Albinism In Movies

[Sio]

Having recently saw new pictures for Matrix Reloaded I have started to wonder about the way Albinos are portrayed in HollyWood. Matrix Reloaded two of the enemies are Albino twins, and been part Albino myself this gets me pretty angry.
This site shows more of what I mean and in better detail, showing how we are always potrayed as evil, the thign I find most stupid is that they have regulary been shown as enemy sharp-shooters despite Albinos suffering very bad eyesite.
Heres the site ====> http://www.lunaeterna.net/popcult/film.htm
I urge you to read this, and tell me what you think, its far too easy to slap on some white makeup and a wig on baddies to save money, and at the same time display people with Albinism in a bad light.

[Hivetyrant]

Hmmm. I know what you mean. Im not one myself, But i can see haow this would make you feel angry. i also think its disgusting the way that they use albinos certain roles, just because of the way they look.

[skywalker]

On a somewhat similar note, during the 1940's there was an actor named Rondo Hatton who had acromegaly, which, sinply put, is a disease that distorts the person's features. Universal Pictures used him as a ready made monster in films and titled as "The Creeper"

http://w1.858.telia.com/~u85821131/misc/rondo.html

I think it's pretty sad to exploit physical characteristics. It is bad enough to make actors up as an albino and continually portray them as evil in films, but it's worse if the person really suffers like Rondo and they make him play evil characters.

Mark

[Sio]

In the case of Rondo it outstands me that people who really are suffering something would do this, simple morals and self respect would be enough to make me decline the role where I in Rondo's position.
It's also that the Albinos normally have totally stupid names and no self respecting person with Albinism would allow themselves to be called 'Whitey' or 'UV', friend or no friend.
It's not that people are actually thinking that Albinos are evil or something lol but with the amount of negativity that people have towards us (verbal abuse etc) it's just that these films dont really help y'know.

EDIT++ Also just want to say thanks for that link, I saw it a long while ago and it is a great site showing Hollywoods misuse of many things such as alopecia (areata here) and albinism, but lost the link to it. Cheers m8

[ 01-09-2003, 06:41 AM: Message edited by: Sio ]

[Grungi]

erm watch the film "powder" the hero is albino and far from evil, so no they arent always portrayed as evil, though im sure he could use his cool electrical attacks to great advantage [img]tongue.gif[/img]

anyhows you have to remember with hollywood that for someone to be evil they must have some distinguishing feature that makes it obvious to american audiences that they are evil (certain hollywood producers words not mine, and they DID specify american audiences before i get flamed) ie an englishman, straight away if they have an arrogant attitude and evil glint is known to be evil even before they done anything bad (the second you first see jason isaacs in "the patriot" you know hes an evil s.o.b) or they have to have a mark or size, see james bond badguys, you wont see any plain guys as the evil enemies, they all have something that sets them out as evil, whether it be a scar, manical laugh or whatever, being an albino is just another distinguishing feature.

If your a minority chances are hollywood will make a baddy out of you because good guys are generally built in the same mould (though were getting a good dose of anti-heroes lately [img]tongue.gif[/img] ) , i assume everyone remembers cowboys and indians, the first movies of this time were all about bloodthirsty indians, it took later hollywood to show indians as human, and even later films to actually show things from the indians point of view to see the "cowboys" as the ones who were evil, things do get in perspective but it takes time, and im sure down the line in some kinda sci-fi film an albino will be the hero, been plenty in star trek

as for the examples in that link, in the time machine, the book the bad guys are albinos because of their environment, nothing to do with albino actors or anything like that, same way blacks are black because of protection against the sun, its because of environment adapting. (though in the book there is no uber-villain they are sub-human almost cavemen types)

farelly brothers comedy - they take the piss out of everyone without fail, the albino guy is just another way of getting a laugh.

as for manga type things, they are obsessed with all things white in manga, so most of the heroes tend to take on characteristics associated with albinos, they have funny coloured eyes not just pink, weird hair or lack of and generally white faces, very rare to see japanese type faces, i asked a japanese girl once why this was in manga, and its because they really do love the whole white image also they like big eyes, esp the men, which is why the cartoons are built that way, definately not an albino case at all.

back to powder again its just another story in the same mould as all "i have something different, people pick on me" that we see in hollywood CONSTANTLY, whether it be fat, or short or whatever, anything different from the norm as hollywood sees it will be taken as a subject, getting over that if you watch the film the albino is the purest person in it, with a gentle nature and representing all thats good about humans, hes actually saying that hes better than everyone else even if he doesnt think so and leaves earth because as yet the human race isnt accepting enough towards him (fair point IMO) its not perpetuating freaks in society unless you cant understand the film, its saying people are different adn should be treated equal not shunned.

simpsons example - scraping the barrel or what [img]tongue.gif[/img] chalk/lime is what the dead used to be buried with ffs, i dont think insulting zombies should get anyone up in arms should it [img]tongue.gif[/img]

anyhows physically an albino is only an albino if pure white with pink eyes otherwise not a true albino so hardly any of the above characters fit that anyway, its yet again someone taking things out of proportion, the best villains are those with a physical deformity or obviously carrying on of the marks of villainhood in hollywood

- sardonic englishman
- strangely coloured skin
- scars
- evil eyes, strange colours

etc etc, far as i can see the only film out of the ones mentioned that really explored the subject of someone with albino like qualities was "powder" and that film was an intelligent look at the way situations like that are handled.

