Chinese Chest Thumping Block Bluster - Battle at Lake Changjin (Chosin)

[ArizonaTank]

Getting that familiar Cold War feel...  Chinese blockbuster....The Battle at Lake Changjin

This is a Chinese telling of the US disaster at Chosin Reservoir. I have not seen it of course, so all I know is what I read. But sounds like the new Cold War is spinning up in earnest on the culture war front. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/chinese-movie-about-us-military-defeat-set-to-break-box-office-records/ar-AAPHCtS?ocid=msedgntp

[Dammit Carl!]

Oh boy.  :P

[al_infierno]

Does this mean we can finally stop panderin' in Mandarin with our own movie industry?   :-"

[ArizonaTank]

Does this mean we can finally stop panderin' in Mandarin with our own movie industry?   :-"

:), I don't think "we" have our own movie industry anymore. It went global 20 years ago. So pretty much every movie made is for the "global" audience...and Hollywood studios are not interested in upsetting any rich movie market. Chinese movie theaters can put alot of "bums in seats" these days; not to mention "eyeballs on screens" with streaming.

Short of a cold war going hot, I don't see Hollywood taking sides in any culture war as long as Chinese money flows freely.

Its a triumph of pure capitalism...;)

[Con]

This used to bother me about war movies and then I realized that for each good war movie there are a lot of terrible chest thumpy ones that the US and the UK produced during and after the war.  So let the Chinese have their time making these schlocky movies, the Russians did it as well.  Now I just lean into the propaganda and enjoy the movie (if it is enjoyable).
For every Tora Tora Tora there is a Pearl Harbor
For every Longest Day there is All This and World War II (believe it or not a musical newsreel of WWII) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_This_and_World_War_II

The list goes on

[Gusington]

^OMG

[Dammit Carl!]

So let the Chinese have their time making these schlocky movies, the Russians did it as well.  Now I just lean into the propaganda and enjoy the movie (if it is enjoyable).

Yup.  It gets kinda fun to see the common tropes of war movies, but from a different national perspective.

[Karri]

I expect a lot of nonsense, but no more than from Hollywood movies. I recently watched the 800 and the Chinese seem to be all about senseless sacrifice. Droves of people suiciding themselves for no obvious gain. In American movies it's usually one guy staying behind to hold the barbarian masses at bay, killing hundreds before finally dying in a blaze of glory.

[al_infierno]

the Chinese seem to be all about senseless sacrifice. Droves of people suiciding themselves for no obvious gain.

So, it was accurate to real life?   :-"

[Karri]

I recall reading that those were ex-Kuomintang soldiers for a big part...makes sense to sacrifice them and drive the UN troops back at the same time.

[Destraex]

Is there a US film or doco about the same battle to counter this? I don't mind propaganda movies as long as their is good kit in it.
I like this guys channel actually. He should have some fun things to say about the movie.

[ArizonaTank]

Is there a US film or doco about the same battle to counter this? I don't mind propaganda movies as long as their is good kit in it.
I like this guys channel actually. He should have some fun things to say about the movie.

Best documentary I know of is an "American Experience" documentary called "The Battle of Chosin" that is really only available through PBS. I think Amazon Prime has a PBS channel where you can get it...but sadly not free.

You tube does have the first 10 min or so to give you a flavor of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYfWhb_YNEA

and another clip where some of the American soldiers describe being on the receiving end of a human wave charge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGcR8b65Uwg

[Destraex]

Is there a US film or doco about the same battle to counter this? I don't mind propaganda movies as long as their is good kit in it.
I like this guys channel actually. He should have some fun things to say about the movie.

Best documentary I know of is an "American Experience" documentary called "The Battle of Chosin" that is really only available through PBS. I think Amazon Prime has a PBS channel where you can get it...but sadly not free.

You tube does have the first 10 min or so to give you a flavor of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYfWhb_YNEA

and another clip where some of the American soldiers describe being on the receiving end of a human wave charge:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGcR8b65Uwg

Looks interesting.