Hollywood's "Ghost in the Shell"
Moderators: Rebuild/OT Moderators, Board Staff
Re: Hollywood's "Ghost in the Shell"
...but are there Tachikomas? I love those little blue bugtanks.
Rest In Peace ~ 1978 - 2017
"I'd consider myself a realist, alright? but in philosophical terms I'm what's called a pessimist. It means I'm bad at parties." - Rust Cohle
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize that half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
"The internet: It's like a training camp for never amounting to anything." - Oglaf
"I think internet message boards and the like are dangerous." - Anno
"I'd consider myself a realist, alright? but in philosophical terms I'm what's called a pessimist. It means I'm bad at parties." - Rust Cohle
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize that half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
"The internet: It's like a training camp for never amounting to anything." - Oglaf
"I think internet message boards and the like are dangerous." - Anno
- EvangelionFan
- Test Subject
- Age: 32
- Posts: 2771
- Joined: Jun 16, 2010
- Location: Canberra
- Gender: Male
Re: Hollywood's "Ghost in the Shell"
Section 9 in the movie isn't shown as having Tachikomas - in fact, I don't recall Section 9 using any robots of their own. As with the first Oshii film, the Major and Batou tend to get around in armored vans or cars.
I am inclined to say that there aren't Tachikoma's in the film as they probably were deemed to be too out of tone with what the director/producers were going for. I feel the closest thing I saw resembling one had been an inanimate spider-shaped tank in the background in one of the earlier scenes when the Major & Batou are strolling through the security checks outside the Hanka Corporation building ... but, it was grey and had a flat top, so it was probably a spider-tank similar to the one in the first Oshii film (or a statue of one or something like that).
I am inclined to say that there aren't Tachikoma's in the film as they probably were deemed to be too out of tone with what the director/producers were going for. I feel the closest thing I saw resembling one had been an inanimate spider-shaped tank in the background in one of the earlier scenes when the Major & Batou are strolling through the security checks outside the Hanka Corporation building ... but, it was grey and had a flat top, so it was probably a spider-tank similar to the one in the first Oshii film (or a statue of one or something like that).
moderately sized spoiler that answers your question SPOILER: Show
The spider-tank from the first Oshii film is recreated for an action sequence at the end of the adaptation ... and as you can guess, it operates lot like the one from that film, with the notable exception that it's controlled remotely by Mr. Corporate Villain rather than by a cybernetically connected driver. I'd say that is what is seen in the background in the aforementioned security check scene, so as far as I know there are no Tachikomas in this film.
Voluntary Illusion.
Avatar: Wakaba Shinohara
Avatar: Wakaba Shinohara
Re: Hollywood's "Ghost in the Shell"
Meh. I'm not surprised, but still disappointed.
Rest In Peace ~ 1978 - 2017
"I'd consider myself a realist, alright? but in philosophical terms I'm what's called a pessimist. It means I'm bad at parties." - Rust Cohle
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize that half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
"The internet: It's like a training camp for never amounting to anything." - Oglaf
"I think internet message boards and the like are dangerous." - Anno
"I'd consider myself a realist, alright? but in philosophical terms I'm what's called a pessimist. It means I'm bad at parties." - Rust Cohle
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize that half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
"The internet: It's like a training camp for never amounting to anything." - Oglaf
"I think internet message boards and the like are dangerous." - Anno
- Gob Hobblin
- First Ancestor
- Age: 40
- Posts: 4233
- Joined: Jan 12, 2013
- Location: Behind the Door of Kukundu
- Gender: Male
- Contact:
Re: Hollywood's "Ghost in the Shell"
Yeah, I read about that 'twist ending'....
Though, Gob still might look good in a cocktail dress.
-Sorrow
Rei wanted to know what waffles tasted like.
-Literary Eagle
We have to remember what's important in life: friends, waffles, and work. Or waffles, friends, and work. But work has to come in third.
-Leslie Knope
Come read EVA Sessions! This place has it, too! There'll be pizza! Not really! There are other things, too! Not EVA Sessions! Did I mention the pizza!?
