China bans time travel for television

[galvatron]

China bans time travel for television
Hong Kong, China (CNN) – China has been cracking down on dissent of late, as the recent detainment of artist Ai Weiwei suggests.

But the latest guidance on television programming from the State Administration of Radio Film and Television in China borders on the surreal – or, rather, an attack against the surreal.

New guidelines issued on March 31 discourage plot lines that contain elements of "fantasy, time-travel, random compilations of mythical stories, bizarre plots, absurd techniques, even propagating feudal superstitions, fatalism and reincarnation, ambiguous moral lessons, and a lack of positive thinking."

“The government says … TV dramas shouldn’t have characters that travel back in time and rewrite history. They say this goes against Chinese heritage,” reports CNN’s Eunice Yoon. “They also say that myth, superstitions and reincarnation are all questionable.”

The Chinese censors seem to be especially sensitive these days. But for the television and film industry, such strictures would seem to eliminate any Chinese version of “Star Trek,” “The X-Files,” “Quantum Leap” or “Dr. Who.” And does that mean rebroadcast of huge Hollywood moneymakers like “Back to the Future” and the “Terminator” series are now forbidden?


These guidelines will certainly add a creative challenge to Chinese writers, producers and directors. CNN.com’s Dean Irvine wondered how some classic time travel films might be re-imagined minus the time travel:

“Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure”

Two California dudes meet a strange man who used to be a stand-up comic and who directs them to a phone box near the Circle K. They don't travel back in time to find answers for their end of year report; instead the pair make crank calls for 90 minutes and flunk out of school. Wyld Stallyns remain a crap garage band.

“Back to the Future”

Poor Marty McFly, no “Enchantment Under the Sea” dance for him - instead he gets caught up in a local eccentric's plutonium smuggling ring. After witnessing his death at the hands of terrorists, McFly is forced to change his identity and move away from Hill Valley. (At least he escapes his Oedipal complex.)

“The Time Traveler’s Wife”

Despite being told not to talk to strangers, a young Clare Abshire meets a peculiar naked man when out playing in the fields near her family's country estate. A traumatizing experience, she grows up only able to have dysfunctional relationships with men who have a nasty habit of disappearing or running away from her.

“12 monkeys”

Bruce Willis doesn't travel back to Baltimore from a Terry Gilliam post-apocalyptic future – he is just a loony.

link
http://business.blogs.cnn.com/2011/0...vision/?hpt=C2


Do this mean China will ban TVB serial A step into the past ,Journey to the West and Raymond lam upcoming Return to 3 Kingdom?

what about the main china serial start by Kevin Cheng in Bu Bu Jing Xin (步步惊心),is this drama banned in China?

[kidd]

So no more remake of 'Liao Zhai'.

If this is really true, I pity the producer of 'Bu Bu Jing Xin'. How to recoup production cost like this?

I wonder if this series will be banned too.

http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic...d-of-swordman/

[Ken Cheng]

China is sure picking a strange time to go retro on Maoism and Cultural Revolution-era attitudes.

[Dirt]

The only people authorized to rewrite history in the PRC is the Communist Party.

[ByTmE]

One of my favorite genres...oh...I am more than a little upset..

[Plushie]

China is sure picking a strange time to go retro on Maoism and Cultural Revolution-era attitudes.

Not a strange time. It's the 90th anniversary of the creation of the party. There is a huge slew of pro-communist, and nationalistic dramas being released this year. Production companies are also being encouraged to film more of them.

Honestly I think this is being blown up out of proportions. The dramas such as Return to 3 Kingdoms and Bu Bu Jing Xin have already been approved for production so it's kinda stupid for them to be hit with the ban hammer now. The announcement was more of a warning to future productions but not an outright ban. The only thing I can foresee dramas like BBJX having problems with is finding a good broadcasting station. Due to the warning, many stations may be more reluctant to pick such dramas up in the near future.

[Guo Xiang]

China TV is going to be so boring now.

[devilz91]

That's too bad, some of the best dramas are in this genre.

[wkeej]

New guidelines issued on March 31 discourage plot lines that contain elements of "fantasy, time-travel, random compilations of mythical stories, bizarre plots, absurd techniques, even propagating feudal superstitions, fatalism and reincarnation, ambiguous moral lessons, and a lack of positive thinking."

