Wednesday, April 13, 2011

China bans time travel

Time traveling teen introduces old-timey Chinese girl to sexting
"The time-travel drama is becoming a hot theme for TV and films. But its content and the exaggerated performance style are questionable. Many stories are totally made-up and are made to strain for an effect of novelty. The producers and writers are treating the serious history in a frivolous way, which should by no means be encouraged anymore."

Wait... they make up things in time travel stories? Are they trying to claim there's no such thing as flux capacitors or killer robots that have come back to protect their future revolution against mankind? Say it aint so, Joe!

Actually, it turns out that time travel stories have recently became a hugely popular genre in Chinese movies and TV shows. Their plots are rather boiler-plate, with a protagonist somehow or another twanged back to the distant, historical past of China. They milk comedy from fish out of water situations, and eventually have their hero/heroine fall crazy mad in love with somebody they meet in the past. 

China Hush, in the article "No more time-travel drama", authority says it disrespects history, reports that the government's General Bureau of Radio, Film and Television is unhappy with the time travel stories. The quote that leads this article is their comment on the matter.  Apparently they believe that the liberty with which these shows treat China's past is disrespectful of its history (and if you've ever heard a Chinese bang on about their 5,000 years of history you'll know they are a bit maniacal on that point).

In spite of their popularity, or perhaps because of it, the Bureau has called for a halt to the making of these types of shows. In addition, the Bureau has called a halt to making new versions of the Four Great Classical Novels, arguing that good versions of them have already been filmed and that modern versions are rushed and inaccurate.

If you ask me, the General Bureau of Radio, Film and Television sound like a bunch of cranky old grouches. It will serve them right if the time travel stories get replaced with idiotic American Infomercials.

Our Hero awes the bumpkins with his
Cellphone of Harmonious Touch Screen Power.

5 comments:

KurtP said...

I wonder what TARDUS means in Cantonese?

ambisinistral said...

I don't know what Tardus means in Mandarin, but from the sounds of things if you say it in front of the wrong Chinese functionary you might end up hanging upside down in a jail cell and getting whipped with an electric chord.

Seems Time Travel has become a taboo. I wonder what they think about zombies?

bobby fletcher said...

Do journalist still fact check? With a shrinking world it’s not hard to plug the Chinese government press release into a translator, and find out it contains *no mentioning of time travel*. Here’s the Broadcast Administration announcement:

http://www.sarft.gov.cn/articles/2011/03/31/20110331140820680073.html

The phrase “神怪剧和穿越剧” litterally translates to “spirit-monster theme and transcendental theme”, refering to *crossing-over* (not time travel) ghost stories that are too scary for prime time slots where children may be watching.

This is the same issue TV censor boards in US would consider.

ambisinistral said...

bobby,

Taking you up on your offer I plugged it into a translator (results in next comment) and discovered it contains nothing but bureaucratic gibberish from a number of agencies, including People's Liberation Army General Political Propaganda Department of the Arts Council, whatever that is.

Obviously that is not the quote I gave from a different group identified as the General Bureau of Radio, Film and Television.

Thanks for trying to blow smoke with the ol' "mistranslation dodge, but I haven't just fallen off a turnip truck (plug that into a translator if the phrase confuses you).

By the way, if you've tasked yourself with the duty of protecting the Chinese government from making folls of themselves, you might want to visit this site, and this one, and... oh, you get the picture.

ambisinistral said...

March 29, SARFT to the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities radio and television bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Bureau of Radio and Television, CCTV, People's Liberation Army General Political Propaganda Department of the Arts Council, the China Education Television issued the "Administration of Radio, on March 2011 National publicity shoot in TV drama for the record notice ", notice that, in March 2011, the country reported record production of TV publicity shot a total of 95 plays, 2783 set, agreed to a total of 66 productions publicity, 1961 set.
Divided by subject matter, contemporary themes 33, 942 sets, which accounted for 50.0% of the total number of publicity and 48.04%, of which 30 contemporary set a Military Theme, contemporary urban themes 25 744 sets, 4 of 93 subjects involved in the case of contemporary set, contemporary 35 subjects a set of science fiction, contemporary themes two other 40 sets. Modern theme 2, 55 sets, accounting for 3.03% of total public notice and 2.8%, of which 30 Modern Military Theme 1 set of 25 modern one other set of subjects. Modern themes 28, 864 sets, which accounted for 42.42% of the total publicity and 44.06%, of which 25 modern urban themes a set of subjects 11 332 Modern Romance set, modern revolutionary themes 15 477 sets, other theme a modern 30 set. Ancient theme 3, 100 sets, which accounted for 4.55% of total public notice and 5.1%, of which, the ancient palace of 70 subjects two sets, the ancient martial arts theme a 30 set. Approved the project's major revolution Teleplays head 2, 65 set. Reported in this month's repertoire, because the problem temporarily incomplete content or procedures not known to the public plays a total of 29, 822 sets.
In recent months, the national report prepared by the general trend is good repertoire, but we also found signs of some incorrect creation: individual declaration of the record through the supernatural drama and drama, random compilation of myths, bizarre plots, bizarre, absurd way, and even rendering of feudal superstition, fatalism and reincarnation, value orientation ambiguity, the lack of significance of positive thinking. In this regard, I hope the correct creative idea production organizations, to carry forward the fine traditional Chinese culture, efforts to improve the ideological and artistic quality drama.
In addition, the recent declaration of the record number of publicity She Anju rebounded. This prompted the Production Company: Film and Television since 2004, produced and broadcast on She Anju management requirements remain in force, the production of creative agencies in the She Anju beginning to carefully consider the market risk, and avoid blind investment project.
In accordance with the central spirit, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party at all levels should actively preparing for the TV, to introduce a number of vivid reproduction of the Chinese revolution, construction and reform and opening up historical picture, a true reflection of the party under the leadership of people of all the great rejuvenation of struggle to achieve national good works, for the 90th anniversary of founding gift.
Record announcement at the Administration of the table plays drama government website e-government platform announcement column query.