-Sorrow
Rei wanted to know what waffles tasted like.
-Literary Eagle
We have to remember what's important in life: friends, waffles, and work. Or waffles, friends, and work. But work has to come in third.
-Leslie Knope
Come read EVA Sessions! This place has it, too! There'll be pizza! Not really! There are other things, too! Not EVA Sessions! Did I mention the pizza!?
- Gob Hobblin
- First Ancestor
- Age: 40
- Posts: 4233
- Joined: Jan 12, 2013
- Location: Behind the Door of Kukundu
- Gender: Male
- Contact:
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
So, on Ghost in the Shell....
It sounds like took everybody's concerns and went in the complete opposite direction with them.
SPOILER: Show
The big twist is that the major is an Asian woman whose identity has been erased and replaced with a white woman's. And they just kind of gloss over the implications of that.
It sounds like took everybody's concerns and went in the complete opposite direction with them.
Though, Gob still might look good in a cocktail dress.
-Sorrow
Rei wanted to know what waffles tasted like.
-Literary Eagle
We have to remember what's important in life: friends, waffles, and work. Or waffles, friends, and work. But work has to come in third.
-Leslie Knope
Come read EVA Sessions! This place has it, too! There'll be pizza! Not really! There are other things, too! Not EVA Sessions! Did I mention the pizza!?
-Sorrow
Rei wanted to know what waffles tasted like.
-Literary Eagle
We have to remember what's important in life: friends, waffles, and work. Or waffles, friends, and work. But work has to come in third.
-Leslie Knope
Come read EVA Sessions! This place has it, too! There'll be pizza! Not really! There are other things, too! Not EVA Sessions! Did I mention the pizza!?
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
Gob Hobblin wrote:So, on Ghost in the Shell....SPOILER: ShowThe big twist is that the major is an Asian woman whose identity has been erased and replaced with a white woman's. And they just kind of gloss over the implications of that.
It sounds like took everybody's concerns and went in the complete opposite direction with them.
SPOILER: Show
Which makes sense, since the company that created her didn't want her to remember who she was. Also, the film is working with concepts that transcend ethnicity, the Major is constantly questioning her own humanity, she has to come to terms with the fact that her body isn't even organic anymore, the ethnicity of this new body is of little concern at that point.
Avatar: B-B-B-B-B-Bad
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
But that means the twist was completely unnecessary, and is working at odds with what GitS is supposed to be.
For my post-3I fic, go here.
The law doesn't protect people. People protect the law. -- Akane Tsunemori, Psycho-Pass
People's deaths are to be mourned. The ability to save people should be celebrated. Life itself should be exalted. -- Volken Macmani, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
I hate myself. But maybe I can learn to love myself. Maybe it's okay for me to be here! That's right! I'm me, nothing more, nothing less! I'm me. I want to be me! I want to be here! And it's okay for me to be here! -- Shinji Ikari, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yes, I know. You thought it would be something about Asuka. You're such idiots.
The law doesn't protect people. People protect the law. -- Akane Tsunemori, Psycho-Pass
People's deaths are to be mourned. The ability to save people should be celebrated. Life itself should be exalted. -- Volken Macmani, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
I hate myself. But maybe I can learn to love myself. Maybe it's okay for me to be here! That's right! I'm me, nothing more, nothing less! I'm me. I want to be me! I want to be here! And it's okay for me to be here! -- Shinji Ikari, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yes, I know. You thought it would be something about Asuka. You're such idiots.
- FreakyFilmFan4ever
- (In)Sufficient Director
- Age: 36
- Posts: 9897
- Joined: Jun 09, 2009
- Location: Playing amongst the stars
- Gender: Male
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
Becoming a full-body replacement cyborg isn't the end of identity politics bullshit? truly we are cursed.
