The Chinese government has joined the line of those who would like to see Avatar sent to a distant planet. We have already seen the Vatican, the Marines, and even a Chicago Alderman pan the movie, here. The Chinese officials have a particular gripe with the movie. The heartless corporation supported by the military looks a lot like them and could lead to civil unrest.
Chinese officials are pulling the movie from theaters after many have made the connection between the struggling Na’vi and the many thousands of Chinese farmers who have been forced to leave their land to help developers. Then there is the massive environmental damage being done across China by companies and corrupt government officials. Take Avatar, drop the blue guys flying Toruks and add Mao and censorship and you have China.
The government has ordered the movie (which has been showing in 1,628 theaters across the country) to be pulled. Only the 3D version will be allowed (very few theaters can show 3D in China). They did not even opt to blame the danger to the health of the audience with a fatality in Taiwan and thousands complaining about motion sickness or depression.
As Jake Sully said in the film, “everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world, and in here is the dream.”
I do have a sequel in mind, however. It is called Chinatar. It is about a Chinese communist official who is sent to live among free people in the West to learn their ways in order to destroy them. He then comes to love freedom and wants to become one of them. Oh wait, I think someone has already done that . . .
It is rather interesting to see the Vatican, the Marines, and China opposing this movie.
I personally liked the movie, though the plot is a bit like Dancing With Wolves meets Star Wars VI. I am in Washington, so there were lobbyists and members of Congress in the audience rooting for the corporation to win but everyone seemed to love the film.
im sorry, but if this film reminds the chinese of the bad stuff they are doing, then instead of panning a film (that isnt even about them, but is about all humanity) then maybe they should stop doing bad stuff. simple. if u ask me, the film did its job, because it actually made someone feel guilty for what theyve done, they’re just not willing to accept responsibility for their actions and stop doing said things, ad would rather try and hide a film so as not to be reminded of how bad they are actuallt being. idiots. the human race has a lot of growing up to do if people arent willing to change their ways when made to face the bad stuff theyve done. in fact china, i think its quite pathetic.
First the Vatican and now the Chinese government. Got to see this movie!
Corporate was the enemy in Avatar. Its ironic that Murdoch, beneficiary of the film’s overwhelming success, has to eat the film’s freedom pie. Little wonder why his globalist pal, China, is so angry. Authoritarians simply hate freedom and independent thought. No wonder so many Conservatives hate Hollywood.
The only hopeful thing in this is that the Chinese are so heavy handed it may rebound to their detriment. Why can’t they be more like the US where the heavy hand of corporatist repression is so well disguised and the bread and circusses so soothing.
“It is rather interesting to see the Vatican, the Marines, and China opposing this movie.”
That is the gravamen of the case.
Well they did not limit all viewing. Just time, place and manner restrictions. Hey, whats wrong with that. We do it here.
War birds of a feather flock together. Meme-complexes behave that way.
http://powertoxins.blogspot.com/2009/12/territorial-realm-of-toxins-of-power.html