Boycotting Thor

[Kegg]

I do remember a lot of people being upset in these very boards with the Battlestar Galactica casting.

Mostly, though, this was because Starbuck was female. I didn't see a lot of whining about white Tigh or Asian Boomer. (Not saying it wasn't there, it just doesn't remain in my memory much...)

Kegg, Chris Hemsworth was also in a little movie last year. And was pretty good.

I know.

And that's the only thing I've actually seen the guy in. And yes, he really sells that part.

But am I really airing anything so controversial when I suggest that Idris Elba's prominent role in one of the most critically acclaimed televsion series made is a little more impressive item to have on your CV?

 

[Captaindemotion]

If a bunch of fucktards like this are calling for a boycott, I'm definitely going to go see it at least twice. Even if it's shit.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

I can't get behind the criticism of a film that already makes liberal use of the Norse mythology to the point where it bears little resemblance to the original myths. Had this been a movie about the myths specifically, where fidelity to the source material is relevant to the story, then yeah, I could understand casting criticism. But that's obviously not the case.

Still, I wasn't planning to see the film in any case as it looks preposterously silly to me.

 

[theenglish]

If anything, a bunch of Klan members making statements like this will only serve to benefit the film.

I am curious as to where the "alien" angle fits in. I have never heard before that the Norse Gods in the Marvel Universe were supposed to be aliens.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ It's been a long time since I've read the comics, but like you, I always remember them being 'real' gods. I think the concept of them being aliens, who the Norsemen mistook for Gods, comes out in the trailer. Whether this is in the recent Marvelverse or from the Ultimate take on Thor, I can't say; perhaps a more recent reader can enlighten us.

 

[Too Much Fun]

It's directed by Kenneth Brannaugh, who is a tremendously talented human being?

Ehhhh.... not a fan. Although knowing Branagh's casting history complaining about Idris Elba would fall on deaf ears.

Oh come on, he's pretty good at casting...aside from casting himself as Hamlet so he could have a make out scene with Kate Winslet's Ophelia (a scene I don't believe exists in the original play ) and putting Keanu Reeves in "Much Ado About Nothing". That last one really bugged me. It nearly ruined an almost perfect movie with an amazing cast on a completely different level than old Keanu. But seriously, those blunders aside, his casting tends to be spot on.

 

[Myasishchev]

^Branagh was freakin' amazing as Hamlet. Also, as Henry V. And Victor Frankenstein. And the lead in Dead Again. I assumed he cast himself because he's one of the best actors around, and possibly because it simplified the payroll.

If anything, a bunch of Klan members making statements like this will only serve to benefit the film.

I am curious as to where the "alien" angle fits in. I have never heard before that the Norse Gods in the Marvel Universe were supposed to be aliens.

Well, they aren't from around here. Thor: illegal immigrant?

 

[Luminus]

Reminds me of the whole "we need black Hobbits in Middleearth" shit. And this is even worse since it's about norse Gods.

It's also racist against Asians. Why can't we have a Japanese Heimdall?

I think we should have a white guy play Martin Luther King in the next film featuring him. That'll even it out.

No, that would be ridiculous. Again, context. MLK cannot be white, because that would defeat the purpose of the movie. MLK is not fiction; therefore, it cannot be changed and expect to keep it's authenticity. People keep making this fallacious example in these situations, but it just falls flat.

Why would that defeat the purpose of the movie? White MLK against black/red/yellow/blue/magenta oppressors. Same message, just different colors. I mean, who cares what color it is if the story is good, right? Marvel could do a crazy ass comic book series about that, too.

Can't also wait for a black Superman, Batman, and Judge Dredd. And a white Blade.


And - of course - a black James T. Kirk.

Is this a joke? MLK is not fiction; therefore, you can't just change things like that. It's like making Hitler into a woman or Joan of Arc into a burly man.

If it's fiction, like say Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, then it doesn't matter.

 

[Kegg]

Oh come on, he's pretty good at casting...

Actually I just meant that he's colour neutral when it comes to casting. 'You can't use a black man because of X' is precisely the kind of thing he's not keen on.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I think we should have a white guy play Martin Luther King in the next film featuring him. That'll even it out.

Of course it would be utterly ridiculous. But I was going for the point...

A breathtakingly stupid, incredibly insulting, and completely irrelevant to the discussion of the depiction of Norse gods in a comic book movie vs. a real civil rights leader who was still alive 43 years ago and whose skin color is key to telling a historically accurate story point, but I guess it counts as a point nonetheless.

It'd have no value other than the Hollywood obsession with "shaking things up" just for the hell of it, without any substance to base it on or back it up. I don't really care... I'm fine with whoever plays a role... so long as there's a reason based on story and substance behind it, and it's not just out of novelty.

The reason is to have a fantastic actor like Idris Elba play the role, which is all the reason one should really need when dealing with a comic book movie account of nonexistent ancient deities (my apologies to the remaining Norse god worshipers out there ).