Rest In Peace ~ 1978 - 2017
"I'd consider myself a realist, alright? but in philosophical terms I'm what's called a pessimist. It means I'm bad at parties." - Rust Cohle
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize that half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
"The internet: It's like a training camp for never amounting to anything." - Oglaf
"I think internet message boards and the like are dangerous." - Anno
"I'd consider myself a realist, alright? but in philosophical terms I'm what's called a pessimist. It means I'm bad at parties." - Rust Cohle
"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize that half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
"The internet: It's like a training camp for never amounting to anything." - Oglaf
"I think internet message boards and the like are dangerous." - Anno
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
SPOILER: Show
How so? All it does is give the character something to help her reconnect with her humanity.
Avatar: B-B-B-B-B-Bad
- Gendo'sPapa
- Committeeperson
- Age: 39
- Posts: 5599
- Joined: Oct 24, 2006
- Gender: Male
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
It's always interesting that the talk regarding art/entertainment/stories being able to rise above ethnicity only takes place in cases when a white person is the focus. All because of the culturally assumed belief that white is the status quo.
I always wonder if the people who passionately defend such casting would be okay with Superman being non-white. I mean, he's not from Earth.
Maybe the movie wouldn't have blown so much if they didn't keep it situated in Hong Kong & moved the story to a city where a predominantly white cast makes
more sense - future San Francisco or something , or didn't pander so hard with Beat Takeshi being the only person in the film speaking in a foreign language or didn't routinely make bad artistic decisions like having the Major visit a Japanese grave in a Japanese cemetery where the one grave she's interested in has the name written on it in English.
Eh. Ghost in the Shell 2017 is the definition of a forgettable film. The visuals (well the key action scenes & a few sporadic moments here & there, a lot of the movie is very tele-visual with too many close ups & mediums) are nice but because they're not connected to a more solid & memorable foundation of narrative or character they just float by & don't stick. I saw the film a few days ago & already can't remember most of it while Get Out, Song to Song, Logan & dozens of films from 2016 are still very fresh in my mind. In the era of "We Can Do Anything" film making we're not exactly bereft of fantastic almost photo-real alternate worlds so just replicating the world of the anime isn't enough to cut it. Maybe an action scene or two will get regular play on Youtube but that's it.
Story & character matter above all else.
In the end I promise history will forget the actual film of Ghost in the Shell 2017 because it has so little worth or quality. There's nothing there to hold onto -
besides the awesome GheisaBots of course - so the films legacy is ultimately going to be its racial controversy. It sure doesn't help that the film essentially leans into the whitewashing controversy & tries to say "their is no controversy". A much smarter film would have dealt with the cultural/social aspects of the reveal. There's an interesting story there. Shame they didn't actually confront it.
I always wonder if the people who passionately defend such casting would be okay with Superman being non-white. I mean, he's not from Earth.
Maybe the movie wouldn't have blown so much if they didn't keep it situated in Hong Kong & moved the story to a city where a predominantly white cast makes
more sense - future San Francisco or something , or didn't pander so hard with Beat Takeshi being the only person in the film speaking in a foreign language or didn't routinely make bad artistic decisions like having the Major visit a Japanese grave in a Japanese cemetery where the one grave she's interested in has the name written on it in English.
Eh. Ghost in the Shell 2017 is the definition of a forgettable film. The visuals (well the key action scenes & a few sporadic moments here & there, a lot of the movie is very tele-visual with too many close ups & mediums) are nice but because they're not connected to a more solid & memorable foundation of narrative or character they just float by & don't stick. I saw the film a few days ago & already can't remember most of it while Get Out, Song to Song, Logan & dozens of films from 2016 are still very fresh in my mind. In the era of "We Can Do Anything" film making we're not exactly bereft of fantastic almost photo-real alternate worlds so just replicating the world of the anime isn't enough to cut it. Maybe an action scene or two will get regular play on Youtube but that's it.
Story & character matter above all else.
In the end I promise history will forget the actual film of Ghost in the Shell 2017 because it has so little worth or quality. There's nothing there to hold onto -
besides the awesome GheisaBots of course - so the films legacy is ultimately going to be its racial controversy. It sure doesn't help that the film essentially leans into the whitewashing controversy & tries to say "their is no controversy". A much smarter film would have dealt with the cultural/social aspects of the reveal. There's an interesting story there. Shame they didn't actually confront it.
