The China release date of Hollywood action blockbuster
Mission: Impossible III could be delayed until July or it
might even be banned altogether, but a United International
Pictures' (UPI) official yesterday dismissed speculations that the
movie might offend Chinese censors with its "bad portrayal" of
Shanghai.
With about 30 percent of its scenes shot in Shanghai and the
nearby ancient Xitang Village, the action movie starring Tom Cruise
and Asian-American starlet Maggie Q is expected to wow Chinese
audiences and achieve huge box office success. However, while it
was screened in other countries worldwide on May 3, pushing its way
into the Chinese market has proven a little tougher.
Last weekend, Shanghai-based newspaper Xinmin Evening News
reported that M:i:III could be kept out of China for
"tarnishing the image of Shanghai".
According to the report, the film could well have "offended" the
Shanghai authorities. In the film, Cruise sets foot in the
metropolis to see "rags and underwear drying outdoors along side
streets" rather than Shanghai's "shining skyscrapers." And there is
reportedly unhappiness over the film's portrayal of "awkward" and
"slow-moving" Shanghai police.
"It's not true," a manager surnamed Chen from UPI in charge of
China operations said furiously, denying the report. In an
interview with Information Times, Chen said: "How could we
possibly tarnish Shanghai's image by showing the modern parts
of the city, including the nightscapes of Shanghai Bund, the Jinmao
Tower, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower? And what is more ridiculous is
there aren't any Chinese police in the scenes, let alone the
complaint of 'awkward' and 'slow-moving.' I wonder what version the
reporter saw! As far as I know, many overseas critics have given
the big thumbs up to the Shanghai scenes."
The film is currently being reviewed by the Film Bureau of the
State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, but Chen said
nothing of it apart from that he was optimistic. It was reported
that bureau officials censored the film for the third time last
Friday, and will reach a final verdict this week.
Speaking from Los Angeles in an interview with Information
Times on May 3, the film's director, JJ Abrams, said that the
plot climaxes in Shanghai because he wanted to create the perfect
juxtaposition of traditional and modern elements of the city. One
of the classic scenes of this part of the movie is Cruise's stunt
jump from the Bank of China Tower. He also said that Cruise himself
was very satisfied with the Shanghai scenes.
Two requirements must be met before a foreign film is allowed
for release in China. First, the China Film Group Corporation
(CFGC) has to decide if a movie has market potential. Second, the
Film Bureau must vet the film for potentially controversial,
particularly political, content.
On average, China imports only 20 foreign films a year.
UPI's Chen said that M:i:III was originally scheduled
to hit Chinese mainland screens on May 5, but the production
company missed the censorship review period. CFGC has revealed that
other US blockbusters including Poseidon, Ice Age
2, Superman Returns will fill cinemas during the June
movie season. This means that even if M:i:III is allowed
in China, it will be shown only after July 10.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui, May 16, 2006)
