The controversy of the US film "21"

[The Running Man]

Don't know if anyone saw this, I didn't, but I found out something interesting about the movie. There's apparently some real controversy attached with it.

The movie is based on a real-life incident, as the trailer itself says it is. However, what the trailer doesn't tell you is that the team of college kids in real-life, were all of Asian decent. The movie changes the majority of the characters to white and the only Asian characters of minor supporting roles.

This, in my opinion, is a perfect example of the screwed up mentality that Hollywood is under. That white people in a movie, are just more appealing than any other race.

I've always believed that the remakes of Asian films are done for two reasons. One, because they feel they are great films to begin with that no one in the West knows, so they can take the blueprint of the original and make tons of money and take the credit. Two, because they honestly believe, or just convince themselves, that no one would go to see the originals, not because it's not an "American film", but because the leads aren't white. Notice that virtually every single Hollywood remake of an Asian film has had almost entirely white casts. Even a movie like The Grudge, which it's very premise and location make it unlikely, have whites as the leads.

It is without a doubt that the group that has it the toughest out there to make it in Hollywood are Asians. Unless they know how to fight , or are willing to subject themselves to insulting stereotypical roles, getting meaty roles out there is almost completely hopeless. No wonder a lot of Asians that were born and/or raised in the states or Canada just go to Hong Kong and try to make it there. Even if they don't speak the language, they amazingly still have a shot at a better career than in Hollywood. This situation is proof of that. Asian actors who struggle in this country to get a role of substance finally have a shot with a real life story being turned into a movie where the leads are all Asian. But then the leads are changed to white.

And to add salt to the wounds, the movie "21" has had quite a success at the US box office (currently at close to US 63 million).

Link

[venoms5]

Unless this is another incident, there was a news story a year or so back about a young American student who did this very thing--counting cards to win money. He had his winnings taken away from him but were soon returned after it was decided that counting cards wasn't illegal. On the same news program (local mind you), they had a test done similar to the one in the film and no one save for the young man could memorize the cards despite him saying that anybody could do it. I assumed this movie was based off this particular incident.

[venoms5]

Doing a google search appears that this sort of thing goes on and has been going on for a long time.

[The Amazing Psycho Per]

Does this really come as a shock to you... It seems pretty obvious that corporate america works very hard to maintain a state of fear of the Other and chauvinism in the mind of their sheeps.

As far as counting cards, it is definately not the first story like that... Here in Quebec we had one that had crakced the Keno algorythme and won some big money (including the jackpot).

[The Running Man]

"21" is based on a very specific incident which was identified by the producers of the film since day one.

That incident is the one that I mention in the above post and further touched upon in the link I put up.

[The Running Man]

You're missing the point though. It isn't about how "original" or "unique" the story is of someone counting cards at Casinos and winning tons of money.

It's the fact that this movie was based on this incident in which the major players were Asian and when it got turned into a movie, they were changed to white.

[The Amazing Psycho Per]

well I believe I didn't miss the point in the first part of my comment... The second parts was more in continuity to what Venom5 said.

[The Running Man]

Well I was replying to the "second part", but now I understand. :)

[Chinatown Kid]

I wonder if this all has to do with money? Does Hollywood figure that since caucasions(I am white myself)are the majority in the US that they put whites in roles to attract a wider audience than if they cast minoritys? I also wonder if the same applies in HK or other Asian countries where the population is mostly Asian, do they usually discriminate against other non-Asian races and cast most roles to Asians as a way to appeal to the majority to get the most bucks? I'm all for giving everybody equal opportunity but alot of this might come down to corporate greed although racism I'm sure factors in as well. Then again, you can find racism all around the globe.

[remo]

Originally Posted by Chinatown Kid

I wonder if this all has to do with money?

Yes, it's more about this than any grand conspiracy theory to keep the Asian man down. Hollywood is all about homogenization because the broader a film's appeal the more cash it will theoretically rake in. If more people will go see a movie with a Caucasian lead than an Asian lead, then that's what they'll do.

Not saying it's a good thing, of course, or that I agree with it.... but what do you expect from Hollywood, ground-breaking cinema or pap that appeals to the lowest common denominator? More often than not it's the latter.