China Uses Top Gun Footage to Fake Military Strength

Tom Goldman

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Aug 17, 2009
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China Uses Top Gun Footage to Fake Military Strength


China fancies itself a maverick, but it might be just a goose.

China's state-run television media outlet CCTV recently came under fire for the misuse of a scene from Top Gun [http://www.amazon.com/Top-Gun-Blu-ray-Tom-Cruise/dp/B000RZGIQ8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1296614137&sr=8-2] in a broadcast. The network was airing a segment about the country's fighter jets, and apparently thought it needed a little more excitement that only a Tom Cruise movie could provide.

The segment, covering the People's Liberation Army's Air Force, included footage of the J-10 fighter jet soaring through the clouds. In one spot, a J-10 fires off a missile, and CCTV then shows an exploding jet from Top Gun. Smartly, it doesn't leave in the next scene where Tom Cruise celebrates.

State-run Chinese media outlets have been criticized in the past for inappropriate use of intellectual property, and quite obviously it's just happened again. In this day and age, I think it'd be pretty tough to convince anyone that the explosion shown on CCTV was real. CCTV has reportedly removed all links to the Top Gun story, but hasn't admitted to any wrongdoing.

The whole situation is beyond silly. It'd be like if U.S. media did a story on the war in Iraq and spliced in footage from Rambo [http://www.amazon.com/Rambo-Complete-Collectors-Set-Blu-ray/dp/B003KV3E3G/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1296615558&sr=1-1]. At the same time, I'm a little impressed by the gusto of someone at CCTV.

Thanks for the tip Amarante228!

Source: Wall Street Journal [http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/01/28/video-cctv-tries-to-pass-off-%E2%80%98top-gun%E2%80%99-clip-as-military-drill/]

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emeraldrafael

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Jul 17, 2010
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Akalabeth said:
Is anyone surprised? Blowing up planes costs money.
I am, they could be put to death for questioning the Chinese Gov. That guy who stood up in to the tanks in Teniman Square, he could be dead, and it (EDIT: his refuge style life of solitude) could all be a fake. Its not too far stretched a thought.
 

Fiz_The_Toaster

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Jan 19, 2011
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I think it's kinda funny and sad, but mostly funny. If they had to steal some footage from a movie you would think they'd take it from some obscure movie and not TOP GUN.

Also, using footage from Rambo to make a story about the Iraq war would be awesome, at least then it wouldn't have lasted as long and not as confusing.
 

BarbaricGoose

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May 25, 2010
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Top Gun's pretty awesome. I wish more people would use Top Gun footage instead of the regular old... actual news footage.
 

Soviet Heavy

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Jan 22, 2010
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I'm amazed that they even thought people would be convinced that you could actually get a camera shot at that angle and distance.
 

Trogdor1138

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May 28, 2010
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AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

That's insane, I can't believe they'd try something like that. What the hell is wrong with them?

Oh well, way to spice it up guys.
 

Rigs83

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Feb 10, 2009
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Wow! China's military is fueled by the power of copyright infringement.

Next thing they'll make a stealth bomber that looks eerily like an F-22 [http://www.realestateradiousa.com/2011/01/05/china-leaks-pictures-of-new-stealth-bomber-on-internet-picture/]
 

Klagermeister

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Jun 13, 2008
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Lame... They're now just military trolls trying to instill a little fear in us.
Or should I say... *puts on sunglasses*... Mili-trolls?
 

Eri

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Feb 21, 2009
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What's that? China reproduced something that isn't theirs? I'm surprised.
 

lacktheknack

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Jan 19, 2009
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Am I the only one who immediately thought of the giant statue/reality revision they pulled off about a month ago?

Ten bucks says they ban the footage and claim it never existed.
 

octafish

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Apr 23, 2010
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HankMan said:
So our jobs aren't enough, You have to steal our movies as well?
"What happened to you China? You used to be cool."
Hey, China still cool. You pay later. Later!

I wonder if it was the overuse of tabacco graduated filters that gave the footage away, am I right? *crickets chirp*