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[Avatar: the Last Airbender]: you DO always come back!
Call me weird but I like what they've done with Aang's tattoos.
I agree.
I also think that last trailer is well done for both prepping fan anticipation and drawing the interest of those who've not heard of it before. That's not an easy fence to straddle.
I would have rather have an animated avatar movie done by the same people, to be honest
Yeah but the story's finished. Which is something I actually really liked about the series. It had a beginning, middle, and end. It introduced characters, built them up, and had it all finish in an awesome climactic series finale, whilst tying up the loose ends.
I wouldn't want them to tack on stuff to it after that.
I don't understand why Avatar is different from anime. Avatar had all the same tropes - the bad guy from the first season comes back as a pal in the second, all the characters have a goofy side, chosen one who fights with mystical energies - so what's the secret? Why does Avatar stand above the rest if it does all the same things the other Japanese cartoons do?
The other Japanese shows don't have flying bison. That must be the secret ingredient!
You might be on to something here.
The Muffin Man on
0
BethrynUnhappiness is MandatoryRegistered Userregular
That post sounded a bit mean.
What I mean is it sounds like you said "I won't like this", and are qualifying it after the fact is all.
I want to like this, but what I've seen and heard so far hasn't really given me any indication that I actually will.
And to be honest, I'm more than willing to completely separate this movie from the series and let it stand on its own merits, I really feel that's the best way to view the thing. Whilst it's ostensibly a movie version of the series, it's not going to achieve in 120 minutes what the series did in a season of world building and character development. So you need to look at it in its own light as its own thing. Trying to compare it with what the series does isn't really fair.
That post sounded a bit mean.
What I mean is it sounds like you said "I won't like this", and are qualifying it after the fact is all.
I want to like this, but what I've seen and heard so far hasn't really given me any indication that I actually will.
And to be honest, I'm more than willing to completely separate this movie from the series and let it stand on its own merits, I really feel that's the best way to view the thing. Whilst it's ostensibly a movie version of the series, it's not going to achieve in 120 minutes what the series did in a season of world building and character development. So you need to look at it in its own light as its own thing. Trying to compare it with what the series does isn't really fair.
Yeah, one of the greatest dangers this movie will face is being rushed to holy hell. That and taking itself far too seriously. Though M. Night working with the original creators gives me hope.
Wordherder on
Why the crap did I ever make my original name "cloudeagle?"
I'm willing to give skinnier Iroh a chance. Just being "kinda pudgy" instead of "santa claus" doesn't seem like it's take me out of the movie. Also that feels like Zuko's banishment scene.
Also the people that said this said it months ago but...
...Aang straight up killing the firelord would be very against his nature and his way as an air-bender. It's all about finding a different way, evasion, and freedom. I thought i was a truer to the character, and the tone of the series for it to end the way it did.
Now it it was Avatar: the Last Earthbender, go ahead, totally smash the bad guy with rocks. 8-)
I'm willing to give skinnier Iroh a chance. Just being "kinda pudgy" instead of "santa claus" doesn't seem like it's take me out of the movie. Also that feels like Zuko's banishment scene.
Also the people that said this said it months ago but...
...Aang straight up killing the firelord would be very against his nature and his way as an air-bender. It's all about finding a different way, evasion, and freedom. I thought i was a truer to the character, and the tone of the series for it to end the way it did.
Now it it was Avatar: the Last Earthbender, go ahead, totally smash the bad guy with rocks. 8-)
I thought that was perfectly handled, if not a little bit of dues ex machina to pull it off. Now what I do think they bungled up was.....
....Katara and Ang kissing at the end, I still think she should have ended up with Zuko, of course Meg showing back up in the plot complicates that.
I'm willing to give skinnier Iroh a chance. Just being "kinda pudgy" instead of "santa claus" doesn't seem like it's take me out of the movie. Also that feels like Zuko's banishment scene.
Just took another look, and after comparing against his publicity photos on IMDB, that's definately Iroh. But like you, Iroh being fat isn't his defining characteristic for me. Iroh still manages to kick some ass periodically through the series, so it makes sense they'd need someone more physically fit for a live-action adaptation.
Because as much as we all love and respect animation, the world at large sees it as a "kids" medium. So a live-action film is sort of like telling the original creators they liked it enough to legitimize it.
You know ... I think it's high time for someone to make a really, really awesome 2-D movie that reinvents the "kiddy" style.
Or even a 3-D movie, but one that is far away from the standard Pixar bubbly, bulbous look with big white irised eyes ... okay, this is hard to explain, but ya'll know what I mean, right? Every 3-D movie with the exception of Wall-E basically looks like it's done in the same style?
