*** THE ODYSSEY *** (Christopher Nolan)

168,777 Views | 1408 Replies | Last: 13 hrs ago by FL_Ag1998
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
People may not "need" to see someone who looks like them, but for many it does seem to help them connect more sometimes.
FL_Ag1998
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Just to play devil's advocate, and because i legitimately like to have good discussions between opposing viewpoints....

Does your stance above mean did every movie going forward should strive for diversity in its casting so that as many people across the entire world can feel connected to the characters? (Yes, an extreme to prove my point how Nolan's weak argument falls apart at the first stiff breeze)

Will future Black Panther movies have white people and asian people and hispanic people playing major roles as Wakandans, so that white, asian, and hispanic audience members can connect to the Black Panther story?

The problem with Nolan's argument is that it reduces people to their skin color. It implies that people primarily, or possibly only, relate to other human beings based on whether they are the same skin color as themselves. What he's saying is that BIPOC people can't relate to character motivations, only to character's skin colors.

It's an outdated, fraudulent, racist line of thinking that should have gone away a long time ago during the civil rights movement but is being brought back around primarily by "progressive" white people.

Nolan just lost a lot of respect in my eyes, but he doesn't know me and couldn't care less about my opinion.
Aggie_Boomin 21
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
TCTTS said:

Also, for what it's worth, straight from Nolan himself...

Quote:

"We wanted the world to feel like a recognizable world to people, even though it was going to be Ancient Greece. We don't want it to look and feel like previous movies that take on this kind of classical world. What can we do that's more timeless than that?"

You can pine for historical accuracy all you want and, to an extent, I totally get it. That's absolutely your prerogative. But here's Nolan telling you exactly why he wasn't after that / why he's made the decisions he's made.

Everyone's line in the sand is probably slightly different in terms of the balance between convenient modernization and historical accuracy that they want to see in this movie (or really any movie).
For example I doubt really anyone on this thread wants the movie's dialogue to be entirely spoken in Homeric Greek, nor do I think anyone really wants Odysseus to be streaming his voyage online at any point in the movie.
Nolan's ideal balance being different than mine is fine (though I really don't feel strongly either way about the casting choices), and maybe I shouldn't take his words so literally, but he's definitely embracing a "classical world" in a lot (I'd argue most) of ways. The movie so far looks far from "timeless". What he's saying really only applies to language (again, something that would be nearly universally wanted to an extent) and casting choices. I'm just not sure what he said holds up if you give it even a little thought.
FL_Ag1998
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
What doesn't hold up is Nolan's repeated lame attempt's to explain his progressive take on The Odyssey while avoiding just coming out and saying it's a 21st century progressive take.

First, his excuse for not using an orchestra was so pathetic, nonsensical, and inconguent with his other choices that I still can't believe he said it out loud. And now his phrasing on the casting choices is just a really cowardly way of saying he implemented a DEI mindset and prioritized racial diversity in his casting over ethnic or historical accuracy.

He wanted to avoid looking and feeling like previous movies who tackled a classical world? He wanted to be timeless in his take?

Pffft, what a pussified way out Nolan.
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
FL_Ag1998 said:

Just to play devil's advocate, and because i legitimately like to have good discussions between opposing viewpoints....

Does your stance above mean did every movie going forward should strive for diversity in its casting so that as many people across the entire world can feel connected to the characters? (Yes, an extreme to prove my point how Nolan's weak argument falls apart at the first stiff breeze)

Will future Black Panther movies have white people and asian people and hispanic people playing major roles as Wakandans, so that white, asian, and hispanic audience members can connect to the Black Panther story?

The problem with Nolan's argument is that it reduces people to their skin color. It implies that people primarily, or possibly only, relate to other human beings based on whether they are the same skin color as themselves. What he's saying is that BIPOC people can't relate to character motivations, only to character's skin colors.

It's an outdated, fraudulent, racist line of thinking that should have gone away a long time ago during the civil rights movement but is being brought back around primarily by "progressive" white people.

Nolan just lost a lot of respect in my eyes, but he doesn't know me and couldn't care less about my opinion.


It's not really a "stance."

