The flap over the Barbie map is almost a self-parody of cultural politics.
, insisting, “The map in Barbie Land is a whimsical, child-like crayon drawing…. It was not intended to make any type of statement.”In one sense, the studio is clearly correct. The map is an imaginary hodgepodge. The countries and seas look nothing like real countries or seas. The vague maritime border line has just eight dashes, not nine. This may be why the Philippines government, which at first followed Vietnam’s suit in banning the film, retracted the ban upon closer scrutiny.
Still, Stanley Rosen, professor of political science at the University of Southern California, who has written extensively about China and pop culture, told me in a phone conversation, “It’s strange that the map has any dashed lines at all.” He speculated that Warner Brothers—which has huge investments in China—is “trying to have it both ways: kowtowing to China by drawing the dashed lines but keeping plausible deniability by drawing them in an imaginary map.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Dreamhouse, Assemble: How ‘Barbie’ Cast Barbie, Barbie, Barbie (and Ken)The BarbieMovie's casting directors reveal what it took to build the perfect cast of Barbies and Kens, which actors they had to turn away, and the qualities they sought out most in their search.
Read more »
Movie Review: She’s Perfect Barbie. He’s Scene-Stealing Ken. Their life in plastic looks fantasticShe's been Astronaut Barbie, Teacher Barbie, Doctor Barbie, President Barbie. Now after 64 years, we have live-action Movie Star Barbie. In 'Barbie,' Greta Gerwig serves up a clever, idea-packed take on the doll's story, AP critic Jocelyn Noveck writes.
Read more »
Barbie is an Icon…And A FeministGreta Gerwig’s Barbie movie is a feminist tale because Barbie has always been feminist.
Read more »
Q&A: Is the new Barbie movie appropriate for kids? Filmmaker Greta Gerwig answers this and moreBarbie, the doll, may be 64 years old, but “Barbie,” the movie, is a pandemic baby.
Read more »
These Barbie dolls are spiking in value, thanks to the new Barbie movieInterest and values in older Barbie dolls are spiking this summer, which means if you have a Barbie doll, Ken doll, or accessories, now just might be the best time to cash in.
Read more »
Hear from the stars of the ‘Barbie' movie—Barbie and KenThe highly anticipated BarbieTheMovie is in theaters Friday, July 22, and NBC's JoelleGarguilo had a chance to meet the stars of the film—Barbie and Ken—and ask them all about the movie. PhillyLive's AunyeaLachelle has a look at the interview.
Read more »