The progression of political censorship

404 Pages·2017·1.73 MB·English

Lingnan University
Digital Commons @ Lingnan University
Theses & Dissertations Department of Cultural Studies
2-11-2015
The progression of political censorship : Hong Kong cinema from
colonial rule to Chinese-style socialist hegemony
Lai To, Herman YAU
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THE PROGRESSION OF POLITICAL CENSORSHIP:
HONG KONG CINEMA
FROM COLONIAL RULE TO CHINESE-STYLE SOCIALIST HEGEMONY

YAU LAI TO HERMAN

PHD

LINGNAN UNIVERSITY

2014
THE PROGRESSION OF POLITICAL CENSORSHIP:
HONG KONG CINEMA
FROM COLONIAL RULE TO CHINESE-STYLE SOCIALIST HEGEMONY

by
YAU Lai To Herman

A thesis
submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy in Cultural Studies

Lingnan University

2014
ABSTRACT

The Progression of Political Censorship:
Hong Kong Cinema
From Colonial Rule to Chinese-Style Socialist Hegemony

by

YAU Lai To Herman

Doctor of Philosophy

Censorship is an important cultural regulatory instrument for the government of a
society, or even a state. In certain socio-political settings, it can become a powerful
administrative apparatus (dispositif) and technique (techne) designed to render
society governable. Censorship decisions often embody hegemonic views on social
and political issues. No matter how virtuous the original intent may be, the practice
of censorship is inevitably geared to the social tensions surrounding issues of human
rights and political dissent. The theory behind film censorship may once have been
benign but banning or cutting a movie always involves an unnatural set of procedures
and actions. This study examines this problem in the context of socio-political
changes in Hong Kong. It is an enquiry into the evolution of political film
censorship in its more conventional form to its full-fledged integration into other
institutions and policies under today’s ‘one country, two systems’ policy. It also
analyses the discourse surrounding the changes in film censorship practices from the
st
days of early cinema to Hong Kong in the 21 century. By contextualizing Hong
Kong cinema from a historical and political perspective, the study of the Hong Kong
experience aims to shed light on censorship’s socio-political meanings for, and
effects on, filmmakers and film production.
CONTENTS

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Censorship as Apparatus and Technique of
Governmentality 8
- An Overview of the Phenomenon of Censorship 8
- Censorship in Relation to Government 13
- The Political Problematic of Film in the Age of Mechanical
Reproduction 24
- Film Censorship is as Old as the Film Itself 27
- Theoretical Legitimization of Censorship 32

Chapter 2 Development of Hong Kong Cinema and Colonial Film
Censorship vis-à-vis Chinese Nation-Building and National
Defence 45
- The Beginning of Hong Kong Cinema 49
- Censorship in Early Hong Kong Cinema 54
- Statute Law Not the Only Means of Censorship 60
- National Unity by Silencing Voices of Ethnic Minorities 69
- Hong Kong Cinema on the Periphery of the Second
Sino-Japanese War 77
- Chinese National Cinema vis-à-vis Colonial Censorship 83
- The Disobedience of Hong Kong Cinema during the Fall of
Hong Kong 93

Chapter 3 The Complex Vicissitudes of Filmmakers and Colonial
Film Censorship in the Heat of the Cold War 101
- Hong Kong after New China was Born – an Enclave of
Complexity 105
- Hong Kong Cinema and the Colonial Prevention of
Communism 111
- Hong Kong Cinema as Battlefront between Left and Right 121
- Filmmakers in Politically Sensitive Era: Left, Right, or
Otherwise? 134

i
- Colonial Film Censorship Strengthened in Response to Cold
War 141
- Britain Recognizes PRC, Colonial Censorship Rejects
Communist Propaganda 147
- Peculiarities of Colonial Censorship – Creating Balances
amidst Left and Right 156
- Faceless Censorship Force Operates Outside Official
Colonial Film Censorship 165

Chapter 4 Film Censorship Evolves from High-Handed-Colonial to
Rule-of-Law Style as the ‘1997 Question of Hong Kong’
Surfaces 171
- Film Censorship Evolves as Result of Political Changes 172
- Colonial Censorship Tangled Up with Communist and
Anti-Communist Films 177
- The Reinforcement and Institutionalization of Film
Censorship in Hong Kong 183
- Dark Side of Colonial Rule – Illegal Censorship 194
- Political Concern about the “Film Censorship Ordinance
1988” Legislation 203
- Enforcement of Film Classification System and
Abolishment of Political Clause 218

Chapter 5 Chinese-Foreign Co-Produced Film and Its Problematics 226
- Why is Chinese-foreign Co-Produced Film So Tempting? 228
- Mainland-HK Cooperation in Film Production as United
Front Tactic 237
- Politics in Early Mainland-HK Co-Production of Film 244
- Hong Kong Cinema Rescued Chinese Mainland Cinema 248
- Development of Mainland-HK Co-Production Disturbed by
PRC Policy 254
- Hong Kong Cinema Impeded by Chinese-Style Socialism 262

Chapter 6 The Story of a Mainland-Hong Kong Co-Produced Film 284
- Why Film The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake in the Chinese
Mainland? 284

ii
- Obtaining the ‘License for Producing A Movie’ – An
Eleven-Month Process 287
- The Road to Public Exhibitions 309
- A Cultural Translation of the Story of the Making of The
Woman Knight 318

Chapter 7 Conclusions 334
- Pre-1997 British Colonialism and Post-1997 Chinese
Colonialism 34
- A Production Theory of Hong Kong Cinema 342
- Reflection 347

Glossary 349

Bibliography 367

PLATES

The original poster of The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake with the original
release date 314

The authorization letter by Lai Qishan 314

TABLES

Banned Films in Hong Kong – 1965-1974 164

Number of Emigrants from Hong Kong to Overseas – 1980-1994 181

iii