It's simply a fact of life that certain people feel more connected / respond more positively when they see "themselves" reflected back in the art/content they consume, be it in the form of their culture, skin color, life experience, profession, etc. Do these people "need" to see themselves reflected in order to enjoy/appreciate whatever it is they're watching/consuming? No, of course not. But to deny that it helps at times is to deny documented testimony / human nature / reality. I don't understand how this is remotely controversial or in question.

Also, it's not that Nolan believes people CAN'T "relate to other human beings based on whether they are the same skin color as themselves," it's that he believes the movie has a better chance of connecting to more people if more types of people are reflected back to the audience.

There's a difference.

Now, that doesn't mean I'm at all a proponent of DEI initiatives or diversity quotas. I'm not, and I've been very clear/consistent about that. Nor do I think "every movie going forward should strive for diversity in its casting." Most movies should be free to cast/portray whoever the hell they want. But again - we've been over this ad nauseam - do I think that movies of THIS scale/budget have a financial responsibility to reach the widest audience possible? Yes. And one way studious believe they can accomplish that is casting diversely so as to raise the chances of selling more tickets diversely. In other words, the more races/cultures/genders they have in their blockbusters, the more races/cultures/genders they believe they'll sell tickets to, worldwide. I know some of you vehemently disagree with this approach, but it is what it is. Either way, it's an approach that becomes less important the smaller the budget gets.

As for this argument…

Quote:

Will future Black Panther movies have white people and asian people and hispanic people playing major roles as Wakandans, so that white, asian, and hispanic audience members can connect to the Black Panther story?


… you're assuming an even playing field, when it's not at all. Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, etc are referred to as MINORITIES for a reason. Because, obviously, white people are the MAJORITY. Thus, "marginalizing" minorities - in American filmmaking - is a completely different thing than "marginalizing" the majority. The latter is more accepted because the latter has been catered to cinematically over the past 100 years FAR more than the former. Like, it's not even close.

Does that mean we should then come up laws/rules to force diversity? Again, absolutely not. But it's perfectly fine if someone like Nolan values reaching a wider audience / telling a more "timeless" story (in the way he wants) more than he values historical accuracy. You placing more value on the latter is a personal preference, and the opposite isn't the "progressive" screed you're making it out to be.
Cliff.Booth
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Creators can and should make whatever they want, for whatever audience they want, but I hope that directors and studios will learn that historical/mythical movies perform better at the box office when they don't pander. Just tell a great story in a compelling way and immerse us.
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
What if this one does $800M to a $1B+? Will you actually admit you were wrong in this instance?
Fenrir
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Whites weren't catered to. They were primarily both the talent and customers for the vast majority of Hollywood's history. It's nonsensical and loaded statements like this that make it obvious your attempts to say you're not a proponent of DEI or whatever you want to call it is not the truth. Nobody is running to Bollywood, china, japan or latin America to demand they increase the number of minorities...just areas that are white majority like America and Western Europe for some reason.
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Quote:

They were primarily both the talent and customers for the vast majority of Hollywood's history.


You're saying exactly what I'm saying.

Maybe "catered to" isn't the exact right terminology, but the point is literally the exact same… for the past century, the majority of movies were made by white people, starred white people, and were for white audiences. That's not me trying to make "whitey" out to be the bad guy or whatever, I'm simply stating a statistical fact that's in line with my majority/minority point.

Otherwise, whatever else you're rambling on about is complete nonsense.

Good lord, why are some of you always so ******* angry all the time?
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Hopefully it'll be released online in the coming days.

Fenrir
How long do you want to ignore this user?
TCTTS said:

Quote:

They were primarily both the talent and customers for the vast majority of Hollywood's history.


You're saying exactly what I'm saying.

Maybe "catered to" isn't the exact right terminology, but the point is literally the exact same… for the past century, the majority of movies were made by white people, starred white people, and were for white audiences. That's not me trying to make "whitey" out to be the bad guy or whatever, I'm simply stating a statistical fact that's in line my majority/minority point.

Otherwise, whatever else you're rambling on about is complete nonsense.

Good lord, why are some of you always so ******* angry all the time?


What can I say, I dislike stupid hypocritical stances and you're overflowing with them. Catered to is a loaded term and it's revealing of your opinions.

You're arguing for artistic laziness. Imagine how pathetic the magnificent seven would be if they literally just put white dudes in as samurai and called it a day. That's the creative extent of the vast majority of American film making engages in when race swapping. Recreating a prior storyline with different people in a new setting is an ancient practice, but in the pursuit of maximum income with minimal creative and financial input, Hollywood has a tendency of going the most lazy paths possible.

