She was, to some extent, influenced by Hollywood while working as an actress in Shanghai in the 1930s. In Jiang Qing's day, film was the most important means of entertainment for the Chinese. The state provided funds for making films, and they could be viewed cheaply. Twenty years ago, a movie with several hundred million viewers was nothing extraordinary. This phenomenon has helped create the false impression among China's censors that the ideological inclination of a film will affect social stability and that strict controls should be applied.
People like to see stories that feel familiar.
Chinese films now are no longer influenced by the ideals of European humanism. It has been a long time since I've visited the Beijing Film Academy. I am afraid that the whole school has become commercialized. It seems that people go there now only because it has become so prestigious, not because they genuinely want to learn how to make films. Students want to make money off the school's credentials, and the school wants to make money off its students.