusing. It was actually one of the best screen adaptions I have seen. The movie actually helped with the book. The actor's characterizations actually enhanced the reading. I have never had that happen so extensively before with a book.

I highly recommend seeing the (unedited) movie and/or reading the book. There are true artists at work in writing the book and in making the movie. The Chinese government hasn't a clue about plot. They only know ideas are dangerous to them.

Aside from the reincarnation themes in the book, it is about the good and evil people do, the effects on others (past, present and future) and the dangers of unchecked power over others.

I imagine the cut scenes are the futuristic Korea where these themes are brought to a point. There is no China in the movie (it doesn't make it in the future), but future Korea foretells of a government run by corporations that controls all living beings from a Politburo/Chinese style of centralized government managing and monitoring every aspect of their citizen's lives. The nude scene is in future Korea, so the deletion of that scene is an easy thing to talk about rather than the rest of the "dangerous" subject matter that is to similar to China's rule over its citizens. All the so called citizens were enslaved in one form or the other. There were the actual slaves like Sonmi-451 that was made to serve the consumer. There were the consumers who were there only consume from the corporations. There was no free thought. Information was tightly guarded by the government. There was no free travel, everyone had their ID in a chip in their finger and could be spotted by satellites if they looked up. You could be killed by reading outlawed information.

While some of the technology was beyond us, the dystopia resembled China in many aspects. I can only imagine that resemblance is what was cut from the movie. But the ideas of freedom and oppression and choices towards those ends are all throughout the movie.

So, why only 40 minutes cut, unless they totally missed the themes of the movie, which is possible since the plot is so difficult. After all, an old man imprisoned in an elderly care home isn't easy to extrapolate to the everyday imprisonment of citizens, by their government, their consumerism, their tribal affiliations.

As far as info-terrorism, the Korean clone was called a terrorist for her ideas (information) that people should be free and could be enslaved by unchecked power.

So, I am actually surprised China even let the movie in the country. Maybe they just couldn't understand the plot?

9 ( +9 / -0 )

darknuts, in reply to your good question:

"info-terrorism?" That sounds a bit self righteous. Why do people have to associate anything they don't like with terrorism?

the only way the chinese gov can justify censorship is with fear and terror: (1) if you're caught consuming non-approved info, you loose everything; (2) "we the chinese gov knows what's good for you and we shall protect you from unclean thoughts that will rot your poor poor brain etc etc"

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Thanks, Viking. You're the first one to offer a clear explanation.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

And yet the world continues to pander to the Chinese and not contest all of their aberrant behaviour? Money really does talk.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I saw another article on JT trumpeting the vast commercial power of the chinese moviegoer. Apparently they open ten new movie theaters a day. Too bad they'll never see the real movies because the puppet masters butcher the production before it ever makes it to the screen. If Hollywood had any integrity they'd refuse to sell the rights to anyone who was going to censor the product. Course we all know the communists would then just pirate the movies anyway, so I guess that would be an empty gesture.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

When are the Chinese going to get rid of this crap government of theirs?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Maybe the Academy wards should have a category for "Final Government Editing".

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

They totally "sarft" that movie didn't they?

They are playing the parental role to a huge population of people.

I wish they were this strict when it came to blatantly copying brands and selling fakes.

Oh the hypocrisy, China.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

When are the Chinese going to get rid of this crap government of theirs?

There are a lot of Chinese who support their totalitarian government. Here's what Jackie Chan had to say about censorship:

"I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled," he continued. "If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I am actually surprised China even let the movie in the country. Maybe they just couldn't understand the plot?

I read that the movie had mainland Chinese financing.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

As long as they don't touch Doona, she is disproportionately better than anything else in this movie. I liked the movie though, I thought it was decent and just my kind of weird. But that Doona, oh that Doona, let me count the ways.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites