MovieChat Forums > Mei ren yu (2016) Discussion > Non-bare-breasted mermaids

Non-bare-breasted mermaids

posted 8 years ago by gds555
21 replies | jump to latest

As someone with a longstanding interest in China, I like to follow the Chinese cinema in its less silly and stupid manifestations, and I'm even willing to put up with a bit of silliness and stupidity as long as the Chinese film in question has some substantial redeeming charm. But I just can't deal with the intellectual dishonesty of a mermaid film having non-bare-breasted mermaids, which I gather from the trailers I've seen, and the Parents' Guide, is the case with this one.

A properly done mainstream mermaid film could set records for both quantity and non-gratuitousness of nudity in mainstream cinema; and if it were done in 3-D, as The Mermaid is, it could set records for nudity in non-porn 3-D cinema as well. Is it possible that some European or American filmmakers might someday attempt such a thing?

I realize that the point of The Mermaid is its comedy and its political commentary, and I also realize that mainstream Chinese cinema isn't ready for the superabundance of bare breasts that a more physiologically honest mermaid film would require. Even so, I just can't deal with this. I think I'm going to have to skip this movie.

[–] TotheWatersandtheWild 8 years ago



~
Hate is a lack of imagination.― Graham Greene
🐉

[–] skreebert 8 years ago

What? :(

[–] stmalaysia 8 years ago

I wonder what the OP think about Japenese people speaking to each other in English in "Memoirs of Geisha" or seeing a human flying around in those Hollywood movies ?

[–] gds555 8 years ago

stmalaysia: I don't have a problem with dramas where the characters speak in the language of the audience (such as English) rather than in the native language of the characters (such as Japanese). It's an almost entirely harmless convention that has a lot of practical advantages. I'm also totally fine with subtitled movies, which I've seen a ton of, in dozens of different languages. (I would never see a dubbed movie, though.)

As for movies with flying humans, I regard them as foolish, and I would never waste my time going to one. Actually, I regard mermaid movies as foolish also, and I wouldn't go to see one unless there were something extremely good and/or noteworthy about it. As far as I can see, The Mermaid doesn't come up to that standard.

I don't regard covering the breasts of mermaids as an acceptable form of artistic license. Rather, I regard it as a form of artistic pusillanimity.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (50223210) 8 years ago

One of the silliest reasons I've heard to not see a movie. There is enough nudity in movies as it is... I was actually pleased that the movie is being done in this way. Can't wait to see it!

[–] sneak64 8 years ago

One of the silliest reasons I've heard to not see a movie. There is enough nudity in movies as it is... I was actually pleased that the movie is being done in this way. Can't wait to see it!

I totally agree with this statement.

[–] gds555 8 years ago

!!!deleted!!! (50223210): I wouldn't agree with your blanket statement that there's enough nudity in movies as it is. Rather, I'd say that there's too much gratuitous nudity, but not enough non-gratuitous nudity. Bare-breasted mermaids would fall into the latter category.

Why would you be pleased that The Mermaid covers its mermaids' breasts? Maybe you need to go to a topless or nude beach, or a nudist resort, and try to get over your problems with accepting the female form.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (50223210) 8 years ago

Wow, we definitely disagree. Gratuitous or non-gratuitous... nudity is nudity and there's PLENTY of it out there.

I am pleased at the way the movie is being done because I don't need to see breasts to know they are there. And I prefer not seeing people naked. MY PREFERENCE. So I happen to enjoy movies that do not feel the need to display nudity in order to tell the story.

No, I do not need to go topless or EVER visit a nude beach and I don't have a problem accepting the female form. I know what women look like naked, I'm married to one, but i just don't care to view others naked, male or female, unless it is my partner.

Maybe you should get some help overcoming your need to be so judgmental of views that differ from your own.

[–] gds555 8 years ago

!!!deleted!!! (50223210): I notice that in your third paragraph you first state that you "do not need to go topless" (i.e., at a topless or nude beach, per my suggestion), implying that you're a woman; but then immediately afterwards you state that you "know what women look like naked" because you're "married to one". But if you're really a woman--and therefore presumably one married to another woman--why wouldn't your knowing what women look like naked stem primarily from just looking in the mirror?