- Tumbling Down
- Ireul
- Age: 28
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Jun 16, 2014
- Gender: Male
Re: Hollywood's "Ghost in the Shell"
I double featured this with Beauty and the Beast, since they're both live-action remakes of animated classics. I wouldn't describe either of them as good, but this one actually had a reason to exist: photorealistically rendering the beautiful imagery from the original. B&TB didn't have much that I wanted to see recreated in CG. So, uh, I do recommend seeing this, so long as you don't expect a good script. You just get some pretty pictures.
>tfw 8% of this movie's budget could've gone to redubbing Motoko in the 1995 film
>tfw 8% of this movie's budget could've gone to redubbing Motoko in the 1995 film
- FreakyFilmFan4ever
- (In)Sufficient Director
- Age: 36
- Posts: 9897
- Joined: Jun 09, 2009
- Location: Playing amongst the stars
- Gender: Male
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
Non-spoiler thoughts.
Having actually, finally seen this movie, culturally speaking, the white washing was... "lame"? Is that a good word to describe it? I mean, like GendosPapa said, it doesn't lead into an interesting statement about the subject or anything like that. It all seems so pointless and inoffensive that, strangely enough, that becomes the most offensive part about it. The movie should have either gone with a mostly Asian cast, including in the Major, or get the movie out of Hong Kong and completely Americanize/Westernize the crap out of it. Set it in LA or NY, cast a racially diverse set of folks all around (I'd still kill to see this movie), and tell a kick-ass existential cyber-punk story. Instead, what we got was this racially super awkward film to watch on screen that can be almost cool sometimes. It's like watching a friend of yours use the most offensive language possible in a public setting in order to give you a genuine complement in front of complete strangers... or something. You appreciate the effort to a very small extent, but you're more embraced about it and a little mad at him than you are anything else.
In fact, that's a good summation of the entire movie. But I'll continue anyway.
Ghost in the Shell 2017 doesn't compare to great film adaptations of good works (Jurassic Park), nor does it even compare to good film adaptations of great works (Lord of the Rings). Rather, GitS 2017 is a half-decent flick that compares to other mediocre film adaptations. (Think of the film adaptation of The Watchmen, but it's Ghost in the Shell instead.) It's got enough visual call-backs to convince fans that the filmmakers have seen the original(s) and "know what it's all about," but still ultimately lose their handling on the core appeal of the material to begin with, to the point where you wonder why they simply didn't make another sci-fi film that homages it just like The Matrix did. And without that firm grasp of the material's core appeals, the movie also kinda suffers from the "John Cater" effect. Sure, this is the source of all of those homages and call-backs that you've seen in other sci-fi movies, but so many of its stylistic elements have been "borrowed" by other contemporary sci-fi properties for so long that, without that core uniqueness, it just kinda looks like a less interesting version of the other stuff that you've already seen.
I'll expound upon this idea later. Believe me, there's a lot more to it than that already long paragraph I wrote.
Having actually, finally seen this movie, culturally speaking, the white washing was... "lame"? Is that a good word to describe it? I mean, like GendosPapa said, it doesn't lead into an interesting statement about the subject or anything like that. It all seems so pointless and inoffensive that, strangely enough, that becomes the most offensive part about it. The movie should have either gone with a mostly Asian cast, including in the Major, or get the movie out of Hong Kong and completely Americanize/Westernize the crap out of it. Set it in LA or NY, cast a racially diverse set of folks all around (I'd still kill to see this movie), and tell a kick-ass existential cyber-punk story. Instead, what we got was this racially super awkward film to watch on screen that can be almost cool sometimes. It's like watching a friend of yours use the most offensive language possible in a public setting in order to give you a genuine complement in front of complete strangers... or something. You appreciate the effort to a very small extent, but you're more embraced about it and a little mad at him than you are anything else.
In fact, that's a good summation of the entire movie. But I'll continue anyway.
