Susannah's race is integral to her character and should be cast accordingly. Racial intolerance is but one part of the spectrum of prejudice. There are many other prejudices that could be called upon.
IDRIS ELBA, YES YES YES
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Meant to hit reply. not like. That's just too many big words for me to read right now.
Susannah's gender and disabilities are also involved, but all connected. To pull that apart and place half of it on Roland reduces the quality of the narrative/ morality play about racial, gender, disability equality. Elba will handle whatever they give him, but even at it's best, the reductionist result will be inferior to the journey of self-discovery and restitution that the books tell. From what I understand, Susannah will even be cut out of the movie, as they will only focus on the part of Wizard and Glass that focuses on Roland's past, and not the Ka-tet's current adventures. Again, we wind up with less instead of more, and an actor of Elba's caliber is again left with less quality to work with, though he will do justice to what he is given.
A large part of this story is about Susannah's race and gender and disabilities. To pull her race out of it and place it on Roland is again, to be reductionist with the story's original intent and purposes in describing changes in attitude towards these prejudices, conscious and unconscious. Idris will handle the results ably, but are these the results that bring the best awareness of prejudice and resolution?
The movie pulls elements from the other books to help build up the Dark Tower world but the narrative is mainly from The Gunslinger. That is why Eddie, Oy, & Susannah are not in the first movie.
From what I've heard Wizard & Glass is most discussed as being done via a TV series outside of any movies.
As to the rest of your post - we'll have to agree to disagree.
Peace.
From what I've heard Wizard & Glass is most discussed as being done via a TV series outside of any movies.
As to the rest of your post - we'll have to agree to disagree.
Peace.
Eddie, Oy and Suze and Jake are the books for me. Roland makes the tet happen.
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The first book would be just about where you'd have to start ...especially if you're going to rewrite the entire series to change Susannah's relation to the Dark Tower world around her, from Roland and Eddie on out ....
Within these wide-scope changes Idris will make an excellent Roland, I just think the story is losing some of it's greatest elements concerning race, gender, and disability equality to a deconstructionist, muddled version of lesser depth and impact.
Within these wide-scope changes Idris will make an excellent Roland, I just think the story is losing some of it's greatest elements concerning race, gender, and disability equality to a deconstructionist, muddled version of lesser depth and impact.
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Yes, sorry about that. Don't bother, it was just too many words
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Robert Gray
Well-Known Member
It is a new turn of the wheel. We don't know if he will be required to draw three this time around let alone who they might be.
Robert Gray
Well-Known Member
We won't know that after this movie either; this movie isn't another book in the set. No amount of trying to rationalize it as a reboot is going to make part of the canon. The movie will have NOTHING to do with the series. It won't answer any questions about what happens afterwards. It is entirely self contained. I'm not saying it is going to be bad or good. I'm simply saying we should stop trying to attribute it with some sort of validity which it will not have. Purist and elitist or not, the only thing that will ever tell us what happens further in Roland's tale is if Mr. King starts to hear that music, the whispers of voices, and the call to the blank page.
1st post and shocked that as a 41 year old (Who keeps forgetting they're not actually 42 yet) woman I am only just now finding this forum! Life long SK fan so this is a little emotional for me finding this place. Anyway!
I read The Gunslinger when I was 16, Roland has been a voice in my head since then (when I've forgotten the face of my father) and when I heard Idris Elba was cast as Roland I instantly loved the choice.
Idris has Roland's intestinal fortitude, his ability to speak without words, the depth, honor, strength and eyes that feel like deep wells of swimming thought and emotion while looking stoic.
Had Clint been young enough he'd of course be the best choice but that option passed us by over a decade ago at least. In my opinion, as a deeply committed and invested fan, I am beyond thrilled at this choice. And, due of how good I know Iris Elba to be (you're missing out if you don't watch Luther), I feel so much better about this movie than I did prior. Because whoever is making the choices is making the right choices. I don't believe there is an actor out there today who could do the role of Roland as much justice is I believe Idris Elba will.
I read The Gunslinger when I was 16, Roland has been a voice in my head since then (when I've forgotten the face of my father) and when I heard Idris Elba was cast as Roland I instantly loved the choice.
Idris has Roland's intestinal fortitude, his ability to speak without words, the depth, honor, strength and eyes that feel like deep wells of swimming thought and emotion while looking stoic.
Had Clint been young enough he'd of course be the best choice but that option passed us by over a decade ago at least. In my opinion, as a deeply committed and invested fan, I am beyond thrilled at this choice. And, due of how good I know Iris Elba to be (you're missing out if you don't watch Luther), I feel so much better about this movie than I did prior. Because whoever is making the choices is making the right choices. I don't believe there is an actor out there today who could do the role of Roland as much justice is I believe Idris Elba will.
Oh, I see now there is an issue with Susannah and racial issues.
I don't see that as a problem at all. Detta/Odetta didn't see things as they were, she saw them as she thought they were. She could easily see Roland as white and she could easily behave in exactly the same manner. Because it was never actually about Roland, it was always about herself. I don't see there being a need to change anything. I see this as being very simple.
I don't see that as a problem at all. Detta/Odetta didn't see things as they were, she saw them as she thought they were. She could easily see Roland as white and she could easily behave in exactly the same manner. Because it was never actually about Roland, it was always about herself. I don't see there being a need to change anything. I see this as being very simple.
It's not a question of racism bc he is black. Many actors can play those roles of different races. It's the question of race bc of the whole premise of his relationship with Odetta in basically the whole book of drawing of the 3 is based on racism. Her being black and having racist attitude towards roland who is white. Then how there relationship grows from there. So it doesn't have to do with him as it does to the premise and context of the book . So Hollywood is going to have to re write that or omit it completely which stink bc book 2 is one of the better books in the series.
I never really thought there was an issue of racism to be upset because Idris is black. Well not for some people. But I understand the issues because the character is white and the aspect of Detta hating him. I just don't think that needs to be an issue.
As I said earlier, Odetta/Detta did not see things as they were, she saw them that she believed them to be. She could still believe Roland is white, the cracker-ass grey meat. Nothing actually has to change. She was delusional when they brought her over. Quite sick as a matter of fact, soul sick from the racism and assaults from the pusher she's received in her life. I actually don't really think this is too much of an issue. I think people just don't think outside of the box enough to see that this doesn't have to be a problem at all.
Racism is only one form of prejudice. It can be replaced with many others. If both characters are black, they can actually go at each other in more intense ways without it being uncomfortable on screen.