American Association for Chinese Studies (全美中国研究 协会) • Taiwan Studies, Henry M
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• American Association for Chinese Studies (全美中国研究 协会) • Taiwan Studies, Henry M. China’s Use of Film in Jackson School of International Its Pursuit of Soft Studies Power: Structural • University of Washington and Self-Imposed • October 4-6, 2019 Limits in China’s Competition with Hollywood • Stanley Rosen • Professor of Political Science • University of Southern California, USA FILM NOT KEY ISSUE FOR CHINA’S SOFT POWER • China spends well over $10 billion a year on Soft Power projection, but until Donald Trump, has not been as successful as the U.S., which spends very little; Why? • In the age of Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, is Chinese Soft Power still weaker than America’s? Soft Power and Favorability ratings • In China’s hierarchy of values, INFLUENCING the behavior of other countries more important than Soft Power; Soft Power is sacrificed at times • Chinese Soft Power is often focused on the DOMESTIC AUDIENCE since political and social stability, as well as patriotism, are higher values to China • Enhancing Soft Power is a long-term goal; developing countries and Chinese diaspora currently a priority; Silk Road Schools and China Cultural Centers • Measuring Soft Power linked to continuation of “liberal international order” • Success of creative individual Chinese will be claimed as success of China • CONTRADICTIONS in Chinese policies; they want to do many things at the same time; contradictions in state-sanctioned (“socialist core values”) and individual VALUE SYSTEMS • Chinese and American DREAMS competing at home and abroad • Chinese soft power most successful when it’s generated by individuals; political/governmental direct promotion diminishes soft power impact Key Conclusions要论(1) • China’s lack of transparency on film censorship and other issues has damaged its soft power 中国电影审查透明度的缺失及其他问题对软实力皆有损坏。 • Chinese films are first and foremost made for the domestic market, realizing they have little chance on the international market 中国电影首要为国内市场制作,意 识到在国际市场没有发展机会。 • Optimism about Chinese films in North America and Europe was highest from 2001- 2006, following the success of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (卧虎藏龙) and other martial arts films 对中国电影在北美, 欧洲市场的表现所持的乐观态度在2001-2006间由于‘卧虎藏 龙’等一系列武侠片的成功而达最甚。 • Chinese influence was poised to increase in 2016 and early 2017, until derailed by capital controls in China and pushback by U.S. government 在2016-2017年初,中国影响持续发展,直到中国开始实施资本管制、美国政府 干扰,发展受到牵制。 • Unsuccessful strategies: 1. Using famous American actors; 2. Box office blockbusters (e.g., comedies and “patriotic” films) appeal only to Chinese students and others originally from China, not Westerners 并不成功的策略:1. 用有名的美国演员; 2. 票房大片 (喜剧和‘爱国’影片)只能吸引在美中国学生等国人观众,西方观众 并不买账。 Key Conclusions要论 (2) • Those co-productions that work in both markets are more Hollywood films than Chinese films (e.g., “The Meg” (巨齿鲨); Hollywood films make a better case for China than China’s own films 那些在中美都有市场的合拍片更像好莱坞大片,而不像中国片(比如‘巨 齿鲨), 好莱坞大片比中国自己的片更能展现中国。 • Arthouse films do well in film festivals, not at box office [“A Touch of Sin,” 天注定], and often show the negative side of China 艺术片在电影节表现有力,但票房难成 (比如‘天注定’),而且经常揭露 中国的负面情况。 • Animation is probably China’s best hope 动画片可能是中国最大希望。 • Hollywood films about China or Chinese people that are box office hits influence China’s overseas image more than China’s own films (e.g., “Crazy Rich Asians,” 摘金奇缘) 有一定票房成绩的关于中国或中国人的好莱坞电影对中国海外形象的影响比中国 电影大。 • Fan Bingbing (范冰冰) and other cases show the government has higher priorities than overseas film success; Fan was China’s most effective representative internationally 范冰冰等其他案件显示: 相比国产片在海外的成功,政府有更需优先考虑的事项; 范冰冰曾是最有国际影响力的代表。 • Domestic market for Chinese films now far better than Hollywood imports; who needs the overseas market? 