Ghost in the Shell 2017 doesn't compare to great film adaptations of good works (Jurassic Park), nor does it even compare to good film adaptations of great works (Lord of the Rings). Rather, GitS 2017 is a half-decent flick that compares to other mediocre film adaptations. (Think of the film adaptation of The Watchmen, but it's Ghost in the Shell instead.) It's got enough visual call-backs to convince fans that the filmmakers have seen the original(s) and "know what it's all about," but still ultimately lose their handling on the core appeal of the material to begin with, to the point where you wonder why they simply didn't make another sci-fi film that homages it just like The Matrix did. And without that firm grasp of the material's core appeals, the movie also kinda suffers from the "John Cater" effect. Sure, this is the source of all of those homages and call-backs that you've seen in other sci-fi movies, but so many of its stylistic elements have been "borrowed" by other contemporary sci-fi properties for so long that, without that core uniqueness, it just kinda looks like a less interesting version of the other stuff that you've already seen.
I'll expound upon this idea later. Believe me, there's a lot more to it than that already long paragraph I wrote.
- silvermoonlight
- Former Moderator
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Jun 19, 2016
- Location: UK
- Gender: Female
- Contact:
Re: Hollywood's "Ghost in the Shell"
Yeah I read about that to...could not believe no one in production said hey guys you know this might be a huge problem and might really annoy people, because of the white washing issue everyone has already brought up and have been talking about for months.
Anywhere can be paradise as long as you have the will to live. After all, you are alive, so you will always have the chance to be happy.
My Eva fanfiction ff.net Fading In To The Stolen Light For download version please go to AO3
Sequel As The Divine Light Breaks For download version please go to AO3
My Eva fanfiction ff.net Fading In To The Stolen Light For download version please go to AO3
Sequel As The Divine Light Breaks For download version please go to AO3
- movieartman
- DNA Donor
- Age: 32
- Posts: 2390
- Joined: Feb 24, 2014
- Gender: Male
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
I always wonder if the people who passionately defend such casting would be okay with Superman being non-white. I mean, he's not from Earth.
Superman specifically probably not, a dark toned head over the traditional colors just seems awkward to me, that is more a visual thing then anything else.
It really depends heavily on the character & the actor/actress involved.
I defend Johansson as Kusanagi as I genuinely think she looks like the 1995 Major.
I liked Jordan as the Human Torch conceptually (haven't seen that film yet), I personally loved Idris Elba as Heimdall and fully support the notion of him being the next James Bond. Would have liked him as Batman honestly.
I am fine with Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie (altho I absolutely hate that they didn't even faintly try to make her outfit or hair look like the character)
But at the same time I am genuinely upset at Zazie Beetz playing Domino, as she is among my top favorite female comic characters and her having bleached snow white skin is her single iconic visual feature and there is no way in hell they will put a black actress in basically white face even if it is more albino/joker skin kinda thing then Caucasian. Recently leaked concept art showed they are just gonna make her look like a generic as fuck post apocalyptic babe with a white oval around her eye. - https://edge.alluremedia.com.au/m/g/201 ... adpool.jpg
Like with this fan concept at least we would still get some striking contrast like her classic look had just reversed - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C4tfGEaUYAAEiJN.jpg
But no they are going for the most lazy route imaginable.
Maybe the movie wouldn't have blown so much if they didn't keep it situated in Hong Kong & moved the story to a city where a predominantly white cast makes more sense - future San Francisco or something
Strongly disagree with this, would remove every ounce of visual artistry and uniqueness that the anime had, we wouldn't get the geisha robots or anything.
I don't get how having a future with a decent number of white people living in Hong Kong is any different then Blade Runner having tons of Japanese people living in & Japanese culture integrated into LA.
