On Sat, 3 Jun 1995, Stephen Brophy wrote: > The biggest problem, perhaps the only big problem, with "white" > actors portraying Asian, Latin and other characters, is that it cuts > down on the already miniscule amound of work available to Asian, Latin > and other actors. "Authenticity" isn't the issue. > Stephen Brophy Yes, absolutely. And if I may add ideology and history to the economic issue--the minuscule amount of work available to minority performers too often entailed playing economically subordinate roles. So, the economic question is both diegetic and extradiegetic. Then there is the question of misrepresentation. Minority characters have been consistently misrepresented by Hollywood cinema, which utilized European-Americans to impersonate (just to cite one example) African-Americans as seen by the distorted ideological eye of white people. *Birth of a Nation* has already been cited in this discussion. I recommend Marlon Riggs's *Ethnic Notions,* which I used in my Intro. to Film class for the week on the documentary. I believe it works really well for illustrating the genre of documentary as well as opening many students' eyes on issues of representations of race in mainstream cinema that have been rendered completely invisible in their viewing experiences. In other words, what my mother would call "just a cartoon." Sorry Mom. :-) As Birgit Kellner pointed out: There might be a need of a well-founded historical perspective on this (and I am definitely not in the position to provide one) Robert Stam & Ella Shohat's *Unthinking Eurocentrism* provides that. I know I recommended the book before, but it is a true gem. I promise I do not get a commission on the sales. :-) Gloria Monti ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]