I wonder whether you momentarily got confused about whether the fake online persona for your post was supposed to be that of a woman or that of a man.

[–] AdmiralRaddus 8 years ago

Even Disney's Pirates had (albeit obscured) bare breasted mermaids.
However since they're fantasy creatures anyway, who cares how they're dressed.

Damn you Lindelof!

[–] jesusofjonesboro 8 years ago

Jelly Lin has one of the loveliest faces on the planet. Who needs to see her breasts?

jj

"But for now, rest well and dream of large women."

[–] Nan00k 8 years ago

*raises hand*But OP, I'm having a hard time recalling a single mainstream Chinese movie with nudity in it. Are there any? Pretty sure they're somewhere between India and the US, but closer to the former, in movie Puritanism. Jeez, the climactic kiss was close-mouthed... ---It wants no straps. - Karlhttp://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000024/nest/158601447

[–] gds555 8 years ago

There's been a small amount of frontal nudity (I assume we can agree that dorsal nudity doesn't really count) in Chinese cinema, though perhaps some or all of those films were outside the mainstream in one way or another, and perhaps some or all of them belonged to a period of innovation and experimentation that's largely over now. Red Cherry (Hóng Yīngtáo) (1996) is one example that springs to mind.

[–] yizhihb 8 years ago

Lust, Cation got Tang Wei banned from making movies in China for several years because it was sensual and there were a few full-nude scenes. It was an extremely well-done movie in my opinion. Very passionate. Still, it doesn't matter. There's practically zero tolerance for nudity in China. Chinese dramas have been removed mid release to be edited and released at a later date. That's just how it is. I'm seriously shocked at the ignorance of the OP's post. This is such an ignorant thread lol.

一只HB

[–] gds555 8 years ago

yizhihb: I'm not ignorant about current mainstream Chinese cinema, nor about what you rightly refer to as its "practically zero tolerance for nudity". Note that, in my original post, I said "I also realize that mainstream Chinese cinema isn't ready for the superabundance of bare breasts that a more physiologically honest mermaid film would require". I can see now that I phrased that point in an understated way that was liable to be misunderstood: what I should've said was "I also realize that, given that the current mainstream Chinese cinema is hardly ready for even a single bare breast, it certainly isn't ready for the superabundance of bare breasts that a physiologically honest mermaid film would require".

I also didn't explain the conclusion of my thinking clearly enough. I didn't mean to suggest that, in 2016, the makers of The Mermaid could've succeeded in making a bare-breasted mermaid movie just by being courageous and confrontational; rather, what I was trying to imply was that (1) the mainstream Chinese cinema should've just waited however many decades were necessary until they could make a proper, bare-breasted mermaid movie, and (2) just because The Mermaid has been made now, with its mermaids wearing silly cloth coverings, that doesn't mean I have to like it or go see it.

[–] bthrock 8 years ago

Yes, because everyone knows that REALmermaids love toplessness.

[–] yizhihb 8 years ago

If you knew absolutely anything about China/the Chinese film industry, you'd realize how ignorant you are. Not to mention this is not that kind of mermaid movie, so you're also ridiculously ignorant there. It's a light-hearted comedy for 17-30 year olds, mostly college students. There's no "superabundance of bare breasts" to be ready for. That kind of thing is just not acceptable in China. If you have an interest in China, I'd suggest you live here to figure out what it's about. Actually, I suggest you don't because there are enough ignorant foreigners here who think China is a cheap playground. I also get weird vibes from you; I'm pretty sure you're bummed this movie isn't showing you a beautiful Chinese girl bearing her breasts.

I really hate tearing into someone on these boards, but you truly deserve it. I'm pretty sure that the second-highest grossing movie of this year won't miss your watching it for free online.

一只HB

[–] joegerardi-1 8 years ago

<<If you have an interest in China, I'd suggest you live here to figure out what it's about.>>

Ni shi dui de.

I've been to China, and it's not the playground people might think it is. (Well, maybe Shanghai and Hong Kong, but that's another matter.)

I'm not Chinese, but I get it: Chinese are an ultra-conservative people, and nudity for nudity's sake isn't tolerated en masse.

If there's a good reason for it, some will be allowed and accepted: the director has to prove it's a good reason.

..Joe