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
She could do that just as easily with the identity of Motoko Kusanagi (or whatever said character's actual identity is, as that name makes about as much sense as "Jane Excalibur"). There is zero reason to give her a white identity. Like, none. If she has amnesia, fine -- her actual identity does the job as well as anything. If she doesn't, there's no reason to invent an identity. Either way, making a Japanese woman white does absolutely nothing for the storyline. Putting a Japanese woman into a white cyborg body? Fine, plenty to work with there. But making a Japanese woman believe she's white? No. No excuse whatsoever, period, the end. It's just stupid. It's like the staff is so invested in saying "fuck you" to identity politics that they will do the dumbest things possible to make their point, no matter how stupid they look in the process. Well, guess what? They look pretty fucking stupid. Just sayin'.
For my post-3I fic, go here.
The law doesn't protect people. People protect the law. -- Akane Tsunemori, Psycho-Pass
People's deaths are to be mourned. The ability to save people should be celebrated. Life itself should be exalted. -- Volken Macmani, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
I hate myself. But maybe I can learn to love myself. Maybe it's okay for me to be here! That's right! I'm me, nothing more, nothing less! I'm me. I want to be me! I want to be here! And it's okay for me to be here! -- Shinji Ikari, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yes, I know. You thought it would be something about Asuka. You're such idiots.
The law doesn't protect people. People protect the law. -- Akane Tsunemori, Psycho-Pass
People's deaths are to be mourned. The ability to save people should be celebrated. Life itself should be exalted. -- Volken Macmani, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
I hate myself. But maybe I can learn to love myself. Maybe it's okay for me to be here! That's right! I'm me, nothing more, nothing less! I'm me. I want to be me! I want to be here! And it's okay for me to be here! -- Shinji Ikari, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yes, I know. You thought it would be something about Asuka. You're such idiots.
Re: Hollywood's "Ghost in the Shell"
What amazing about it is the fact that they were free and clear: Motoko doesn't know who she is! She has a cyborg body that could look like anyone! She's literally a blank slate, and can be anyone you want her to be! And they decide to take this potential and go with . . . that. It's like they were trying to fail or something.
For my post-3I fic, go here.
The law doesn't protect people. People protect the law. -- Akane Tsunemori, Psycho-Pass
People's deaths are to be mourned. The ability to save people should be celebrated. Life itself should be exalted. -- Volken Macmani, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
I hate myself. But maybe I can learn to love myself. Maybe it's okay for me to be here! That's right! I'm me, nothing more, nothing less! I'm me. I want to be me! I want to be here! And it's okay for me to be here! -- Shinji Ikari, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yes, I know. You thought it would be something about Asuka. You're such idiots.
The law doesn't protect people. People protect the law. -- Akane Tsunemori, Psycho-Pass
People's deaths are to be mourned. The ability to save people should be celebrated. Life itself should be exalted. -- Volken Macmani, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
I hate myself. But maybe I can learn to love myself. Maybe it's okay for me to be here! That's right! I'm me, nothing more, nothing less! I'm me. I want to be me! I want to be here! And it's okay for me to be here! -- Shinji Ikari, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yes, I know. You thought it would be something about Asuka. You're such idiots.
- Gendo'sPapa
- Committeeperson
- Age: 39
- Posts: 5599
- Joined: Oct 24, 2006
- Gender: Male
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
So much of the defense for this film basically falls down to the mindset: I really like Asian pop culture. Actual Asian people? I'm kinda indifferent.
Also, all of the cityscape visuals in Ghost in the Shell 2017 were flat out stolen/borrowed from Blade Runner so defending keeping the film in East Asia doesn't make any logical sense. The original film does not cover Hong Kong in flashy holographic displays at all. All that visual material is directly lifted from Blade Runner & the films that it inspired - A.I., Minority Report, other anime like Akira - & not the original Ghost. The actual visuals in the Rupert Sanders film could easily be transposed to almost any major coastal city around the world without sacrificing much. But the film wants it Yellow Racist Cake & to eat it too. Preferably with chopsticks and some kind of cool Japanese or Chinese beer that has a dragon on the bottle. It's a film that fetishizes East Asian culture to a hyperbolic exteme but doesn't want to give actual Asian people a voice. Hell, even the most prominently featured Asian member of the cast, "Beat" Takeshi Kitano, is more of a prop than an human being.
