China Bans Horror

Reuters is reporting that regulators in China, the home-country of the 2008 Olympics, has added just about the entire horror genre to its list of banned media…

Offending content included “wronged spirits and violent ghosts, monsters, demons, and other inhuman portrayals, strange and supernatural storytelling for the sole purpose of seeking terror and horror,” the administration said.

The new guidelines aim to “control and cleanse the negative effect these items have on society, and to prevent horror, violent, cruel publications from entering the market through official channels and to protect adolescents’ psychological health.”

The regulations suggest China, where graphic, pirated sex and horror movies are available on most street corners, is keen to step up its control of the cultural arena ahead of the Beijing Olympics in August, which are widely seen as a coming-out party for the rising political and economic power.

Um… protect adolescents’ psychological effects? I still can’t believe the Olympic committee thought it was a good idea to host in China, it baffles simple logic. Maybe China should try to keep from running the youth over with tanks first, then worry about the films they are watching. [Link]