MovieChat Forums > The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) Discussion > She's BLACK!

She's BLACK!

posted 12 years ago by compact_disc_rack
123 replies | jump to latest

Just SAY IT, next time, you morons. It's obvious with all the obsession over whether she was Malcolm's real daughter or not, and the talk about "politically correct". How the *beep* is it POLITICALLY CORRECT that out of 300 mainstream movies, 1 has a black kid in it? Get over it. I know a lot of you are sincerely annoyed by her, kid actors usually do that, but the level of hostility against her, coupled with the said remarks above - the obsession and the talk of PC - proves that for a lot of you, it IS *beep* race. As for her character, at least she had sense enough to know danger when it was there (remember for instance that she knew right away that taking in baby rex was a bad idea, unlike the person who was supposed to know it). Of all the STUPID things that people kept doing in this film, Kelly was the one that got to you? Wow. I'm not saying I liked her, but the racist part of this is disgusting. If you wanna be a racist, just be one and shut the *beep* up about "PC".

[–] HenryCW 11 years ago

I think the question about Malcolm's daughter is a legitimate one. This series had gone rapidly downhill with the second film and the filmmakers didn't remember or even look at what had gone on before.

In the first film, Dr. Grant asked Malcolm if he had ever married, and how many kids he had. His answer was "three". Since he paid unusual attention to Ellie and even asked Grant if she was “available”, I assume he was divorced or about to be divorced. So if the black girl Kelly in this film was his biological daughter, where were the other two? If she was adopted, why did Malcolm adopt her when he had three kids of his own?

The black girl was not in the book and I guess she was put into the film as the “smart kid” to please preteen viewers. The filmmakers did not even care about consistency.

[–] agamemnon_b5 11 years ago

First off, lots of families have a mixture of biological and adopted children, so it is possible for Kelly to be adopted, and the other two children aren't important to the plot.

Second, the Kelly Curtis character was in the book, along with another child, Arby Benton.

[–] HenryCW 11 years ago

I have just watched this film again. It is said in the film that Kelly's mother dumped Malcolm and ran to Paris. So I assume that in the film Kelly was his biological daughter, unless Malcolm married a divorced woman with Kelly as her child. The two other children are important for consistency though obviously they wanted them out of the plot. As a counterargument, had "Kelley" not been present in the movie, you still can't suddenly have Malcolm saying that he was never married though that won't be important to the plot either.

I haven't read the book for over ten years. Was Kelly Curtis Malcolm's daughter in the book? If so, was it explained why her family name was Benton?

[–] nycruise-1 11 years ago

The stupid thing here is that the only reason that the kid was "black" is that Spielberg has an adopted child who is black - and he wanted to force his reality on the film.

Racial disconnects are normal when it comes to adopted children, but please either address the situation entirely or else leave out entirely.

Also - movie audience doesn't want to be part of the director's "family issues."

"Don't call me 'honey', mac."
"Don't call me 'mac'... HONEY!"

[–] OberstHansLanda 11 years ago

I didn't care she was black. She could've been green for all I care. The thing is, her character was annoying. That's what bothers me.

[–] shoolaroon-9-43507 9 years ago

This is exactly right. That's the ONLY REASON this girl was in the film at all. Because of Spielberg's private life. That's not good enough for a movie!

It sounds like most of the posters here have never experienced any real life people! That they live on poster boards! When people have children, it is normal to look at them and see which parent they take after, or some other relative, like a grandma. And sometimes if you don't see any resemblance at all, you may wonder what's up with that. That's the way NORMAL PEOPLE THINK. Whether you like it or not, that IS the way people think. People expect their children to look something like them, and other people's children to look something like THEM. And when they don't, people naturally wonder what the story is. You can't STOP that kind of thinking, it's HUMAN NATURE.

I saw the movie last night and it's fresh in my mind. The fact that this actress could NEVER be Jeff Goldblum's child, or could EVER be presented as a bi-racial child when she is obviously 100% African American is annoying! They could have created any scenario with this kid Kelly, and made her adopted, or put a bi-racial actress in it, but instead they created this scenario that does not look at all natural to normal people - whether you approve of that or not! Instead, they led us to believe that she was his natural child, which is simply NOT possible. The proof of that is, could you imagine this actress being given a bi-racial part in a film? If you're honest, you would say no. And that's the point.

I'm just sick of the whole PC agenda infecting movies and trying to DESTROY COMMON SENSE and what people know of actual REALITY. No amount of "explanation" or eye rolling can change that!

[–] christomacin (4527) 4 years ago

artist private lives are reflected in their work all the time. Spielberg did this quite frequently (Close Encounters and E.T. come to mind). Why would making reference to having an adopted black child be any more or less "off limits" than any other subject?

[–] boxerrebellion 9 years ago

As the adoptive mother of two children representing at least two races and two ethnicities, I find your comment highly offensive. Racial disconnects are not 'normal'. Why is it ANY of your business why Malcolm's children, my children or Spielverg's children for that matter look like or not at all like their parents?

