Not sure what to talk about. I was brewing up this great storm in my mind a few days ago but kind of lost it over the course of nights where I actually got to sleep.
It's interesting to note the racial dynamic in cyber punk films such as blade runner and the matrix. Although, there is definitely a disparity between the analysis given in the text, and the actual context of those films. i.e I highly doubt that the films' original writers/directors intended for all of those things the analysis calls for. However, that does not refute the validity of Nakamura's writing either. Her writing serves as a good insight into contemporary attitude towards race and gender. I am simply implying that there are various superfluous reasons why certain characters are cast.
It is true that in cyberpunk genre, it is typical to depict racially mixed characters in that idealic blending of cultures concept of the future. However, those films all have one thing in common - that they are made in the present where racism exists, and that media controls and practice ultimately decide what happens in a film. For example, nearly all lead protagonists are white actors, while seemingly ethnic actors are nearly always put into one of these roles: naieve young sidekick, cannon fodder, old wise man, forced awkward love interest ( if you're a woman - why are there so many of these?), or villain. This has been slowly improving over the years, but there are still waaays to go.
Also, whenever minorities are present in films, I feel like it's always African Americans. Likewise with race issues, it's always black vs. white, and every other minority group is neglected. Granted, African Americans are the only ones who were technically enslaved, if that counts for anything.
Again this is age old present day rhetoric. That when a white dominated media portrays ethnicity in anything it displays, it often romanticizes or bastardizes culture into bite size pieces in order to make the content more accessible to whom they THINK is their primary viewers i.e other whites.
I talked a lot in the class chat. And uhh.... yeah not much on my mind right now.
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