Entertainment

Analysis: A definitive rebuttal to every racist ‘Little Mermaid’ argument | CNN

Published

2 years ago

September 19, 2022

Analysis: A definitive rebuttal to every racist ‘Little Mermaid’ argument | CNN

CNN
—

Ever since Disney launched the primary search for its 2023 live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” the web has been sodden with wave after wave of racist critics complaining that Ariel, the fully fictional underwater fish girl, shouldn’t be Black. Hashtags like #notmyariel are bouncing round social media, and YouTube hid the hate counter on the official video after it was bombarded with racist feedback and greater than 1.5 million “dislikes.” One group of critics went so far as to share a digitally altered model of the teaser that featured a White girl instead of the film’s star Halle Bailey, who they referred to as a “woke actress.”

By now, we all know it’s commonplace to see racist responses each time an individual of coloration is solid in a task thought of “historically” White. Whereas there are many legit causes to dislike a film, these critics usually disguise their discomfort behind different skinny arguments, claiming historic or cultural accuracy or, of all issues, science.

Listed here are some actual arguments folks have levied to protest the casting selection. The details show they simply don’t maintain water.

The unique “Little Mermaid” story was written by Hans Christian Andersen and first printed in 1837. If we’re going to dignify this argument, in line with the textual content, Ariel and the remainder of her mermaid kin are from “far out within the ocean” (actually the opening strains of the story) on the “backside of the ocean.” So, not Denmark or anyplace close to it.

If critics are actually anxious about staying devoted to the unique story, we shouldn’t gloss over the unique ending the place the mermaid is instructed to kill her prince, however throws the knife away in despair and dissolves into sea foam as an alternative. To not point out, whereas the 1989 Disney model has a Prince Eric with vivid blue peepers, Anderson particularly described the prince as having “coal-black eyes” and “raven hair.” (Additionally “The Little Mermaid,” who doesn’t actually have a title within the authentic story, isn’t actual.)

“From a scientific perspective, it doesn’t make quite a lot of sense to have somebody with darker pores and skin who lives deep within the ocean.” So says far-right pundit Matt Walsh, who opined concerning the “Little Mermaid” casting on “The Matt Walsh Present.” He claims he framed the remark as a joke, since he goes on to say that “not solely ought to the Little Mermaid be pale, she ought to, truly, be translucent.” Nevertheless, the context of his remark continues to be racially charged, and he nonetheless implies pale pores and skin is nearer to a “scientific” mermaid than darkish pores and skin.

Once more, if we’re going to take a tutorial have a look at these pointless bits of discourse, not all abyssal creatures are pale. Not all underwater creatures are pale. Additionally, since mermaids additionally get shut sufficient to the floor to see different people, if you wish to have a look at it scientifically, mermaids would in all probability have a selected kind of pigmentation that allowed for each a deep sea and shallow water existence. We additionally know that, centuries in the past, seafarers usually mistook one explicit animal for a mermaid: the manatee, which isn’t pale. (Additionally “The Little Mermaid” isn’t actual.)

Quite a few Twitter scraps have cropped up with folks attempting to argue European folklore, and even Homerian epics like “The Odyssey,” have some form of monopoly on the concept of mermaids. In actuality, it’s fascinating to see what number of totally different cultures all through historical past have arrived at parallel folklorical themes. Humanoid creatures that dwell within the water are a part of innumerable mythologies around the globe.

East Asian and Oceanic folklore is replete with tales of underwater kingdoms and merpeople each good and evil, from the Magindara in some Philippine areas to the story of the Indian Princess Suriratna or Hwang-ok that reached South Korea. Center Jap folktales compiled within the basic “Arabian Nights” assortment, which dates again greater than a thousand years, characteristic a number of accounts of sea-dwelling human creatures. In elements of continental Africa and among the many African diaspora, folklore describing water spirits, oftentimes within the form of lovely girls, are widespread. In accordance with Shona mythology in Zimbabwe, the “njuzu” are mermaids who occupy lakes or rivers.

(Additionally, not all Europeans are White. Additionally, “The Little Mermaid” isn’t actual.)

On message boards and comment sections throughout the web, persons are debating whether or not a brand new, dark-skinned Ariel one way or the other negates or erases the basic 1989 model.

Disney’s 1989 “The Little Mermaid” continues to be out there to look at, personal and share. The animated character of Ariel is a part of Disney’s wildly worthwhile “Disney Princess” franchise and her title and picture are invaluable and closely trademarked Disney properties. The red-haired, fair-skinned Ariel is right here to remain.

Removed from ruining childhoods, many followers suppose making a special iteration of Ariel will solely enhance the Disney magic. Simply have a look at the candy reactions of younger Black youngsters and the reward of Disney icons like Jodi Benson, the voice of the unique Ariel.

