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Gods of Egypt (2016) Dir: Alex Proyas - Hollywood tackles Ancient Egyptian mythos
- Thread starter Edmond Dantès
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While I don't know how important it is in the 21st century, the black/white racial dichotomy was a pretty important part of historical Middle Eastern life. Many medieval Arab scholars trusted paler Europeans, Turks, and Persians than they did Africans, all because of skin color. The Ottoman Empire divided slaves and eunuchs by race, and it's been proposed that the othering of Black people actually came out of the Islamic world.
In the fourteenth century, racism was so alive in the Middle East that Mansa Musa had to quite literally throw gold like breadcrumbs to prove to white people (in this case, non-Africans) that he wasn't just some poor tribesman.
Even today, Black North Africans are discriminated against by light-skinned people. Despite DNA evidence to the controversy, Egyptologist Zahi Hawass insists that every single Egyptian was a white person.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
While this is true (one of my friends in high school was two generations removed from Egypt and completely "white"), is it historically true? Do we know what ancient egyptians looked like? Honest question, I'm looking to be educated
As has been stated here, Hollywood is a business first. It's not a charity to make non whites feel good. If non whites want to see a movie about ancient Egypt starring non whites then perhaps they should write and finance their own movie about ancient Egypt starring people who actually do look like they were from ancient Egypt. I'm not white and I understand this is mostly about money first and foremost and not a history lesson.
From what I've learned (and hopefully I'll be corrected if wrong), but they were black, Mediterranean, and something of modern day arabians.
They were a funky mix. It totally shows in their art history as well.
lol That's not what this is about.
Ancient Egyptians probably looked like modern Egyptians. Some were Black, some where white, a lot were brownish.
The problem is that there are a lot less people of color with the money to finance such a movie, and a lot less people of color to watch the movie. White audiences, by and large, are not interested in a movie about non-white people. Until that changes, Hollywood will stay very white.
Lovely Salsa
Banned
I want to be educated as well
As I know there are white/european looking people in Egypt, even tho they are a minority. I guess its from the Alexander the Great/cleopatra era?
ConfusingJazz
Member
So...zero Egyptians in the cast. Awesome.
What is it about then? Care to explain?
I would love to see a movie about ancient Egypt starring non whites like me, but in am looking at it from a business perspective which is what it all boils to. These people are investing millions of their own money and they want to see a return which means they will go for the safe route
Historical accuracy? in my Hollywood movies? It's either an all black-cast or an all white-cast, any attempt to portray real Egyptians must be met with contempt.
Just look at the picture in the OP.
It's obvious they were racially diverse, their expansion as an empire cover lots of different regions. I don't think is inaccurate to say ancient Egypt was the United States of their time.
Funky Papa
FUNK-Y-PPA-4
In all fairness, Mansa Musa was basically the realest baller of his time.
I want to be educated as well
As I know there are white/european looking people in Egypt, even tho they are a minority. I guess its from the Alexander the Great/cleopatra era?
Macedonian/Non-Greek as they were.
So how is that hollywood's problem?
Lovely Salsa
Banned
I'm not american
I just said there are people in Egypt that look like white europeans
//from an outsider, from europe
EscoBlades
Ubisoft Marketing
SIGH. What a surprise.
Arab racism towards Africans is something of a perplexing situation. If you look across the over 200 million people who consider themselves Arabs, you will find a diversity in phenotype expression. Arabs in Yemen look completely different than Arabs in the Levant, who look different than those in North Africa. Hell even with in the same family you can have these same differences expressed.
Yet, a dark skinned person who society considers Arab due to patrilineal Arabic descent, is treated a lot different than an Africa would be treated. North Sudan is a good example of this. On top of that, the racism shown towards non-arabs is further confusing when you take into account Islam' stance on the issue. It's a crazy situation all around.
I mean fuck. I was hoping to see at least a few more folks with darker skin tones. Man they give zero fucks.
They'll lose money.
Once our/my/generation behind me realizes this isn't what they want to see, it will change.
What do you think the threads on a LGBT/Colored superheroes are all about? Or the reception of the cast of Ridley Scott's Exodus film?
It may not be now, but as Amurica gets a lot more brown, it's going to change.
This post is funny because it's very, very true.
The Table of Nations is a cool work of art, showing a Berber, a Nubian, a Phonecian, and an Egyptian.
