Rohana, babe. This is the long reply to your SMS. ;)
When I saw your SMS, I was pretty excited about the movie too. I have to admit that I prefer Splendid Suns to Kite Runner. But I suppose because I read Splendid Suns first, I had ridiculously high expectations of Kite Runner. Kite Runner seems to have too neat a story. Everything is perfectly connected and seamless. Like, it's so easy to find a kid at an orphanage in Afghanistan? Afghanistan is a country with only one orphanage and say, 14 kids in it? Still, I thought, must watch.
Then I saw that report in today's Straits Times.
That the boy acting as the young Hassan is paid USD10, 000. Yes, that's a lot of money in a country where teachers are paid USD70. What's the going rate for child actors these days? I'm not too sure of the amount but I'm pretty certain that movies made by big, big companies with deep, deep pockets normally pay lead roles a lot more than USD10, 000?
And, the boy's family is worried about the rape scene in the movie. When the father expressed his concern, he was told that they would cut the scene? Somehow, I find that dificult to believe because the rape scene is an integral part of the story. It's when things seriously change. Were the big movie execs just trying to placate the father?
I dunno.
Now, I have misgivings about this movie. :(
5 comments:
Yeah I read about it in ST too.
First of all, this is a movie, a fictional one. And yes the rape scene is VERY important. Father should teach the director, how to shoot the rape scene without being too pornographic. For instance, just show Hassan's shorts on the ground, rapist unbuckling his belt, move the camera to Amir's horrified and disgusted face, of course with moaning and groaning at the background, without having to shoot the actual raping! Chey, I can be a director!
But seriously, after shooting the whole movie, then father suddenly feels that his whole family's safety and honour is jeopardised? I think it's crap! What he should do as a father is to READ the book first and then decide whether his son should act or not.Well, then someone might argue that they are poor, illiterate, not aware, being fooled by those US producers and blah blah, then give the money and job to someone else who needs those US 10 000 bills more than them if they are unsure!
As a reader, I would definitely want to watch it on screen. To me, as long as there's not a taste of pornography done to the child actor, then I am ok. The child is only an actor, doing a job that is paid quite handsomely in comparison with the market in their country. Who knows after his convincingly acting skills, doors of wealth are open for him? Poverty is vanquished for his family?
US10 000 is rather small if I compare it with other Hollywood actors. Then the Father should negotiate.
alamak. marah betol, akak? i dont think the father fears that the rape scene is pornographic. he fears for his life and that of his family.
http://timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article1292675.ece
another story i read said that the afghan actors were not given the script beforehand and were told that the story is about kite flying.
i feel that the fear they face is real. i also just found out that there is a petition to save the kite runner boys and move them out of afghanistan. http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/kiterunner and here http://krboys.livejournal.com/
it's scary, isnt it? to think that the very book that highlights the plight of afghanistans in such a popular way will now harm the lives of a few afghanistans in ways that we cannot imagine.
Akak tak marah la dik. Akak cuma mengetengahkan padangan akak.;-)
I think the problem lies with the people of the country. In my opinion the rape scene is nothing about the Afghan culture. It's a crime and sin that anybody could do.
Gua cool babe! Selamat Hari Raya!
ok this is disturbing... hmmm...
rohana - yes, yes. this is the avenue to share our views. :)
tea - yup. i think so too.
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