M:I:3's Shanghai police 'awkward and slow-moving'

Obviously, the filmmakers didn't model their characterization on Shanghai's adroit and fast-acting anti-jaywalking force. Despite 20 percent of Tom Cruise's M:I:3 being shot in China, its China release has been "delayed indefinitely," primarily because the skin of local officials appears to be as thin as that found on a finely prepared xiaolongbao. From the Shenzhen Daily:

The film could well have offended the Shanghai authorities. In the film, when Cruise stepped into the metropolis, he saw rags and underwear drying outdoors in side streets, rather than views of Shanghai's shining skyscrapers. Shanghai's image was further tarnished by the film's awkward and slow-moving "Shanghai police," according to the Xinmin Evening News.

Industry insiders told the Xinmin Evening News the authorities were yet to make a decision on allowing the film into the mainland. The film's import has been delayed indefinitely, industry insiders said, adding that the ban was probably caused by the "negative Shanghai image."

Underwear drying outside in the side streets of Shanghai?!? Never!

Show us a tourist without a Shanghai photo of drying underwear and we'll show you a tourist who had his camera stolen by a 10-year-old on the subway. We walked our dog this morning and saw perhaps two dozen pairs of underwear. And we learned that at least one of our neighbors must have been born in the year of the dog, or perhaps his favorite color is red. Most Shanghainese do not use clothes driers -- and laundry hanging outside widows, along city streets, even in trees is part of what makes Shanghai Shanghai. Would city officials have preferred that all the "locals" in the movie were directed to walk funny because they were wearing damp underwear?

M:I:3, by the way, is available on DVD on most city street corners. Anyone find a decent copy yet?

Photo submitted by a Shanghaiist reader via Flickr.