‘Profits Above All’: Tapper Blasts Hollywood’s Kowtow to China Censors

“Profits above all else” was the fact that rang true on Tuesday’s edition of The leadCNN’s Jake Tapper is the anchor Wall Street JournalErich Schwartzel, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, called liberal Hollywood out for giving in to communist China’s censors and stealing their blood.

This was the latest installment in Tapper’s series “Behind China’s Wall” where, as he put it, “we go behind the fanfare and the glamor of the current Olympic games” and call out China’s “Repression of freedoms, crimes against humanity and genocide.” He said all this as an image of the Chinese flag loomed over the Hollywood sign was displayed over his shoulder (pictured above).

Noting that “In effect, the Chinese government censors much Hollywood movie industry content.” Tapper explained: “They don’t do this, of course, through direct control. It’s their immense economic leverage, fear of studios about missing out on the 1.4 billion Chinese people market that allows them to do this..”

Schwartzel’s newly released book, Red Carpet: Hollywood, China and the Global Battle for Cultural SupremacyThe topic was thoroughly examined by. His expert insight provided insight on how China controls U.S. content creation. This includes the sequel to an American favorite. Top Gun:

You are absolutely correct. You’re absolutely right. In 1986 Hollywood was not just uninterested in the Chinese market. Enlistments soared after the movie was released. And when this more recent version was advertised a couple of years ago, people noticed as you said, that the Taiwanese and the Japanese flag had been removed from Maverick’s jacket.

Looking at the reasons why Hollywood would subject themselves to such censorships, Schwartzel boiled it down to Hollywood’s willingness to accept communist blood money. “So, if Disney makes a movie that offends the Chinese authorities, it’s not just that movie that might be lost, but also theme park plans, consumer products plans. I mean, there’s billions of dollars on the line for any of these relatively small infractions, “he said.

“One of the craziest examples in your book is the 2012 remake of the film, Red Dawn, starring another top star, Chris Hemsworth,” Tapper recalled. “China was to appear as the antagonist of the movie. It was the China that invades the United States. But, this changed after they shot the movie.”

According to Schwartzel, China threaten the studio with withholding the movie from their people and so, “MGM spent a million dollars hiring a visual effects firm here in Burbank to go in and swap out the flags, swap out the dialogue, and make it a North Korean invasion.”

“Now, critics and even the writers of the film itself pointed out it was a little less plausible than a Chinese invasion,” he noted with a chuckle from Tapper. Schwartzel pointed out how that movie came out in 2012 and “since then it’s been more than a decade we have not had a major studio put a movie into production with China as the villain.”

“Of course. Profits over all other things,” Tapper declared in disgust.

Below is the transcript. Click “expand to read:

CNN’s The lead
February 8, 2022
Eastern at 5:49.24

JAKE TAPPER: Now our “Behind China’s Wall” series in which we go behind the fanfare and the glamor of the current Olympic games. The Chinese government clearly hopes to dissuade the rest of the world from the crackdowns it has on human rights and crime humanity.

We’ll be looking at the Chinese government’s censorship of much of Hollywood’s film industry output today. This is not done by direct control. It is possible because of their immense economic leverage, and fear from studios about missing out on the 1.4 billion Chinese people.

Here to discuss, Erich Schwartzel, he’s a Hollywood reporter for the Wall Street Journal. He’s author of a brand new book just released today, it’s called Red Carpet: Hollywood and China, as well as the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy. We are grateful. So for being here, Erich.

One of your films, that really captures how the Chinese government has impacted American cinema, is in Top GunThe film was first released in the 1980s. It will be followed by a sequel. While China was not an issue when the original movie came out in ’86 the studio decided to make a major change to Maverick’s jacket for the sequel. Just explain to them what is happening here.

ERICH SCHWARTZEL (Yes, absolutely). In 1986, Hollywood was not just uninterested in the Chinese market. Is there any example of rah-rah film than that? Top Gun? Enlistments soared after the movie was released. And when this more recent version was advertised a couple of years ago, people noticed as you said, that the Taiwanese and the Japanese flag had been removed from Maverick’s jacket.

The reason is clear. The reason is that the difference in time between the original and the current version of the website has been changed. Top Gun This is a reboot. China’s boxoffice has become the most important in the entire world. It also includes any Hollywood movie as pricey as it was before. Top GunTo make a profit, he must be in the market frequently.

That means that even a small flag might have to be removed from a jacket in the event it is found offensive by Chinese censors. They decide whether to allow this film into their theatres.

TAPPER: Right. China doesn’t consider Taiwan an independent country, as it is obvious. Any questioning of the One-China policy will be considered a political third for the communist government.

Brad Pitt, who starred in the film of 1997 is what you write. Seven years in TibetChina conquered another country. Brad Pitt’s participation in the film put him in hot water with Chinese authorities. For years, they banned Brad Pitt’s film and him from China. Please tell us more.

SCHWARTZEL: Yeah. This was also back in 1997, when Chinese box office was an afterthought to studios. Sony released Seven years in Tibet, quickly learned that it was not just the studio access that was threatened by the release of this film – about a political exile and history that China would rather not see on the big screen – It was not the studio that was threatened but actually Sony proper.

This is why you can see the rise of these conglomerates in Hollywood. What happens when a small production that was produced by a subdivision is actually a major corporate production that has radioactive elements that are dangerous to the whole structure of the corporation?

If Disney releases a film that offends Chinese authorities, not only will it be lost but all of its theme parks and consumer product plans. These seemingly minor infractions could cost billions.

TAPPER Red DawnChris Hemsworth stars in “The Other Star”. China was to have been the antagonist of the movie. It was the United States that is conquered by China. However, this was changed after the film was shot. Let us know about it.

SCHWARTZEL : It was a very expensive change. Filming had ended and the film was finished. The story of China attacking the U.S. in this new remake. In the original film, the Soviets were the invaders. They updated the movie for the 2010s, and changed it to China. MGM then spent one million dollars to hire a Burbank visual effects company to replace the flags and change the dialogue to make this film a North Korean invasion.

Critics and the movie’s writers pointed out that it wasn’t as plausible as a Chinese invasion. But nonetheless, this lesson was absorbed by all of Hollywood because ever since then – that came out in 2012 – since then it’s been more than a decade we have not had a major studio put a movie into production with China as the villain.

TAPPER : Of course. Profits over all other.