in which i get ranty about the hunger games

[faketales]

So I read this article by Kyle Buchanan at nymag.com and I am, quite frankly, pissed off about it.  For starters there's the writer's patronizing tone as he condescends to speak to us lowly fans. 

 

Most people would be excited to hear that one of the most promising actresses of her generation — indeed, an Oscar nominee this past year — had been cast in the movie adaptation of their favorite book. Unfortunately, those people don't seem to be the ardent super-fans of The Hunger Games. In light of the online firestorm that has erupted over Jennifer Lawrence potentially landing the lead Hunger Games role of Katniss Everdeen, we are forced to come to one reluctant conclusion: Y'all fans are crazy.

Never mind the fact that the "super-ardent fans" are the reason these movies are being made, and the built-in audience that this whole trilogy is (presumably) being targeted towards.  We're just crazy because the opinions we express on the internet are different from the opinions expressed by other people on the internet!  (Once again, the idea of fandom is being disrespected by the media, which is another, really long rant for another time.)  And then there's the fact that not all of the "super-ardent" fans agree on this matter anyway.  I think that the comments here, as well as about five seconds on tumblr prove that the fanbase is not perfectly united on this issue.  But hey, we're "fans" so we must all think alike.  Welcome to the hivemind!

Fans cry that she's too blond for brunette Katniss. (Indeed, the first words in Jezebel's report on the story today were "Golden-locked.") Presumably, these fans have not heard of hair dye, but it is an exciting invention that has been with us for quite a while!

 

The Jezebel article that he links to does mention Lawrence's hair color, but it also goes on to say, "Some believe the book makes a point of contrasting Katniss and Peeta's darkness and lightness, but Jennifer and Hunter [Parrish] almost look like brother and sister."  It's not just the 

hair color we're concerned about but the skin as well.  It's a wonder he didn't suggest tanning booths as a solution for that. 

 

Is Lawrence perhaps too busty, or too healthy-looking to play an underfed girl fighting for her life in a futuristic dystopia? Kids, she's not gonna be walking around with cleavage a-poppin' — and hey, she can always lose weight, which Us Weekly reminds us is an actress's most important skill.

Really?  Really?!  The most important thing an actress should have isn't, I don't know, talent, but is in fact the ability to lose weight at a moment's notice?  Awesome message there.  Thin > talent. 
 

"But she's not 16 like Katniss!" fans finally cry, despite the fact that a de-glammed Lawrence — who was 19 last year — can easily play a teenager, and is closer to that age than most of the actors who play high schoolers on television.

 

The Hunger Games trilogy points out the horrors of children fighting in wars.  Even if she can pass as a teenager (which I'm skeptical about now, never mind when she's, what, 23 during Mockingjay?) it still takes the visceral brutality out of teens killing one another because any horror the movie might raise can be brushed away with "But the actress isn't really a teenager."  Our subconscious can reject any emotional impact because of this.  No one's going to believe that any of this is real, but I think that casting Katniss younger rather than older would better serve the trilogy's theme.

Nearly every report we've read about the casting — which has been rumored for the past few weeks — has been obsessively focused on Lawrence's physical attributes instead of what should probably matter more: her talent.

The article doesn't dwell on the whitewashing (or racebending, if you prefer) at work in the casting.  This quote's repeated ad nauseum, but in case you've missed it, here you go:
 

 

Straight black hair, olive skin, we even have the same gray eyes. 

 

-pg. 8 The Hunger Games

That's not Jennifer Lawrence, and a simple bit of hair dye isn't going to fix that, but we're supposed to be happy because hey, at least she's talented.  The implication here is that maybe we could have the perfect physical representation of Katniss, but she might not be able to act.  It's a false choice, and it's deeply rooted in racism. "Yes, she may not have olive skin but she can act!"  Talent and nonwhite skin are not mutually exclusive.  And perhaps there's a dearth of talented actresses of color that we're not aware of, but that's because they're never given the opportunity to gain experience.  If Hollywood keeps casting white actors then they're just perpetuating the cycle.  


Part of me says that the movie is irrelevant and the books will always be there for anyone who wants to take the source material's word over the movie's.  But then I think about the inevitable re-release of the books with the cast on the covers and I just sigh.


To summarize, fans are crazy, hair dye is revolutionary, anorexia is awesome, and talent equals white people.  I've learned so much here.

 

Comments

[polly-oliver.livejournal.com]

With regard to your last paragraph: YES.

[polly-oliver.livejournal.com]

In which you said (since it doesn't seem to be up anymore...?):

"And honestly, I'm just sick as fuck anymore of the fan bashing sentiments that seem to be everywhere. I don't care whether it's Dan Schneider using iCarly scripts to get on his soapbox or some jerk from NY Mag coming across as a pompous asshole - a fan who cares to engage a source material with more than just passive background consumption is not equal to someone who is crazy/mentally ill/fodder for ridicule. When that "engagement with the source material" is something like a provocative discussion about whitewashing in the entertainment industry, it's a hell of a lot closer to academic output than crazies we should make fun of, but honestly? I don't give a fuck if it's screaming ship wars on an internet forum - it's passionate interest in a source material. In the case of the iCarly incident in question, it's fans supporting a creator's work with enough passionate interest to keep it afloat. In this case, it's people reading and giving a fuck about what they've read. And I'm honestly just so damn sick of that being akin to standard joke fodder anymore."

