entertainment

Chinese TV extra dies 8 times a day as Japanese soldier

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The secret to being picked by the casting teams, he was quoted as saying, was to “appear as sleazy as possible”, so he adopts a ferocious look at auditions, while stooping slightly.

So in other words, the secret to being picked is act like a racist moron, which appeals to the other racist morons that are making the movies. Way to go China!

11 ( +14 / -3 )

Can he also play the role of Ishii Sensei, the Japanese director of Unit 731, who cut open thousands of Chinese children and women without anesthesia? If he is given that role, he does not have to die, but he can only kill ....

Or play PRC gov maniac, cut open Chinese citizens for fresh kidneys

6 ( +8 / -2 )

That is why China cannot allow being friends with Japan. Too much money to be lost. Not only movies, but all those "patriotic groups" that want money.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

OssanAmerica, I believe they've made hundreds of films of the commies fighting the KMT. In fact, I've seen one of them that was quite good in cinematics. I believed it was called Assembly. You can get it on Netflix. Another one would be The Silent War. Its also quite good.

For KMT fighting the Japanese, you can search the Taiwan film archives since the commies don't quite see eye to eye with the KMT. There is no reason to glorify the KMT by the Chinese studios. I'm sure there are tons of them as well much like how Japanese films depicting Americans as brutes or the Russians as red hair devils.

These type of adaptations are done catering to the local markets. But in the Flower of War or 1942, both films were really well done to capture the human stories behind the chaos. I would like to see more of that being done. Something like the Schindler's List but based in China. I'm sure lots of histories can be dig up to narrate that type of story. Maybe a narrative by the comfort women or the soldiers at the end of the film to express their feelings would be appropriate.

However, I doubt the Japanese film distributors would distribute a film like this to the locals. Much like so many other films that were blocked. And I doubt most of you are interested in those films anyways so why bother talking about it? Much like this article, honestly who cares about an extra actor playing as someone most Chinese hate anyways? Is that really a story or just a fact that all of you should already know? Chinese hate Japanese... WOW, what a shock!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

It is not well known, but there were thousands of Japanese soldiers left in China after the war. Some were recruited to fight for the communists and some were recuited to fight for the nationalists. Could be why Zhou Enlai controversially let all the Japanese soldiers go home after the communist takeover (he was also partially Japanese educated). There are a whole new set of roles for this guy to play.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I knew a young clean-cut American guy living in Tokyo who worked as an extra. That last time I saw him, his gig was to play an U.S. soldier rapist. Same difference.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Hahhaha 48 movies

2 ( +4 / -2 )

It would be funny if he got beat up by a Chinese demonstration crowd. Interesting that the studio doesn't make KMT troops fighting the Japanese, or the Commie troops fighting the KMT. I wonder why...

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Nothing positive in any this, one side is as bad as the other depending on the day, sometimes even time of day..........

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Every day in the studio... "Oh my god, they killed Shi Zhongpeng again!!!..." Hope at least that guy "dies" in different styles as Sean Bean..

2 ( +2 / -0 )

When you try to find them, search for both GMD and KMT.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No surprise from the communist with their anti Japanese education.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Ironic.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

smithinjapan, I was talking about Chinese, not Japanese. This article is about someone in China.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Interesting that the studio doesn't make KMT troops fighting the Japanese, or the Commie troops fighting the KMT. I wonder why...

I'm pretty sure there have been several films in the past depicting the KMT army fighting the Japanese, and a few depicting the battle between the Communists and the KMT for that matter. Something tells me you don't actually know much at all about Chinese films, however...

Of course, depictions of the fight against Japan are more popular. Don't act like this is some grand conspiracy to victimise poor ikkle Japan. They are popular because Chinese, regardless of their political persuasion, can all rally against a foreign invader, the same as any other country in the world. The Chinese Civil War is a complex story of fratricidal violence with ramifications in the present day.

Also, most mainland Chinese, even those who are more ardently communist, view the Taiwanese and the KMT as their fellow countrymen, regardless of political differences, and thus don't like seeing films where they are killed. Th Imperial Japanese Army were, unambiguously, a force of invasion, subjugation, and massacre, and seeing them driven out in film is a kind of catharsis for the lasting damage that Japan left in China.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Readers, please keep the discussion civil and do not snipe at each other.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What's amusing on this thread is watching the wingers talk about how this guy simply needs to 'act like a racist moron' and then go on to say he should star as a Chinese government official kidney thief or get beaten up in demonstrations (and how that would be 'funny to see!'), and the other hypocritical, racist remarks. Just because he doesn't play roles that glorify Japan's wartime history, don't blame the man!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

gokai_wo_maneku: "That is why China cannot allow being friends with Japan. Too much money to be lost."

Ummm... hate to break this to you, but the only reason Japan wants to desperately mend economic fences with China is because it is losing billions by NOT being friends... or do you only read/watch the news on 2Channel?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Ummm... hate to break this to you, but the only reason Japan wants to desperately mend economic fences with China is because it is losing billions by NOT being friends

Ummm... hate to break this to you, but the only reason China wants to desperately mend economic fences with Japan is because it is losing billions by NOT being friends.

