# Sorry China, this is N. Korea's baby **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020 "2011-03-17T14:12:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/1 "2011-03-17T14:12:55Z")
For purely marketing concerns, MGM has [altered it’s remake of _Red Dawn_](http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-china-red-dawn-20110316,0,995726.story) so that the invading country is North Korea, rather than China. (Yeah, just try to keep a straight face.) The Chinese, however, are disappointed: [QUOTE=L.A. Times] [The alteration] followed postings of pictures on China’s popular Web portals Sina and Tiexue in late 2009 of the “Red Dawn” set showing actors posing as Chinese troops and mock propaganda posters of the U.S. Capitol building smashed by a hammer. The posts received tens of the thousands of views. “When does it come out?” read one Chinese comment. “There is no hope for theatrical screening [censorship], wait for pirated version.” [/quote] Well, they won’t even get that. Maybe now they’ll re-value the Yuan? ---
**Author:** ![willthekittensurvive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@willthekittensurvive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/willthekittensurvive)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/2 "2011-03-17T14:38:06Z")
If they are afraid of insulting the Kremlin, they could substitute the Russians with the Dutch. I know we would love it! ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/3 "2011-03-17T15:05:54Z")
Surely you don’t doubt North Korea’s much documented ability to deploy a clone army to the states at 48 hours notice? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/4 "2011-03-17T18:01:50Z")
Well, I won’t be seeing it now. Not even on video. Fuck 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/5 "2011-03-17T18:19:22Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > Surely you don’t doubt North Korea’s much documented ability to deploy a clone army to the states at 48 hours notice? To be fair, the makers of the movie have scaled down the conflict to reflect the change from China to North Korea. Instead of the invaders taking over half of the United States, the movie will now involve the heroic defense of a houseboat anchored off the Santa Monica Pier. The ragtag band of freedom fighters are forced to fall back to the boardwalk arcade to plan their counterattack and/or try to improve their _Tron_ score. It’s truly gripping. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/6 "2011-03-17T18:34:51Z")
John Milius must be pissed. The remake of his anti commie movie bowing down to communists. Then again, the recent video game he wrote (yes they are written by someone sometimes) about an invasion of the US also uses North Korea as the bad guy. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/7 "2011-03-17T19:54:40Z")
Sure, feed the North Korean internal propoganda machine. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/8 "2011-03-17T20:03:36Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > John Milius must be pissed. The remake of his anti commie movie bowing down to communists… As much as they’re bowing down to communism, they’re bowing down to capitalism. It’s a win-win. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/9 "2011-03-17T22:49:04Z")
In all fairness, according to the article, the Chinese in the movie were apparently part of a coalition of countries (including Russia) that invade the US…on the other hand, all I’d seen and heard of the movie so far (including behind the scenes footage and ads) seemed to feature China pretty exclusively. I can’t help but wonder if the “coalition” element was another addition in editing—some exposition that it’s a multinational invasion, but it just happens that the invasion sector the film takes place in is under North Korea’s jurisdiction, and we just happen to never see any other invaders. Maybe having someone from “high command” screaming over the radio in Russian, too. Stuff like that. If so, it’d be at least kind of clever. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/10 "2011-03-18T01:02:19Z")
I am actually much more disappointed/disgusted that they are re-making red dawn at all. The movie wasn’t that great to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/11 "2011-03-18T01:07:42Z")
As long as the soldiers all use kung-fu, I won’t mind. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/12 "2011-03-18T01:30:21Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > I am actually much more disappointed/disgusted that they are re-making red dawn at all. The movie wasn’t that great to begin with. Actually, when a movie wasn’t that great, that is a good reason to remake it. Like The Thing. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/13 "2011-03-18T02:22:40Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Actually, when a movie wasn’t that great, that is a good reason to remake it. Like The Thing. I agree with the first half of your sentence, redoing a good premise that was done poorly is a great reason to make a remake, but not the second, the original The Thing is a great movie. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/14 "2011-03-18T02:26:03Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I agree with the first half of your sentence, redoing a good premise that was done poorly is a great reason to make a remake, but not the second, the original The Thing is a great movie. I concede. I have not seen it. I have regularly heard that the original is not as good as the remake. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/15 "2011-03-18T03:38:28Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I agree with the first half of your sentence, redoing a good premise that was done poorly is a great reason to make a remake, but not the second, the original The Thing is a great movie. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > I concede. I have not seen it. I have regularly heard that the original is not as good as the remake. I haven’t seen the first in a loooong time, but I always considered it the worst of the two; as well as being farther from the source material (_Who Goes There?_). ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/16 "2011-03-18T13:47:21Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > I haven’t seen the first in a loooong time, but I always considered it the worst of the two; as well as being farther from the source material (_Who Goes There?_). Not to derail this thread but yeah, they are two very different movies and both good for different reasons but since it is older and was made with different sensibilities, I can understand why people may not like the original. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/17 "2011-03-18T20:38:00Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > In all fairness, according to the article, the Chinese in the movie were apparently part of a coalition of countries (including Russia) that invade the US… So we’re supposed to be afraid of two countries that are-- well–doing their best to outdo us at capitalism (one of whose markets MGM can’t ignore)? MGM wants to save its cake and eat it too, methinks. Thank God North Korea is still around. And what’s wrong with good ol’ generic terrorists from countries like [Imaginary Place]-i-stan? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/18 "2011-03-19T00:38:10Z")
It’s been ages since I’ve seen Red Dawn but weren’t the 500 million screaming Chinese on our side? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sorry-china-this-is-n-koreas-baby/575020/19 "2011-03-19T00:56:10Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > It’s been ages since I’ve seen Red Dawn but weren’t the 500 million screaming Chinese on our side? “They were.” [fwoomph] 😃