A:TLA Live Action Who's on the hate train?

On the train?

Yes	39.0%	[ 46 ]
No	19.5%	[ 23 ]
Staring at the ticketbox undecided.	41.5%	[ 49 ]
Total Votes:			[ 118 ]

[Iylei]

Yeah, I was on the hate train for quite a while. It was pretty racialicious.
But I got so frigging depressed about the world and race relations and crap I had to stop.
Then I saw the picture of Dev Patel as Zuko (omg, his wonky eyebrow!) and I've decided to forgive and forget. I'm a fan girl, so I could get sucked into pretty much any interpretation of the show. Anyway, I don't think Paramount was trying to be malicious, you know? Though I would like to get a full explanation on what they're trying to do with this movie. Then maybe people would stop hating them so much.

[Iylei]

Quote:

Ever hear of Things Fall Apart? That's what this movie is going to watch like.

*snort* That was a weird image. Though kind of interesting, in a way.

Quote:

People are just pissy about Zuko's actor because he's not "OMG HOTT."

When they first put it out there that it would be Jesse McCartney, I was like "...Ew. Not Zuko at all." I had serious doubts about whether or not he could, yknow, actually act. I'm over that now. When I read the news that instead Dev had been cast, I quite literally fell out of my chair. My head spilled over with ideas about how Dev would portray Zuko's huge flips in emotion throughout the series. I'm excited even now.

Quote:

Zuko may be presented as "evil" in the first season, but on top of the fact he represents that people aren't always what they first seem to be (as the series goes on), if you ask around, you will find he is very possibly the most popular character in the entire show. So, are you going to tell me it is a bad thing the most popular character is a minority?

I have to say why this made me lol.
I thought that after you said "but on top of the fact he represents that people aren't always what they first seem to be" you would say "just like how minorities can actually be good, like white people"
*shakes heads* I need a freaking therapist or something.

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I just reviewed the cast list, and the only one that I was disappointed in was Shaun Toub as Uncle Iroh. Normally I don't care if the actor or actress doesn't look exactly like their character, but this is a bit of an extreme. Part of Iroh's personality is based on his weight, and Toub is just way too skinny. He looks like he would need to gain about 60 pounds before filming to remotely pass for Iroh.

That one perplexed me. I thought he would be a big grandfatherly guy (like Santa except wise and... venerable even though his country's abandoned him. Not weirdly jolly). I wonder how that will affect the movie.

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I think doing a beautifully-animated movie, as part of the canon but its own separate story, would have been wonderful.

Oh god, that would have been a great, great thing.

[Ororo Iqadi]

TuckyX

Sparkling Bliss

I'm going to wait to see the movie before judging.
At least they got a young kid who already knows karate.
*shrug* I could speculate all I want, but I wouldn't know at all how the real movie is going to turn out until I actually see it.

Ang's fighting/bending style is heavily based on Ba Gua. Ba Gua uses constant circular movements to redirect force. Ba Gua is totally different from Karate. Casting Noah Ringer, for his knowledge of Karate, only shows that the casting director did very little to research the fighting forms of the Avatar world.

The fact that the casting directors asked Koreans trying out to wear kimonos (Japanese) and Swedish people to wear lederhosen (German) their traditional dress shows they don't know much about the world or other cultures outside the U.S.

[Attack Asthma]

Demonic-Nightmare

Ororo Iqadi

Sparkling Bliss

I'm going to wait to see the movie before judging.
At least they got a young kid who already knows karate.
*shrug* I could speculate all I want, but I wouldn't know at all how the real movie is going to turn out until I actually see it.

It's not so much about seeing the movie, as much as it is about the principle. Like I've said repeatedly, it's not even about whether the movie is good or bad anymore. It's about the principles expressed by the creation of the movie in such a way. Yes, some people won't see it just because they think it's going to be bad. However, others won't see it because it's very existence in this form is insulting and negative.

It would be like re-casting an all-black play or television series with entirely white characters.

I don't think it's THAT offensive,
but if something offends me, I try to ignore it.
If the ratings turn out at least decently, I'll go see it,
but even if I don't, I'll just pick up tickets to another movie.
And principles? I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but what principles are you talking about?
The fact that it's live action? Or something else?
It's true that some things look better in certain forms, but I don't think it's really that bad.
If it makes anyone feel better, think of the movie of a parallel dimension avatar, sounds dumb,
but it works for me.

TuckyX

Sparkling Bliss

I'm going to wait to see the movie before judging.
At least they got a young kid who already knows karate.
*shrug* I could speculate all I want, but I wouldn't know at all how the real movie is going to turn out until I actually see it.

