Florida Coalcracker Chronicles: Watching The Movie - Midway - In China

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Watching The Movie - Midway - In China - With Chinese Subtitles

Midway - it has been out a week

This guy was so sad - he went down with his ship

It was a very pretty modern theatre

It was Saturday morning in Beijing. We were excited to listen to the Tamaqua Blue Raiders football team win a game on their march to the Pennsylvania state title. I said to Lulu that I would like to see the movie - Midway - that just came out at last weekend in America. I really did not expect to see it - I was just wishing.

Lulu went online and found it - about 4 miles away. It was playing at 12:30 - in the original English version with Chinese subtitles. Lulu made us lunch before we left. We got dressed - hopped on the 15 cent bus - and we were at the theatre in nothing flat. The regular admission price was 49 yuan - $7.

BACKGROUND ABOUT MIDWAY. In December of 1941 - Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii - a sneak attack because we were not at war. They destroyed many battleships that anchored in the virtually land locked harbor. Our country was in a fix. That year - they held the famous Rose Bowl football game in Durham NC - at Duke Stadium. We were so afraid of more attacks in California.

We were looking for a morale boost - when in April 1942 - Jimmy Doolittle led a bombing raid of Tokyo. By using a ship and 12 B-25 bombers - we sneaked the aircraft carrier to within 400 miles of Japan. The planes hit many targets in Japan and then attempted to escape to China. In World War II - China was invaded and occupied by Japan - so they were our ally of sorts. To this day - China seems to hold a grudge against Japan.

In June of 1942 - the USA intercepted messages that Japan was going to try to attack Midway - a USA stronghold 500 miles west of Hawaii. This was the Battle of Midway. The USA hid its fleet north and east of Midway. Japan started the attack of the island - but the American planes and ships were ready to ambush Japan. Japan lost 3000 men - 300 planes - and 4 aircraft carriers. The aircraft carriers could not be replaced. It was the beginning of the end of World War II. It slugged on for 3 more years. Finally - when the USA dropped 2 atomic bombs on Japan - they surrendered.

MIDWAY the Movie - it cost $100 million to make. It was an independent film - not made by a studio. It starred Woody Harrelson and Dennis Quaid. It has only been out a week and it has grossed $50 million. Of the $100 million budget - $40 million was used just on promotion. I am guessing the stars have a piece of the gross. Probably the reason that the film is in China so soon - twas because China has invested $40 million in the picture.

I love World War II movies. I love to see planes - ships - bombs - torpedoes - submarines. It reminds me of my childhood. I am not a good film critic. I just know what I like. Harrelson and Quaid are two of my many favorite actors. There were no curse words nor gratuitous sex.

It was fun seeing subtitles and not having to read them.

Normally when I take pictures in a movie theater - Lulu protests wildly. This time she let me go - I asked her why. She said - if you can't steal copyrighted material in a Chinese theater - where can you?

She always has an answer.