ChineseorNorthKoreans(gt;_lt;|||)

theMGMremakeof“RedDawn,”the1984ColdWardramaaboutaSovietinvasionofasmallWesterntown,thecompletedfilmmadetheinvadersChinese.Afterpotentialdistributorsexpressedconcernthatthiswouldlimittheiraccesstoanimportantmarket,andChinesewebsitespostedpicturesfromthesetofactorsposingasChinesetroops,thedecisionwasmadetodigitallyeraseChineseflagsandmilitarysymbols,andalterthedialoguetodepictmostoftheinvadersasNorthKoreans.AsMGMstrugglestorecoverfrombankruptcyandfindadistributorfor“RedDawn,”andastheydevelopthenextJamesBondsequeland“TheHobbit”–bothofwhichwouldbeexpectedtodowellinChinaifreleased–suchdigitallegerdemain,costinglessthan$1millionUSDwasseenasawisebusinessdecision.MGMnodoubtrememberswhenthestudiowasbannedfromdistributingfilmsinChinain1997afterthereleaseof“RedCorner,”oneofthreeHollywoodfilmsthatyearthatwereconsideredoffensivetoChina;Columbia/TristarandTouchstone/Disneyalsoenduredbansatthetimefor“SevenYearsinTibet”and“Kundun”.TheUseofFilmforPublicDiplomacy:WhyHollywoodMakesaStrongerCaseforChina|USCCenteronPublicDiplomacy(uscpublicdiplomacy.org)btwThechinesenameofthefilmisverystrange.