China censors 'cut' Pirates film!

The image of Chow Yun-fat's character has been criticised

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End has been censored for Chinese cinema audiences, according to trade magazine Variety.

Some scenes with Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-fat - who plays Singapore pirate Captain Sao Feng - have been trimmed.

Variety quoted local media reports that said the cuts included Chow's recitation of a poem in Cantonese.

A Disney spokesman told Variety that audiences would see a Chinese version of the film.

He added there had been cuts, but did not elaborate.

Violence

On Chinese web forums, many people have criticised the film's image of Chow's character - who is bald, has long nails and is dressed in Qing dynasty style.

They have said it is the image of the Chinese in the eyes of Hollywood producers.

China Film Group, which distributes the film, initially said it had made no cuts, then declined to comment on a Beijing News report that it had cut scenes involving too much violence and horror, Variety said.

The report said the cuts make the film difficult to follow.

"The sudden debut of the captain confused the audience at the Beijing screening," the report said.

Variety reported that the cuts included Chow's reading of a poem by Tang dynasty poet Li Bai (701-762) called Guan Shan Yue (The Moon Shining Over the Mountain on the Border).

The previous instalment in the film franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was banned by the Chinese film bureau because of scenes of cannibalism and ghosts.