MovieChat Forums > The Little Mermaid (2023) Discussion > So, 'Merica doesn't care that Ariel is p...

So, 'Merica doesn't care that Ariel is part fish. They care that she's black?

posted 2 years ago by TylerAArse (2663)
39 replies | jump to latest

Absolutely amazing. She's not real, she lives in water, is part fish, and talks to crabs and shrimp. Yet all they see is her being black, which is the ONLY realistic thing about her. Just goes to show you the (low) mentality and how strong racism is in 'Merica.

It's 2022, and black people can't even get a fair shake on things as insignificant as TV/movies. They stand no chance with anything else.

Those same people probably don't care about how for decades, minorites were played by white males. Was that okay? And now they're mad cause the roles they think they own are not all white. Even fantasy roles that aren't real?

Hypocrisy on a level "that's never seen before". (I stole that from #45 since those types are used to hearing that statement).

[–] Bill7102 (219) 2 years ago

Blackfish? That’s the psycho killer whale movie.

[–] joej2923 (2959) 2 years ago

Most fans want the tv/movie portrayals to be faithful to the source material. Significant characters should not be race-swapped or gender-swapped. Ariel is a pretty big deal. Disney made a couple Mermaid movies, a tv show, video games and lots of merchandise. I've met a lot of women who grew up loving this character.

I see plenty of blacks on television shows and in movies in 2022. I grew up in the eighties in the US and there were many blacks acting in both movies and on television shows during my youth. I want talented performers of all races to get tv/movie roles.

I don't think it's ideal to see white males playing minorities in old movies but I'm not offended by it. There was an attitude that a good actor could play anybody with good costumes and enough makeup. Laurence Olivier played a blackface Othello and even old Jewish men. There also weren't as many minority actors back then but there are now more minority actors in Hollywood.

Fans of comic books and fantasy take their fiction seriously. You may consider tv/movies to be insignificant and "not real" BUT people buy lots of merchandise of their favorite characters. Couples have Little Mermaid themed weddings and grown adults wear cosplay costumes to conventions. Also, many comic book fans are concerned about the Ginger Genocide. Red-headed characters from comic books are being replaced by black actors in various shows/movies. Race-swapping Jimmy Olsen isn't a big deal BUT Little Orphan Annie should be a red-headed white girl.

https://boundingintocomics.com/2020/12/15/every-single-redheaded-comic-book-character-that-has-been-race-swapped/

[–] Kowalski (59634) 2 years ago

Most fans want the tv/movie portrayals to be faithful to the source material. Significant characters should not be race-swapped or gender-swapped.

UNTIL RECENTLY...THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOUR SOURCE MATERIAL SIGNIFIGANT CHARACTERS WERE ALL WHITE....LEAVING A DEFICIT OF AVAILABLE ROLES IN ANYTHING BASED ON SOURCE MATERIAL...TO HOLD FIRM TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL'S COLOR "RULES" WOULD ONLY BE PERPETUATING THE PROBLEMS.

[–] joej2923 (2959) 2 years ago

I TOTALLY DISAGREE. A film does NOT have to be based on an existing comic book, novel or play. Screenwriters can actually WRITE AN ORIGINAL STORY. Race-swapping and gender-swapping a significant character CREATES NEW PROBLEMS.

There are plenty of NON-WHITE characters in source material from ALL OVER THE WORLD. There are also historical events from all throughout history that could include NON-WHITE characters from ALL OVER THE WORLD.

It's also possible for films to rely on and be inspired by famous works without making changes to the source material. The famous filmmaker Kurosawa made a few Japanese films that had plots that were similar to some Shakespeare plays without the use of Shakespeare's characters. Disney could make a Caribbean mermaid named Amancia.

https://www.hollywoodinsider.com/kurosawa-and-shakespeare-adaptations/

[–] Kowalski (59634) 2 years ago

I WAS SPEAKING OF REMAKES,REBOOTS ETC...ALSO...THIS IS AMERICA...WE ARE GONNA MAKE AMERICAN TALES AND REMAKE STORIES WE ALREADY KNOW MORE OFTEN THAN DELVING INTO FOREIGN STUFF...SERIOUSLY?...HOW MANY AFRICAN STORIES ARE GOING TO BECOME AMERICAN MOVIES?