As for the difference between Blade Runner's world & Ghost in the Shell 2017? One, about 35 years of human history as the film was made in the early 80s. Two, Blade Runner is set in a city that historically has a pretty solid Asian population - 10.7% of LA in the most recent census identified as Asian - and if anything the film should have featured a greater Hispanic population. Three, Harrison Ford is playing a guy named Rick Deckard. Four, Los Angeles has had a Little Tokyo district since the early 1940s so there is actual precedence there. Five, ultimately Blade Runner is NOT the story of an Asian man coming to realize secrets about his past.
Comparison: One, Ghost in the Shell 2017 came out in 2017. Two, Ghost 2017 takes place in a city that historically has little ethnic diversity with 92% qualified as ethnic Chinese. Over half of that remaining 8% other is Indonesian & Filipino. So based on those numbers I guess Ghost 2017 gets a pass if in their world the film featured pretty much every Caucasian living in Hong Kong. Three, they give her a name change but we all know who Scarlett Johhansson is playing. Four, Hong Kong does not have a Little America district. Five, ultimately Ghost in the Shell 2017 IS ABSOLUTELY the story of an Asian woman coming to realize secrets about her past.... only in this case we don't spend any time with an actual Asian woman
In the end though audiences wisely rejected this film. Ghost in the Shell 2017 didn't crack $20 million in the US for it's opening weekend. With a film this niche (adaptation of 20+ year old anime) I'll be genuinely surprised if the film crosses $50 million domestically. I doubt there's many people out there who are willing to wait a few weeks on Ghost. Unless the film can pull Warcraft squared type numbers in China it's a financial bomb. Kinda rendering the already flawed "We Need a Star" argument as nonsense.
In the end, films a bomb. All the studios arguments for why they went the way they did has not delivered. Won't be surprised to see film near or even outside the Top 10 when next weekend's box office numbers come in. Go see Makoto Shinkai's Your Name in theaters next weekend instead, it's really good & even though it seems some people in their minds will say cast of characters in the film are really Caucasians that doesn't make it so. No one will be talking about Ghost in the Shell 2017 in two weeks except to say "Yeah, that was pretty racist." Actually, I take that back.... people will probably bring this film back into discussion in July 2018 right before ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL gets released. Just looked at the cast list for that film...
Finally, anyone of any color can be Superman. A dark toned Superman would not "be awkward". Certainly it would be less awkward & more faithful to the character of Superman than the fascist, cold, aloof, human hating murder bot that Henry Cavill has been stuck with for two films.
Also, all of the cityscape visuals in Ghost in the Shell 2017 were flat out stolen/borrowed from Blade Runner so defending keeping the film in East Asia doesn't make any logical sense. The original film does not cover Hong Kong in flashy holographic displays at all. All that visual material is directly lifted from Blade Runner & the films that it inspired - A.I., Minority Report, other anime like Akira - & not the original Ghost. The actual visuals in the Rupert Sanders film could easily be transposed to almost any major coastal city around the world without sacrificing much. But the film wants it Yellow Racist Cake & to eat it too. Preferably with chopsticks and some kind of cool Japanese or Chinese beer that has a dragon on the bottle. It's a film that fetishizes East Asian culture to a hyperbolic exteme but doesn't want to give actual Asian people a voice. Hell, even the most prominently featured Asian member of the cast, "Beat" Takeshi Kitano, is more of a prop than an human being.
As for the difference between Blade Runner's world & Ghost in the Shell 2017? One, about 35 years of human history as the film was made in the early 80s. Two, Blade Runner is set in a city that historically has a pretty solid Asian population - 10.7% of LA in the most recent census identified as Asian - and if anything the film should have featured a greater Hispanic population. Three, Harrison Ford is playing a guy named Rick Deckard. Four, Los Angeles has had a Little Tokyo district since the early 1940s so there is actual precedence there. Five, ultimately Blade Runner is NOT the story of an Asian man coming to realize secrets about his past.