Movies of younger Black women reacting to ‘Little Mermaid’ trailer go viral

Extra importantly, the remake of 1 movie doesn’t erase the existence of the earlier movies: 1999’s Mr. Darcy and 2005’s Mr. Darcy dwell in concord with each different character from the roughly 300 “Pleasure and Prejudice” movie remakes. Pennywise seems totally different in each “It” iteration, as does Frankenstein’s monster. The story of “Cinderella,” which predates even the well-known Brothers Grimm model, appears to have a special remake out yearly. One notable model, 1997’s “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” featured a racially numerous solid that included singer Brandy as the primary Black Cinderella and Whitney Houston because the fairy godmother. It aired on TV as a part of the “Fantastic World of Disney.”

Whereas Disney has produced a really well-known iteration of “The Little Mermaid,” it isn’t the primary, solely, or universally definitive work. Nobody owns the idea of mermaids or what they seem like. A White, red-haired animated teenager will not be the one model of “The Little Mermaid” to exist.

Additionally – and this is essential – “The Little Mermaid” isn’t actual.

Click to comment

Movie Reviews

'Federer: Twelve Final Days' movie review: Federer’s sweet swansong is fascinating

Published

4 hours ago

June 28, 2024

Press Room

'Federer: Twelve Final Days' movie review: Federer’s sweet swansong is fascinating

July 3, 2022, was a Sunday for the ages. Having greeted all past champions at Wimbledon’s Centre Court with warmth and respect, the crowd erupted in frenzied joy and delivered a standing ovation as an eight-time champion walked into the arena. The same spirits which were lifted when the master raised hopes of a last hurrah at Wimbledon, were devastated months later when Roger Federer decided to hang his boots.

Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia’s directorial venture Federer: Twelve Final Days is a gripping account of Federer’s final few days before retirement. Federer, a global tennis icon and arguably the biggest superstar of the game, plunged tennis fans into collective mourning with the shocking news, while the Alps shed its tears with bountiful rains. As he retires in view of his repeated knee surgeries and advancing age, he plans a grand exit.

The audience relives the iconic Laver Cup in London, where Federer caught up with arch-rivals Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and other tennis stars on September 23, 2022, for a sweet swansong.

Interspersed with layers of old clips displaying his unmatched elegance on and off the court, the documentary’s biggest strength is its deep emotional connect. With timely interviews by the greatest of his rivals, his wife and parents, the audience gets a glimpse of Federer’s two roles — a sporting legend and a devout family man.

What stands out is the Swiss master’s bonhomie with his biggest rival Nadal. Despite only a few days to go for his wife’s first delivery, Nadal still makes it to London for Federer’s farewell. With the camaraderie, the duo gives sporting rivalry a refreshingly newer, nobler perspective. Being the oldest of the lot, Federer comes out as a class act when he says, “It feels right that of all the guys here, I am the first to go.”

However, with its emphasis on nuances, the documentary is best suited for a niche audience. The general public, who might be curious to discover Federer’s legacy before appreciating it fully, may be left a tad disappointed.

Editing by Avdhesh Mohla is top notch as it does justice to Federer’s majestic on-court grace. With slick visuals and a fine script, the documentary does justice to Federer’s legacy, which, as Nadal says “Will live forever.”

It’s a must-watch if you are a Federer fan. But even if not, don’t miss it as Federer was for decades synonymous with tennis.

Cut-off box – Federer: Twelve Final Days
English (Prime Video)
Director: Asif Kapadia Joe Sabia
Rating: 4/5

Published 29 June 2024, 01:17 IST

Entertainment

Martin Mull, comic actor, 'Roseanne' star and painter, dies at 80

Published

5 hours ago

June 28, 2024

Press Room

Martin Mull, comic actor, 'Roseanne' star and painter, dies at 80

Martin Mull, the comedic actor best known for his roles in “Clue,” “Roseanne,” “Arrested Development” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” died Thursday. He was 80.

His daughter, TV writer and producer Maggie Mull, shared the news on Instagram.

“He was known for excelling at every creative discipline imaginable and also for doing Red Roof Inn commercials,” she wrote. “He would find that joke funny. He was never not funny. My dad will be deeply missed by his wife and daughter, by his friends and coworkers, by fellow artists and comedians and musicians, and — the sign of a truly exceptional person — by many, many dogs.”

Mull, who was also a singer-songwriter, rose to fame in the 1970s on Norman Lear’s satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” and its spinoffs, “Fernwood 2 Night” and “America 2-Night.”

The dry-witted comic played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 comedy “Clue” and Teri Garr’s boss in 1983’s “Mr. Mom.” He was Roseanne’s boss, Leon Carp, on her titular sitcom, private detective Gene Parmesan on “Arrested Development” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s” nosy Principal Kraft, in addition to voicing characters on animated shows, including “American Dad!” and “The Simpsons.”

