I hear conflicting information about this. I know Ju Dou and the novel of Houzhe was originally banned, but was this movie adaptation?
Did Yimou Zhang actually get banned from making movies for 2 years due to this film? I heard from another source that he was only banned from making movies with Gong Li?
And if they are true, when did the ban lift?
Thanks alot :)
im not sure but i think itwas banned in China. THe movie was made in Taiwan so ido not know if there was a banning from making movies..
but i could be wrong
The ban was lifted in 1993(?). Before that time, all of Zhang Yimou's films were banned from mainland China. However, after pressure from abroad, China finally permitted the showing of Raise the Red Lantern, To Live and one other movie I can't remember at the moment, in China.
shareBut, it should be noted that most people in China have not seen it. The Chinese government has not changed its stance that the movies are "Questionable," and most Chinese people will not watch them based on that.
I have a few friends in China, and not one has seen it... those that have even HEARD of Zhang Yimou have nothing good to say about him.
Censorship is alive and well in China... but over time, even that may fade.
wow, weird... all my friends in china have seen it. "banned" movies are sold on every bootleg video stand there. and i get the feeling that movies in china "try" to get banned, so more people would watch it. maybe it's different in different cities there...
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Yeah, most people like relatives and friends I know have seen this too. And they adore Zhang Yimou. You know he got picked to direct the Beijing 2008 opening ceremonies right?
They liked it, but they think badly about the government because of it, because they know the governmet now is different.
As I recall, it was banned and Zhang Yimou was prohibited from
making any further foreign co-productions. Although this was
obviously overturned by Shanghai Triad which was made with France.
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If they didn't ban it, I wouldn't be surprised if the government did a little ... personal editing.
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First of all, Zhang Yimou WAS banned from making movies for two years after it was released. Second, it's not a "stupid marketing ploy" as you say...Zhang Yimou was even prohibited from talking about the movie and China did not endorse its submission to Cannes. Apparently your knowledge of China is limited as well. And don't bother trying to convince me how China is not a "big brother" society...you'll be wasting your breath.
shareI might be wrong, here, probably am, but my understanding about the troubles with "To Live" were based, not so much on its content, but the fact that Zhang Yimou brokered the international distribution rights without the permission of the Chinese Government or a government Watch Dog to do it for him. Doing it on his own ruffled a lot of feathers and was not the politically correct thing for him to do and that's what landed him in hot water.
Any truth to this perspective?
PAX...
Not that I'm aware, but who knows. I have always read that the content was the main issue...this isn't his only film to have been scrutinized by the Chinese government
shareIf it was, it's definitly been lifted now. The newer generation probably hasn't seen this movie, but everyone between the age of 40-60 probably has. My parents saw it and loved it. They didn't see it in China, though. They saw it at some Chinese Student Association film viewing at the University of Illinois.
shareAh...another one: China is one of 13 countries cited for internet censorship...what an open society
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