[–] danmax67 11 years ago

I don't think it's a question of racism. For me at least, it was a movie filled with ridiculous plot holes and inconsistencies. Malcom having a black daughter, without anything by way of explanation, makes one wonder whether this was one more problem with a ridiculous film. I didn't dislike the character any more than I disliked any of the others, I just would have appreciated a little backstory.

As someone else said, a simple throw-away line of dialog could have explained it for the audience. It's called character development and most movies have some. I don't care that he has a black daughter, but if you're going to randomly throw her in there, please give me a morsel more of character development.

But yes, this movie just bad on so many levels, this was the least of its problems.

[–] MattGuyOR 11 years ago

Thankfully they didn't appease the idiots by explaining something that doesn't need explaining. It has NOTHING to do with the story whatsoever. I can just picture the idiots missing a chunk of the movie because they were questioning how he could have a black daughter and probably stewing on it, too. Lol.

I wouldn't be against adopting a baby from another culture.

She's American. Her culture isn't any different from any other American. You meant to say race.

Roger Ebert 1942-2013

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PintOfStellaOVERDRIVE 11 years ago

In the book there is a white girl called Kelly, and a black lad named Arby.

Kelly, in this film, seems to be an amalgamation of the 2 characters in the book. I suppose it was artistic license by Spielberg to make her black.

In my mind it is quite simple. Malcolm married a woman who had a child that was very young, by another man, and has raised her. She refers to him as Dad as he would be the only one she's ever known.

"We're on an express elevator to hell, going down!" - Hudson

[–] jajceboy 11 years ago

Or maybe he in fact is her father?
Either he is her real father and her mother is black, or he and the mum adopted her at a young age.
Point is, he is the father.

As for people complaining they don't make a point out of it, why is that a bad thing? Why should they make it into a point?
Surely, if they wrote her to act as a "black girl" that would have created all sorts of accusations from being stereotype to outright racist.

By not defining her by her colour or anything is exactly the point they wanted to make. They see her as one of the characters, nothing more.

This is isn't even an issue in my opinion! Her colour is not really that important to the plot, nor is the issue of Malcolm is the real father or not.
That's the reason it wasn't mentioned or brought up, no thought it was important. And they were right!

[–] dan-willi84 11 years ago

It's obvious, Ian had a relationship with a African American woman. If Ian really is her father, who knows. It is likely, Ian or someone else may be her father. Or... it may be also possible, she may be an adopted daughter.

[–] Obi_Sunny_Kenobi 11 years ago

Who cares if she was black? She kicked a raptors ass!

Please...call me Elvis

[–] moviefan320 10 years ago

I wonder why she gets so much flack for that and yet the other kids don't for their antics. The girl in the first film was able to get the computer system back up and running, you know a child is able to get the entire grid of a multi-billion dollar system back online. Or in the third film the kid is able to survive by himself on an island for nearly 2 months, when most people (with guns I might add) died within the first 24 hours. Yet Kelly who was already described as being an acrobat uses her skills which were already mentioned, people get in an uproar.

[–] john_blaze39 10 years ago

BECAUSE SHE IS BLACK...racist lowlifes in denial, most of them. Do you think obama would have as many old white people constantly trashing him for his "policies" if he was white? nope! obamacare was invented by mitt romney as romneycare first, but of course that doesn't matter

[–] bryanmillsfist 9 years ago

You obviously have never paid any attention at all to politics in this country. Presidents policies are ripped to shreds all the time. They have even been insulted by their generals in war. Lincoln was called the “original gorilla” by McClellan. One time Lincoln went to McClellan’s HQ to discuss strategy with him. McClellan wasn’t there when he first arrived. When McClellan arrived later he was told Lincoln was there. What did McClellan do? He ignored Lincoln and went upstairs to go to bed. This during a time of war.

FDR had titanic struggles when American Firsters in the years leading up to WWII. Clinton was impeached.

But yeah, Obama is the only president to be hardly criticized and/or tested.

You are a very, very, very, ignorant human being.

[–] audiosane 9 years ago

Don't be stupid. Of course all the previous presidents have been criticized and/or tested, but john_blaze39 is saying that Obama is receiving an unusual amount of criticism and disrespect for a president because he's black.

[–] boxerrebellion 9 years ago

I just don't think that is true. I really wanted him to succeed, but towards the end of the first Presidential campaign he made some really (politically) immature decisions. I think he just wasn't ready. He should have finished his first term as Senator, then run in the next (2012) election. He needed more experience and more seasoning.

[–] shoolaroon-9-43507 9 years ago

Because....you'd have to go to the other board FOR THAT OTHER MOVIE for comments like that! I find the children in the original Jurassic Park INCREDIBLY annoying, and I agree that the girl would not be able to hack a system that Mr. Arnold (SL Jackson) couldn't figure out! In fact, now that you mention it, I don't even really buy that those stupid kids could be the grandchildren of Richard Attenborough!

Maybe Spielberg doesn't handle children that well frequently, especially in his later films when they're really just naked plot devices and PC brownie points disguised as children. Killing a raptor with a gynmastic routine INDEED!!!