Comparison: One, Ghost in the Shell 2017 came out in 2017. Two, Ghost 2017 takes place in a city that historically has little ethnic diversity with 92% qualified as ethnic Chinese. Over half of that remaining 8% other is Indonesian & Filipino. So based on those numbers I guess Ghost 2017 gets a pass if in their world the film featured pretty much every Caucasian living in Hong Kong. Three, they give her a name change but we all know who Scarlett Johhansson is playing. Four, Hong Kong does not have a Little America district. Five, ultimately Ghost in the Shell 2017 IS ABSOLUTELY the story of an Asian woman coming to realize secrets about her past.... only in this case we don't spend any time with an actual Asian woman
In the end though audiences wisely rejected this film. Ghost in the Shell 2017 didn't crack $20 million in the US for it's opening weekend. With a film this niche (adaptation of 20+ year old anime) I'll be genuinely surprised if the film crosses $50 million domestically. I doubt there's many people out there who are willing to wait a few weeks on Ghost. Unless the film can pull Warcraft squared type numbers in China it's a financial bomb. Kinda rendering the already flawed "We Need a Star" argument as nonsense.
In the end, films a bomb. All the studios arguments for why they went the way they did has not delivered. Won't be surprised to see film near or even outside the Top 10 when next weekend's box office numbers come in. Go see Makoto Shinkai's Your Name in theaters next weekend instead, it's really good & even though it seems some people in their minds will say cast of characters in the film are really Caucasians that doesn't make it so. No one will be talking about Ghost in the Shell 2017 in two weeks except to say "Yeah, that was pretty racist." Actually, I take that back.... people will probably bring this film back into discussion in July 2018 right before ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL gets released. Just looked at the cast list for that film...
Finally, anyone of any color can be Superman. A dark toned Superman would not "be awkward". Certainly it would be less awkward & more faithful to the character of Superman than the fascist, cold, aloof, human hating murder bot that Henry Cavill has been stuck with for two films.
Last edited by Gendo'sPapa on Sun Apr 02, 2017 8:10 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- robersora
- Laissez-faire in Moderation
- Age: 32
- Posts: 4437
- Joined: May 17, 2011
- Location: Europe, Austria
- Gender: Male
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
^
Just want to point out that Ghost 2017 is not set in Hong Kong.
Also, the only thing people in charge will learn will be "Oh, Lucy's financial hit was not because of Scarlett Johansson, let's take her off the A-list, shall we?"
Just want to point out that Ghost 2017 is not set in Hong Kong.
Also, the only thing people in charge will learn will be "Oh, Lucy's financial hit was not because of Scarlett Johansson, let's take her off the A-list, shall we?"
2Q||3.33 _ 神殺しを行う
Decadent Stoned Slacker Socialist
Decadent Stoned Slacker Socialist
Re: Whitewashing And Diversity In Hollywood?
When I was in my crazy supers phase (i.e., making tons of them for Mutants and Masterminds and other systems), I made Superman expies for northern Europe, India, and Black America. The trope works amazingly well in any of a number of cultural contexts.
Yes, please. Thank you.
For my post-3I fic, go here.
The law doesn't protect people. People protect the law. -- Akane Tsunemori, Psycho-Pass
People's deaths are to be mourned. The ability to save people should be celebrated. Life itself should be exalted. -- Volken Macmani, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
I hate myself. But maybe I can learn to love myself. Maybe it's okay for me to be here! That's right! I'm me, nothing more, nothing less! I'm me. I want to be me! I want to be here! And it's okay for me to be here! -- Shinji Ikari, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yes, I know. You thought it would be something about Asuka. You're such idiots.
The law doesn't protect people. People protect the law. -- Akane Tsunemori, Psycho-Pass
People's deaths are to be mourned. The ability to save people should be celebrated. Life itself should be exalted. -- Volken Macmani, Tatakau Shisho: The Book of Bantorra
I hate myself. But maybe I can learn to love myself. Maybe it's okay for me to be here! That's right! I'm me, nothing more, nothing less! I'm me. I want to be me! I want to be here! And it's okay for me to be here! -- Shinji Ikari, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Yes, I know. You thought it would be something about Asuka. You're such idiots.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 34 guests