Movies: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - September 3rd, 2021

DoyleG

Reality sucks, Princesses!
Dec 29, 2008
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Chinese literally complained about Simu Liu "not looking Chinese enough". This ain't pandering. They would've changed the actor if they were.

You mean to recast him because he was too ugly in the minds of Chinese.

That's a huge difference that you may not understand.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
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Ottawa, ON
You mean to recast him because he was too ugly in the minds of Chinese.

That's a huge difference that you may not understand.

It's not unprecedented.

star-wars-china-poster-controversy.jpg
 

DoyleG

Reality sucks, Princesses!
Dec 29, 2008
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It's not unprecedented.

Yes, let's use a irrelevant example to explain why Chinese were wanting him replaced.

Simu Liu Shuts Down Critics Who Say He’s ‘Too Ugly’ to Play Marvel’s Shang-Chi

It was Chinese who were complaining, not Chinese-Canadians or Chinese-Americans. They expect the Chinese hero to be handsome. That was the "controversy" that Jussi used to deflect.

A proper use of you example is Simu Liu being kicked off Kim's Convenience because he's a Chinese actor playing a Korean character.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
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It was Chinese who were complaining, not Chinese-Canadians or Chinese-Americans. They expect the Chinese hero to be handsome. That was the "controversy" that Jussi used to deflect.

What are you talking about?

He's saying that the fact that they cast an actor of Chinese descent who is not perceived as "attractive" by Chinese audiences proves that they aren't pandering to China specifically with respect to the film.
 

DoyleG

Reality sucks, Princesses!
Dec 29, 2008
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What are you talking about?

He's saying that the fact that they cast an actor of Chinese descent who is not perceived as "attractive" by Chinese audiences proves that they aren't pandering to China specifically with respect to the film.

Chinese actor playing good guy.

Bad guy edited to meet demands to release in a Chinese market.

Yes, that's pandering.

BTW, you didn't prove that Boyega was impersonating a Chinese character
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
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BTW, you didn't prove that Boyega was impersonating a Chinese character

The point was that they drastically reduced the profile of the black character in marketing for the film in China.

I agree that there is precedent for pandering to China.

DoyleG said:
Chinese actor playing good guy.

Bad guy edited to meet demands to release in a Chinese market.

Yes, that's pandering.

I question whether casting Liu is part of that. He's not a famous Chinese actor and apparently doesn't appear to be all that appealing to Chinese audiences.

Changing Fu Manchu is not about pandering because he's just a racist stereotype, period.

If they redid the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's", would it be pandering to Japan if they changed the character played by Mickey Rooney?

 
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Osprey

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Feb 18, 2005
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Disney wasn't going to re-cast him. Imagine how that would've looked: "Breaking News: Disney bows to China amid racial controversy, replaces 'ugly' actor." That would've been like caving in to people who didn't think that Brie Larson was pretty. Replacing Liu with a handsome Chinese actor probably would not have helped much in China, where they would've had and still do have other issues with the film other than just that. It likely would've just hurt reception in North America for the same reason that the Chinese don't like Liu, by generating a lot of bad publicity and by proving pandering on Disney's part. Disney made their casting choice and had to stick with it because changing it would've been a lot worse. There's really no pleasing both the North American and Chinese markets here, but that doesn't mean that Disney isn't trying.
 

Osprey

Registered User
Feb 18, 2005
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I agree that there is precedent for pandering to China.

I question whether casting Liu is part of that. He's not a famous Chinese actor and apparently doesn't appear to be all that appealing to Chinese audiences.

I don't think that anyone has suggested it is. Liu fits the character as a North American of Chinese descent. Pandering doesn't mean that every decision was made with China in mind (ex. see the TFA poster vs the film, itself). As I just wrote, Disney is trying to please both markets here, not necessarily with every decision (which, as we can see, is impossible), but by making some decisions for one market and some for another. For example, Awkwafina looks like a casting choice for North American audiences, while Tony Leung is for Chinese audiences. It's not even just that he's a huge star in China, but that he's also from Hong Kong, so he may be less offensive to the review board and audiences who aren't accepting of mainland Chinese villains, especially in Western films.
 

DoyleG

Reality sucks, Princesses!
Dec 29, 2008
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The point was that they drastically reduced the profile of the black character in marketing for the film in China.

Other characters were cut out as well.

Hierarchy of outrage?

I question whether casting Liu is part of that. He's not a famous Chinese actor and apparently doesn't appear to be all that appealing to Chinese audiences.

His current activism suits the officials just fine. They know he won't do anything to screw up his big shot.

Changing Fu Manchu is not about pandering because he's just a racist stereotype, period.
mwo,x1000,ipad_2_skin-pad,1000x1000,f8f8f8.u4.jpg



If they redid the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's", would it be pandering to Japan if they changed the character played by Mickey Rooney?



You obviously aren't familiar with Capote's novella.
 

NyQuil

Big F$&*in Q
Jan 5, 2005
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Ottawa, ON
Other characters were cut out as well.

Hierarchy of outrage?

Other minority characters, yes they were.

His current activism suits the officials just fine. They know he won't do anything to screw up his big shot.

So now he's pandering because he's not sufficiently overt in his criticism of the Chinese regime?

You really are all over the place.


So Disney is pandering unless they shot the MCU film in the style of a Brucesploitation film?

I guess Marvel was pandering when Luke Cage wasn't portrayed like this:

JO90T2GXiTDQSYj5GrrgbwdtJQsyf4T9wEAJWlU1aptsIc8zU_apparentlytheoriginallukecagewasstingy.jpg


You obviously aren't familiar with Capote's novella.

I think Truman would be disappointed in your inability to present a coherent argument.

It's going to disappoint in China anyway, so whether they pandered or not, it's ultimately fruitless.
 
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