[–] joej2923 (2959) 2 years ago

Many US movies are set in foreign countries, exotic worlds and even distant galaxies. Many of these Disney movies are based on folklore from ALL OVER THE WORLD. The Princess and The Frog was set in 1920's New Orleans and it was inspired by The Frog Prince story by the Brothers Grimm of GERMANY. The Disney movies Cinderella, Tangled, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty were also inspired by the Brothers Grimm. The Disney movies Mulan and Raya and the Last Dragon were both set in ASIA.

The Lion King and Madagascar were two big animated films set in AFRICA. Black Panther and The Woman King are two fictional movies set in Africa.

[–] Kowalski (59634) 2 years ago

CARTOON,CARTOON,COMIC BOOK,ALTERNATIVE HISTORY

[–] Satan2016 (23540) 2 years ago

I've got an original woke script but the studios arent' interested: Mermaid hookers in the Hood (with penises).

[–] Effie21 (105) a year ago

Sounds like you're outing your fetishes to the entire world. Keep that shit to yourself.

[–] Ranb (7366) a year ago

If people actually wanted a faithful adaptation, then they would have been crying about how the 1989 cartoon differed so much from the 1837 story. But the usual cry-babies here did not. They are only losing their sh-t over the mermaid skin color.

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

“Ariel is a pretty big deal. Disney made a couple Mermaid movies, a tv show, video games and lots of merchandise.”

Yes, and isn’t it interesting that in the televised Little Mermaid Live production Ursula was played by Queen Latifah and no one seemed to give a shit? Maybe it’s only when the hero or heroine is a bit darker than the original that everyone loses their marbles about it 🤷🏾‍♂️

[–] joej2923 (2959) 2 years ago

Dana Owens is fat and ugly with a manly voice so she is perfectly cast as Ursula the sea witch. I wouldn't consider Ursula to be significant or iconic. I've seen a lot of merchandise featuring Ariel but I haven't seen as many Ursula items. Ariel is the face of the Little Mermaid. The link below shows that Ariel is one of the more popular Disney animated characters and not many villains make it to the top list.

https://attractionsmagazine.com/mickey-mouse-tops-list-worlds-favorite-disney-character/

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

Yes, I suspected that would be your position. So the fact that Halle Bailey is cute and sweet and has a beautiful singing voice is totally irrelevant to her casting then? Her skin tone negates every other way she may be perfect for the role? That seems vastly ridiculous to me.

I saw a video recently of several young black girls who were filmed by their parents watching the trailer. Their reactions were priceless and so touching. One particular little girl just kept looking to the camera and back to the screen with this huge smile and eyes raised in amazement.. it was adorable. I just don’t see how any person, regardless of their political persuasions, can begrudge millions of kids that sort of joy. I know the counter argument would be “what about the white kids?” but let’s be honest they have never been, and are never likely to be, lacking in fantasy role models who mirror their skin tone. Not that I think a black Ariel would be a deterrent for white kids anyway, they’re less likely to be hung up over these esoteric race arguments and will just want to be entertained.

I don’t know, I just think this huge backlash is unnecessary. Especially as no one has seen anything but a snippet in which Ariel is looking cute and singing like an angel. It doesn’t seem like the crisis some are making it out to be. Instead of screaming RACE SWAP or WOKE or CULTURAL APPROPRIATION, how about giving the girl a chance? She wouldn’t have got there without an audition. Her Ariel could possibly be wonderful… or crap… but she deserves the benefit of the doubt.

[–] joej2923 (2959) 2 years ago

Bailey has a good singing voice but she is short and ugly. She has a wide face with eyes that are set wide apart. Her hair is horrible so she better wear a huge red wig. I could see Bailey as a supporting actress but she is not a leading lady.

I want to see beautiful and talented people on the screen and they don't need to look like me. While I am not a Little Mermaid fan, I have been monitoring the GINGER GENOCIDE. I find it disturbing that established redhead characters are being race-swapped and gender-swapped. I definitely want talented POC to find work in Hollyweird BUT I want them to appear in new stories. It's both lazy and insulting to fans to swap the race and gender of existing characters.

https://boundingintocomics.com/2020/12/15/every-single-redheaded-comic-book-character-that-has-been-race-swapped/

Hollyweird was even going to reboot Murder She Wrote with a black Jessica Fletcher. Angela Lansbury even came out against blackwashing Jessica Fletcher. The article below indicates that the Jessica Fletcher character would not have been black so that might have been okay. I still think Hollyweird needs to write NEW stories/characters for blacks instead of relying on race-swapped remakes and reboots.

https://deadline.com/2013/11/angela-lansbury-opposes-nbcs-murder-she-wrote-remake-632288/#comments

My position is that significant characters of cultural, religious and historical importance should not be race-swapped or gender-swapped. I also want non-white performers to find employment BUT I want to see them in new stories and roles.