Next were gonna get people sticking up for those of us with squinting eyes saying were all depicted as evil in hollywood [img]tongue.gif[/img] can someone pls sacrifice political correctness to the god of films and get back to entertainment for entertainments sake, least the farelly brothers dont care who they offend, offend everyone equally [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Sio]

True theyre not always shown as evil but theyre sure shown as abnormal too, and 'Powder' is just a mockery, he's caked in white makeup that can be seen so obviously as so.
Some films have shown Albinism in true light (none that ive saw but there are some) but its mostly just casting a negative image onto a person that already has enough problems fitting in and trying to lead a normal life, and we dont need this kind of thing to make those problems any harder.

EDIT++

Originally posted by Grungi: [QB] anyhows physically an albino is only an albino if pure white with pink eyes otherwise not a true albino so hardly any of the above characters fit that anyway, its yet again someone taking things out of proportion, the best villains are those with a physical deformity or obviously carrying on of the marks of villainhood in hollywood - sardonic englishman - strangely coloured skin - scars - evil eyes, strange colours etc etc, far as i can see the only film out of the ones mentioned that really explored the subject of someone with albino like qualities was "powder" and that film was an intelligent look at the way situations like that are handled.[QB]

It doesnt matter if its true albino or not, white hair, white skin but brown eyes, sorry mate your not an albino, I dont think so.
If they have brown eyes or any other colour eyes in the film but white hair and white skin then who else is it trying to depict other than Albinos?
And the thing about squinty eyes has nothing to do with this, it isnt the same at all as I dont see people having the piss taken out of em by children and adults alike about having squinty eyes.

[ 01-09-2003, 06:56 AM: Message edited by: Sio ]

[Grungi]

nothing wrong with exploiting physical charateristics, if this rondo hatton guy said "im happy with how i am as a person, i got something people find weird so let me make some money out of it", and proceeded to do just that, thats a good thing, hes the one exploiting it and its his right to do so, and hes probably a stronger person for it, learning to laugh at yourself is an important skill, i was constantly bullied for being short at school for over 10 years solid, is that wrong? yes course it is, i cant help my height, but in some pubs i go in my nickname now is shortarse, and im happy with that because its used by friends and in an endearing way rather than abusive, doesnt bother me now and im quite happy to indulge in self-deprecating humour about my height continually if people want to, the problem that it always comes down to is people being NASTY about someone elses physicalities, if people werent nasty then i think noone would mind a few casual ribbings (ribbing someone means teasing sort of, ie between friends for fun)

[Grungi]

ah come on powder is not a mockery, the makeup doesnt even come into it, look at the story look at what the director is trying to get across as his message, that to pick someone out like that is wrong, hurtful and cruel, and that we should be more accepting, its a good message and a good film! we all know humans can be cruel and hurtful, the people in his class if they didnt have him to pick on would find someone else to be equally cruel too.

see if your getting offended by someone who got a bit of bad makeup on then your taking things too seriously and of course you'll get offended by other films, thats being way too overzealous.

[Epona]

I agree with you.
The film I immediately thought of when I read the start of your post was Powder, about an albino man with supernatural powers (for some film makers I guess just looking 'different' isn't enough )

I do think it's a bit crass. I looked at the link you posted, and think that characters called 'UV', 'Whitey' etc in some way may make it seem acceptable (especially to kids) to tease others without realising the hurt they may be causing.

[Grungi]

hmmm your getting worked up at me because i put you in the same light as someone with a bad squint, immediately belittling their situation, why should you get more attention than someone like that? i know someone with a very bad squint and shes a lovely person, but because of it she got hideous bullying and all sorts of problems in life, only just managing to get a fulltime job at the age of 26 , frankly how dare you belittle it, i dont belittle your condition or anyone elses, so you should not do the same to someone you believe to have lesser significance than you.

There are examples in film (check hammer horrors) where the evil people have a bad squint, in the 60s and 70s it was a good way of showing someone was evil, so yes its a very relevant example of the same kind of thing, personally it wouldnt bother me nor does it bother my friend that they show it to be evil, as anyone who actually knows her realises shes not.

it all comes down to people being idiots as usual, if you look to the PERSON and the personality and NOT to their physical characteristics then you'll get on just fine. You cant account for the idiots in this world and they will always always make someone with a difference a target for insults.

but you have managed to make a whole point around your own reaction to it, you now believe your condition of albinism (and correct definition is pink eyes and white skin for a true albino anything else isnt the same thing) is a more significant condition than that of my friend who has a very bad squint (ie noticeable from a reasonable distance when you see her) , might be more obvious by a bit, but its no more important IMO.