more asians in serenity

POSTED BY: jebusyoon
UPDATED: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 06:32
VIEWED: 15723
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INKA

Friday, October 14, 2005 10:40 PM

I must admit that my delight at the use of Chinese in Firefly was tempered a bit by the fact that this element didn't seem to go very deeply into the world. You do see some Asian faces in the background (the village dance scene in "Safe" comes to mind), and I really like that, but generally, I agree with the original poster of this thread, that it doesn't make sense that a world with so much Asian influence on the surface would have so few Asian people in it.

More importantly, I think it was a missed opportunity on the part of the show's makers. The idea that cultures have mingled greatly is a cool one, and is somewhat supported by the upper classes having names that could be Chinese (Tam, Wing, etc. There are actually a couple of Dr. Tams here in Honolulu) but the faces don't bear that out--except Summer Glau's. I'd be surprised if I learned that she isn't of part-Asian descent. It would have been very cool if one of her parents had been played by an Asian actor, or both of them by people who are of some combined ancestry.

REAVERINA1985RIVIERA

Friday, October 14, 2005 11:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Jasonzzz:

Well, if you just look at how many Mesopotamians are running around today... Maybe that's where all of the Asians have gone in the ff universe - the way of the Mesopotamians...

Off topic, but:
Babelonians would be a better example.

A small history lesson: The British invaded Mesoptoamia in the early 20th century, then renamed it.

Know what it's new name is?

IRAQ!

Yep, Mesopotamians are still alive and kicking (and punching and shooting and blowing s**t up).

---------------------------------------------
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INKA

Saturday, October 15, 2005 12:20 AM

HAR. I was hoping someone would make that point about (as the Daily Show puts it) Mess O' Potamia.

SIGGGY

Saturday, October 15, 2005 12:20 AM

Do many Asians like Serenity? I thought they would like to go to hear some of the cussin? Its more than most Western films have in them.

JEBUSYOON

Saturday, October 15, 2005 12:47 AM

im an asian and i love it. but i don't love the fact that it doesn't employ them readily on the screen... sorry that was a bit corny

SONG

Saturday, October 15, 2005 2:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by jebusyoon:
... there is a new kind of rasism, and it's not your blatent, "you're different skin color" rasisim. it's this passive, who cares rasisim. ... so my anger is toward not the people, but their blindness, their ignorance, and a sense, my ignorance as well. i've ignored this problem, saying to myself, all these different races should chill, but i think this outrage is needed to open our eyes. i hope that made sense...

It makes perfect sense to me.

I think you are speaking of white privilege, which permits those in the majority group to remain sheltered in naivety and the very best of intentions, and to respond with pained defensiveness to any accusations of prejudice or bias.

And I think you show tremendous insight as well by recognizing that you have internalized that same "white privilege" response, the dismissive shrug when racism is demonstrated. In a culture that promotes whites at the expense of non-whites, real and concrete privileges accrue to the non-whites who can appear or act the most white.

The same dynamic is at work when very nice men (and many women) just "don't get" why women are angry about sexist behavior. They are privileged by the system of discrimination, so privileged that they can afford even to be unaware that there IS a system. I especially like the distinction you make between being angry at such people (a bad idea) and being angry at their blindness and ignorance. How you convince them to grow beyond it is a question I cannot answer, sadly.

-----
"Is it time to go to sleep again?"
"No, mei-mei. It's time to wake up."

JASONZZZ

Saturday, October 15, 2005 6:31 PM

No, ur, we keep saying Asians... It's really just Chinese. I don't hear any Tagalog, Japanese, Hindi, Korean, Malay, etc.... Asians cover quite a bit of ground...

Understandably, for most people in the world. There isn't a whole lot of difference in the world between the more prominent facial and cultural chracterists between Japanese, Malays, Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, etc. To most folks, these people all look alike and the cultural practices equally foreign. But there is no excuse in the fact that we should use Chinese actors if we are really refering to a Universe where Chinese culture and language and practices became a greater part of the dominant forces in play.

Yes, Daniel Kim is a really good actor, but he is a ethinically Korean and we shouldn't just use any old "Asian" actor who's available. He doesn't look remotely Chinese.

Really!? Asians and Orientals are best left to describing things that are common to the entire region or if you *really* mean to talk about the entire set of people, or culture, or food. But in general practice, there aren't a lot of things that you are applying to the entire set of Asian cultures. It is such a huge and diverse area and the people are so different. There might be similarities between the Malays, the southern part of China, and Vietnam for instance. But that's no where close to the culture practiced in various different parts of India, Pakistan, or the Philippines... Stand up and be proud, don't get
mixed in and allow yourself to be blended into a big bunch of "Asians" just because people haven't learned to see the differences.

"Are you Asian?"

"No, I most certainly *am not* just Asian! I am Japanese!!!"

Anyways, the show really slaughters the Mandarin and Cantonese (what bits of Cantonese that it pretends to be) that are spoken in there. I mean, nobody is as critical as the French in their particuliarity with their own national language, but the spoken Chinese is really really horrific. To the point of wondering if they are speaking Chinese or not. Without the subtitles and the online guides, most of the chopped up spoken Chinese phrases are not understandable.

Quote:
Originally posted by sigggy:
Do many Asians like Serenity? I thought they would like to go to hear some of the cussin? Its more than most Western films have in them.

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JASONZZZ

Saturday, October 15, 2005 6:37 PM

hmm... yeah, I misspoke. But, to be exact, you are talking more of a geographical lesson rather than a historical one. But back on point, I was, of course, refering to ancient Mesopotamia, the Sumerian culture and people to place it within more historical context.

And to be blunt, the people that are in Iraq right now weren't anything close to the original Mesopotamians in the area. These were all of the rejects and bandits from up north that came in and slaughtered the Romans after they took over.

Quote:
Originally posted by ReaverInA1985Riviera:
Quote:
Originally posted by Jasonzzz:

Well, if you just look at how many Mesopotamians are running around today... Maybe that's where all of the Asians have gone in the ff universe - the way of the Mesopotamians...

Off topic, but:
Babelonians would be a better example.

A small history lesson: The British invaded Mesoptoamia in the early 20th century, then renamed it.

Know what it's new name is?

IRAQ!

Yep, Mesopotamians are still alive and kicking (and punching and shooting and blowing s**t up).

---------------------------------------------
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JEBUSYOON

Wednesday, October 19, 2005 9:44 PM

yes, you are correct, and joss did hire daniel dae as a korean in his roll on angel, and if he did trully want to hire correct asians in his cast, it would be chinese. but the fact that he has no asians, whatsoever, is a bit odd. i was trying to name off some asians that he could use, but i guess i'm fighting a battle that is geared toward the wrong side. i guess if he would have hired a japanese person for a roll on serenity, i would be complaining that he wasn't chinese. i guess that's the way the world operates, people picking on the ones that stand out.

JASONZZZ

Wednesday, October 19, 2005 10:36 PM

Well, that's the thing... If you are doing a show portraying Russian history and they go off and hired a bunch of Irish or Nordic guys/gals to do the show... Well, yeah, they are all white people, what the heck is the differences whether you get a bunch of Germans to play the Jewish people in a show about Jews being persecuted - they are all white people.

But it's just not the same.

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