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nineveh_ukLet us spare a moment to pity those whose lives have undoubtedly been made harder by the USA's President-elect Obama.
I refer, of course, to science-fiction film and television scriptwriters.
No longer will the lazy writer be able to turn to that handy tool to indicate that we are in an alternative or future world, the Sonorous Black* President. You know the man. In late middle-age, solidly built but not fat, with a mellifluous voice and strong yet fair character, he walks onto screen to appeal for calm and reason from the human populace as the aliens attack. It doesn't tend to work, but then if it worked there wouldn't be a role for the hero. His role is to say "I am impossible, so this must be another world." It's a cheap tactic, and I don't really see it going away; what will be interesting will be to see who takes over. Female presidents? I wonder if the money should be on Muslim presidents? Or perhaps a blind president.
Nonetheless, I hope for more original futures.
*Black rather than African-American because this trope turns up outside contemporary USA, e.g. series 3 Doctor Who, as I noted, and at least one Star Trek film.
I refer, of course, to science-fiction film and television scriptwriters.
No longer will the lazy writer be able to turn to that handy tool to indicate that we are in an alternative or future world, the Sonorous Black* President. You know the man. In late middle-age, solidly built but not fat, with a mellifluous voice and strong yet fair character, he walks onto screen to appeal for calm and reason from the human populace as the aliens attack. It doesn't tend to work, but then if it worked there wouldn't be a role for the hero. His role is to say "I am impossible, so this must be another world." It's a cheap tactic, and I don't really see it going away; what will be interesting will be to see who takes over. Female presidents? I wonder if the money should be on Muslim presidents? Or perhaps a blind president.
Nonetheless, I hope for more original futures.
*Black rather than African-American because this trope turns up outside contemporary USA, e.g. series 3 Doctor Who, as I noted, and at least one Star Trek film.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-05 07:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-06 11:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-05 08:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-05 09:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-05 09:32 pm (UTC)Though I do think that Obama looks a bit like an earnest young member of an undergraduate debating society....
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-06 07:43 am (UTC)It's the ears.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-05 10:03 pm (UTC)*because this is elljay, and because people will wank over anything let me just say, I think he's a fab actor and hope he'll be in loads of stuff. But he's also been no. 1 choice for 'alternative-black-president-with-gravitas' with central casting, liek woah.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-05 10:25 pm (UTC)In much the same way as Robin of Sherwood's Jason Connery 'grew up' to be Robin and Marian's Sean Connery...
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-06 11:08 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-06 07:45 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-05 10:21 pm (UTC)My sixty-year old lady bishop of a Mary Sue Doctor Who assistant is looking increasingly likely, too. In real life, that is. In the fictional world she has never existed outside my head.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-06 07:47 am (UTC)