On the issue of race and representation one can hardly ignore the
Biblical/religious film where quite clearly many of the real life
characters are Jewish and Roman/Italian, yet Hollywood etc. persists in
portraying these peoples/races/ethnic identities as almost anything else
other than Jewish, Roman/Italian etc. For example the Swedish,
Germanic-looking Max von Sydow as Jesus in George Steven's _The Greatest
Story Ever Told_ (1965), versus the American Jeffery Hunter as Jesus in
Nicholas Ray's _King of Kings_ (1961), versus the Italian Enrique Irazogui
as Jesus in Pier Paolo Pasolini's _The Gospel According to (St.) Matthew_
(1964).
 
I understand that in the TV mini-series _Masada_ the producers were so
concerned about making a visual differentiation between the Jewish Nation
of Israel and the Roman occupation forces that most (if not all)
significant actors were divided ethnically - American actors for Jews,
British actors for Romans! The actors in Cecil B. DeMille's _The Ten
Commandments_ (1956) is itself a microcosim of ethnic diversity.
 
Regards,
 
Anton
 
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Anton Karl Kozlovic             Email: [log in to unmask]
University of South Australia      Ph: +61 8 302 6251     Fax: +61 8 302 6752
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