Ang's fighting/bending style is heavily based on Ba Gua. Ba Gua uses constant circular movements to redirect force. Ba Gua is totally different from Karate. Casting Noah Ringer, for his knowledge of Karate, only shows that the casting director did very little to research the fighting forms of the Avatar world.

Well, knowing one fighting form is better than none.
Hopefully they have a Ba Gua instructor waiting for him.
If not, that's an oops.

[Briar Flame12]

I read the stuff, and although I agree there should be some asians in the movie, maybe like Jackie Chan, and Jet Lee, this whole Racebending thing is just plain stupid.

I'm pretty sure actors, and actresses audition for the roles they want, and last I checked, Zuko, and Iroh were not really evil. In the first season Iroh was a kind hearted, albiet lazy, old man, and Zuko was a guy who had a bunch of personal problems stemming from his family history. He is not really evil.

Plus I doubt M. Night. Shamylan is being racist.

Like I said before, if you're not going to go see it, fine, the tickets won't be sold out, and I will judge the movie based on the quality, not because of it's cast.

[Orphan_Shadow]

Casting is a part of the movie's quality... as the character's are a part of the story. It can't be overlooked in any case nor can Hollywood escape being called out for decades of idiocy and insensitivity toward actors of color. And pretending that one doesn't see color is a pretty ******** up way to tell them you don't see them or their cultures at all.

[TuckyX]

Briar Flame12

I read the stuff, and although I agree there should be some asians in the movie, maybe like Jackie Chan, and Jet Lee, this whole Racebending thing is just plain stupid.

I'm pretty sure actors, and actresses audition for the roles they want, and last I checked, Zuko, and Iroh were not really evil. In the first season Iroh was a kind hearted, albiet lazy, old man, and Zuko was a guy who had a bunch of personal problems stemming from his family history. He is not really evil.

Plus I doubt M. Night. Shamylan is being racist.

Like I said before, if you're not going to go see it, fine, the tickets won't be sold out, and I will judge the movie based on the quality, not because of it's cast.

We (Asians) don't really care if you agree with us. We just want you to understand why we find Paramount's actions, regarding the making of this movie, offensive. The fact that you say "this whole Racebending thing is just plain stupid" only shows that you really don't understand much. Most of us believe Paramount isn't trying to be racist by casting non-asians, they're just playing it safe. They believe the present cast will make more money than an all asian cast ever would. That's what we find so offensive, that Hollywood, not just Paramount, thinks that Asians aren't good enough to sell a big budget movie. Even huge international stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Lee, had to play supporting roles in The Forbidden Kingdom, their first movie together. Two international super stars in one movie, and Hollywood still thinks that the only way for it to have made money, was for it to have a white protagonist. This whole racebending thing started well before the Avatar live action, and will, unfortunately, be around long after it has gone to dvd.

[Briar Flame12]

TuckyX

Briar Flame12

I read the stuff, and although I agree there should be some asians in the movie, maybe like Jackie Chan, and Jet Lee, this whole Racebending thing is just plain stupid.

I'm pretty sure actors, and actresses audition for the roles they want, and last I checked, Zuko, and Iroh were not really evil. In the first season Iroh was a kind hearted, albiet lazy, old man, and Zuko was a guy who had a bunch of personal problems stemming from his family history. He is not really evil.

Plus I doubt M. Night. Shamylan is being racist.

Like I said before, if you're not going to go see it, fine, the tickets won't be sold out, and I will judge the movie based on the quality, not because of it's cast.

We (Asians) don't really care if you agree with us. We just want you to understand why we find Paramount's actions, regarding the making of this movie, offensive. The fact that you say "this whole Racebending thing is just plain stupid" only shows that you really don't understand much.

You're getting bent out of shape over a movie that is probably going to be badly done anyway. It's just a damn movie.

[Orphan_Shadow]

The bible was just a book... Hitler was just a man... it's also true that this is "just a damn movie", BUT carries on a dark legacy like its predecessors and while you may be entirely clueless and dismissive of what others think and feel, it will do nothing to silence them.

[Ororo Iqadi]

Sparkling Bliss

I don't think it's THAT offensive,
but if something offends me, I try to ignore it.
If the ratings turn out at least decently, I'll go see it,
but even if I don't, I'll just pick up tickets to another movie.
And principles? I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but what principles are you talking about?
The fact that it's live action? Or something else?
It's true that some things look better in certain forms, but I don't think it's really that bad.
If it makes anyone feel better, think of the movie of a parallel dimension avatar, sounds dumb,
but it works for me.

