Director Ang Lee has admitted to having edited a part in the Chinese version of his spy thriller Lust, Caution due to political reasons.
London, Dec 10 : Director Ang Lee has admitted to having edited a part in the Chinese version of his spy thriller 'Lust, Caution' due to political reasons.
A line in the movie was edited upon the request of the censors, to make the main female character appear less of a traitor to the Chinese.
He had also cut sexually explicit scenes and violence from the Chinese-language movie, and had also changed the dialogue for political reasons. Mainland China does not have a ratings system and all movies that pass censorship are appropriate for all ages.
'Lust, Caution' is based on an undercover Chinese student activist who seduces the Japanese-allied spy chief in Second World War-era Shanghai to pave way for his assassination. The Oscar-winning director said he edited the climax of the film, when the activist gives away the assassination plot moments before it's launched.
The activist says, "let's go", instead of "go quickly", an edit that makes her intentions less ambiguous.
Lee was of the opinion that the Chinese censors were worried about the backlash from the plot line of a supposedly patriotic activist aiding a Japanese collaborator.
Lee, who acknowledged that he made an artistic compromise, said that he felt his message was still conveyed.
He said the movie's subject matter itself - the portrayal of a Japanese collaborationist - marked a breakthrough from Chinese taboos.
"I didn't want to become a martyr," the Daily Snack quoted him as saying.
He also added that he was glad to see discussion of his cuts on the Internet and that he thought "people appreciated my hard work and my intentions".
ANI
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