I'm not even saying that's the case for the odyssey, I just tire of seeing the defense of lazy creative practices.
Cliff.Booth
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Disagreeing with Nolan's approach doesn't mean we are angry. You read a lot into statements that don't have any all-caps or bold-printed language or anything to imply escalation. It's literally just dudes responding on a message board.
Casual Cynic
How long do you want to ignore this user?
A movie should be representative of the time it's trying to depict, not modern Hollywood ideas about "inclusion." Ancient Greece was a very white place. I'm not going to see this movie because the creator doesn't seem to respect the source materiel.
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Fenrir said:

TCTTS said:

Quote:

They were primarily both the talent and customers for the vast majority of Hollywood's history.


You're saying exactly what I'm saying.

Maybe "catered to" isn't the exact right terminology, but the point is literally the exact same… for the past century, the majority of movies were made by white people, starred white people, and were for white audiences. That's not me trying to make "whitey" out to be the bad guy or whatever, I'm simply stating a statistical fact that's in line my majority/minority point.

Otherwise, whatever else you're rambling on about is complete nonsense.

Good lord, why are some of you always so ******* angry all the time?


What can I say, I dislike stupid hypocritical stances and you're overflowing with them. Catered to is a loaded term and it's revealing of your opinions.

You're arguing for artistic laziness. Imagine how pathetic the magnificent seven would be if they literally just put white dudes in as samurai and called it a day. That's the creative extent of the vast majority of American film making engages in when race swapping. Recreating a prior storyline with different people in a new setting is an ancient practice, but in the pursuit of maximum income with minimal creative and financial input, Hollywood has a tendency of going the most lazy paths possible.

I'm not even saying that's the case for the odyssey, I just tire of seeing the defense of lazy creative practices.


I simply disagree that it's "artistic laziness" to have Helen of Troy - a fictional character being interpreted through a modern/"timeless" lens - be black. Call me hypocritical all you want, coming from you I could not care less.

And if you think the "vast majority of American filmmaking engages in race swapping," I don't know what to tell you. Seeing as that's an objectively untrue/insane statement.

TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Cliff.Booth said:

Disagreeing with Nolan's approach doesn't mean we are angry. You read a lot into statements that don't have any all-caps or bold-printed language or anything to imply escalation. It's literally just dudes responding on a message board.


I wasn't talking about you.

I was specifically talking about Fenrir and a couple others like him, who are never not overly negative, *****ing about whatever political bull****, or posting angry rants. The kind of posters who bring absolutely zero joy/positivity/insight to this board.

I may fundamentally disagree with on just about everything under the sun, and think you're stubborn as hell, but I don't find you to be an angry person at all.
Sea Speed
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Whites are like 8% of the global population. We shouldn't be pandering to a single other race of person on earth.
YouBet
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Quote:

First, his excuse for not using an orchestra was so pathetic, nonsensical, and inconguent with his other choices that I still can't believe he said it out loud.


I'm ignorant here. What exactly does this mean because his past movies used music to an extremely beneficial effect. Notably, Interstellar. That movie doesn't hit like it does without the music.

This is like saying he's going to forego an established actor and hire me instead.
Cliff.Booth
How long do you want to ignore this user?
TCTTS said:

Cliff.Booth said:

Disagreeing with Nolan's approach doesn't mean we are angry. You read a lot into statements that don't have any all-caps or bold-printed language or anything to imply escalation. It's literally just dudes responding on a message board.


I wasn't talking about you.

I was specifically talking about Fenrir and a couple others like him, who are never not overly negative, *****ing about whatever political bull****, or posting angry rants. The kind of posters who bring absolutely zero joy/positivity/insight to this board.

I may fundamentally disagree with on just about everything under the sun, and think you're stubborn as hell, but I don't find you to be an angry person at all.


For some reason this reminded me of the line from The Royal Tenenbaums when Danny Glover's character tells Royal "I don't think you're an *******, Royal. I just think you're kind of a son of a *****." And Royal replies "I really appreciate that."
FL_Ag1998
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
YouBet said:

Quote:

First, his excuse for not using an orchestra was so pathetic, nonsensical, and inconguent with his other choices that I still can't believe he said it out loud.


