"Crouching Tiger", Glory Won: Hollywood Scheme?

"Crouching Tiger", Glory Won: Hollywood Scheme?

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The martial art film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" by Taiwan director Ang Lee has drawn wide attention as the first Chinese film that "wins" Oscar awards. Along with a heap of Western titles bestowed it was granted four Oscar awards including "Best Foreign Film", and the news has sparked a hot debate among Chinese worldwide.

Some comments laud the film as "an Oscar winner leading Chinese films marching onto world film arena. Its victory not only belongs to the film itself but also to all Chinese worldwide, not only to film makers across the Taiwan Straits but also to Chinese culture as a whole".

Other voices are also heard: "The film can in no way touch us Chinese. How can you call those clumsy fights Chinese martial arts by those yellow faces long out of contact with a life back in China? How can you call it Oriental when it is forged by a Hollywood wire rope and seasoned with a little willy-nilly flirting? Especially those swinging pig tails, nothing but a shame to Chinese Gongfu. "

Here the author is by no means intended to lay down any comment on the film, for people are always split on whatever films put on show, neither will he pick on the entertainment-characterized yet mercenary Oscar awards with financial benefits at the core. But a thing is worthy to be noted. According to an article carried not long ago on the popular American newspaper "USA Today", Hollywood films are losing their former ground -- audience, an American audience once most devoted. A decreased number of film viewers have been seen in the past four years. In 2000, American movie-goers further decreased by 2 percent over the previous year. Sitting in cars to watch films has been a thing of the past, and no more than 70 percent of seats are occupied in updated cinemas. Now giants of Hollywood films are greatly worried about the huge loss of American viewers.

Hong Kong news media point out that the awards went to "Crouching Tiger" are results of deep consideration by American film companies. For them, the film serves as a touchstone for entry into Chinese markets. China must open its film markets with its impending WTO membership and these are great opportunities for them.

Combining the above two messages we must be aware of the fact: Facing a decreased Western audience Hollywood's film giants have come to eye on China's huge market potential, and their preparatory work takes the form of granting awards to "Crouching Tiger". At the same time, Summer M. Redstone, Chairman and CEO of Viacom Inc, the world second media company, has been on a China tour to promote his "globalization", while "Crouching Tiger" was practically made by Columbia Pictures, a company under Viacom.

To conclude, glossy grand international awards in some people's eyes are nothing but cards in the hands of media giants. The so-called "Oriental play on Western stage" is but one-sided wish.



By PD Online staff member Li Heng