Q: What’s going on here?

A: We are campaigning for respectful treatment of Hong Kong cinema by the Walt Disney Corporation (including their subsidiaries Miramax, Dimension, and Buena Vista, collectively referred to hereafter simply as “Disney”). Disney has purchased distribution rights to many Hong Kong motion pictures, most of them prominently featuring stars who have attained some measure of success outside of Asia, such as Jackie Chan and Jet Li. If the past is any indication, Disney will make severe modifications to these films while denying consumers access to the original, unaltered material. As passionate fans of Hong Kong cinema, we fervently desire to prevent this from happening, and we also wish to see films which Disney has already released, such as Project A and Fist of Legend, restored to their original states.

Rest assured that our desires are not wildly unrealistic. We are not idealistic fools who fail to realize that Disney’s sole intent is to make money. We are not plotting to put Disney out of business or anything of that nature. To do so would be sheer lunacy. What we aim to accomplish is to convince Disney that releasing these Hong Kong films in a “pure” and respectful fashion is not only well within their power, but also in their best interests with regards to both their public image and their financial situation. We seek nothing more (and certainly nothing less) than satisfaction for all involved parties.

Q: Why should I care?

A: Because Disney is attacking your right as a consumer to watch what YOU want to watch. Even if you don’t much care for Hong Kong cinema in general, it is unconscionable to take someone else’s creative work, make unasked-for changes to it, and then prevent people from seeing the original version. Furthermore, there is no indication that Hong Kong movies alone will be subjected to this butchery, as Disney has recently shown more and more interest in releasing other international films domestically (primarily through Miramax).

Q: What’s the difference between a Hong Kong movie released by Disney and an import version?

A: The most obvious difference is that Disney’s releases are almost always dubbed, rather poorly and with excessively liberal translations, and do not include Chinese language tracks with English subtitles, despite the fact that DVDs with multiple language tracks from other manufacturers are commonplace. Most import Hong Kong DVDs are not region coded; this is not the case with Disney’s DVDs. Also, the movies often have footage removed by Disney because they consider it objectionable (violence, drug use, etc.), because it contains Chinese/Asian cultural and/or political references which North American viewers may not fully understand, or (most often) simply because they want to make the movie shorter and/or change its pacing. Disney also replaces the original musical scores and sound effects, and they sometimes change the names of the movies as well (for example, the movie they have released as “The Defender” was originally called “The Bodyguard From Beijing”). To be fair, the Disney releases typically have remastered/improved audio/visual quality. This is the only modification they make that most Hong Kong movie fans generally approve of.

Q: Why does Disney insist on these changes?

A: Because they believe that these films must be “Americanized” before Western audiences will support them. The runaway success of the unapologetically Chinese Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the respectable showing made by Iron Monkey (subtitled in U.S. theaters but still altered in other ways) would indicate otherwise. A less pleasant way to say this is that Disney simply does not respect the intelligence or the attention spans of their consumers. For theatrical releases, it could be argued that a shortened running time means more showings per day and, thus, a bigger box office gross, but the home versions of these films have not had the missing footage restored. Besides, Disney has also made unnecessary cuts to movies which they have released directly to video and DVD.

Q: A single DVD can hold a lot of stuff. For their DVDs of these Hong Kong films, why can’t Disney include the Chinese dialogue with English subtitles and things like that?

A: They CAN...but they choose not to. We can only assume, therefore, that Disney is simply too cheap and/or lazy to take advantage of DVD technology (unlike their competitors), or that they have greatly underestimated the public’s desire to see these movies in their original languages.

Q: I read somewhere that Disney only owns the rights to the visual components of these films and not the audio, which would explain the absence of the Chinese language tracks and the original music. What do you say to that?

A: This may be the case, but frankly, we doubt it. We are not privy to all of the details of Disney’s business deals. However, even if what you read is true, that does not excuse Disney’s cutting of these films, nor does it excuse their low-quality English dubbing and inaccurate translations. Besides, if Disney can’t be bothered to purchase these movies in their entirety, then they have no business snatching them up in the first place. If they can afford to do it at all, then they can afford to do it right.

Q: Weren’t a lot of these movies dubbed in Chinese too?

A: Yes, many Hong Kong films made during the era which Disney is concentrating on...the “golden days” of Jackie Chan and Jet Li...were filmed without sound, and then the sound effects and Chinese language dialogue were inserted later (and the voices weren’t always done by the original actors). However, when you take a film out of its native language, you always lose some of the intricacies of the script and the emotional impact of the vocal performances. Even if you don’t understand a word of Chinese, you have only to watch (or, more appropriately, listen to) a subtitled Hong Kong film to realize that the Chinese voice actors are much more “into it” than the people who do the English dubbing.

