tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post4125949207705784327..comments2024-02-02T09:08:14.156-05:00Comments on A Space Blogyssey: 'GHOST IN THE SHELL' CASTING CONTROVERSY msmariahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15486729990673366769noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-66811251120759680252016-07-01T11:36:42.605-04:002016-07-01T11:36:42.605-04:00I understand and appreciate that you're not tr...I understand and appreciate that you're not trying to antagonize. But I disagree with your characterization that such a statement is racist. There are some instances in which I would normally agree with you--that characters should be culturally changed to reflect the current times. In fact, I think most characters can be culturally changed. However, there are a few characters, such as Clark Kent/Superman and Steve Rogers/Captain America, etc. that would be very difficult to change. It doesn't mean it would be impossible, but very difficult because it would change 80+ years of canon. <br /><br />IMO this is a very different from a character like James Bond. I personally think James Bond could be from any culture. But Clark Kent has a long history of being a white male from Kansas. Yes, he's an alien, but he's also an alien with an iconic look--Caucasian, black hair, dimpled chin, and blue eyes.<br /><br />As I noted in my comment, this does not preclude the representation of Superman from being from a different culture. Similarly, as Peter Parker is no longer Spider-Man. Miles Morales is the new Spider-Man. Why can't we have a new Superman, with a different backstory? IMO, Clark Kent's backstory is too entrenched and should not be changed. That does not mean there couldn't be a different Superman. There are different iterations of the same character throughout comic book canon. This is a very common occurrence. msmariahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15486729990673366769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-20297324677726512822016-07-01T10:58:15.221-04:002016-07-01T10:58:15.221-04:00Okay, first off let me say that the purpose was no...Okay, first off let me say that the purpose was not to antagonise you or offend you. But saying that Superman can't be any other race than white is a racist statement. Yes, he's iconic but there's nothing about his story that calls for him to be white. He's from a different planet and he's given the name Clark Kent by humans. Yes, it would be an adjustment to see him as another colour but there's no reason other than our conceptions about the character that stop this. It's like saying James Bond can't be white because he's such an iconic character and his name is James. <br /><br />I'm not trying to pick a fight, I just feel that saying a character can't change because we're so used to them being one way irks me. If Superman is non-white nothing about his character changes. Kgothatjo Magolegohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17851686296089750322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-24652232000548225622016-07-01T10:41:25.649-04:002016-07-01T10:41:25.649-04:00I appreciate your comments and agree with most, bu...I appreciate your comments and agree with most, but I strongly disagree with some of your statements. I'm not sure if you read the entirety of my article, particularly when I said that changing non-iconic characters is important because it reflects modern day diversity. I also wrote an extensive list in which non-white characters were changed to white. It's a problem and happens frequently, but it goes unnoticed. <br /><br />That said, I think there are some iconic characters that should not be culturally changed. I believe this applies to a character like Motoko and Superman. Saying that Superman should not be culturally changed is NOT racist. The character has been Clark Kent--a white man from Kansas for 80+ years. Yes, of course the character was created in a more racist era. Which is why it's essential to update the other characters to reflect a more diverse society. <br /><br />If the character were to undergo a canon change in the comics (similar to Miles Morales/Spider-Man), I think that would be a different story. I'm not sure why another kryptonian of a different culture couldn't have also survived? He could take up the mantel from Superman. But I don't necessarily think that character should be named Clark Kent. There are also a plethora of less iconic characters, like Martian Manhunter, in which race is more fluid and who should be culturally changed. <br /><br />Lastly, as a person of African American, white, and native American heritage, I don't appreciate being called a racist. "Saying that Superman can't be non-white is racist." Not only is it impossible for me to be racist, as I would have to hate myself and my family, it goes against everything I believe in, as I have fought ardently for racial diversity and equality. But I take a very measured approach when I write these posts, because I believe that making blanket statements makes people defensive. My goal is that we all understand each other's perspectives a little better through mutual respect.msmariahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15486729990673366769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-3464023112557512272016-06-29T17:27:30.199-04:002016-06-29T17:27:30.199-04:00I firstly want to say that this is a great post. Y...I firstly want to say that this is a great post. You raised some good points and I think Hollywood still has a long way to go. I think that there are instances when the race of a character is negligible and can therefore be changed. I coincidentally wrote a post about this too, you can check it out here, if you wish. http://dellonmovies.blogspot.co.za/2016/06/whitewashing-in-hollywood-black-and.html<br /><br />One of these characters that I think has a negligible race (along with many comic book characters) is Superman. You need to remember that the majority of these characters were created in a racist society so they had to be white. Why does an alien who can fly and shoot lasers