[maerhys.livejournal.com]

Nicely stated.

Straight black hair, olive skin, we even have the same gray eyes.

I'll also add that coal mining happens several places in the USA and Collins just happened to choose the area with a known tri-racial culture? She just happened to choose a song about love and lynching to make a point in the last book (and also lets us know that Mr. E taught it and Mrs. E was v. unhappy about him doing so). I don't think these are just "minor details that can be inferred as one wishes" because Collins it is too well integrated into the story and threaded through out all of the books.

[mandyloo.livejournal.com]

I'll also add that coal mining happens several places in the USA and Collins just happened to choose the area with a known tri-racial culture? She just happened to choose a song about love and lynching to make a point in the last book

I'd been annoyed about them choosing a white actress when I always pictured Katniss as having at least some Asian heritage, but I hadn't even thought about the location in the books (which is kind of dumb of me, having grown up near there). And the lynching song? I totally forgot about that. Just more reasons why hair dye won't be enough to make her look like Katniss (even if she is a great actress).

Is she not getting that much of a say with casting? I feel like this is a big enough point that Collins would have argued against it when they were making their picks *shrugs*

[atomic-eyes.livejournal.com]

Author's of books have no say what so ever with casting. You can read Cassandra Clare's blog and website where she answers this about The mortal instruments:
"The people who are involved with casting (producers, casting directors) don’t have to ask me who to cast and they don’t have to care whether I like the casting or not. They could make the entire movie a one-man showcase for the robot from Wall-E and there is absolutely nothing I could do about it. I could have the greatest idea ever for the casting and they wouldn’t do anything about that, either. The writer of the source material a movie is based on is far below the producer’s gardener’s poodle in getting any input about casting. "

So I'd assume the same goes with Collins.

[cleo-eurydike.livejournal.com]

that doesn't hold true for everyone; Collins may have negotiated a much stronger contract. She wrote early drafts of the script, she's met with the director and was shown each audition. So unless Ross is straight up lying, and she is too, I think that Collins is in a different position.

[metally-mean.livejournal.com]

The Hunger Games trilogy points out the horrors of children fighting in wars. Even if she can pass as a teenager (which I'm skeptical about now, never mind when she's, what, 23 during Mockingjay?) it still takes the visceral brutality out of teens killing one another because any horror the movie might raise can be brushed away with "But the actress isn't really a teenager." this so much.

and, you know, characters have descriptions for a reason. jennifer is super talentend and, i'm sure, will be spectacular in the film - but couldn't some other actress, who does fit katniss's description, also be amazing? of course. i think lionsgate is rushing things too much instead of looking out carefully for the perfect actress to play the part.

[rainaweather.livejournal.com]

THis whole post is true. And I hadn't even thought about a re-release of the books. I might die if I see JLaw's face on a THG book.

[onetraveller.livejournal.com]

"Apart from some obviously bleached curls, he looks as much like Peeta as I do." To add even more proof to that Jezebel article ... Jennifer and Hunter could pass off as siblings and it would be awesome to see a dark/light couple on screen, a main couple at that.

But, a big fat YES to this entire post. ♥ I love this.

[yellowteddysuit.livejournal.com]

I am so terrified of the casting of Gale. I can still see them going for a little more racial diversity there but that'll make his second fiddle-ness even sketchier on the screen. I think I'd prefer that they chuck all pretense on the district 12 people having anything but white skin and cast another blonde in the role so everything's even.

[cleo-eurydike.livejournal.com]

me too :/

except for the context of the audience, it wouldn't really bother me that Lawrence is cast because of her genetic heritage (her mom is fair, so yeah it's not as she's described but...?)

if Gale is light, though, I'll still be pissed. I CAN'T THINK OF A WAY FOR THIS TO BE OK.

[onetraveller.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and once again, the girl would be going with the pale, blonde guy which makes me uncomfortable. *sigh*

[renaissanced.livejournal.com]

Could you put these words in my mouth please? I can never express myself quite as clearly as you have here. ♥

[wilhelmina-d.livejournal.com]

Great set of comments!

[kab16.livejournal.com]

this is perfect. exactly how i feel.

[findthesunrise.livejournal.com]

"Talent and nonwhite skin are not mutually exclusive. And perhaps there's a dearth of talented actresses of color that we're not aware of, but that's because they're never given the opportunity to gain experience. If Hollywood keeps casting white actors then they're just perpetuating the cycle."

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS.