Q: Why are you guys making such a fuss over these Disney releases when you can just buy the import versions?

A: Because Disney claims exclusive distribution rights for a number of Hong Kong films in some world regions and they are preventing North America-based retailers from selling the import versions of the films in question to consumers. Disney evidently does not want anyone to buy or watch these movies in their original, unaltered forms.

Q: I still don’t see what the big deal is. You can still get the imports from overseas retailers, right?

A: WRONG. Thanks to Disney, international sources are likely to refuse to ship certain titles to those regions where Disney holds the distribution rights, or they may not stock those titles in the first place. The “Disney Touch” is a problem all over the world, not just in America.

Q: You mean this applies to other countries, too?

A: Correct. In fact, Disney has purchased the distribution rights to certain films for parts of the world where they don’t even intend to release their modified versions, thus robbing people in those regions of the chance to see these films in any way, shape, or form. The reasoning behind this is to create a situation where there is less competition for Disney’s own productions.

Q: That’s outrageous!!!

A: Yes, it is. By the way, that’s a statement, not a question, but we’ll let it slide.

Q: Is it legal for Disney to do this?

A: Unfortunately, the answer appears to be yes. We do not claim to be experts on international copyright law and so forth, but we know injustice when we see it, even if it does not violate any written statute. If you believe you know of a flaw in the legal aspect of Disney’s claims, chances are they are already aware of it and have found some way to circumvent it. Remember, we are talking about an immensely powerful corporation, here. They can simply throw their money and their weight around until they get their way (rather than taking the time and energy to release quality products).

Q: What about bootlegs? There’s no way Disney can stop THEM.

A: Bootleg/pirated copies of movies are like drugs...no matter how much effort is made to crack down on them, people will always somehow manage to produce and (perhaps unknowingly) obtain them. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. While illegally duplicating and profiting from someone else’s work is an unscrupulous practice that we do not condone, there are times when a bootleg is the only way to get the complete, untainted film (typically with lower audio and video quality than an official release).

Whether they realize it or not, Disney is creating a situation where fans will unhesitatingly turn to bootleggers to get the movies they want. This will ultimately hurt Disney’s sales, and they will have nobody to blame but themselves, because they have made a conscious decision to deprive audiences of these films in their complete forms when it would be very easy for them to just release them properly and, thus, earn more money from both selective consumers and indifferent ones. This is an excellent point to make when calling and writing to Disney representatives because they, as a company, cannot stand the thought of other people making money which could easily be theirs instead.

Please, do NOT use the ease of acquiring bootlegs as an excuse to not contact Disney and/or to ignore their lack of respect for Hong Kong cinema. There is no good reason why we, as enthusiastic fans willing to lay down our hard-earned cash, should have to choose between Disney’s stripped, incomplete films and low-quality, illegal copies.

Q: How come I can still go into a store and rent some of the movies on your “endangered list” in their original versions?

A: Since Hong Kong cinema is currently enjoying unprecedented popularity in the Western world, Disney is concentrating their efforts on preventing new copies from being shipped to consumers. If the original copy of Drunken Master 2 sitting on the shelf of your local rental outlet suddenly disappears, don’t be too quick to attribute it to Disney; it may very well be because somebody heard about the movie’s plight, rented it, and simply kept it...in other words, it may have been the doing of a little thief, rather than a big thief.

Presumably, Disney is well aware that Hong Kong movie fans generally aren’t afraid to spend sizable amounts of money to obtain what they want, which makes their decision to release some of the most bare-bones DVDs on the market all the more baffling and infuriating. However, there is no guarantee that Disney will not go after rental stores in the future. All the more reason to act swiftly.

Q: Why don’t the Hong Kong film studios do something to stop this? And what about the stars and directors?

A: Sadly, it seems that the studios are no more concerned about preserving cinematic integrity than Disney is. The Hong Kong film industry has been in a general state of decline since the departure of “A-list” personalities like Jet Li, Chow Yun-Fat, and director John Woo for greener pastures (read: Hollywood), and we can assume that the monetary injection provided by Disney was needed rather badly. As for the creative people and performers whose blood, sweat, and tears Disney fails to appreciate, we cannot speak for them in any official capacity, but...at the risk of sounding disrespectful (which, in fact, we are not)...we ascertain that these stars are simply not aware that there are a good number of us fans outside of Asia who prefer their films in their original forms.

