هر
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2239
OF 17103OZ JULY 90
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 306 / 1
RECEIVED NO
C
INDILA
15 AUG 1990
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
FILM CENSORSHIP : UNDERGROUND EXPRESS
Y
Pa
4
154147
MDHIAN 9116
REBOR
1 $ BUC 19990
IND
QUOTE
1. YOU SHOULD BE AWARE, IF ONLY FOR THE DEFENSIVE BRIEF ON QUOTE SUBVERSION UNQUOTE FOR MR MAUDE'S VISIT, OF NCNA COMPLAINTS ABOUT OUR DECISION TO ALLOW THE SHOWING OF A FILM CALLED UNDERGROUND EXPRESS.
2. THE PLOT OF THE FILM CONCERNS THE EXFLITRATION OF DISSIDENTS FROM CHINA LAST YEAR. IT OPENS WITH NEWSREEL OF TIANANMEN SQUARE. IT SHOWS A SCHOOL HEADMASTER, A DELIBERATE AND OBVIOUS CARICATURE OF SZETO WAH, WHO ORGANISES THE ESCAPE OF 3 STUDENTS, ONE OF WHOM LOOKS LIKE CHAI LING. THERE IS MUCH GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE DURING THE STUDENTS' JOURNEY THROUGH CHINA. ONE OF THE SADISTIC POLICE CHARACTERS INVOLVED LOOKS LIKE STATE COUNCIL SPOKESMAN YUAN MU. THE STUDENTS EVENTUALLY ESCAPE TO HONG KONG IN A SMUGGLER'S SPEEDBOAT. THEY ARE PURSUED THERE BY THE YUAN MU CARICATURE AND OTHER CHINESE WHO BECOME INVOLVED IN A FIGHT WITH THE HONG KONG POLICE. THIS INCIDENT LEADS TO A SINO-BRITISH NEGOTIATION, NOTABLE FOR THE FREQUENT USE OF FOUL LANGUAGE AND ABUSE. THE BRITISH NEGOTIATORS, IN UNIFORM, ARE EVENTUALLY INSTRUCTED BY A TELEPHONE CALL (OBVIOUSLY FROM THE GOVERNOR) TO COVER THE MATTER UP. THE SCHOOLMASTER MEANWHILE MANAGES, WITH THE HELP OF SOME GANGSTERS, TO SMUGGLE THE STUDENTS ON TO A SHIP BOUND FOR THE US, BUT THEY ARE THERE CONFRONTED BY DOZENS OF UNIFORMED PLA TROOPS WHO HAVE BEEN TIPPED OFF BY THE BRITISH. IN THE ENSUING FIGHT ALL THE PLA ARE KILLED, FOR THE LOSS OF TWO AND A HALF GANGSTERS. A MYSTERIOUS ADVISER TO THE GOVERNOR, WITH THE AIR OF A BRITISH DIPLOMAT, ORDERS THE POLICE TO GET RID OF THE SURVIVING GANGSTERS IN ORDER TO REMOVE ALL EVIDENCE. THIS IS DONE, IN ANOTHER HAIL OF BULLETS. THE 3 STUDENTS ESCAPE.
3. UNDERGROUND EXPRESS HAS NO PRETENTIONS TO BEING A SERIOUS FILM. THE CHINESE, THE BRITISH AND THE HONG KONG ALLIANCE ARE ALL TURNED INTO FIGURES OF FUN. THE HONG KONG FILM PRODUCER IS NOTORIOUS FOR HIS VIOLENT ACTION FILMS. THE FILM CANNOT BE CONSIDERED AS A SERIOUS PIECE OF POLITICAL PROPAGANDA. HAD IT BEEN A TAIWAN-MADE OR
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