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[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2134 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 064 secrets from Secret Submission Post #305.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[fscom]

05. http://i.imgur.com/lFlqm.png

[ariakas]

I just saw this last night. It was decent. I enjoyed the story.

The blackface/whiteface/asianface was distracting as hell though. All implications aside, it was just so poorly done that there wasn't a hope in hell of anyone mistaking any of the characters for anything but "a white guy with hideous eye prosthetics" or "an Asian woman with dyed hair and contact lenses" etc. The male/female transitions are much better done. Can't Hollywood do better than this? Even if they needed to use CGI? How can it be that we can make Gollum look like a living, breathing creature and not make a white guy look anything at all like he's Asian?

It really distracted from the "we are all the same" and "race doesn't matter" message when it was so starkly obvious that all of these people were completely distinguishable as an "other" in a costume.

[(Anonymous)]

I wish they had the same characters throughout the different timelines but with different actors. I'm always so impressed when that is done well, and there's far fewer unfortunate implications with that method.

[(Anonymous)]

Why couldn't they use ambiguous-looking mixed-race actors, I wondered. That could've worked well.

[(Anonymous)]

It's funny, I had almost the opposite reaction. My brain just sort of retconned the visual oddness of the white-to-asian prosthetics as part of the genetic fuckery of Future Humanity, even though those characters weren't clones. Which actually dovetailed well with the Fabricants played by an actual Asian looking 'perfect' by comparison.

But the gender-flipped costumes threw me way off, because I've know a lot of trans people in various stages of transition, and I immediately mentally identified the cross-gender castings as trans characters. I kept being suprised that no one ever mention that, and wow how nice that they're just treating her like any other lady - oh wait, she's supposed to be cis?

Uh, okay, I guess I can suspend my disbelief a little more.

[barnabys_bane]

Well, socially and historically race is a fundamental distinction between human beings. I'm all for fighting against the idea that one race is superior over another, but the differences are there and the implication that ignoring them is ideal kind of rubs me the wrong way.

[(Anonymous)]

I honestly don't get all the racism hullaballoo with this movie. How else would you film this kind of story where each segment is supposed to have the same actors despite the characters' races and genders changing? I think it's reasonably justified even if the "asian" makeup doesn't look too convincing.

[(Anonymous)]

In the book there's one character that is very likely reincarnated (and even that is subject to debate, I'd say) and s/he clearly keeps changing appearances. Having the same actors play the same characters regardless of race/gender was purely the directors' choice. Whether you think that was a brilliant idea or deeply wrong, there was no constraint.

[(Anonymous)]

Man, I try not to judge things that I haven't seen, but all the reviews/commentary of this film are making me RAGE.

It's not supposed to have the same character in every segment! Sure, that's a possible interpretation, but to me it makes just about zero sense! There is definitely the implication of reincarnation, but the characters are all different people, who look different, and who struggle against similar issues.

RAAAAGE

[otakugal15]

Well, they could have used asian actors in the Neo Seoul parts, but have then act in certain ways that is recognizable to the other actors in the film. Hugo Weaving has very distinct pronunciations on words, especially when he's being "evil" that another actor could have practiced to get down. Or, they could have used a little latex or whatever to give say....B. D. Wong (he just an example) a slightly wider mouth to indicate, oh hey, he's playing the dude who's always played by Hugo Weaving.

Just small things that will make the audience know they are the same souls being reincarnated, but not use yellowface/whiteface/blackface.

Instead they went with...that. Great concept, but dear god was that horrible and distracting. -_-

[yeahscience]

You're assuming the only way to do it is to use the same actor.

[veronica_rich]

Annnnnd, I've been waiting for this.

/gets popcorn

[(Anonymous)]

On a slight tangent, am I the only one who hates the word "yellowface"? I don't think it feels honestly equivalent to "blackface," because "black" as a descriptive term for a person isn't automatically racist, whereas "yellow"... is?

[(Anonymous)]

No, you're not the only one. Folks in the thread, can we brainstorm different terms?

[misstwist]

Understandable, but "black" wasn't always a neutral term. People of African descent all over the world reclaimed it, whereas "yellow" has not really been reclaimed by people of Asian descent. The term "blackface" is associated with racist action, so I do think "yellowface" is appropriate when discussing people of non-Asian ethnicities wearing make-up to make them appear Asian. We're not supposed to like it, it's supposed to serve as a descriptor for racist behavior.

[(Anonymous)]

Just because "black" alone as a descriptive term isn't automatically racist, "blackface" is the name of a historically racist act.

[(Anonymous)]

But "blackface" is inherently racist. You don't need to temper the phrase "yellowface." It's offense because the act is offensive. Why would you feel compelled to make a horrific act have a more palatable name?

[(Anonymous)]

Can't decide whether or not I want to watch the film.

From the meta, I'm left with the impression that the film grossly misinterprets the book, and that would make me not want to see it. But I'll never know for sure unless I do see it!

[ladyrogue]

What is this movie about anyway?

[(Anonymous)]

See, I haven't seen the movie, but in my opinion one of the main themes running through the books is the fight against oppression. So that makes the casting extra special.

[streetcake]

I think I'm either having a hard time getting this secret, or just hoping it's not one of those "We're all part of one race...the human race" kinda things. -_-

[(Anonymous)]

From what I understand (I could be wrong) the book has a positive message about fighting oppression, but the movie - instead of using different actors for different reincarnations/whatever - used makeup to try and portray the same person changing gender and race.

They probably should have used different actors - maybe used make up to make them look more like *each other*, but not to alter race.

[mudousetsuna]

I really liked this movie. I had a hard time following it for a bit, but I think that the actors were really just tools for showing a point about compassion. The story was meant to show that who or what we are shouldn't matter. Caring for each other is what should.

Maybe they could have done better at times with some of the makeup work, but they also needed you to know you were looking at the same character. I commend the actors, and the makeup artists for their work. I came out of it feeling very moved.

[(Anonymous)]

"In another life, maybe." Yes, that. In a world that actually wasn't still having problems with racism it wouldn't be a big deal at all, as far as I can figure, but we're in this one so it's very bleh.

[(Anonymous)]

I honestly think that the Wachowski's point of view of saying that race doesn't matter and we are all connected and reborn into humanity as a whole was beautiful. Using the same actors transcending race was a brilliant way to show that point (granted, CGI should have been explored as an option)

So to all the people saying "blackface/yellowface/whiteface"; screw you. If the perceived racism is the only thing you get from this movie (where the point was a higher concept) I can only call you backwards. It's like, you are so caught up with racial struggles that you can't even see possibilities for the future, and I just feel sad for you, defined by your race and other races transgressions to it.

INB4 white privilege. No, I'm not white, actually, I'm not really sure what I am, but there's a veritable mix in there that would make Wenworth Miller feel inadecuate, and I'm not even close to be american.