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Post by WildKnight on Jun 1, 2010 21:20:43 GMT -5
I think they HAD to specifically say that they would accept caucasians, or they wouldn't have gotten any to try out for the film (except maybe for Aang).
As far as specifically calling for non-caucasians for extras... again, I really don't see racism there. I see them peopling the world with a wide variety of people and costumes, just like we saw on the show.
Honestly, I think there are MUCH larger problems with this production than racism that you have to be specifically digging for to find in the first place. The director, and the fact that (as you've stated), Aang seems far too serious are both more at issue where I'm concerned.
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Post by takewithfood on Jun 1, 2010 21:36:29 GMT -5
I think they HAD to specifically say that they would accept caucasians, or they wouldn't have gotten any to try out for the film (except maybe for Aang). You really think that if they put down "any ethnicity" that no white people would have tried out? I completely disagree. The water tribes are entirely brown-faced people. The two protagonists who emerged from an entire nation of brown-faced people are two incredibly white kids. This was a deliberate choice on the part of the studio. That is the opposite of diversity. It is yellowface. I'm content to disagree with you, as always, but I just want to be very clear that we completely disagree. ^__^ The racism is important to me, but I don't expect it to be important to everyone. It's certainly less important in the case of Spider Man, since being white isn't such a big part of the storyline. And yeah, seriously. Make the kid smile! That is the saddest looking kid I've ever seen. I want to buy him a toy or an icecream cone or something. Yikes. lol Shyamalan still feels like a weird choice to me, too. From another angle, this project seems like a weird and maybe even terrible choice for HIM, too. Even if he succeeds in making an excellent film, it probably won't help his credibility much since it's "just a kids movie". If I had only ever seen The Sixth Sense and maybe Unbreakable, I'd be jazzed, though. If he can get back to that kind of directing, it'd be great. ~TWF
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Post by WildKnight on Jun 1, 2010 21:42:06 GMT -5
I still think you're finding racism because you want there to be racism. I just don't see the world (and particularly, Hollywood) as full of people who go out of their way to snub non-whites. It's way too easy to simply point to a situation we dislike and shout "racism!", and its starting to seriously degrade our cultural understanding of the very real dangers presented by actual racism.
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Post by Presto on Jun 1, 2010 21:44:21 GMT -5
Theres something about Katara that just reminds me of that girl from the Golden Compass... That alone is creepy enough. But they probably went with them just because it would be more acceptable to the movie going audience (Those that don't get their pants in a knot over race baiting).
Zuko being listed as a villian... While technically true, has been a 'bad boy' practically from the beginning. He was designed to draw the tween girls with his HOTness. He was a real hotman.(puns, ha!).
The trailer I saw from the Superbowl didn't leave me too enthused about the movie, but after going to see IM2, and the trailer they showed in it... Showing more bending, and The Blue Spirit, raises my hopes on the film.
As for Aang being a little less smiley... He's in a serious situation, and the movie might not allow for enough time for him to properly angst over whats happening AS WELL as display his usually upbeat attitude. Heres hoping they do get to work that in though, because it wouldnt feel Aang like without that.
Overall, I still feel confident about this movie.. It's looking good, and M. might do it alright.
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Post by takewithfood on Jun 1, 2010 21:58:50 GMT -5
I still think you're finding racism because you want there to be racism. I just don't see the world (and particularly, Hollywood) as full of people who go out of their way to snub non-whites. It's way too easy to simply point to a situation we dislike and shout "racism!", and its starting to seriously degrade our cultural understanding of the very real dangers presented by actual racism. -_-' I give up. I give up on trying to talk to you about stuff. EDIT: Moving on.. assuming a white Spidey, who would be good for the new role? I always felt that Maguire lacked Spidey's charm and wit. I wanted wisecracking Spidey. I hope they find someone a bit more like that. ~TWF
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Post by shenron on Jun 1, 2010 22:02:12 GMT -5
Myself and Wildknight do not always agree but I am with WildKnight 100% on this one.
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Post by Brainstem on Jun 1, 2010 22:04:43 GMT -5
Honestly, I think it's a matter of marketability, similar to what Presto's said. Yes the characters were not initially white and yes the casting call called out Caucasian applicants, but who is the target audience? Like it or not, Hollywood is a business and businesses need to consider their audience. Making a movie like Avatar, they're going to snag the big fans, regardless of who they cast, for at least one viewing. After that, it becomes a matter of putting people into the roles that the general public would want to see. Lost monk child with super powers? Probably angsty and brooding, let's make him like that. Uprising heroes? Hate to say it, but your standard super hero is white. Hotheaded bad guy from a distant land? Dark = mysterious, foreign, and menacing. Bingo.
I'm not saying I agree with any of this, but it's all about the business, you know?
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Post by takewithfood on Jun 1, 2010 22:10:33 GMT -5
"Your standard super hero is white."
This movie is perpetuating that stereotype, when really this movie is an opportunity to help break it. Fans loved the show, why wouldn't they love the movie as-is? I agree that its all about business.. I disagree that this is actually a good business move. I don't think it helps them much to play into stereotypes when it also means playing against the feel of the show.
For the same reasons that I don't like black Spidey, I don't like white Sokka. And clearly I'm not alone.
~TWF
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Post by Presto on Jun 1, 2010 22:15:39 GMT -5
But in the cartoon the look white, except for the brown skin. It's like anime, even though the characters are Japanese the design of the characters can easily be seen as Caucasian as well.
When casting the characters, going with white sokka and katara probably made more sense to the people in charge, just because it would make the more relateable to the primary target audience, kids. And there are alot of people that really don't care about race.
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Post by WildKnight on Jun 1, 2010 22:16:10 GMT -5
Also, on who could play Spidey... this is one of those situations where I'm unsure, because I don't keep up with young actors, but I'm still confident that just about anybody would be better than Toby.
I'd kind of like to see them go with somebody who is (mostly) unknown, so that there's no "previous role baggage."
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Post by Presto on Jun 1, 2010 22:17:26 GMT -5
Also, on who could play Spidey... this is one of those situations where I'm unsure, because I don't keep up with young actors, but I'm still confident that just about anybody would be better than Toby. I'd kind of like to see them go with somebody who is (mostly) unknown, so that there's no "previous role baggage." I don't know any of the young actors of the day either... But I still think Toby did a good job. -Shrug-
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Post by WildKnight on Jun 1, 2010 22:19:49 GMT -5
I've never imagined Peter Parker having a crazy high-pitched voice in which he constantly mumbles. To me, he was a bad Parker and an even worse Spider-Man. When he delivered Spidey's "classic" lines (like "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man") I absolutely cringed.
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Post by takewithfood on Jun 1, 2010 22:22:44 GMT -5
Yeah, he didn't sound right to me. He had the nerdy part in spades, but I think he maybe overdid it. I always saw Peter Parker as nerd on the outside, cool guy on the inside. Tobey Maguire's version felt like nerdy through-and-through. It was an adjustment, and I still enjoyed the movies (well, the first two), but as long as they're rebooting it, I hope they go with a more charismatic Spidey.
~TWF
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Post by WildKnight on Jun 2, 2010 5:51:28 GMT -5
I guess from what I've read they want to go back to a younger Spider-Man. If they were going for "college aged Spidey" again I'd actually be fine with whatsisface, the Efron kid, if they could find some way to nerd him up a bit.
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Post by takewithfood on Jun 2, 2010 7:30:12 GMT -5
I've also heard talk that they're going for more grit and less camp, which doesn't jive well with a hero in his mid-teens. It's a tough call.
~TWF
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