I'm ignorant here. What exactly does this mean because his past movies used music to an extremely beneficial effect. Notably, Interstellar. That movie doesn't hit like it does without the music.

This is like saying he's going to forego an established actor and hire me instead.



Nolan and his composer for the movie opted not to use an orchestra because "its not like an orchestra existed back then."

Now, they apparently do use a lyre and some bronze instruments, and hey, it probably will fit the movie well. But it's the given reason behind that choice contrasted with his insistence to cast the movie in a way that reflects a more modern world (in order to "feel timeless") which is at odds and calls into question what we're supposed to believe - that he wanted authenticity in the historic world of the story or he wanted a more modern reflection of it?

Or perhaps he's just picking and choosing whatever he feels that he wants for this movie (his prerogative). In that case he'd be better off just staying mum about them and not offering up his lame justifications.
FL_Ag1998
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
If the sole reason for the diversity of the cast is to reap bigger profits, then that's

1) still racist no matter how politely and softly its phrased because its still built on the assumption that non-white people can only relate to people who look like them, and

2) sad that for some extra money in their pockets (supposedly due to appealing to a more diverse audience) filmakers and execs have decided not only to alter stories along racial lines but in the process promote racism by telling their audience "We view you primarily by your skin tone and in turn have made assumptions about what you like based purely on your skin tone." Because that's literally the argument they're making - "Hey black people, we know if we cast a couple of black people in this movie you'll flock to see it, so we cast a couple!".
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
FL_Ag1998 said:

If the sole reason for the diversity of the cast is to reap bigger profits, then that's

1) still racist no matter how politely and softly its phrased because its still built on the assumption that non-white people can only relate to people who look like them, and

2) sad that for some extra money in their pockets (supposedly due to appealing to a more diverse audience) filmakers and execs have decided not only to alter stories along racial lines but in the process promote racism by telling their audience "We view you primarily by your skin tone and in turn have made assumptions about what you like based purely on your skin tone." Because that's literally the argument they're making - "Hey black people, we know if we cast a couple of black people in this movie you'll flock to see it, so we cast a couple!".


AGAIN, there is NO assumption that non-white people can ONLY relate to people who look like them. That's an argument/framing that YOU'RE injecting. Like I just got done saying...

Quote:

Also, it's not that Nolan believes people CAN'T "relate to other human beings based on whether they are the same skin color as themselves," it's that he believes the movie has a better chance of connecting to more people if more types of people are reflected back to the audience.

There's a difference.


And there IS a difference.

As for your second point, that's... literally how capitalism works. For the most part, every company wants the maximum amount of people/demographics to buy their products. It's why various commercials/products cater to as many different people - and types of people - as possible. But for some reason it's suddenly bad when Hollywood does it?
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
FL_Ag1998 said:

YouBet said:

Quote:

First, his excuse for not using an orchestra was so pathetic, nonsensical, and inconguent with his other choices that I still can't believe he said it out loud.


I'm ignorant here. What exactly does this mean because his past movies used music to an extremely beneficial effect. Notably, Interstellar. That movie doesn't hit like it does without the music.

This is like saying he's going to forego an established actor and hire me instead.



Nolan and his composer for the movie opted not to use an orchestra because "its not like an orchestra existed back then."

Now, they apparently do use a lyre and some bronze instruments, and hey, it probably will fit the movie well. But it's the given reason behind that choice contrasted with his insistence to cast the movie in a way that reflects a more modern world in order to "feel timeless" which is at odds and calls into question what we're supposed to believe - that he wanted authenticity in the historic world of the story or he wanted a more modern reflection of it? Or perhaps he's just picking and choosing whatever he feels that he wants for his movie (his prerogative) and he'd be better off just staying mum about them and not offering up his lame justifications.


First of all, no where is this stated in the video I linked to.

Rather, Göransson says Nolan "wanted something completely unique in this film. No orchestra. No familiar sounds that we've heard before in a movie like this."

In other words, Nolan didn't want an orchestra because, in a movie like this, audiences expect an orchestra. Not because "it's not like an orchestra existed back then." Rather, Nolan clearly wanted to challenge Göransson to come up with something different for the sake of subverting expectations, not because of "historical accuracy."

