Avatar poster in China...
At a time when a great fuss is being made about Google’s sudden discovery of morality that has made them pull out of the Chinese market – it occurs to me that this apparent reaction in China to the film Avatar is suggestive. It is perhaps not the full frontal assaults of such ‘champions of freedom’ as American corporations or Western leaders lecturing their Chinese hosts about human rights that are going to bring down the Great Firewall of China, but rather the delicate tree-roots of mythology that connects all humanity…
(Incidentally, I wonder if the image shown here was selected because it resonates with a traditional ink and brush Chinese landscape painting?)
It is perhaps not the full frontal assaults of such ‘champions of freedom’ as American corporations or Western leaders lecturing their Chinese hosts about human rights that are going to bring down the Great Firewall of China, but rather the delicate tree-roots of mythology that connects all humanity…
This doesn’t surprise me. People will often reject what’s hammered at them via the media and commerce – or may accept it on a surface level but remain suspicious of the motives of those purveying it. They trust more the cultural connections that they find for themselves.
I have to say that I find that image much more attractive than the one I’ve seen used to promote the film here. Though from what I’ve read, I’m not so sure about seeing it at the cinema.
Have you seen this, by the way? http://chud.com/articles/articles/21969/1/PROJECT-880-THE-AVATAR-THAT-ALMOST-WAS/Page1.html
yup… and your link is very interesting…
Agreed with the link and the comment.
However, I can’t exactly stomach the idea of Avatar’s storyline being a sci-fi Pocahantus.
I think the movie’s managed to have a widespread appeal because it can contain various (bordering on mutually exclusive) perspectives. 1) Sci-Fi colonialism, capitalism (which the Chinese in your article were reacting to) 2) and Western heroism (where the “West” can pat itself on the back for having one moral character who does the right thing), and 3) sensual graphics. In HK the reaction has been equally crazy – but purely for the graphics. Across the board, people in HK are amazed at the graphics and entertainment quality (which is a bit disheartening actually).
can you elaborate on why exactly you can’t stomach it…?
your point about Western heroism is one I hadn’t really focused on – though I normally do, being a typical ‘wet liberal’ who is constantly angry a the arrogance of the West…
what do you find disheartening about people in HK being amazed by the graphics?
Since I specialized in East Asian Studies and did Sexual Diversity Studies, I have a tendency to look at relations of power that affect discourses. As such, I have an aversion to general popular media, which is still heavily influenced by (in nebulous terms) Western, white, heterosexual, patriarchal values. One of those tropes is that the white human male not only seduces the Other alien, he is somehow more qualified than the Other to defend the planet. Colonialism and the WW still have a huge lingering effect that many people do not recognize or acknowledge.
And I find the HK situation disheartening because it is another manifestation of their superficiality and materialism. It’s not just Avatar, but other movies, TV series, products, etc., that they judge purely for superficial gimics (graphics, costumes, speed of action plot, fight scenes) without regard to the story or meanings (or lack thereof) behind it. It is not even a subconscious unawareness (i.e. Joyce), but rather an outright neglect (the fact that they actively express their interest in graphics and action as “exciting” and dramatic stories as “too slow for HK tastes”). It’s not the admiration for graphics that is irritating, as the quality seems to be well accepted, but rather the lack of regard for the other factors.
as you can imagine, I too am not a great supporter of the ‘great white hope’… among other things, the Stone Dance is a direct assault on this; on colonialism, on any group of people feeling ‘more qualified’ than the Other…
as for what you say about HK attitudes, my impression is that you could spread this judgement to the rest of China – at least if many of the blockbusters coming out of the Mainland are anything to go by… Gorgeous and exhilarating as films like “Hero” and “Curse of the Golden Flower” are – I tend to find that I am left feeling empty after watching them – as if I’ve just consumed a sumptuous feast that provides zero calories… I do wonder if this reflects something of the lack of confidence that I think you may be talking about…?