from his eyes need to be white? Yes, the character is iconic but he's malleable and there's no need for him to stay white. In that same breath, take a character like Batman, who's identity is predicated on his resources and wealth. Now it's difficult to make him non-white because non-white families were not in a position to have the kind of money the Wayne family would have amassed in the past. But if you made Batman's dad an internet billionaire or had Bruce be adopted then the problem disappears. Icon status is not enough to justify casual racism. Saying that Superman can't be non-white is racist. The idea bothers you but there's no reason for it to except your own perception. <br /><br />I think changing characters from white to non-white or 'blackwashing' is not only acceptable, it is necessary. Once again, it boils down to the need to correct injustices of the past. If the society these characters were created in allowed for diversity then Superman would be black, Citizen Kane would be about a Latina fellow and Darth Vader would have been a lesbian women. So there's a need for retroactive justice and that's the point of all of this. Kgothatjo Magolegohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17851686296089750322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-42935528416792951562016-05-02T11:39:13.480-04:002016-05-02T11:39:13.480-04:00Hi Ruth! Thanks for your comment. You know I total...Hi Ruth! Thanks for your comment. You know I totally forgot about when Butler played Attila the Hun. I think I may have even watched that movie. It was a mini-series? Ha, I totally remember that. SMH!<br /><br />msmariahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15486729990673366769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-86782263360384080992016-04-29T17:33:46.612-04:002016-04-29T17:33:46.612-04:00Wonderful article Mariah, wow it's really asto...Wonderful article Mariah, wow it's really astounding isn't it the kind of whitewashing of roles. We haven't really come a long way at all since White actors wore Black/Asian makeup in classic films. Another crazy example of whitewashing is casting Gerard Butler who's Scottish as Mongolian leader Attila The Hun. They made him look like he spent months inside a tanning salon but didn't bother asking him to wear brown contact lenses as his green eyes looked even more pronounced w/ tan skin! SMH<br /><br />I do agree though that certain roles should maintain the original race it was created, "I personally would never want to see a non-Caucasian Superman" yep me neither and I'm non-white & not born in the US. Ruthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06313168799746450979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-82279943055719092052016-04-26T10:41:16.395-04:002016-04-26T10:41:16.395-04:00I really hope we get to 2016 one day! There are so...I really hope we get to 2016 one day! There are so few roles for Asian women. I hope to see more Asian actresses in major films. msmariahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15486729990673366769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-75606173329945029642016-04-26T10:40:43.441-04:002016-04-26T10:40:43.441-04:00I totally agree Yolanda! I really adore Johansson ...I totally agree Yolanda! I really adore Johansson as an actress. I would also love to see her in more action roles. I just wish it wasn't in this film. She's so talented. She doesn't need this film. msmariahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15486729990673366769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-68809599022388981952016-04-26T09:13:54.856-04:002016-04-26T09:13:54.856-04:00Whitewashing is rampant at the moment, which is fa...Whitewashing is rampant at the moment, which is fairly ridiculous given the immense talent pool they have at their fingertips. It doesn't really make sense.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13832020537665488659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-35511670352842409682016-04-25T20:34:23.361-04:002016-04-25T20:34:23.361-04:00I don't pretend to understand any of the intri...I don't pretend to understand any of the intricacies of movie making or stats - what they say or why. I just know when something stinks, and this does. But it isn't the first time, and with all the publicity around it they still don't respond. Unbelievable! They have an amazing ability to change things for the world, and all they can do is make it worse. Small, small minds!Yolanda Renéehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09085436784133103221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-60853752186946934092016-04-23T10:56:12.411-04:002016-04-23T10:56:12.411-04:00Thanks Brittani! Yes, I was trying to understand i...Thanks Brittani! Yes, I was trying to understand it from Scarlett's perspective, but I agree she shouldn't have accepted the role. She is still in high demand for now. It's really sad that women are routinely marginalized in Hollywood when they do what everyone else does--age. <br /><br />I am still flabbergasted at the decision to VFX the actors to make them Asian. I didn't think I could be shocked anymore. msmariahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15486729990673366769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7401903779540158679.post-16485445508040457402016-04-23T09:05:44.081-04:002016-04-23T09:05:44.081-04:00This is an excellent post. I'm still having tr...This is an excellent post. I'm still having trouble understanding why Scarlett accepted this role in the first place though. She's still a very in demand actress. While you're 100% correct on actresses getting shafted in their 30's because *gasp* we age! She's still an Avenger ffs. She's got not only that, but probably a lot of other things to do. I'm assuming she did some research on that character, there's no way I'd take a role that was supposed to be a Japanese woman.<br /><br />And the fact that the VFX people wanted to alter them to make them look more Asian without their knowledge is just sick.Brittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.com