Obviously there's never going to be reason based on Norse texts for one of their gods to be black, but so what? The mythical Heimdall never had to fight The Hulk when he invaded Asgard either, so I guess we should just throw out any stories that don't conform to the ancient Norse texts using your rationale, right?

There has been at least one precedent for Heimdall being black in the comics however. In 'Thor: The Mighty Avenger #6' this is what Heimdall looked like:

Besides which, Elba looks badass and every bit as fierce as his character's namesake, so why would anyone complain? It's not like they have Urkel playing the role or something.

 

[Cm. Kora'Tor]

Oh, wow...The CCandC should be called the KKandK. I have not heard so much BS in my life. Who cares if he is black, white, red or yellow? Were all human. *sighs* Haven't we got past this already. This is getting rather old.

Besides Yeah ok, it is Norse Mythology...its no different than casting a black actor in a Greek mythology movie or TV show.
They're Gods...they can be any colour they want to be.

I think the CCandC are just looking for attention like whiny little children trying to get their own way having a temper tantrum...and you know what ya do with them...ignore them.

Just my 2cents on the matter.

 

[the G-man]

It's a white supremicest group. Why is anyone surprised and/or taking this seriously?

 

[Locutus of Bored]

It's a white supremicest group. Why is anyone surprised and/or taking this seriously?

I don't think anyone is surprised or particularly concerned by a white supremacist group taking this stance. What is kind of troublesome however is the number of people here who agree with them when the color of Heimdall's skin makes absolutely no difference whatsoever to telling the story.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Meh. In the context of the movie, Heimdall isn't a Norse god; he's an alien. He doesn't have to look Scandinavian. Maybe the ancient Norse (in Thor's version of Earth) deliberately fudged the appearance of Heimdall's mythical counterpart when they created their mythology around the Asgardians.

Yep.

I'm boycotting the movie because it looks dumb.

 

[JarodRussell]

An Asian James Bond would be nice, too.

I think we should have a white guy play Martin Luther King in the next film featuring him. That'll even it out.

Of course it would be utterly ridiculous. But I was going for the point...

A breathtakingly stupid, incredibly insulting, and completely irrelevant to the discussion of the depiction of Norse gods in a comic book movie vs. a real civil rights leader who was still alive 43 years ago and whose skin color is key to telling a historically accurate story point, but I guess it counts as a point nonetheless.

It'd have no value other than the Hollywood obsession with "shaking things up" just for the hell of it, without any substance to base it on or back it up. I don't really care... I'm fine with whoever plays a role... so long as there's a reason based on story and substance behind it, and it's not just out of novelty.

The reason is to have a fantastic actor like Idris Elba play the role, which is all the reason one should really need when dealing with a comic book movie account of nonexistent ancient deities (my apologies to the remaining Norse god worshipers out there ).

And what if there is a fantastic non-African American actor that can play the role of MLK much better than any available black actor? I vote for Robert Downey Jr.

 

[Kegg]

And what if there is a fantastic non-African American actor that can play the role of MLK much better than any available black actor? I vote for Robert Downey Jr.

Seriously.

Enough is enough.

Every single time a black actor is cast in a role assumed not to be black the Martin Luther King analogy comes up. It doesn't work because it's not equivalent. Typically you want to talk about an equivalent role - for example, superhero films based on comic books based on African mythology.

...you know, assuming any exist.

Failing that, you can fall back on black superheroe sidekicks to white guys, who I'm sure comic fans are quite acquainted with.

Because that's what this is. The sidekick of a white superhero.

Casting doesn't touch the whitebread Big Three of Batman, Superman and Spider-Man (and nobody, even today, dares cast these men as nonwhite - even when Superman is a freaking alien of all things); we're left with studios casting black actors in secondary roles, left to perform Morgan Freeman-type characters (and if you're lucky, actually getting Morgan Freeman) as the white superhero lead gets the essentialized.

But no.

You're right.

We need a white man as MLK (and when was the last time you even saw a MLK biopic? ... actually I've never seen one) to get even.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

And what if there is a fantastic non-African American actor that can play the role of MLK much better than any available black actor?

Allow me to give that suggestion all the consideration it deserves...

 

[FPAlpha]

It's a white supremicest group. Why is anyone surprised and/or taking this seriously?

Exactly.. who gives a fuck if some racist group is boycotting a movie?

 

[JarodRussell]

And what if there is a fantastic non-African American actor that can play the role of MLK much better than any available black actor? I vote for Robert Downey Jr.

Seriously.

Enough is enough.

Allow me to give that suggestion all the consideration it deserves...

You mean, like, I dunno, uh...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...oxx-in-the-running-to-play-Frank-Sinatra.html

That would be indeed hilarious, though.

Or this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/28/AR2008022803988.html

"Is he really black enough?", lol.


You see, racist attitudes go both ways.

 

[kkozoriz1]

I can't say that this surprises me in the least. That's the sad part.