Why Can Hollywood Films Achieve Global Popularity While Films from Other Countries Struggle to Enter the U.S. Market? (Cultural Discount)

Hello! That's a really great question, and it's a feeling many people have when watching movies. I'll try to explain it clearly in plain language. Behind this is actually a pretty interesting concept called the "cultural discount."

We can break this down into two parts: Why is Hollywood so dominant globally? and Why is it so hard for other countries' films to break into the US?

First, why are Hollywood movies so dominant?

Think of Hollywood movies like the "McDonald's" of the global film industry.

A McDonald's burger, fries, and Coke taste pretty much the same whether you're in Beijing, Paris, or Cairo. Is it the best food? Maybe not, but it's definitely not bad, reliable, and you instantly know what it is.

Hollywood movies follow the same playbook; they have a very low "cultural discount." This means they lose very little appeal when crossing cultural borders due to cultural differences.

Specifically, they have a few key strengths:

1. Universal Values and Simple Themes Love, family, friendship, good triumphing over evil, the underdog saving the world, fighting aliens/monsters... these themes are understandable to people everywhere, requiring no specific cultural background. You watch Titanic – a poor boy falls for a rich girl and sacrifices himself for love. That story tugs at heartstrings in any country. You watch The Avengers – a bunch of superheroes fighting bad guys. It's pure fun; who cares if they're American or from somewhere else?

2. Visual Spectacle Trumps Everything This is Hollywood's most powerful weapon. Car chases, explosions, CGI effects, epic scenes. This intense audio-visual stimulation is a "universal language." A giant robot transforming or a dinosaur roaring needs no translation; audiences worldwide see it and think, "Wow, that's cool!" Cultural differences become less important in the face of sheer spectacle.

3. The Global Packaging of the "American Dream" Hollywood movies always have a core spirit: individualism. An ordinary person, through effort, intelligence, and courage, can overcome obstacles and realize their self-worth. This "American Dream" story template is attractive to people in many countries because it taps into the universal desire for success.

4. A Powerful Industrial System and Capital This is the practical reality.

Massive Funding: Backed by huge capital, Hollywood can hire the biggest stars (who are global brands themselves), use the best technology, and launch the most massive marketing campaigns. The marketing budget for one movie might exceed the entire production cost of a film from many other countries.
Control of Distribution: The major Hollywood studios have long-established global distribution networks, effortlessly placing their films in cinemas worldwide. It's like Coca-Cola – you can buy it in any corner store, but finding a local specialty drink takes more effort.

Now, why is it so hard for other countries' films to enter the US?

This is where the "cultural discount" takes center stage.

Think about it: Do you find our Spring Festival Gala entertaining? Many of the skits and crosstalk jokes make us locals laugh out loud because we understand the internet memes, social events, and puns. But if an American watches it, they might sit there expressionless, completely missing the humor.

This "point" that gets lost due to different cultural backgrounds is the "cultural discount."

Films from other countries entering the US market face a high cultural discount:

1. Culturally Specific Core Elements

Comedies are the hardest hit. The humor in Stephen Chow's "nonsense comedy" relies heavily on Cantonese culture and the social context of Hong Kong at the time. Translated into English, that flavor vanishes. Comedies like those from Mahua FunAge also rely on jokes rooted in our shared understanding of social phenomena.
Historical/Dramatic Films face the same issue. A film about India's caste system or China's imperial examination system represents profound historical memory for domestic audiences. But for American viewers unfamiliar with that history, it might require extensive background explanation, creating a high barrier to entry.
Differences in Lifestyles and Values. For instance, scenes in our films depicting "sacrificing the individual for family or the collective" might be seen by individualistic audiences as "uncool" or "illogical."

2. The Barrier of Viewing Habits This might be the most direct obstacle. American audiences generally dislike subtitles, finding them distracting and immersion-breaking. Dubbing often feels unnatural and loses the charm of the actors' original voices. Bong Joon-ho, director of the Oscar-winning Parasite, famously said, "Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." That shows how significant this barrier is.

3. Different Narrative Pacing and Styles Hollywood has conditioned audiences to expect a "three-act structure" with fast pacing and strong conflict. Many Asian or European art films have slower pacing, focusing more on mood and atmosphere. This can feel "boring" or "confusing" to audiences accustomed to "popcorn movies."

4. Lack of Marketing Funds Even if a Korean or French film is hugely successful domestically, it's rare to have a multi-million dollar budget for advertising, premieres, and celebrity appearances in the US market. Under the marketing onslaught of Hollywood blockbusters, their voices are barely audible.

To summarize

Simply put:

Hollywood movies are like "standardized global fast food," using universally understood simple flavors (universal themes) and flashy packaging (visual effects) to minimize the "cultural discount," allowing them to dominate globally.
Films from other countries are more like "unique, flavorful home-cooked dishes," rich and complex, but requiring the diner to have the right "palate" (cultural background) to appreciate their beauty. Once they leave their home turf, their flavor (appeal) diminishes significantly – that's the high "cultural discount."

However, things are slowly changing. Streaming platforms like Netflix make it easier for audiences worldwide to access films and shows from different countries (like the hugely popular K-dramas, J-anime, Spanish series, etc.). Tastes are becoming more diverse. Perhaps in the future, this "cultural barrier" will gradually lower.