Nicole 1,809 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 The movie is literally about a white American girl who is looking for her white American twin sister, asks for advice from Japanese locals and ignores the Japanese locals' advice. It's not white washing - it would be white washing if Natalie Dormer was cast to play a Japanese girl. It would be white washing if Taylor Kinney were cast as her Japanese friend. It would be white washing if the Japanese locals were played by white people. This movie is an American movie, about white American people, in a Japanese location - based on true events that take place in Japan. Many American horror movies are influenced, explicitly or implicitly, by true events in many parts of the world. I am against white washing casts in various movies, but this is reaching. Until there is evidence that Natalie Dormer and Taylor Kinney are meant to be portraying Japanese people, there is no argument here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole 1,809 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 7 minutes ago, pink sushi said: JEEZ....people need to ****ing CHILL. As everyone has been saying, it's a fictional horror film, not a documentary. I think maybe they could have cast more Asian actors in the film since it takes place in Japan.....but I think the main character is supposed to be from America and travels to Japan looking for her sister. So there's no reason for her to be Asian if she's just visiting Japan. But I don't know about Taylor's character.... I think he plays some tour guide or something. In THAT case it should be someone Japanese. A white person being a Japanese tour guide is just so hard to believe.... From the trailer I assumed that Taylor Kinney was the girls friend or something that just tagged along so she wasn't alone lol. I could be wrong though, if he is a tour guide - I agree they could have gotten someone Japanese. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katsuki Bakugo 9,788 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Didn't they film in Serbia? but the forest in the movie is set in Japan? If All You Ever Do Is Look Down On People, You Won't Be Able To Recognize Your Own Weaknesses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexanderLevi2 5,849 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Obviously whitewashing is a big issue in America... but I don't really see the need to make it an issue out of this movie. They aren't trying to display it as historical fact or anything. It's entertainment. It's the same as the Ring, they just adapted it to sell it to a certain market. Although I would like to see more actors/actresses that are Asian in film, this is not the film to freakout about that issue. Currently listening to Joanne Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeleteMyAccount 11,881 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Being Korean, I do wish that there would be more roles for Asians in Hollywood. It always seems that the only roles Asians can get are the immigrant, martial arts, or Asian stereotype... However, based on your rant, I don't think the whitewashing is the main problem here. It is kind of sick how they're making a movie about this when such events are still happening today. I mean people all across America will go see this for entertainment while not even understanding the context. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Evans 8,917 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 It's not like the actress is playing an asian woman. It's placing these actors in this setting through a horror film not a documentary. How many times have horror movies been based on a "real life event/place"? This one happens to be outside America and suddenly it's "white washing" and supposed to raise an issue Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveandMagic 1,731 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I get what he is saying but this is a horror film made by USA film company. USA film companies usually pick white actors to lead the cast because the companies feel that white people are a majority and the most likely to buy tickets (I'd love to see statistics on this myself, but that is the reason they go with). They feel casting a white, western person would make it easier for the audience to "relate" more to the events on screen. Horror movies also traditionally like to cast attractive female leads because for some reason we like to see women scared and in trauma on screen (I guess to them it's more "believable" then seeing a guy weep and scream - whatever). This particular actress is pretty popular right now too so I'm not shocked she was chosen. The Suicide Forest of Japan is infamous for both it's beauty and the disturbing reality of being a place where people go to die, often in grisly ways (hanging, pills, etc). The fact that such a beautiful, peaceful place could hide such tragedy and misery is a theme that many film-makers would like to explore. Add to the fact that it's supposed to be haunted...obviously Hollywood would snatch that right up! Personally, I feel that the actual truth behind the story is a far more interesting topic then fake zombie ghosts but I'm not the one making the big bucks to make these decisions. Just repeat to yourself, "It's just a show. I should really just relax." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benji 20,113 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 The film looks tacky, regardless of its cast. It's like making a 9/11 film where everyone who died haunts random people? It's just a sh*tty thing to make. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runway 27,876 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 They could have made the movie in an american forest with an american context with the same effect Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaxboy 5,436 Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I think the reason why it's a white main character is because she knows nothing of the forest prior to being told her sister is there. Had it been the main character been born and raised or even just living in Japan, it would make sense if they were Japanese. But I think if a main character goes to a completely different county it kind of makes it a little scary to begin with (new place, different language, etc). Sure they could have used ANY race of actress, but what if they had chosen a black actress or Latina actress? Would people still boycott it? I 1000000% agree there needs to be more Asians in American mainstream media (music, movies, tv). There's a great episode of Master of None that pokes fun at it. Either way, this movie looks okay and I may go watch it regardless. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pablo 7,789 Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 I think it's disrespectful to make a movie about this forest due to the circumstances, but the movie is hardly white-washing. Do these people even watch trailers? It's obviously an American who is the main character. Don't visit my profile Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merriejayne 0 Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 Get over yourself!!! This is why racism is prominent. It's what your life revolves around then you'll find offense in everything. Try being Native American. Just think about that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pink sushi 4,351 Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 30 minutes ago, Merriejayne said: Get over yourself!!! This is why racism is prominent. It's what your life revolves around then you'll find offense in everything. Try being Native American. Just think about that. @Morphine Prince This person joined a half hour ago and dug up this thread you made last December. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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