“The government says … TV dramas shouldn’t have characters that travel back in time and rewrite history. They say this goes against Chinese heritage,” reports CNN’s Eunice Yoon. “They also say that myth, superstitions and reincarnation are all questionable.”

The Chinese censors seem to be especially sensitive these days. But for the television and film industry, such strictures would seem to eliminate any Chinese version of “Star Trek,” “The X-Files,” “Quantum Leap” or “Dr. Who.” And does that mean rebroadcast of huge Hollywood moneymakers like “Back to the Future” and the “Terminator” series are now forbidden?

Then, what will be shown? News? Sports? National anthem? All with positive thinking?

[Trien Chieu]

Not a big fan of this genre, but this is ridiculous. I don't see how this genre can negatively affect china whatsoever.

[Ken Cheng]

Then, what will be shown? News? Sports? National anthem? All with positive thinking?

They can take a cue from U.S. television and go all stupid reality TV.

[Trien Chieu]

They can take a cue from U.S. television and go all stupid reality TV.

Some of the Reality TV are among the best shows. Did you try "The First 48", "Cold case files", "The parking War", "Judge Judy", "Judge Hatchet", "Judge Joe Brown", "Jerry Springer", "Maury" and other documentaries of how investigators solving crimes?

[Dimeron]

I got this information from another blog, and after looking at the sources I'm pretty sure this is bogus. It took a misinterpreted source from qq news. It is really about some minister or another being displeased that after the success of 《宫》(great series BTW), a lot of inferior copy cats popped out to ride the popularity train. Nothing about banning time travel TV series.

It was also about something dealing with series that gets prime time slots and the ones that doesn't.

http://www.sarft.gov.cn/articles/201...820680073.html
http://news.qq.com/a/20110402/000116.htm

The source is in Chinese, if you can't read it just plug it into google translate or something.

When there are this kind of silly sensationalist news about China (or really, any news about China that is from a free source), take it with a grain of salt.

[kidd]

I read in my local newspaper today. Beside banning fantasy time travel series, China is also banning further adaptation of the 4 Great Classics. The reason given is the same. The news is about fan worrying whether Stephen Chow will be able to continue filming is planned 'Journey to the West' adaptation.

[shortsight]

That's too bad for the kids. No more doraemon aka xiao ding dang in China.

[kidd]

http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic...es-inspection/

Stephen Chow Passes Inspection

In recent years, many film and television series had time travel as its subject. The Mainland inevitably had exactly the same work that promoted superstition, fate and reincarnation. Reportedly the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television earlier issued an notice that after February, nearly 30 time traveling projects were rejected. Yesterday rumors from the Mainland said that four great classics DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER, ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS, WATER MARGIN and JOURNEY TO THE WEST have become off limits to prevent film and television work to twist the subjects around, like turning the Red Chamber into a brothel and Piggy falling for the Veritable Monk Tang.

The new policy reminded people of the yet to start production Stephen Chow Sing Chi production CHINESE ODYSSEY. Star Overseas said that the film has already passed inspection so it should not be affected. The Donnie Yen Chi Tan starred THE LOST BLADESMAN (GUAN WON CHEUNG) and the Nicholas Tse Ting Fung and Charlene Choi Cheuk Yin starred time traveling film GIM HUP CHING YUEN (SWORDSMAN ROMANCE) all successfully caught the last train!

Yen Chi Tan said, "The four great classics contain Chinese culture that many Chinese people are familiar with. Turning them into movies can spread Chinese culture. I hope it's not true, otherwise it would be quite regrettable." Reportedly Raymond Wong Pak Ming was interested in making LAM CHUNG JUEN (LAM CHUNG LEGEND). Wong Pak Ming said, "LAM hasn't even been prepared, but I heard the subject restriction only applies to television series. It should have nothing to do with movies."

Source: HK Morning

[Ken Cheng]

"50 years without change" my Chinese yellow a$$.

C'mon, you Beijing butchers! Bring it!

[Dirt]

That's too bad for the kids. No more doraemon aka xiao ding dang in China.

The Communist Party would probably ban that just based on it being Japanese.

[Trien Chieu]

China is sure picking a strange time to go retro on Maoism and Cultural Revolution-era attitudes.

It will take another few decades if not centuries in order for China to completely get rid of Marxism.

[kowalskil]

It will take another few decades if not centuries in order for China to completely get rid of Marxism.

Unfortunately, this is true.

Ludwik Kowalski (see Wikipedia)