Idris Elba beats the 1927 land speed record!

[CosmicHotspur]

Another bid to be Bond? Well done Idris.

http://mashable.com/2015/05/07/idris-elba-speed-record/

 

[VegasII]

Random and very cool.

 

[gushayes11]

Is there nothing he can't do? But he can never, ever be James Bond!!!!

 

[Amo]

Is there nothing he can't do? But he can never, ever be James Bond!!!!

Why?

 

[gushayes11]

Why?

James Bond is a character who is a white man meant to be in his mid to late thirties. Even though Moore was late 50's in View to a kill. I'm not racist or sexist but there was even talk of a female bond somewhere sometime which won't work either IMO. Elba is a fantastic actor but shouldn't be a Bond.

 

[MichaelPawson]

James Bond is a character who is a white man meant to be in his mid to late thirties. Even though Moore was late 50's in View to a kill. I'm not racist or sexist but there was even talk of a female bond somewhere sometime which won't work either IMO. Elba is a fantastic actor but shouldn't be a Bond.

I read something recently from fans that were trying to reconcile the canon that suggested that "James Bond" itself is a codename, and that each "Bond" had to shed a previously existing identity to take the "Bond" one. That would theoretically make the identity of "Bond" much more fluid than we currently conceive of it. If "James Bond" is just a name, then we could totally have a black version of him, or even a woman, although a female with the given name James would admittedly be weird as shit.

Then again, as a fictional character, his identity is extremely fluid as is.

 

[Amo]

James Bond is a character who is a white man meant to be in his mid to late thirties. Even though Moore was late 50's in View to a kill. I'm not racist or sexist but there was even talk of a female bond somewhere sometime which won't work either IMO. Elba is a fantastic actor but shouldn't be a Bond.

Nowhere in Fleming's books does it mention he's white. It mentioned he's Scottish. I don't see many people complaining that Daniel Craig isn't Scottish.

If you've read Fleming's books you'll find that they're the product of their time, and that they are incredibly racist (relative to today) and sexist themselves (especially against Koreans, fucking hell that man hated Koreans). Furthermore, it's a fictional character, there's nothing about his character, plot or story that dictates him being white in today's world.

The bigger problem is whitewashing of characters. Minority ethnic characters that are already haplessly underrepresented in media being played by white people. But again, I don't see many people complaining about this. The difference is that there's nothing about James Bond that dictates he must be white, while for films like Ghost in A Shell, an Asian character has been whitewashed into Scarlett Johansson. This wouldn't be a problem if Asian characters weren't so underrepresented in the first place, but when it becomes a pattern (a pattern of a majority of Asian characters in Hollywood films being played by non-Asian actors), it's an issue.

With James Bond, he's a British, Scottish secret service agent. Our society has British, Scottish black people.

And, really, who the hell cares, or should care? Same with Elba being in Thor. The 'issue' people had with that was there were no black people in Norse mythology. Really? Same with Thor becoming a woman in the comics. An alien bear-alligator thingy becoming Thor was fine, no one complained. When it's a woman, however, everyone loses their shit. There are double-standards in media depictions of society.

 

[Spurger King]

I read something recently from fans that were trying to reconcile the canon that suggested that "James Bond" itself is a codename, and that each "Bond" had to shed a previously existing identity to take the "Bond" one. That would theoretically make the identity of "Bond" much more fluid than we currently conceive of it. If "James Bond" is just a name, then we could totally have a black version of him, or even a woman, although a female with the given name James would admittedly be weird as shit.

Then again, as a fictional character, his identity is extremely fluid as is.

I'd always just assumed it was a codename. James Bond would be an awful name for a female spy though. I'm no MI5 operative but that would probably raise my suspicions. Maybe Jane Bond?

 

[Amo]

I'd always just assumed it was a codename. James Bond would be an awful name for a female spy though. I'm no MI5 operative but that would probably raise my suspicions. Maybe Jane Bond?

Jamie?

A girl in my primary school was called Jamie. I had a crush on her. She was nice.

 

[MichaelPawson]

Jamie?

A girl in my primary school was called Jamie. I had a crush on her. She was nice.

You should have made your move when you had your chance. How many other cute special agents are you ever going to meet?

 

[Spurger King]

Jamie?

A girl in my primary school was called Jamie. I had a crush on her. She was nice.

'Jamie' seems too nice. 'Jane Bond' sounds like the sort of woman who would slap you around a bit whilst doing her accounts.

 

[Amo]

You should have made your move when you had your chance. How many other cute special agents are you ever going to meet?

An older student called me a paki and I was sitting outside the class, she came, knelt down, put her arms on my shoulders and was like "You ok?"

That was sweet.

I think she then went and executed that guy and hid his body in the school fields but can't confirm.

 

[nidge]

The difference is that there's nothing about James Bond that dictates he must be white, while for films like Ghost in A Shell, an Asian character has been whitewashed into Scarlett Johansson. This wouldn't be a problem if Asian characters weren't so underrepresented in the first place, but when it becomes a pattern (a pattern of a majority of Asian characters in Hollywood films being played by non-Asian actors), it's an issue.

I hate the idea of Scarlett Johansson playing the part of Motoko Kusanagi and would rather see someone of Asian descent play the part. (Of the top of my head Rila Fukushima I could easily see as playing the part.) I do wonder whether the film could get funding without Scarlett's name on the project?

 

[Amo]

@Lufti what's up?

 

[Lufti]

@Lufti what's up?

Not much mate, you?

 

[@Bobby__Lucky]

And, really, who the hell cares, or should care? Same with Elba being in Thor. The 'issue' people had with that was there were no black people in Norse mythology. Really? Same with Thor becoming a woman in the comics. An alien bear-alligator thingy becoming Thor was fine, no one complained. When it's a woman, however, everyone loses their shit. There are double-standards in media depictions of society.

Good post, with reference the bold..

One of the original Thor stories was actually about this. Thor had his hammer stolen and to get it back against a powerful adversary he dressed as a woman and schmoozed his enemy as a woman and at the apt time he took back his hammer.

 

[punky]

I don't think it's his skin colour that bothers people but rather they assume he'll do the job talking like Stringer Bell.

Aidrian Lester on the other hand...

 

[thinktank]

He's Stringer...course he did it.

 

[Gbspurs]

Idris would be the perfect James Bond. Sadly, I suspect he would be too old by the time Daniel Craig has finished with the role.

 

[Japhet]

Idris would be the perfect James Bond. Sadly, I suspect he would be too old by the time Daniel Craig has finished with the roll.

Not if Daniel Craig decides to become the new John Shaft in the near future.