Disney in China: The Saga Continues
Laura Robertson
CBN News
May 17, 2007
After hearing about
China's Shijingshan Park, I was very eager to see the Chinese interpretation of many beloved Disney characters for myself. The only other Chinese
amusement park I've ever been to didn't have singing or dancing animals, and I've always had a soft spot in my heart for these lovable guys.
Excited to find out more about Mickey's Chinese cousins, this morning a friend of mine went to the park, but found no trace of "The Happiest Place on Earth." Instead, Shijingshan is an amusement park that only has Chinese characters, like the Fuwa, the Olympic mascots.
Apparently, the
AP video footage of workers destroying Snow White's Seven Dwarves was not a fluke, but a small instance of the mass annihilation of traces of Disney. At any rate, Disney's happy, and
a spokesman told Businessweek they "appreciate the efforts of the Beijing Copyright Bureau in dealing with this situation."
Now, instead of fighting copyright infringements in China, Disney is gearing up to launch a new Chinese motion picture:
The Magic Gourd. Disney has collaborated with the state-run China Film Group to bring this magical tale to life, and Disney's 4,200 stores in China are eagerly awaiting this release.
Despite the popularity of Disney worldwide, it hasn't been able to have the type of access it has wanted to enter the Chinese market. The Lion King, Tarzan, and Finding Nemo have all been huge hits in China, but Disney hasn't had the total media saturation it wants.
Furthermore, with
DreamWorks challenging its animation dominance, innundating another market gives Disney an edge. By being marketed strictly for the Chinese audience, it might be the perfect vehicle to make a huge splash in China.
On the other hand, the Chinese government has been working hard to develop its own animation facilities, and has similar aspirations of creating superior domestic animation that can entertain Chinese audiences, as well as children worldwide. It's possible that this movie will be more successful at launching the Chinese animation industry.
Chances are, both collaborators will benefit greatly from this project, but this partnership provides an interesting perspective as to a possible future for Chinese animation. Only time (and box office numbers) will tell exactly how this scenario will play out, but I'm very curious to see the results. I have a hunch that little magic gourds might soon give the Olympic mascots a run for their money!
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