Wow, lots of assumptions you're making about me.
We will have to agree to disagree. One, I don't think you get to put words in the mouths of those you deem to be Elba apologists. While we agree Elba is not right for the role, I think this behavior is beyond the pale. I think it is rude and insulting. I think we should steer clear from putting words in other people's mouths.
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I'm putting words in precisely no one's mouth. I'm reiterating arguments that have been given by other people. Putting words in their mouths would mean I assume they believe something. When they actively use that argument, that's no longer putting words in their mouths, it's just quoting them. Multiple Elba apologists have used this argument, namely that Roland's not from our world so his color shouldn't matter, in many arguments with me, including on this board.
Returning to the point YOU are making (as you are the one who posted it), color is an issue in the time period where Detta/Odetta comes from and from where Eddie comes from. It also isn't our world. Eddie and Detta/Odetta do not come from our level of the Tower, and NEITHER does John Coffey. He is a man who evidences supernatural abilities. All of these characters are fictional. All of them come from the mind of Stephen King.
You're missing the point. We, as CR's, understand that none of the worlds these stories take place in is the Keystone world, but casual readers or non-readers assume that King means for these other worlds that are close to ours to be our world. I honestly don't know how many times someone has told me that Susannah comes from "our world" and therefore her color matters. Again, I am not putting words in anyone's mouth. These things have been said.
You seem to have other issues which are coming across somewhat uncomfortably. If you don't have these other issues, I would suggest that you rethink your approach.
And what issues would you assume I have? I just re-read everything I wrote and I cannot imagine what "issues" are being communicated by my approach.
I don't care what discussion you have had over at the IMBD or what anyone there said.
First you accuse me of putting words in peoples' mouths, then you tell me you don't care what they said because it wasn't on this forum (even though some of it was). If you don't care what they said, I assume you haven't read the arguments, which means you can't know what they said, yet you accuse me of putting words in their mouths.
I don't want to get angst transference from other Forums. It is pointless. I'm only interested in the discussions here.
Again, some of it has taken place here.
To some degree, I think your irritation from other conversations is bleeding into your commentary here.
Yes, I was both quoting their arguments and then saying what I think of them. See, when you made your Coffey comparison, I could see someone making the counter-argument that Coffey comes from the "real" world and Roland does not. While it's a wrong argument, it's an argument that has been made on these very boards and IMDB and Lilja's Library and other sites.
That is what you need to be careful about. As to whether or not racial politics matter much in Roland's world, I don't think we've seen enough to know. Lacking conclusive evidence, I'm not willing to make such a statement. Racist bigots are kind of a universal thing and I expect they are found the the world that has moved on too.
That's not my argument. That's the argument that's been made by people in favor of Elba's casting. They argue that the racial politics of America, particularly America's past, don't matter in Roland's world and therefore Roland's race shouldn't matter. I'm just repeating other arguments, I don't agree with them.
Again, what you have argued about over there is kind of not relevant here.
Except, again, those arguments
have been made here. Not in huge number, but there are several Elba apologists here who have said very similar, even exactly the same, arguments that I have seen on other boards.
I will say that I feel that those interactions between the characters are key to why I loved the books. Eliminating them or relegating them to a minor echo would doom the film for me.
We are in total agreement here.
Of course, Hollywood isn't making a film for me. I don't think Hollywood is making the film for any fan of the book.
True, and this will be their downfall. Hollywood has a history of buying the rights to a popular book, making a film that only superficially resembles the book, and the result is a bomb. There were some that were faithful that bombed anyway, but nine times out of ten if they show disrespect for the source material, it is a critical and commercial disaster.
Again, this is insulting and rude. I think if you reread your posts and consider what you are doing here, you will find that you have the desire to apologize. While I disagree with those who don't see a problem with Elba playing the part (or those who think it is a great idea), I don't think trying to demonize them is appropriate. I think simply making the point of just how much the story is altered (and in my opinion hobbled) by dropping the book's important character connections and interactions would be far more effective than what you are doing.
In what way am I trying to "demonize" them? I'm literally quoting their arguments and then pointing out how they don't match. I won't name any names, but I have seen the same person both argue that Susannah's color, as a 60's Civil Rights activist, is important to her character, but then suggest that her issues with Roland's race are a "B-plot" that not only likely won't be included in the film, but shouldn't be. This is a blatant attempt to have their cake and eat it, too. I don't see how that's "demonizing" them. That's a very strong word to use for me just poking holes in their arguments.
You and I are mostly on the same side here. I don't see why you have such a problem with me pointing out what I see as weaknesses in the arguments of the other side. I also want to make the strongest argument possible for our angle, which is that no matter what world the Gunslinger is from, his color
does matter.