Tarantino tones down violence in Django Unchained for China release
The director-scriptwriter will be toning down the violence and gore for mainland Chinese theatres, according to the film’s mainland distributors.
Django Unchained, US director Quentin Tarantino's first theatrical release on mainland China, was sent to the chopping block of state censors, much to the dismay of many mainland film fans.
The Oscar-winning Western, which garishly depicts slavery in the American South in Tarantino’s trademark “exploitative style”, was approved by China's censors less than a month ago, but it was toned down for violence and gore, according to the film’s mainland distributors.
Zhang said Tarantino will "darken" bright hues of blood depicted in the film and reduce the amount of blood splatter. He said it would be “regrettable” if the movie was not released in mainland China.
While many netizens expressed disappointment at the announcement, most were happy that a Tarantino film was finally making it to China.
“I really do not like the Sarft [State Administration of Radio, Film and Television] but I’m glad we will be able to see this film in the theatre!” a microblogger said on Sina Weibo.
The censorship body will come under the newly formed General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television as part of the central government’s recent bureaucratic reshuffling.