Have you been reading the posts in this thread. The principle isn't at all that it's live action. That would be a silly reason to cause such a huge problem like the one this movie faces. Try to keep up. The problem is Hollywood's unwillingness to acknowledge actors of color repeatedly. When they cast this movie, they weren't looking for minority actors to fill minority roles (you can argue they are a cartoon and look white all you want, but some characters such as Katara and Sokka are obviously not), they specifically asked for Caucasian or white actors.

[Ororo Iqadi]

EmotionallyInconsistent

The bible was just a book... Hitler was just a man... it's also true that this is "just a damn movie", BUT carries on a dark legacy like its predecessors and while you may be entirely clueless and dismissive of what others think and feel, it will do nothing to silence them.

Thank you for making this point that so many have been trying to point out. Nicely said.

[Briar Flame12]

EmotionallyInconsistent

The bible was just a book... Hitler was just a man... it's also true that this is "just a damn movie", BUT carries on a dark legacy like its predecessors and while you may be entirely clueless and dismissive of what others think and feel, it will do nothing to silence them.

I am not being dismissive of anyone's points. I am putting in my own points about the whole thing.

[Iylei]

The saddest part is that most people are TOTALLY IGNORANT about why it's wrong to have cast the way they did. Here's an example from Margaret Cho's blog post about the movie (the second post is mine):

Quote:

dave Says:
May 1st, 2009 at 12:27 am
Im sorry i just have to say this im sick of people complaining Avatar: The last Airbender is not set in Asia the Charcters are not asian sure the sure the diffrent forms of bending are Inspired by Asian Matrial Arts but thats it.

Quote:

Lili Says:
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:00 pm
dave: Have you ever actually, I don’t know, watched this show?

1. All writing in the show is in Chinese characters.
2. The wheel of incarnation (from Hindu, Taoist, Buddhist philosphy). Aka: the whole Avatar thing.
3. Their clothing
4. Their names (Aang, Sokka, Katara, Zuko, Toph Bei Fong)
5. The architecture of the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, Northern Water Tribe and Air Nomads (The Southern Water Tribe has to be excluded because it’s obvious they are modeled after Inuit/Siberian Yupik and live in igloos/tents)
6. Aang lived in a Tibetan-style temple and quotes the monks’ teachings on several occasions.

So in conclusion, you’ve never payed attention to this show (or you’ve never ever seen Asian culture in the real world, in which case you’d have to be excused).

If they cast Toph Bei Fong as a white girl in the second movie, I think I may die laughing. Better yet, she should be black (Paramount apparently cast some Earth Kingdom extras as black after fans’ outcry. How ironic of them).

[Ororo Iqadi]

Iylei

The saddest part is that most people are TOTALLY IGNORANT about why it's wrong to have cast the way they did. Here's an example from Margaret Cho's blog post about the movie (the second post is mine):

Quote:

dave Says:
May 1st, 2009 at 12:27 am
Im sorry i just have to say this im sick of people complaining Avatar: The last Airbender is not set in Asia the Charcters are not asian sure the sure the diffrent forms of bending are Inspired by Asian Matrial Arts but thats it.

Quote:

Lili Says:
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:00 pm
dave: Have you ever actually, I don’t know, watched this show?

1. All writing in the show is in Chinese characters.
2. The wheel of incarnation (from Hindu, Taoist, Buddhist philosphy). Aka: the whole Avatar thing.
3. Their clothing
4. Their names (Aang, Sokka, Katara, Zuko, Toph Bei Fong)
5. The architecture of the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, Northern Water Tribe and Air Nomads (The Southern Water Tribe has to be excluded because it’s obvious they are modeled after Inuit/Siberian Yupik and live in igloos/tents)
6. Aang lived in a Tibetan-style temple and quotes the monks’ teachings on several occasions.

So in conclusion, you’ve never payed attention to this show (or you’ve never ever seen Asian culture in the real world, in which case you’d have to be excused).

If they cast Toph Bei Fong as a white girl in the second movie, I think I may die laughing. Better yet, she should be black (Paramount apparently cast some Earth Kingdom extras as black after fans’ outcry. How ironic of them).

It is rather sad that fans make complaints about the show not be accurately diverse, and then they just throw in random races to make it seem diverse. They just make themselves look worse and more ignorant. I mean, Dev only came in after the fans outcry, and personally I think that made it worse. Now, our all-white heroes are fighting the evil minority. Honestly, do these people think or consider how they are presenting themselves?

[voodoo laady]

There ain't no party like my nanas tea party!

I looked at the imdb page for it and the pictures they have up are RIDICULOUS.

Zuko doesn't even have a scar.
Aang doesn't have the arrow markings.

Its fail.
Horrible fail.

Heyyy, hoooo--!