Does not mean it is accurate. Good sculpture or not.
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Egyptian lawyer sues Netflix over Queen Cleopatra
- Thread starter Stevicus
- Start date
Does not mean it is accurate. Good sculpture or not.
No, because your beauty standards aren't theirs
Let's pretend that Cleopatra was not Greek. Let's assume she was an Ancient Egyptian.
Science, DNA reveals there is no trace of Sub-Saharian genes in that civilization.
List of DNA-tested mummies - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
DNA doesn't really tell us "race", because those things weren't exactly ancient or biological.
Do you believe that the movie maker is one of
those "Islam-friendly black nationalism" types.
If Americans want to make a movie about the history of a country, they are supposed to go to that country and ask for guidance.
Just that.
I don't know enough about her views to conclude one way or the other. I can only comment on the presented material, which does tap into Afrocentrism.
Also, the excerpt I quoted explains that a lot of Afrocentrists challenged "Islam-friendly black nationalism." A lot of them are rather hostile to Islam and Arabs, not friendly toward them.
My advice to Egyptians is to not take Hollywood too seriously.
You endure far less than we capitalists do.
I think it's reasonable to take some things from Hollywood seriously and reasonable not to take others that way. It depends.
Since this is a series that the producers claim is a documentary, and since both the platform it's on and its lead actress are quite well-known and have a wide reach, I think it's reasonable to take it seriously and take note of its potential to spread a demonizing ideology among at least the subset of its (potentially very wide) audience who may believe what's presented as historically accurate information in a "documentary."
PureX
Veteran Member
Not is big noses were emblematic of the elite.
That's not true. Historians describe her with that Greek nose.
PureX
Veteran Member
The very fact that you are this invested in this idea centuries later just shows how powerful these idealization are.
I would have seen Barbra Streisand as Cleopatra, honestly. Rather than Liz Taylor.
If there would be lasting effect, take it seriously.
But this....nah.
Netflix calls it a "docudrama", which we all know involves a
whole lotta fiction, eg, speaking English (Cleopatra didn't).
Watch Queen Cleopatra | Netflix Official Site
As Egypt's last pharaoh, Cleopatra fights to protect her throne, family and legacy in this docudrama featuring reenactments and expert interviews.
Cleopatra, her hubby (Will) might slap you.
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Is Cleopatra defined by the color of her skin, or is there something more essential to her character that ultimately defined her?
When I went to see the stage production of Six, I wasn't taken aback or dismayed to see the former wives of King Henry VIII played by three Black women, two White women, and one Asian woman, all speaking and singing in anachronistic English. While I didn't go to see Six expecting to be given a history lesson, I did receive another kind of universal lesson in how some historical figures have been perceived and represented by those in power. The race of the actresses was not a distraction when it came down to the individual experiences recounted by each of these Tudor queens.
All controversy and accusations of Afrocentrism aside, I'm curious to see what Jada Pinkett Smith does with this role. I also think it's a good thing to see more people of color becoming visible in stage and on-screen performances, creating new representation and role models for those that Hollywood had previously ignored for a very long time.
This doesn't mean that I will automatically like this Netflix production, but I'll reserve judgment until after I've actually seen it.
When I went to see the stage production of Six, I wasn't taken aback or dismayed to see the former wives of King Henry VIII played by three Black women, two White women, and one Asian woman, all speaking and singing in anachronistic English. While I didn't go to see Six expecting to be given a history lesson, I did receive another kind of universal lesson in how some historical figures have been perceived and represented by those in power. The race of the actresses was not a distraction when it came down to the individual experiences recounted by each of these Tudor queens.
All controversy and accusations of Afrocentrism aside, I'm curious to see what Jada Pinkett Smith does with this role. I also think it's a good thing to see more people of color becoming visible in stage and on-screen performances, creating new representation and role models for those that Hollywood had previously ignored for a very long time.
This doesn't mean that I will automatically like this Netflix production, but I'll reserve judgment until after I've actually seen it.
Heyo
Veteran Member
If English were an important language in her time, Cleopatra would have spoken it. (Spoke about ten languages.)
Hence the "drama" portion of "docudrama".
Subduction Zone
Veteran Member
I don't think that history records that Cleopatra was much of a singer.
Historians point out that Caesar and Mark Anthony both chose Cleopatra not because of her looks (not because of her beauty) but because of her intelligence, political capabilities and skill. Because of her lineage.
It seems to me this Netflix series focuses on her appearance, mostly. And they greatly focused on her looks and beauty.
Subduction Zone
Veteran Member
Yes and no. DNA can tell us where people came from. And the darker Africans tend to live in Subsaharan Africa. Africa is much bigger than most of us westerners realize. Northern Africa shares the same latitudes as Georgia. In other words it can be rather temperate. Years of Tarzan movies caused many of us to think of Africa as tropical jungle, but that is very far from the truth. The people of northern Africa tend to be lighter in skin tone. Whether that is from a relatively recent Arabic migration or due to natural forces, I do not know. But it does leave Africa with a very widely varied range of skin tones among their populations. I can understand the reaction of Egyptians to this documentary. If a Liz Taylor played the role today they might have very similar reactions against that woman for being too white.
at any rate if you saw an average Egyptian today and you were to guess his country the number one answer would probably be Saudi Arabia since that is perhaps the best well known Arabic country.