So the one example I always go back to was released several years ago. And the producers in Hollywood started to realize not only can we avoid certain topics to guarantee a movie's release in China, but we can also try to strategically appeal to Chinese audiences and therefore goose ticket sales there. And I think there was this moment in Hollywood's relationship with China when this really took a turn. When I go to the movies now, and I can see the Chinese cellphone, you know, even if it's blurred in the frame because you're right you'll start to see it everywhere.
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So I want you to give us a tour of, you know, a recent or fairly recent movie in which you see a lot of Chinese influence 'cause I know you've been seeing a lot of movies looking for that influence. GROSS: So Chinese influence is especially noticeable in action films, franchise films, blockbusters of all sorts. And I think what they're looking to do now is something of a soft power sequel to what Hollywood did for America in the 20th century.
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So I think China has seen how, for the past 100 years, Hollywood films helped sell America to the world, and it knows that if it wants to expand its reach, whether it's in parts of Asia or Africa or even within China, that culture, whether it's in the form of movies or TV shows or music, can be a complement to that effort. SCHWARTZEL: I think since the start, as China has broadened its ambitions on the world stage and tried to become a bigger and bigger player in global politics, it has seen how culture can play a huge role in helping that effort. GROSS: So just give us a sense of what you think China's political motivation is. And it seemed like there was a broader story to tell that would explain why Chinese actresses were showing up in these Hollywood movies or why these scripts were being written for these unexpected detours to Shanghai. But then it became pretty clear that there was actually also a political motivation here and that China's government had broader ambitions than just merely the financial.
And it was these dribs and drabs, and I think there was a sense throughout Hollywood that this was China's turn at what they called dumb money, which is the trend of either businesspeople from certain countries or just wealthy individuals coming to Hollywood with stars in their eyes and wanting to finance moviemaking.Īnd at first, it seemed like this might be China's turn to lose its shirt in Hollywood. Or this Chinese industrialist was financing a slate of films at Paramount. I joined the Journal in 2013, and I would have this morning routine of checking the trade publications, and there would be these notices - you know, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing cast in a new "X-Men" movie. How did you start noticing the Chinese influence on American films when you started to be The Wall Street Journal's reporter on the Hollywood industry?ĮRICH SCHWARTZEL: It started in small ways. TERRY GROSS, BYLINE: Erich Schwartzel, welcome to FRESH AIR. Schwartzel explores how this relationship has reshaped big-budget movies and the film industry as a whole in the book "Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, And The Global Battle For Cultural Supremacy." Erich Schwartzel reports on the film industry for The Wall Street Journal. films to be shown there, Hollywood filmmakers had to ensure the movies wouldn't offend the Chinese government. For example, when China started allowing U.S.
That's according to a book by author Erich Schwartzel.
But in order for movies to be shown in China, filmmakers often have to self-censor. There's a practice in Hollywood of film studios relying on the Chinese market to break even.
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