国内市场对国产片来说远比对好莱坞进口片好;谁还需要海外市场? Worldwide Box Office All-Time (1) Rank Title Studio Worldwide Domestic / % Overseas / % Year 1 Avengers: Endgame BV $2,796.3 $723.7 30.7% $1,765.9 69.3% 2019 2 Avatar Fox $2,788.0 $760.5 27.3% $2,027.5 72.7% 2009 3 Titanic Par. $2,187.5 $659.4 30.1% $1,528.1 69.9% 1997 4 Star Wars: The Force Awakens BV $2,068.2 $936.7 45.3% $1,131.6 54.7% 2015 5 Avengers: Infinity War BV $2,048.4 $678.8 33.1% $1,369.5 66.9% 2018 6 Jurassic World Uni. $1,671.7 $652.3 39.0% $1,019.4 61.0% 2015 7 The Lion King BV $1,631.6 $538.1 33.0% $1.093 67.0% 2019 8 Marvel's The Avengers BV $1,518.8 $623.4 41.0% $895.5 59.0% 2012 9 Furious 7 Uni. $1,516.0 $353.0 23.3% $1,163.0 76.7% 2015 10 Avengers: Age of Ultron BV $1,405.4 $459.0 32.7% $946.4 67.3% 2015 11 Black Panther BV $1,346.9 $700.1 52.0% $646.9 48.0% 2018 Harry Potter and the Deathly 12 WB $1,341.7 $381.2 28.4% $960.5 71.6% 2011 Hallows Part 2 Worldwide Box Office All-Time (2) 13 Star Wars: The Last Jedi BV $1,332.5 $620.2 46.5% $712.4 53.5% 2017 14 Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Uni. $1,309.5 $417.7 31.9% $891.8 68.1% 2018 15 Frozen BV $1,276.5 $400.7 31.4% $875.7 68.6% 2013 16 Beauty and the Beast (2017) BV $1,263.5 $504.0 39.9% $759.5 60.1% 2017 17 Incredibles 2 BV $1,242.8 $608.6 49.0% $634.2 51.0% 2018 18 The Fate of the Furious Uni. $1,236.0 $226.0 18.3% $1,010.0 81.7% 2017 19 Iron Man 3 BV $1,214.8 $409.0 33.7% $805.8 66.3% 2013 20 Minions Uni. $1,159.4 $336.0 29.0% $823.4 71.0% 2015 21 Captain America: Civil War BV $1,153.3 $408.1 35.4% $745.2 64.6% 2016 22 Aquaman WB $1,147.8 $335.1 29.2% $812.7 70.8% 2018 23 Spider-Man: Far From Home Sony $1,305.5 $389.8 34.5% $740.7 65.5% 2019 24 Captain Marvel BV $1,128.3 $423.8 37.8% $700.8 62.% 2019 ONLY FILM IN TOP 100 NOT FROM HOLLYWOOD NO. 69 ON THE ALL-TIME LIST Wolf 69 HC $870.3 $2.7 0.3% $867.6 99.7% 2017 WarrIor 2 Total Lifetime Grosses Wolf Warrior 2 in North America Domestic: $2,721,100 0.3% + Foreign: $867,604,339 99.7% “Wolf Warrior 2” • Leng Feng, a former special forces operative, is on a one-man mission to save Chinese nationals and innocent locals from local rebels and mercenaries in a generic African country. In the film’s trailer, a jeep trawls through a green savannah, passing two lions. African workers dancing around a bonfire at an apparently Chinese-financed factory are attacked by white mercenaries. A busy throughway in a market town comes under fire. Leng, armed with a knife and his martial arts skills, arrives at a compound, telling its occupants, “I’m here to save you.” In China, an Action Hero Beats Box Office Records (and Arrogant Westerners) [NY Times, 8/17/2017] • China’s new favorite action hero single- handedly routs pirates off the African coast in undersea combat. He wakes up fit to fight after nearly dying from a flesh-eating plague. He wields guns galore, poison arrows and a tank to wipe out the mercenaries led by the villainous Big Daddy, a swaggering, sneering American soldier of fortune. • In the end, what saves the hero of • years under Xi Jinping. Xi has “Wolf Warrior 2,” is a Chinese flag promoted a spirit of hawkish patriotism and warned that Western wrapped around his arm. forces want to bully China into • The success of the film is being seen in submission. China as a pointer to the national • “Whoever offends the Chinese will be mood after almost five wiped out no matter how far away,” goes an ancient phrase used to promote Leng Feng in two movies so far. China’s Pretty Boys Find a New Gig: Propaganda Films [A. Qin, NY Times, 8/8/2017] • Commissioned by the government to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army, it was meant to be a patriotic tale about the young soldiers who served their country in its earliest days. • But when it came time to find actors to play some of the Communist Party’s most venerated military commanders, the filmmakers behind “The Founding of an Army” (建军大业) made an unusual — some say • on Weibo, a microblogging site. disrespectful — casting decision: They piled on • “Who is this effeminate boy who can hardly the “little fresh meat (小鲜肉)”. stand up straight playing my grandfather?” • Chinese producers have taken to casting xiao Mr. Ye added, referring to Oho Ou (欧豪), xian rou as a strategy for attracting young the 24-year-old actor and singer who plays moviegoers. the army officer. “Who are you trying to humiliate?” • “Someone is trying to make a fortune off these important historical events,” Ye Daying, a • Despite the outrage over casting, many grandson of Ye Ting, a Communist military critics have come to the defense of the xiao commander, wrote xian rou, arguing that their participation helped make young people interested in their history. Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) Week 2019 ”ONLY THE COMMUNIST PARTY CAN SAVE THE EARTH” [“The Wandering Earth”] In many ways, the film can be interpreted as a parable of the Chinese government’s idea of multilateralism. The Chinese heroes trying to save the world are always seeking the partnership of foreigners in the film, just as Chinese officials always talk about joining hands with other countries to solve global problems and reach “win-win” outcomes.