It's a given that some people won't feel as strongly about this as others, that's just the way it is. But to disregard it entirely as unimportant, baseless accusation or overreaction? That just fucking pisses me off.

I don't mean to take anything away from Jennifer Lawrence's ability as an actress, because she's a really damn good one. But just because she's talented doesn't make it any more okay in my books. :/

This entire post is perfect, btw. Astutely communicated, etc. :)

[missatralissa.livejournal.com]

Hi there, I think I love you.

[defune-hime.livejournal.com]

lionsgate was lazy. i bet they didn't even hold general casting calls just to sift through all the possibilities.

but thank you. this pretty much sums up all my disappointment. :)

[polly-oliver.livejournal.com]

Wow. I had no idea any of this was going on, not having kept up with the Hunger Games movie stuff. But this is completely reprehensible. Not just the article, which is disgusting and ignorant, but the whole atmosphere of the casting and the obliviousness of some of the fans...

Bluh...

[maynardsong.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this. could I post this on my fb?

[yellowteddysuit.livejournal.com]

Go ahead. As long as you don't claim it's yours, I don't mind.

[akemilove.livejournal.com]

THIS SO MUCH. I AM SO IN LOVE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW. You just summed up how I felt about the whole casting situation in a way I couldn't have. Reading that article left me seething with rage. I read it a few hours ago on my phone and I'm still fuming. My first thought about the hair dye comment was "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and Mr. Yunioshi, because, you know, dye + makeup = white actors can be anyone. You articulated how I felt in a much better way. Again, I love you ♥

[solyane-fr.livejournal.com]

A+ Post

[idyllictorture.livejournal.com]

To summarize, fans are crazy, hair dye is revolutionary, anorexia is awesome, and talent equals white people. I've learned so much here.

I love you for these lines alone.

But the rest of this rocked too. I couldn't agree more with everything you've said here.

Not to steal your thunder or anything

[kfunkcc.livejournal.com]

I agree with the things that you have said here, but I think you are reacting mostly because you are offended, and it has blinded you to a few truths in what he is saying and you are twisting his words. The comment about loosing weight was clearly sarcasm. Also it is ignoring alot of the constraints faced by hollywood because it is a business and is regulated. It would be very constricting to have to work with the main character being limited by labor laws. Besides there will still be enough power provided by Rue and Prim being children in this environment.

Re: Not to steal your thunder or anything

[maynardsong.livejournal.com]

OK, age isn't too bad an issue. Let's concede that for argument's sake. The main point was all about whitewashing though. Whitewashing IS a big deal, and I'm really sick of this mindset of "but they're just going for TALENT! they're being ~objective!"
There's a nasty implication there that the default is always white, and that white equals talent, POC equals "settling" for something subpar. I had this same problem with the way people bitch about affirmative action, and when people piss and moan about the fact that Obama picked two women, one Latina, one Jewish for SCOTUS (yes, this is a good thing, and really? there's a 100 point scale to rate nominees on, and the white man got a 99.9 while Sotomayor and Kagan only got 99.8 and on those grounds the white dudes should have gotten the post?).

Re: Not to steal your thunder or anything

[yellowteddysuit.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say I was offended by the article because I don't care what this guy thinks. I disagreed with the ideas he pushed forth and I chose to share my arguments here.

I'm sure that he didn't mean the comment about loosing weight, but it's still a problematic statement when included in an article ostensibly directed at a fanbase that is largely female teenagers, especially within an article that's belittling their opinions. Even if he attributed the concept to another source the fact still remains that he included it at all as the entirety of his argument against the "too busty/too fat" detractors. Plus, he did it in the same flippant manner that he praised hair dye which is actually going to be a solution. I know he's sarcastic but that doesn't mean it's not an asinine aside.

Also it is ignoring alot of the constraints faced by hollywood because it is a business and is regulated.

It's because Hollywood's a business that the age thing became a big deal. They announced a release date for the movie before they had a cast or even a finished script. If they hadn't done that then they could have chosen a younger actress and calculated out how long filming would take and then this wouldn't be an issue. I know that having an older actress will make things easier but it's not like they couldn't have worked around it. They managed to film most of the Harry Potter films with an underage cast. There's nothing suggesting that wouldn't have worked here either.

[violetsocks.livejournal.com]

Darn you for turning off anonymous posting. This is the first time I've signed into this account in several years.

Rather than echo the sentiments expressed by others here, I here submit for your interest and entertainment a one picture summary of Hollywood:





Bob Yule

Not only is he racist and sexist, he is also cheerfully ignorant, illiterate and responsible for the destruction of a Mockingavian.

[24-amends.livejournal.com]

To summarize, fans are crazy, hair dye is revolutionary, anorexia is awesome, and talent equals white people. I've learned so much here.

yeah i feel the same way about this....but its always gonna be like that it seems...The only thing that matters in Hollywood is the timing and whether you were at the right moment in the right place..
Im not that mad at Jennifer though - she was pretty good in Winters Bone...but she is still not my perfect Katniss and thats about it..