By now, most of you are aware of the hoo-rah surrounding this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner. In classic fashion, the Chinese government has taken its collective bat and ball and stormed away in a huff, and started its own "game," in protest.
It seems that Liu Xiaobo is not the only one speaking out for freedom in China, though this gentleman will likely never be awarded the Nobel Prize for speaking out. Thumbs up, Mr. Zhao Dan, for calling attention (and putting yourself at risk) to this other issue created by the repression of freedom of speech.
Doktor Calamari on the Creep Crafters Yahoo Group list posted a link to this article, about the restrictions that horror film makers in China have to endure when writing and making a film.
No ghosts allowed! No spirits of any kind. No Trick 'R Treat. No Ghost Story. No Poltergeist. Hell, for that matter, no Ghostbusters.
Seriously? Wow. "It was all a dream," or, "I was really stoned at the time." Lame.
Remind me not to move to China anytime soon. I can't live without my ghost stories.
Strangely enough-and I know this sounds utterly cheesy-but it made me appreciate the country I live in just a little more. I thought about this one little thing, a little thing that I take for granted: the fact that I can watch a movie that has ghosts and supernatural things in it, and other people in the world can't because of government censorship. I'm not going to start waving an American flag all over the place on you, but something like this makes you think and appreciate what you consider to be ordinary things a little more.
Sure, our economy is in the toilet, and it seems that epic problems crop up no matter who our president is, but we can still watch the movies we like, talk and argue about what we think about God and religion, and have a reasonable expectation that the military won't break down our doors and haul us away for doing so. I gotta say, I'm liking that whole concept a bunch. Way to go, founding fathers! Nice job!
I think I'll plug in The Legend of Hell House. To celebrate my rights.
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