The quote you're referring to comes from a Time Magazine article last month in which Göransson - NOT Nolan - says, "It's not like the orchestra existed back then." Which sounds more like rationale Göransson came up with himself after the fact, after Nolan's initial direction.

Otherwise, again, there is zero evidence that Nolan opted not to use an orchestra for "historical accuracy" purposes. Rather, like everything he does, it was in service of attempting to give audiences something they've never experienced before.
Brian Earl Spilner
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
TCTTS said:

Hopefully it'll be released online in the coming days.




Not in my showing.
TCTTS
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Did you see it in IMAX? If not, maybe it's only an IMAX thing?
veryfuller
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
AG
It was in my showing, but I tried to not pay attention.
YNWA_AG
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
It was in my showing. I was just in Dolby
Brian Earl Spilner
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I did.
CharleyKerfeld
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Why waste money on Gorasson at all when the authentic Greek composer of our time would probably do it for free?

tk for tu juan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
There was a new trailer at my showing at an IMAX Laser theater.

Before that was:
The Social Reckoning
Mutiny
Heart of the Beast
The End of Oak Street
One Night Only
The Fast and the Furious re-release
The Dog Stars
Brian Earl Spilner
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I think I got that exact trailer list, minus the Odyssey trailer.
Cinco Ranch Aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Having worked at a movie theater in the distant past, I recall that trailers were typically sent separate from the films. Which trailers were attached to which films were up to the theater. Of course, this was with film reels, so with digital projection that might have changed. I know that I've seen discussion on here for other movies regarding which trailers posters saw, but then I didn't get that trailer when I saw said movie.

I'm seeing Disclosure Day this afternoon in the Dolby (non-IMAX) auditorium.
FL_Ag1998
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Eh, we're both splitting hairs on the orchestra subject. You're right that it was the composer not Nolan who explicitly said "its not like an orchestra existed back then", and that's why I included in my original post that it was both Nolan and his composer. But you know the composer wasn't making the decisions in a vacuum and based on the other statements in the articles its clear that was Nolan's intent - he wanted a more period-authentic sound.

I'm simply pointing out how his choices for this movie are all over the place when it comes to the accuracy of that period. And that's certainly his prerogative in order to create the vibe he wants to create for his movie. He's always been super into the details and every aspect of his movies so they truly immerse the viewer into that world.

Perhaps that's the "problem" now and why this particular movie is creating an uproar. On the surface it appears this is a period piece set in the period which The Odyssey was actually written. However, he is clearly juxtaposing the period set pieces and characters against modern sensibilities.

Is it too dramatic to say this movie is his biggest gamble when it comes to audience reception?
veryfuller
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
AG
Except its not clear based on the other statements that is what he wanted at all. Its just what you WANT to infer.

I have said this before on this thread, but Nolan put limits on another of his scores in the past -- Interstellar. He didn't want percussion, which is kind of a crazy thing for a filmmaker to limit in a space score, but he felt like that had been done to death. We got an all-timer score because of that choice with organs being the centerpiece.

He is making a swords and sandals epic and there are MANY of those with amazing orchestral scores. I think he is just reaching for something new in his limitation, and he is working with a composer who can surely pull it off.

Also, the critique of him being all over the place can be said of those who are critiquing the movie. The gatekeeping on what is historically accurate or what needs to be for this to be a good adaptation (site unseen) is all over the place as well. I can't keep up.


hunter2012
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
TCTTS said:

People may not "need" to see someone who looks like them, but for many it does seem to help them connect more sometimes.

Ironic that the miscasting has made me "disconnected", if they had tried to make it historical accurate I would have probably seen it multiple times. I doubt the "connected" people would want to do that but fortunately my seat is available for them.
Cinco Ranch Aggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
hunter2012 said:

TCTTS said:

People may not "need" to see someone who looks like them, but for many it does seem to help them connect more sometimes.

Ironic that the miscasting has made me "disconnected", if they had tried to make it historical accurate I would have probably seen it multiple times. I doubt the "connected" people would want to do that but fortunately my seat is available for them.
I am leaning in this direction as well. I rank Christopher Nolan as among the best ever, and have seen all of his movies in a theater starting with Batman Begins. The Odyssey is likely going to be one that I will listen to/read responses to the actual movie before I go see it.
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.