NR | 1h 4m | Documentary, Film, Politics | March 8, 2024 (USA)
While China began banning foreign films in the early 20th century, with the increase in foreign trade, it began to allow some films to be shown. The CCP didn’t begin wielding its considerable “global exhibition muscle” in earnest until 1997 (more on that below). In 2008, just after the first Beijing Olympics and under the supervision of then-Chinese leader Hu Jintao, the CCP stepped up its game to full-blown censorship and manipulation of foreign films, particularly those produced in the United States.
It’s Never Going to Stop
Hosted by NTD news anchor Tiffany Meier, “Takeover” expertly examines the CCP’s ever-increasing influence over the U.S. film industry, and how and why that’s never likely to stop. The CCP’s principal concern is content that goes against, in the slightest manner, its social and political directives.For instance, the 2012 movie “Looper” met resistance because of its time travel subplot, which, in the opinion of the CCP, could change events in the past and future, a big no-no. The CCP overlooked the time travel component and gave the film its “blessing” only after the film made clear that living in China in the future was better than living in France, and if a role for rising Chinese actress Xu Qing was added to the story. This was done, as was the inclusion of Ms. Xu’s image on the Chinese advertising poster and not on the American versions.
There are many other examples of other CCP demands presented in “Takeover,” but three are worth noting here; two are in Tom Cruise movies.
CCP Control
In “Mission: Impossible III” (2006), Mr. Cruise’s character runs on rooftops of Shanghai homes where drying laundry is shown. The CCP didn’t want it to look like its citizens couldn’t afford dryers, so the images of the laundry were digitally removed from the final print.In the trailer for “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022), there is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it image of the back of Maverick’s bomber jacket as seen in the first film where flag patches of Taiwan and Japan appeared. They were removed at the request of the CCP-controlled Tencent Pictures. After Tencent backed out of the production, the images were reinstated.
In addition to direct intervention, the CCP has the power to censor films in other countries. The most recent example of CCP intervention of note was “Barbie” (2023), in which the title character stands in front of a map of Southeast Asia that depicts the Chinese “nine-dash line,” a purely fictional image of what the CCP mistakenly believes to be part of the Chinese empire. As a result of the map’s inclusion, “Barbie” was banned in Vietnam.
One of the more egregious examples of attempted CCP censorship isn’t included here. In 2019, Shannon Lee, who was raised in Hong Kong, voiced her displeasure with how her late father Bruce Lee was depicted in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019).
Pitt, Scorsese, and Gere
Speaking of Mr. Pitt, in 1997, he starred in one of three films targeted by the CCP. Because of the inclusion of a Dalai Lama character, “Seven Years in Tibet” (Columbia) and Martin Scorsese’s “Kundun” (Disney) were banned. As a result, Mr. Pitt and Mr. Scorsese were both prohibited from visiting China for 10 years. Because of its unflattering depiction of the CCP justice system, the third title, “Red Corner,” (MGM/UA) starring outspoken Tibetan activist Richard Gere, was also banned.Making sure the issuing studios got the message, the CCP temporarily banned all films from these studios. During a 2020 testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Mr. Gere opined that because of the CCP clampdown, none of the aforementioned 1997 titles would ever be made today, and he was right.
Dwarfing what happened to Mr. Pitt, Mr. Scorsese, and Mr. Gere is what happened to Christian Bale. After showing public support for blind Chinese lawyer and civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng, the CCP banned all of Mr. Bale’s films.
Perhaps the most illuminating portion of the production are the interviews with Chris Fenton, a self-admitted “diplomat” between the Hollywood machine and the CCP. A man who started at the bottom of the industry food chain, Mr. Fenton worked his way up and ultimately facilitated content and production terms between studios and the CCP.
As someone who believes the majority of TV and film productions often overstay their welcomes with extraneous padding and filler, “Takeover” only made me want more content. I strongly feel a follow-up sequel or part two is in order.
