After upsetting the nation's censors first time around, Quentin Tarantino's blood-spattered western is given a second chance
The official release of Django Unchained in China is back on again, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Quentin Tarantino's blaxploitation western was pulled from cinemas just minutes into its first screenings earlier this month. It was suggested that the Chinese censors had balked at the film's scenes of full-frontal nudity, but they may also have objected to Django's revolutionary themes. The film features a freed slave (Jamie Foxx), living in the pre-Civil War deep south, going on the rampage against a ruling class of white plantation owners.
Tarantino had already edited the film to reduce its violent content and had toned down the hue and height of his beloved bloodsplashes. The new version – with nudity removed – will screen in China from 7 May, according to the local film news site Sina.com. Distributor Sony says it has not been made aware of the new release. The company has not commented on the situation since the withdrawal of the first edit, when a spokesperson expressed regret that the film had been pulled and said that Sony were "working with the Chinese authorities to determine whether the film can be rescheduled".
Django Unchained – if (re-)released – would be Tarantino's first movie to get an official run in China, although many of his films (including Django) are reported to be available on the pirate DVD market. Meanwhile, the faltering progress of the film's official release has been cited as the latest wobble in the complicated relationship between Hollywood and China. China restricts the number of foreign films it releases and often requires broad edits of American films before they meet censors' standards. This has led to frustration on the part of Hollywood producers keen to get a foothold in the potentially lucrative Chinese market. Reported by guardian.co.uk 15 hours ago.
The official release of Django Unchained in China is back on again, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Quentin Tarantino's blaxploitation western was pulled from cinemas just minutes into its first screenings earlier this month. It was suggested that the Chinese censors had balked at the film's scenes of full-frontal nudity, but they may also have objected to Django's revolutionary themes. The film features a freed slave (Jamie Foxx), living in the pre-Civil War deep south, going on the rampage against a ruling class of white plantation owners.
Tarantino had already edited the film to reduce its violent content and had toned down the hue and height of his beloved bloodsplashes. The new version – with nudity removed – will screen in China from 7 May, according to the local film news site Sina.com. Distributor Sony says it has not been made aware of the new release. The company has not commented on the situation since the withdrawal of the first edit, when a spokesperson expressed regret that the film had been pulled and said that Sony were "working with the Chinese authorities to determine whether the film can be rescheduled".
Django Unchained – if (re-)released – would be Tarantino's first movie to get an official run in China, although many of his films (including Django) are reported to be available on the pirate DVD market. Meanwhile, the faltering progress of the film's official release has been cited as the latest wobble in the complicated relationship between Hollywood and China. China restricts the number of foreign films it releases and often requires broad edits of American films before they meet censors' standards. This has led to frustration on the part of Hollywood producers keen to get a foothold in the potentially lucrative Chinese market. Reported by guardian.co.uk 15 hours ago.