For example, Jackie Chan has stated in the past that he does not completely understand what makes the American movie-going public tick, citing the box office success of the Hollywood-produced Rush Hour...a film with which he, personally, was disappointed. Disney, as one of the biggest entertainment-based corporations in the U.S., presumably has its finger on the pulse of the American public and is in a good position to advise these Hong Kong stars about how their films should be altered before being released in the West. However, we are confident that these films would fare just as well, if not better, if Disney did not insist on cutting them and replacing their soundtracks for both theatrical releases and home video/DVD. Plus, no matter how much the stars and creators may approve of Disney’s treatment of their work, there is no reason to deny North American consumers the right to enjoy these films in their original languages and incarnations...something which Disney has gone to considerable lengths to accomplish.

While getting directly in touch with, say, Jackie Chan or Michelle Yeoh is an unlikely prospect at best, expressing your appreciation for their films WITHOUT Disney’s modifications on websites and in publications devoted to them may very well be a worthwhile endeavor.

Q: Is Disney the only culprit?

A: No, just the biggest one. Tai Seng often insists on releasing DVDs with dubbed tracks only, and New Line Cinema has also released some cut and dubbed Jackie Chan movies, usually with new music and about 20 minutes of film missing. While Jackie Chan himself may have dubbed his own voice and approved of these changes, there is no reason not to include the original material on DVD, given the large storage capacity of the medium. By all means, make your voices heard about these releases as well as Disney’s.

Q: What can I do about it? I must fight the evil!

A: First and foremost: boycott. Remember, Disney is not so much “evil” as it is greedy. Nothing is going to frustrate them more than large numbers of consumers refusing to spend money on their products. The Disney empire includes Buena Vista, Miramax, Dimension, and ABC television, but Disney itself is the “nerve center” to which these companies must ultimately answer. The extent to which you wish to boycott is, naturally, up to you, but, above all else, DO NOT SUPPORT DISNEY’S CUT AND DUBBED VERSIONS OF HONG KONG FILMS. This includes video tapes and DVDs as well as theatrical releases. By not spending money on these inexcusably “stripped” travesties, you are letting Disney know that you will not tolerate their bad dubbing, censorship, etc. Support only those U.S. releases of Hong Kong films that display fidelity to the original work. At present, there are NO such releases available from Disney.

Q: Okay, gotcha. What else do you recommend?

A: There are many more direct ways to communicate your displeasure to Disney that are worth exploring. While it can be argued that any action is better than no action, we recommend against sending them profanity-laden hate mail, death threats, time bombs, and so on. E-mail, letters, petitions, and phone calls are preferable. Other options include “spreading the word” on appropriate internet forums and composing well-written reviews of “Americanized” Hong Kong releases on sites like amazon.com (an e-commerce giant that simply cannot be ignored) pointing out their flaws and inadequacies. Please keep in mind that we are not so much opposed to the “Americanization” process as we are opposed to Disney’s refusal to let audiences see these films as they were originally meant to be seen, even with the huge potential for multiple viewing options on the DVD format. Our goal is to get Disney to give these films proper releases, not just to complain. Don’t forget that!

Q: How should I go about doing this?

A: Be civilized, no matter which venue(s) you choose. Not necessarily cheerful or pleasant, but civilized. We realize that it is very tempting to curse up a storm in Disney’s direction, but that is not the best way to get things done. Begin letters and e-mail messages with something innocuous like “To Whom It May Concern” rather than “All You Scum” or “Die Disney Die.” If you use a vulgar or flippant tone, they are less likely to take you seriously. Conversely, you also won’t get much credibility if you come across as really desperate or pathetic, so avoid doing things like saying “PLEEEEASE!!!” a whole bunch of times. Letters on paper are generally more effective than e-mail, as they are harder for Disney to ignore. Similarly, phone calls to Disney representatives are a good way to communicate directly with a human being whose job it is to hear you out. When placing phone calls to Disney, please remember that the people you will be speaking to are not necessarily the ones responsible for the poor quality of their Hong Kong releases, so there is no need to be rude or hostile to them. Petitions in and of themselves seldom accomplish much, although they are better than nothing. We strongly encourage you to voice your grievances in other ways in addition to signing petitions. And, of course: DON’T GIVE UP!!!

Q: Will this really work?

A: We won’t know unless we try. Our arguments make perfect sense, and our dedication is fierce. Miramax yielded to consumer demand for a subtitled edition of the Japanese animated film Princess Mononoke, when they wanted to release it only in a dubbed format. This proves that Disney is not quite the immoveable object it may seem to be. This campaign will continue until Disney learns its lessons about giving consumers what they want, matching industry-accepted standards for home releases, and treating other peoples’ creations with respect. For this endeavor to be successful, we must stick to our guns and refuse to support stripped, inferior versions of Hong Kong films. And so we shall...for as long as it takes.