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csziggy

(34,189 posts)

41. Think of the difference between "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Wiz"

Tue Jun 7, 2016, 10:24 AM

Jun 2016

And then it's like complaining that The Wiz has no white people. It's a different show, different production, different cast.

The movies were an adaptation of the books - while the books left out some of the visual details and left those up to the readers the movies had to supply that information given the nature of the medium.

A stage play is an entirely different adaption with different challenges. Neither a movie or a stage play can be identical to the books or match every detail that millions of readers have seen in their own minds.

Personally I prefer books because I can create a form of the author's reality in my mind. Audio books, movies, stage plays, comics - none of those allow the same flexibility as the written word. They are different worlds unto themselves and don't allow the same leeway for personal enjoyment - at least for me.

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J.K. Rowling calls her Harry Potter fans "racists" if they can't accept Hermoine as a black woman [View all] davidn3600 Jun 2016 OP

A not-so-subtle anti-racism message runs throughout the series KamaAina Jun 2016 #1

Bushy hair and brown eyes, Hermione could be white, African descent or mixed. TexasProgresive Jun 2016 #2

Hermione is Jewish MosheFeingold Jun 2016 #4

And Ginny Weasley dated Dean Thomas, who is black. five_horizons Jun 2016 #45

I love H.P. and The Hobbit and LOTRs Does that make us kin? TexasProgresive Jun 2016 #46

Geeky cousins at the very least five_horizons Jun 2016 #60

Rowling doesn't pull punches. I thought everyone liked that when a dead black man did it. HuckleB Jun 2016 #3

Yeah, but Ali's characterization of Dumbledore fell apart in the later books. Orrex Jun 2016 #37

Part of it might stem from the artwork from the books and the movies sakabatou Jun 2016 #5

Or, more likely, it's simply based in racism. HuckleB Jun 2016 #7

Wasnt she white in all the previous movies? If so, the she's white. 7962 Jun 2016 #6

No, it's fiction, and fantasy, to boot. HuckleB Jun 2016 #10

Exactly, stories can be retold with different colors. The story is still the same. nt retrowire Jun 2016 #12

I seem to remember heaven05 Jun 2016 #58

But wasnt Harry Potter a continuing story? 7962 Jun 2016 #20

The casting change is for a stage production, not another movie csziggy Jun 2016 #22

I guess its not unusual for stage productions to differ from movie ones 7962 Jun 2016 #36

Think of the difference between "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Wiz" csziggy Jun 2016 #41

Well done! Thank you 7962 Jun 2016 #43

She's not white in the books. NYC Liberal Jun 2016 #28

The characters in the movies aren't particularly true to their descriptions in the books TexasProgresive Jun 2016 #47

Movies don't define canon in a book series. Lizzie Poppet Jun 2016 #52

On two of the original book covers brettdale Jun 2016 #8

So what? HuckleB Jun 2016 #9

You might be surprised to learn that JK Rowling did not make that artwork. retrowire Jun 2016 #13

And it's just artwork for a book. HuckleB Jun 2016 #19

Cover art is often more fiction than fiction. TexasProgresive Jun 2016 #48

She wrote the damn book dembotoz Jun 2016 #11

That's a bigger question than you might have intended. Orrex Jun 2016 #39

J.K. Rowling is right IronLionZion Jun 2016 #14

I think it's more an issue because of the previous movies davidn3600 Jun 2016 #17

what would be the problem with a black batman? fishwax Jun 2016 #33

A black Batman would never fly .... no pun imtended Exilednight Jun 2016 #50

Its not "racist" at all. Its "continuity". 7962 Jun 2016 #21

Because its a play IronLionZion Jun 2016 #24

If I was a fan, I'd watch it regardless. 7962 Jun 2016 #35

Continuity would demand Emma Watson reprise the role. LanternWaste Jun 2016 #38

If everything is racist, nothing is racist Ex Lurker Jun 2016 #15

You might want to come join the real world for a while. HuckleB Jun 2016 #18

Nothing wrong with it cagefreesoylentgreen Jun 2016 #16

Daniel radcliffe, Rupert Grinch and Emma watson brettdale Jun 2016 #23

It's probably not the same people IronLionZion Jun 2016 #25

I haven't seen a Bond movie in years Abq_Sarah Jun 2016 #31

JK Rowling is just one of those really cool people. longship Jun 2016 #26

If she was gay brettdale Jun 2016 #27

Well, that would be interesting. longship Jun 2016 #29

I like J.K. Rowling a little bit more now. n/t Little Tich Jun 2016 #30

not exactly what she said, but it seems about right fishwax Jun 2016 #32

The movies were adaptations. The stage play is a different adaptation csziggy Jun 2016 #42

Since her race isn't related to the plot, what difference does it make what race she is? hughee99 Jun 2016 #34

It always surprise me when I come to DU and find commentary that would be at home on right leaning wcast Jun 2016 #40

Before declaring them racist with a blanket statement, I'd have to get their answer to one question PersonNumber503602 Jun 2016 #44

If Alexander Hamilton can become black for the stage show, Nye Bevan Jun 2016 #49

Hermonie is a character that, at no time, is described as having "black" skin or as "being black." Agnosticsherbet Jun 2016 #51

Well.... part of the "defaulting" was the eight movies that JK Rowling approved the casting of. Nye Bevan Jun 2016 #55

No it isn't. I wish I could go see the plays, but that will never happen. Agnosticsherbet Jun 2016 #56

Several characters in the books are specifically identified as black five_horizons Jun 2016 #61

It has been a while since I read the books, and I don't trust the movies to accuratly Agnosticsherbet Jun 2016 #63

Roland will be played by a black man in The Dark Tower movie B2G Jun 2016 #53

racism is heaven05 Jun 2016 #54

Silly people are being silly Bucky Jun 2016 #57

The only requirement in my head is a smart British Accent Lithos Jun 2016 #59

I'm shocked GummyBearz Jun 2016 #62