Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Hollywood's Jury Drama in the Chinese Context: 12 Citizens

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe adaptation of the U.S. jurisprudence tale into the Chinese context in 12 Citizens exemplifies the dynamics of local and global interactions. By appropriating the storyline and characters of Hollywood's classic 12 Angry Men in a mock trial of a Chinese law school, the film invites critical reflections upon the balance between individual rights and communal obligations in the rapidly evolving China. The jury deliberation of the virtual court functions as a social microcosm and celebrates the nurturing of citizenship to realise justice under official guidance. The paper argues that the re-invention of Hollywood's jury drama in an imagined Chinese situation signifies the tension-ridden trajectory of negotiating between artistic, corporate and political interests in China's effort to pursue a global membership.