An uncomfortable new journey to the west
Differing perceptions
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| No place for farce in charity |
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| Modern take on adultery and morality |
I do not have sufficient knowledge of Badlands to predict its outcome. Given the US penchant for taking liberties with literary sources, it most likely will be different from our conception of the story or its characters. But that's not the reason it'll be a hit or a miss. Adapters have every right to change whatever they see as unfit for their retelling. They can keep the narrative and alter the theme, or vice versa.
The novel Journey to the West is in the public domain. Anyone can film it in any way they like — just as we can produce Shakespeare without obtaining permission from the Royal Shakespeare Company or some authority in England.
Speaking of the Bard, the huge number and rich variety of productions outside the English-speaking world is testament to his thorough penetration of world culture. Maybe there are purists in Stratford-upon-Avon who squirm at all the different princes of Denmark, such as the one that donned a Ming Dynasty robe. But they are not being heard or minded. If the purists had had their way, there would be just one authorized portrayal and everyone else would have to imitate it.
Of all the characters in China's four great literary classics, the Monkey King is hands down the one that has traveled the farthest in terms of being accepted by other cultures. Still, other than the 2006-07 Japanese filmizations, most overseas versions have not been blockbusters.
Everyone knows the source material is a treasure trove of high-flying adventures and morphing-at-will fantasy, plus a cast of perfectly counterpointed and colorfully delineated characters. Unlike the other three books, this one is not set in a particular dynasty and is therefore not bound by period details that may alienate foreign audiences. There is a timelessness unique to the fantasy genre.
The rebelliousness and mischievousness of the central character speaks to the child in all of us. Many of the superheroes on screen can trace their roots to this simian ancestor. Naturally, different interpreters want to reshape the primate with their unique imagination. All non-Chinese adaptations are essentially efforts of that nature.
Here in China, some of us are heavy on authenticity. When Disney made Mulan, we were not really pleased, because the title character looked more like a Chinese American than a Chinese. When DreamWorks invented Kung Fu Panda, some grieved that Hollywood had taken two of China's cultural icons and turned them into hits. Privately, we grudgingly admitted they did not fall short on authenticity, but lamented that Chinese artists were not behind the screen.
This mindset is not favorable for Chinese culture to be embraced overseas. The more of a purist's stand you take, the less likely your culture will be welcomed outside a narrow realm. When a culture reaches a foreign land, it has to resonate with locals and that means it has to be assimilated with the local culture.
If an imported version can be seen as a faithful one, a local production is often the natural second step towards full acceptance. Following that, there will be adaptations that alter the facade but maintain the spirit of the story. Eventually there will be remakes that are "inspired" by the original source, but veer from it in every possible way. This is the natural course of a culture traveling and blossoming around the globe.
While a cultural product has copyright, a culture is a free-for-all and becomes someone else's cultural element when fully absorbed. We should protect our cultural products, but we should also keep an open mind when sharing our culture with the rest of the world. When a culture is shared, everyone is enriched.
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