The Egyptians seemed to view themselves as a kind of intermediate between dark-skinned SSA people and lighter-skinned groups.
How does religion come into play? I'm not familiar with that.
The Egyptians seemed to view themselves as a kind of intermediate between dark-skinned SSA people and lighter-skinned groups.
How does religion come into play? I'm not familiar with that.
The Last Wizard
Member
Been dying for an Egyptian myth movie or game but c'mon lol
Anyone know what happened to that will smith movie? Pharaoh I think it was called.
Anyone know what happened to that will smith movie? Pharaoh I think it was called.
I will not rest until I get my biopic of the Ahkenaten family with an incredibly beautiful actress cast as Nefertiti.
Such an interesting story.
Who was the woman in Michael Jackson's video who played Nefertiti? I don't think anyone will be able to top that.
The Last Wizard
Member
What makes that family interesting to you?
There are no men like Nikolas Coster-Waldau.
I saw Nikolaj and burst out laughing. Come on now. They could at least get more brown people but I bet they will all be stuck being extras.
That was Iman.
That was Iman.
Whoa, I've always been interested in Egyptian mythology (and I wish it got as much attention as Greek mythology does in movies and video games). The casting is standard Hollywood, but I'm hoping this will be good enough to get other people making movies about the Egyptian pantheon.
Fake Edit:
Fake Edit:
Is this where Jehuty from ZoE2 gets its name?
Edmond Dantès
Dantès the White
It depends entirely on what era one speaks of. The Faiyam farmers (5000-4000 BC), Merimdans (4800-4300) Badarians (4400-4000), Maadi-Buto (4400-3300) and the Naqadans (4000-3000) that predate the dynasties were certainly different in appearance to those living in later Dynastic eras, especially after invasions of the Hyskos to name just one example.
Incest and heresy.
Incest is boring and normal, heresy is saying "Fuck that shit, aten is where it's at homies." and then having literally EVERYONE hate you for it. Turning the establishment on it's head while BEING the establishment.
Refereeeeeeence for those who are lurking.
As for the actress I have no clue, but I liked her.
Come on, there's got to be some great human drama right there. Imagine being the numero uno wife of a Pharoah who is business as usual for six years then (probably goes nuts) wipes out the national religion and centers it on one god through himself. Imagine the restlessness among the political theater and the renaming of himself and his children.
Art is changed, worship is changed, and even your capital is changed.
Then after he dies out, his son Tutankhaten=Tutankhamen becomes Pharaoh only for the regent to take over since he's too young. Has a bad "accident" (probably not, but can be changed for DRAMA) and then ends the family line. And he dies after everything has been restored to normalcy, including wiping out his father's name from the histories.
Pretty awesome stuff, and I didn't even touch on the whole "staring into the sun for hours" thing Ahkenaten was up to.
ReturnOfTheRAT
Member
I just can't see Rush as RA.
The Table of Nations is a cool work of art, showing a Berber, a Nubian, a Phonecian, and an Egyptian.
The Egyptians seemed to view themselves as a kind of intermediate between dark-skinned SSA people and lighter-skinned groups.
How does religion come into play? I'm not familiar with that.
Islam vehemently opposes discrimination based on skin colour. There's something of a popular saying in Islam where it's says something like, "there is no difference between an Arab and a non-arabs in front of God except in faith." I can't remember if it came from the Qu'ran or was a saying of the Prophet Muhammad, and I'm also paraphrasing it to hell. But essentially, racial discrimination of any kind is against the Islamic faith, and it is something that is pointed out clearly.
The Last Wizard
Member
Oh I was asking cause I'm not familiar with much of Egyptian history, wasn't really covered that much in school. I'll be reading up on the two now.
Looks like the Muslims/Arabs in the Middle East forgot about this rule. I'm sure Christianity also opposes racial discrimination but we all know how that goes.
Dreams-Visions
Member
I'm so confused.
Well at least there's one brother in the cast.
Well at least there's one brother in the cast.
DonasaurusRex
Online Ho Champ
brave casting choices
pants
Member
NEVER! This cast is good but, Kurt Russel and James Spader are god level
Right. That's what we want. Charity. Right.
Edmond Dantès
Dantès the White
Depending on its reception, this might also kickstart the rumoured adaptation of Wilbur Smith's River God.
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