Two can play this game. Example. Rare earths.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

They wonder why there is such anomisities between the two countries. Keep fueling the fire

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So 1/3 of this studio's films involve the war with Japan? They must be interesting. The forces of the both KMT and GCD spent most of the war retreating from Japan and utterly failed to defend their homeland. The KMT was particularly unkind to civilian Chinese. And Japan's forces committed horrors that are well-known. I would urge that this studio guide viewers into the already decade-old 21st century instead of contriving heroic fictions from a horrific past.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I agree with you 100% and have said time and again it's not a one-way street, be it provocation by the governments/military of both nations or when it comes to the economy. One big difference is everyone besides Japan is still doing business with China, whereas Japan has to try and start up infrastructure all over Asia to make up for losing their biggest trade partner. Other nations are still very much interested in rare earth metals.

Smith

Excuse me but FDI to China has been going down and the only major player that increased prior to the Chinese riots were... guess what?? Japan. And how could anybody blame Japan for looking elsewhere when there are viable alternatives with cheaper labor costs and a friendly environment? Granted it may take a while but considering China utterly failed in their policy on rare earths(66% reduction in trade volume in $) where Japanese trading houses were able to source from other countries and technological innovation (TDK, Panasonic) which now invested the use alternative materials, I'd say business are quick to adapt.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Can he also play the role of Ishii Sensei, the Japanese director of Unit 731, who cut open thousands of Chinese children and women without anesthesia? If he is given that role, he does not have to die, but he can only kill ....

I hope no one makes a film about that. Just thinking of the grotesque things that monster did to human beings makes me sick to the stomach. Also, they'd have to fictionalise the ending. Having a true story where the mass murderer and mutilator of Chinese in Manchuria not only avoids prosecution, but goes on to get US patronage for his chemical weapons funding (tested on Chinese civilians to boot) would justifiably lead to intense hatred of Japan and the USA.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

JeffLee I knew a young clean-cut American guy living in Tokyo who worked as an extra. That last time I saw him, his gig was to play an U.S. soldier rapist. Same difference.

It's a shame, such feeble minds, cannot see the forest for the trees... I don't know why I'm even acknowledging such rubbish with a response... Same difference... You are comparing apples and oranges young man... It's one thing when an individual acts alone and commits a criminal act, it's quite another when a country encourages thousands and thousands of soldiers to commit such acts without any repercussions... Another victim of the, "Uncle Kenji-ojisan once told me a story" school of white-washed history and victim-hood..... Since it wasn't printed in our History books, it never happened... we are the victims... lol...

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

They just need a few more extras.... the unemplyment rates gone down all of a sudden for the entertainment industry?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I hope no one makes a film about that. Just thinking of the grotesque things that monster did to human beings makes me sick to the stomach

Errr, they already did several times. Check out 'Men Behind the Sun' .

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Hansaram: "No surprise from the communist with their anti Japanese education."

They don't have the right to make movies about the past? or was there no aggression on the part of Imperial Japan?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

goki_wo_Maneku: "smithinjapan, I was talking about Chinese, not Japanese. This article is about someone in China."

You were talking about why you think Japan should not be friends with China -- ie. you were talking about the relationship between the two natinos. Hence, my comment about how Japan is losing a fortune thanks to this whole mess that Ishihara started. That said...

nigelboy: "Two can play this game."

I agree with you 100% and have said time and again it's not a one-way street, be it provocation by the governments/military of both nations or when it comes to the economy. One big difference is everyone besides Japan is still doing business with China, whereas Japan has to try and start up infrastructure all over Asia to make up for losing their biggest trade partner. Other nations are still very much interested in rare earth metals.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

FugacisFeb. 06, 2013 - 09:40AM JST "Interesting that the studio doesn't make KMT troops fighting the Japanese, or the Commie troops fighting the KMT. I wonder why..." I'm pretty sure there have been several films in the past depicting the KMT army fighting the Japanese, and a few >depicting the battle between the Communists and the KMT for that matter. Something tells me you don't actually know >much at all about Chinese films, however...

Since you do please name them.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I'm so glad the AFP spent the time to bring us this piece of fascinating journalism. Do I hear you say Pulitzer?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

JeffLee: "That last time I saw him, his gig was to play an U.S. soldier rapist. Same difference."

If it were a movie about comfort women and he were playing a Japanese Imperial troop, absolutely -- save, of course, the frequency with which American troops commit such acts is very, very few and far between, and far too exaggerated in the media.

Anyway, not a bad gig to start off with, with it's own little claim to fame.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Can he also play the role of Ishii Sensei, the Japanese director of Unit 731, who cut open thousands of Chinese children and women without anesthesia? If he is given that role, he does not have to die, but he can only kill ....

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

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