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] !!!deleted!!! (8778465) 10 years ago

So really, it's a story about two black people who irresponsibly have babies and then neglect/abandon them. First the father, than the mother. LOL. I only laugh because I think the whole thing was meant to be kind of a soft PC "White parents can have black kids and it's okay" type of thing, which is fine, though a seemingly random bit to stick in the movie.
But the way it was executed, and then neglected, leaves the most likely situation, based on dialogue and context, that Malcom's black daughter was the product of two black adults who neglected and then abandoned their baby, leaving Malcom to raise her. Not really the PC Happy go lucky message I think they where going for. LOL it just makes me laugh. Total incompetence in regard to narrative/explanation/story.

It's possible the daughter is adopted, but based on minor dialogue and context, it's just not likely. It's also not LIKELY Kelly is of mixed race, though it's possible, just not as likely as her not being mixed race.

Unfortunately, based on everything in the movie, the most likely explanation is Kelly's parents had her, the father abandon them, and then the mother found some guy to dump her baby on before she ran to Paris. That's just the way it is.

[–] boxerrebellion 9 years ago

It shouldn't require explanation. They are family. End. Of. Story. It is no one's business how they became family, whether it was the 'old fashioned' way or not. It is reality. It is today's reality, welcome to the 21st century.

[–] BertramWilberforceWooster 10 years ago

I have a lot of problems with this movie, but none of them involve Kelly (personally, I liked her more than Lex and Tim). She had spunk.

--
If I cannot smoke cigars in heaven, I shall not go!

[–] boxerrebellion 9 years ago

 for the Kelly comment, but I disagree about Lex & Tim - and that's ok.

[–] tobesmc 10 years ago

You people know, people can ADOPT children, right?

is it that big of a deal that she is black? And Malcom is white?

FFS He's a british explorer type FFS, how hard is it to believe he adopted an african daughter? seems like a perfectly believable scenario and if people have problem with that they are clearly racist

---
in the beginning, it is always dark

[–] CranberryNoVodka 10 years ago

I liked Kelly. Pretty sure she was adopted. Not an issue.

If you treat a girl like a dog, she's going to piss on you

[–] cybopath 10 years ago

Most of the female characters in the series were badly written. That's poor writing not being sexist or racist.

[–] dannyvazmon1 9 years ago

Some of you are so pathetically blinded by political correctness that you fail to see the simple reason many people have a problem with the actress that plays Ian's daughter. It has nothing to do with racism. Get over yourselves! If the main character was played by Danny Glover and his daughter was played by Dakota Fanning, many people would also be scratching their heads. It's common freaking sense.

[–] boxerrebellion 9 years ago

No, it's closed mindedness. Interracial families, either through biology or adoption are NOT that uncommon.

[–] janaki_raghunath 9 years ago

Does it really matter whether Kelly was adopted or Ian's biological child? As far as we know, she's Ian's daughter and that's all that matters. The fact that she's black shouldn't matter so much, because 1) We're in the 21st century and I would think interracial marriages/adoptions are accepted and 2) Her race has nothing to do with the storyline. Unlike humans, dinosaurs would not differentiate between races and every person is fair game to them.

I do not think Kelly's character is a loophole in the film. In the first movie, Ian Malcolm says he has three kids and is divorced. That doesn't mean they have to show all three kids or mention them in the 2nd movie. Ian's family life isn't that important. I think Kelly is definitely one of his kids, because Ian loves her a lot and if he adopted her after the first film, that sort of attachment wouldn't be formed in six years.

I also disagree with those who said mixed race kids have to look mixed. That is definitely NOT true. They may look mixed, but there is also a high possibility that they look like only one of their parents. I have many many classmates who are mixed race and you wouldn't know it looking at them, because they look like only one race. One of my good friends has parents, one who is a dark-skinned Indian and one who is white, and she looks completely white. There is nothing Indian about her looks but she is half-Indian.

So it's very much a possibility that Kelly's mother was a black lady, and I dare anyone who knows science to challenge that. Of course it's possible Kelly was adopted or Ian's step-child, but it's also equally possible she was his biological child.

The point is. IT DOESN'T MATTER. I liked all the kids in all three movies. Granted, I thought it was a bit unrealistic for the kid in the third one to survive so long without proper rations, but I liked Tim, Lex and Kelly. I don't think there was anything about Kelly's character to dislike. It's not like she caused someone's death with her stupidity like other adult characters in the film.

[–] boxerrebellion 9 years ago

Awesome post, except for one small (well not so small to the people involved, but small in the picture of your argument). Adopted children are not 'adopted children'; they are the children of the parents who raise them. Most families formed through adoption do not preface conversations about their children with the word 'adopted'; families with a mix of biological and adopted children do not split them into: my children and my adopted children. Those bonds form quickly. In the case of my son, I had to physically MAKE myself turn and hand our son to my husband once the social worker had put him in my arms; it was easier with my daughter, four years later but only because we had gone through it once already.