Spielberg to Help Chinese Communists Stage Olympics

Imagine for a moment if back in 1936 Joseph Goebbels had called up director John Ford for a little help managing the Berlin Olympics. Ford, of course, would've turned such an overture down - but 70 years later, well, Hollywood's a lot more accommodating toward tyrannical dictatorships!

Thus we read that Steven Spielberg will be an official consultant "in culture and art for the creation of the spectacular ceremonies" for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He will be joined by Chinese director Zhang Yimou ("Raise The Red Lantern," "House Of Flying Daggers"), who's been named chief director for both the Games' opening and closing ceremonies. We also read at ComingSoon.net that:

"Zhang Jigang, director of the Song and Dance Ensemble affiliated with the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and Chen Weiya, vice director of the China National Song and Dance Ensemble, will be Zhang Yimou's deputies and chief assistants."

Wonderful! We're sure that experience with "the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army" will give these gentlemen some great insights into how to present this event to the public!

Here's what Spielberg himself has to say about all this, from WENN:

"Our one goal is to give the world a taste of peace, friendship and understanding. Through the visual arts, the art of celebration of life, we are dedicated to making this the most emotional opening ceremony ever."

Of course, the most "emotional" sort of opening ceremony might include some tribute to those who died during the Tiananmen Square massacre of almost 20 years ago. But don't look for such a tribute to be included.