The actor appeared in more than 200 Los Angeles Times articles across four decades. most recently in December. Following the death of Lear, a Times roundup of seven essential Lear shows noted Mull’s contributions to the oddball gallery of characters in “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.”

Here’s a sampling of headlines from Mull’s life as actor and as painter. A full Times appreciation is forthcoming.

Movie Reviews

Catherine Breillat Is Back, Baby

Published

11 hours ago

June 28, 2024

Press Room

The transgressive French filmmaker is in fine, fucked-up form with Last Summer, about a middle-age lawyer who starts sleeping with her stepson.
Photo: Janus Films

When Anne (Léa Drucker) has sex with her 17-year-old stepson, she closes and sometimes covers her eyes. It’s a pose that brings to mind what people say about the tradition of draping a napkin over your head before eating ortolan, that the idea is to prevent God from witnessing what you’re about to do. Théo (Samuel Kircher) is as fine-boned as any songbird — “You’re so slim!” Anne gasps in what sounds almost like pain during one of their encounters, as she runs her hands up his rangy torso — and just as forbidden. And despite the fact that what she’s doing could blow up her life, she can’t stay away. It wouldn’t be fair to say that desire is a form of madness in Last Summer, a family drama as masterfully propulsive as a horror movie. Anne remains upsettingly clear-eyed about what’s happening, as though to suggest otherwise would be a cop-out. But desire is powerful, enough to compel this bourgeois middle-age professional into betraying everything she stands for in a few breathtaking turns.

Last Summer is the first film in a decade from director Catherine Breillat, the taboo-loving legend behind the likes of Fat Girl and Romance. Last Summer, which Breillat and co-writer Pascal Bonitzer adapted from the 2019 Danish film Queen of Hearts, could be described as tame only in comparison to Rocco Siffredi drinking a teacup full of tampon water in Anatomy of Hell, but there is a lulling sleekness to the way it lays out its setting that turns out to be deceptive. Anne and her husband Pierre (Olivier Rabourdin) live with their two adopted daughters in a handsome house surrounded by sun-dappled countryside, a lifestyle sustained by the business dealings that frequently require Pierre to travel. Anne’s sister and closest friend Mina (Clotilde Courau) works as a manicurist in town, and conversations between the two make it clear that they didn’t grow up in the kind of ease Anne currently enjoys. It’s a luxury that allows her to pursue a career that seems more driven by idealism than by financial concerns. Anne is a lawyer who represents survivors of sexual assault, a detail that isn’t ironic, exactly, so much as it represents just how much individual actions can be divorced from broader beliefs.

In the opening scene, Anne dispassionately questions an underage client about her sexual history. She informs the girl that she should expect the defense to paint her as promiscuous before reassuring her that judges are accustomed to this tactic. The sequence outlines how familiar Anne is with the narratives used to discredit accusers, but also highlights a certain flintiness to her character. Drucker’s performance is impressively hard-edged even before Anne ends up in bed with her stepson. There’s a restlessness to the character behind the sleek blonde hair and businesswoman shifts, a desire to think of herself as unlike other women and as more interesting than the buttoned-up normies her husband brings by for dinner. Anne enjoys her well-coiffed life, but she also feels impatient with it, and when Théo gets dropped into her lap after being expelled from school in Geneva for punching his teacher, he triggers something in her that’s not just about lust. Théo is still very much a kid, something Breillat emphasizes by showcasing the messes he leaves around the house as much as on his sulky, half-formed beauty. But that rebelliousness speaks to Anne, who finds something invigorating in aligning herself with callow passion and impulsiveness instead of stultifying adulthood — however temporarily.

This being a Breillat film, the sex is Last Summer’s proving ground, the place where all those tensions about gender and class and age meet up with the inexorability of the flesh. The first time Anne sleeps with Théo, it’s shot from below, as though the camera’s lying in bed beside the woman as she looks up at the boy on top of her. It’s a point of view that makes the audience complicit in the scene, but that also dares you not to find its spectacle hot. Breillat is an avid button-pusher responsible for some of the more disturbing depictions of sexuality to have ever been committed to screen, but Last Summer refuses to defang its main character by portraying her simply as a predatory molester. Instead, she’s something more complicated — a woman trying to have things both ways, to dabble in the transgressive without risking her advantageous perch in the mainstream, and to wield the weapons of the victim-blaming society she otherwise battles when they are to her advantage. It’s not the sex that harms Théo; it’s the mindfuck of what he’s subjected to. After dreamily playing tourist in Théo’s youthful existence, Anne drags him into the brutal realities of the grown-up world. The results are unflinching and breathtakingly ugly. You couldn’t be blamed for wanting to look away.