Aw, Gaiman, why you gotta play like that?
Neil Gaiman is scripting the James Cameron-assisted movie version of Journey to the West.

I feel really kinda queasy about this. There are no few Asian writers for whom this story came with their milk teeth, like Cinderella does to an English-speaker, and Gaiman has been...bad...about stuff relating to other cultures before. I really doubt that having been for a visit to China is enough to justify his treatment of the script.

(And let's not talk about James Cameron. Ick.)

Mercredigirl over at Dreamwidth has more to say.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

ravenbell
2011-03-30 04:35 am UTC (link)

Not what I meant. But I see no point in discouraging the project from the outset simply because Gaiman has a spotty track record with adaptations. He may have badly bungled some stories, but he's done right in other cases. I'm not willing to write him off until he actually does screw up. But compared to the likes of Richard Halmi and their ilk, I think Gaiman has a far better chance of turning out something culturally sensitive.

If he doesn't, I'll be the first to start waiving a pitchfork. The Monkey King and I go waaaay back.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	eclatante 2011-03-30 05:07 am UTC (link)
	I see no point in discouraging the project from the outset simply because Gaiman has a spotty track record with adaptations. That's... not really the entirety of the point. However, there's too much shit going down in my life right now and I don't have the energy for talky activismz!!, so... hopefully someone else will do the talking. Or whatever. (Reply to this)(Parent)

napalmnacey
2011-03-30 12:47 pm UTC (link)

From my perspective, my brain-slodey rage comes from the fact that this storyline deserves a cast and crew that are actually Chinese. It's about time Hollywood did something truly new and exciting, and if they're going to make a movie about this story, why not do it properly? I'm angry because I know this well never happen, because the Big Knobs there are mortally terrified of People of Colour. Any friggin' colour.

The Monkey King and I go way back too, but I'm probably way more wanky about it than you are, cause I'm like that with things I watched from childhood.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

(Read comments) -