The Snowpiercer is a science fiction movie describing a world that when the world ends, only few people survive and live in a train which is endless traveling the entire earth. The whole film is very cool, it seems like a science fiction film but the content is very political. This is absolutely a political satire film.
There are some very interesting and good features of Snowpiercer.
The first is that such a kind of good film like Snowpiercer came out from South Korea definitely thanks to the government police published in 1997. The government police is that abolish the censorship system and establish the film classification system. Then the South Korea film industry had their spring, more and more excellent and amazing South Korea film produced and released in the local market even the global market. Ward (2014) talks that ‘it creating a philosophical fable that teases out the impacts of blind allegiance, adherence to a cause, and ascribing significance. Its contemplation is murky and multifaceted, which is emblematic of its complexity and not of its big-budget pedigree’.Such political satire film with thought-provoking ideology would not be produced by China mainland. I was thinking that if the development of South Korea basically because of the government abolished the censorship system and established the film classification system, will the Chinese film rise up to a new level if the Chinese government do the same thing as the South Korea government. But when the day come?
The second one is that the Snowpiercer is actually an international film directed by a South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, namely, this film is not a pure South Korean film. From the actors and actress groups we can see that those important actors and actress are from three countries, United Kingdom, South Korea and United States. Moreover, from Vikrant’s lecture, he mentioned that the film production team shoot in Czech, German VFX, and this film based on a French graphic novel named Le Tranperceneige.
Professor Vikrant put forward some questions at the end of the lecture:
Is this globalisation? Or is this giving opportunities to new studios and audiences to share their narratives?
My answer is:
Snowpiercer presents a new globalisation, at the same time, the glolisation in film area definitely gives opportunities to new studios and audiences. Brian Yecies, Ae-Gyung Shim and Ben Goldsmith (2011) discuss that ‘Since the mid-2000s, transnational flows of films, filmmakers and film work have grown, driven in part by a ‘digital wave’ – that is, the diffusion and adoption of digital production, distribution and exhibition technologies and practices. Around the world, international production has broken new ground: more and more films are pre-produced, shot and post-produced in multiple locations and in multiple countries – all on budgets more modest than the average Hollywood blockbuster.’
References:
Ward, S., 2014. Keep your eye on the dystopian ball: Bong Joon-ho’s’ Snowpiercer’. Metro Magazine: Media & Education Magazine, (182), p.54.
Yecies, B., Shim, A.G. and Goldsmith, B., 2011. Digital intermediary: Korean transnational cinema. Media International Australia, 141(1), pp.137-145.
Comments I did:
Hi Yolanda,
I like your post regarding the censorship aspect you took from the movie. And your note on its transnationalism is also really clear.
The movie industry, like all other media, is always heavily influenced by government control and censorship. The examples are evident anytime in history——the Nazi during WWII, the USSR and US during the cold war. Movies and videos were used as a tool for propaganda. South Korean is lucky now that the government has loosened the control of movie industry. Or there won’t be many great movies made there, like Snowpiercer.
You mentioned the censorship in China in relation to this topic. What do you think of the movies made in China now regarding the major genres?
In addition, you have analyzed the transnationalism of Snowpiercer from the production aspect of it. However, what do you make of it when the reception of this movie is still mainly composed of South Korean audiences? This question may relate to how exactly can one define the term “transnational movie”.
Thanks,
Jialu
Hi Jialu,
First of all, thank you for your comment.
#1 What do you think of the movies made in China now regarding the major genres?
As I know that in recent decade, movie genres like young generations love story, young school period, ancient costume romantic story, history， and
fantasy story mainly based on online novel. These are popular trend in China mainland, even in the whole East Asia area. The censorship in China
mainland is still very strict, which makes there are really rare politics satire films or TV series like ‘Yes, Minister’ and ‘Yes, prime minister’ (I
love it so much). There are war films and politics films, but without exception the communist party of China must always stand on the right and
justice side.
#2 However, what do you make of it when the reception of this movie is still mainly composed of South Korean audiences? How exactly can one define the term “transnational movie”.
A really good question, seriously. I did put this question in the comment in another one’s blog. I am also curious that why the biggest box office return from China and South Korea rather than other not Asian nations like U.S. and U.K.. After all we can see that there are many famous and popular non-South Korean actors and actress. At the same time, the story is from a France novel. So I suppose that, to some extent, the reason will be regarding to the different degree of Propaganda in each countries.
Hi Yolanda,
A very nice analysis, especially your answer of Naja’s question!
Also, i like your question why our country China is unable to film some sensitive movies, to reflect severe social issues.
Actually, I would say our country has improved over these years, but not to much. We had the movies like Blind Mountain ( 盲山), Mr. Donkey (驴得水), although some of them had been banned and limited released in theater. You could say Our new generation of directors’ attitude toward to a refreshing way. And audiences are looking forward to seeing the real society. Those movies give a hope.
Well, i agreed your point that Chinese political policy, especially Chinese movie censorship influencing movie industry development. But without censorship, I still don’t think our country will good at making movies. For a blockbuster, Chinese producers will spend a lot of money paid to most famous actors and actress, even global celebrities. Then they hire technical team from Hollywood. They would use a variety of ways to hype the “film” before it show. They claim that the production costs are usually higher than the actual cost. Film producers are not focusing on the story, the plot, which are the cores of a movie. How will they film good productions? ( the reasons can be others, I just roughly say one of them)
As a young filmmaker growing up in this rapidly changing environment, we can only be excited for what’s to come.
Thanks
😊
First of all, thank you for your comment, Brittany.
Talking about the current censorship in China, compared to few decades before, it is improving but from my point of view it’s not enough. There is still a very long distance to arrive the ‘free environment’ which many Chinese filmmaker and audiences look forward to. About the two films, Blind Mountain and Mr. Donkey, it’s so shame for me to say that I haven’t see yet, I will, later, in summer holiday. But I just go online and did some researches, I don’t know do you know that the Blind Mountain production team edited a lot, even the ending, for being allowed to released in market. What I stressed in the blog about the censorship in China, is on politics area. It’s almost impossible to say something bad on the communist party of China in film or TV series.
You pointed out that you don’t believe that China will have more excellent and amazing films without censorship, also you pointed out the mass situation that filmmaker they only focus on film benefit rather than story or meaning. To response your opinion, I want to say that this situation happen usually on business movies, have a look at the Hollywood film industry, you will know more. So I don’t believe this will hinder the development of Chinese film.
Thanks for the post Yolanda,
I really liked your discussion of Snowpiercer and the way you defined it as presenting a ‘new globalisation’. This seems an exciting direction for cinema to take in the future wherein films are made across borders, different cast, different production and a shared box office.
As you mentioned it’s the digital sphere which brings about this more global approach to film production. So too in film consumption, even throughout this course we can access international films online, and films like Snowpiercer despite not making a big splash in Australia’s box office has been released on our Netflix, so much more australians will watch the film.
In this sense I think Snowpiercer is the best example of a transnational film in the course.
Do you think there are other good examples of transnational films in the course, if so why?
Thanks Finn
Thank you for your comment, Finn.
It is the current trend that the digital sphere brings a border approach to each national film industry to access other markets. Thanks to online video system, I can see many films that I can’t get access when I was in China. Talking about transnational film, selecting from the films we saw in this semester, Yojimbo is the best I personally film. At first glance, this is really a traditional Japanese film. However, Yojimbo seems like a Japanese film, its many form and style learned from western film style.