[–] ProgsReturn (1781) 2 years ago

>Hollyweird was even going to reboot Murder She Wrote with a black Jessica Fletcher.

Pfft! Seriously!!? A perfect opportunity to create an entirely new franchise but Hollywierd would rather ride the shirt tails of an existing character instead. Imagine a reboot of Shaft with a white lead.

[–] joej2923 (2959) 2 years ago

There are plenty of black characters that could be introduced to a new and wider television audience. Spielberg's company is working on an Easy Rawlins detective show and he is the character that Denzel Washington portrayed in the movie Devil in a Blue Dress. I'd watch the show since the movie was outstanding.

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/easy-rawlins-walter-mosely-television-1234913124/

[–] ProgsReturn (1781) 2 years ago

They could have turned her tail black and nobody would have complained.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 2 years ago

What if they turned her tail into a lobster tail?

[–] ProgsReturn (1781) 2 years ago

Would it still be kosher?

[–] javie (2203) 2 years ago

I think we are breeding fussiness and when I see the way kids react nowadays, I shake my head.
When I grew up you used to get smacked.

[–] FilmBuff (6712) 2 years ago

I don't think a few confused folks on the internet is indicative of massive racism. I also think you aren't paying attention if you don't think black people are getting a fair shake on things in the US. Racism on an institutional level has long been a thing of the past here, and even in day to day life it's basically nonexistent other than in the minds of people like you.

[–] TylerAArse (2663) 2 years ago

You've got to be joking.

[–] FilmBuff (6712) 2 years ago

The sad thing is, you don't realize that you are the one joking, or at least that your argument is a joke. Any residual racism in the US, at least anti-black racism, exists only in the hearts of a small number of misguided people, and those people have no power or influence at all. The days of institutional anti-black racism in Hollywood, sports, the law, or anywhere else in the U.S., ended long ago. Try to come up with even one example to the contrary. You can't.

[–] TylerAArse (2663) 2 years ago

Are you trying to say racism doesn't exist?

[–] FilmBuff (6712) 2 years ago

Did I write that? No. You posted claiming that black people "can't get a fair shake" on anything because of "how strong racism is" in the U.S. I completely disagree with that notion. That doesn't mean there aren't people who hold racist beliefs.

[–] TylerAArse (2663) 2 years ago

I didn't say "black people can't get a fair shake on anything". I said "black people can't get a fair shake on anything as insignificant as TV/movies. Don't twist.

I could spend weeks explaining to you the ins-and-outs of all the subtle racism in this country. But I can tell you're either ignorant to the facts, or you just don't care and live under a rock. The fact that so many message boards complain about shows with minorities and shows being "woke" when it something other than a white male is a start that should tell you things. And it gets much worse that this. Racist America at work.

[–] FilmBuff (6712) 2 years ago

Your phrasing implied what I wrote. If I misunderstood, I'm sorry, but typically when you phrase something as "I can't even get X," the implication is if you can't get X, then Y and Z are out of the question.

I could spend weeks explaining to you the ins-and-outs of how whatever racism exists, only exists in the minds of a handful of people, and they aren't influencing society. Racism isn't to blame for any problems being faced by any particular person of color. But I can tell you're either ignorant to the facts, or you just don't care and live under a rock. The fact that so many message boards call people racist any time they complain about a show being "woke" should tell you things. And it gets much worse than this, as in 2022 America, simply expressing one's opinion that wokeness is a bad thing, or expressing one's opinion that they'd prefer to see a white actor in a role currently played by a black actor, is enough to get that person fired and canceled for life. Woke America at work.

[–] Kimmie (353) 2 years ago

Remember zoophilia is okay in america,having sex with fish woman is okay but only if the human part of her is white

[–] Burk48917 (11028) 2 years ago

Travel a little and you'll sound less retarded. America is no worse than any other country regarding race, and much better than most. Unfortunately, people like you can't get a real world perspective from your moms basement.

[–] TylerAArse (2663) 2 years ago

You're right. America is no worse, you stupid moron. But I had to start somewhere.