We need a stylized, new direction for animation, CGI or handdrawn or both. But it doesn't have to look like an anime or a Disney cartoon.
They're already out there, they just don't do so well. 9 was very much not a kid's movie, and in fact was filled with so much nightmare fuel, I'm 99% certain that's why it bombed at the cinema, because parents probably brought their three-year-olds to it, thinking "Oh, cute sack people! Timmy will love it!"
There was also Final Fantasy: Spirits Within, which was just a shitty movie in general.
One could also make the argument for Avatar (the Cameraon pic, not this one), though that one tried to skip over the animation label entirely, by including live action segments, and striving for vividly photo realistic in it's animation segments.
Because as much as we all love and respect animation, the world at large sees it as a "kids" medium. So a live-action film is sort of like telling the original creators they liked it enough to legitimize it.
You know ... I think it's high time for someone to make a really, really awesome 2-D movie that reinvents the "kiddy" style.
Or even a 3-D movie, but one that is far away from the standard Pixar bubbly, bulbous look with big white irised eyes ... okay, this is hard to explain, but ya'll know what I mean, right? Every 3-D movie with the exception of Wall-E basically looks like it's done in the same style?
We need a stylized, new direction for animation, CGI or handdrawn or both. But it doesn't have to look like an anime or a Disney cartoon.
The problem is that Pixar came up with the first style that really "worked." When 3D first came out everybody except Pixar tried to go for a "realistic" style that looked hideous. Go watch Shrek again... great movie, but kinda ugly. Madagascar has an odd angular look that works pretty well, but the angular look of Open Season was just fugly. I think everyone hews close to Pixar's style because it works, and because it's easy. I suspect it's a lot harder to develop a new, unique art style for 3D movies since you have to design an entire 3D space for people to maneuver around instead of just drawing it.
As far as 2D movies? Not so much hope there. Given The Princess and the Frog's good but not great box office, I don't think anyone will be inspired to take the time and expense to make a hand-drawn movie of their own. The rumored Family Guy and Simpsons II movies may be it, barring the odd indie. And now that Disney's the only game in town in that respect, they have little reason to alter their "house" style. Their next hand-drawn movie will be Winnie-the-Pooh done in the style of the old 60s segments. (Which actually sounds pretty good, since they're going back to the A.A. Milne stories.)
But there are people creating interesting new looks. Go watch Sita Sings the Blues here, legally, for free: http://www.sitasingstheblues.com/
And Flapjack on Cartoon Network has a neat style to it. I really need to start watching more of it.
Wordherder on
Why the crap did I ever make my original name "cloudeagle?"
They're already out there, they just don't do so well. 9 was very much not a kid's movie, and in fact was filled with so much nightmare fuel, I'm 99% certain that's why it bombed at the cinema, because parents probably brought their three-year-olds to it, thinking "Oh, cute sack people! Timmy will love it!"
There was also Final Fantasy: Spirits Within, which was just a shitty movie in general.
One could also make the argument for Avatar (the Cameraon pic, not this one), though that one tried to skip over the animation label entirely, by including live action segments, and striving for vividly photo realistic in it's animation segments.
9 still had kind of googley eyes and a very rounded animation style (at least, judging from the previews).
Ideally it would be done alongside an established property to calm the corporate jitters.
FF and Avatar aren't really what I mean when I say "animation" because they're both basically going for pure realism, despite being technically animation. I just find it very frustrating that of all of the potential styles of modern animation—3d and 2d—we're basically set with Disney, Anime, and Googly-eyed Pixar/Shrek.
I'm willing to give skinnier Iroh a chance. Just being "kinda pudgy" instead of "santa claus" doesn't seem like it's take me out of the movie. Also that feels like Zuko's banishment scene.
Just took another look, and after comparing against his publicity photos on IMDB, that's definately Iroh. But like you, Iroh being fat isn't his defining characteristic for me. Iroh still manages to kick some ass periodically through the series, so it makes sense they'd need someone more physically fit for a live-action adaptation.
Plus Aasif Mandavi is Zhao
nexuscrawler on
0
darunia106J-bob in gamesDeath MountainRegistered Userregular
Huh, didn't know they were making a Samurai Jack movie. Thought it would be a bit late for that.
And he's on a new series too, that'll be something to look out for.
He's been planning a Samurai Jack movie for a loooooong time, even before the series ended. Though J.J. Abrams coming on board for it makes me think it could actually come together.
Wordherder on
Why the crap did I ever make my original name "cloudeagle?"
One of the biggest questions we get on a regular basis whenever we write about this movie, besides tone questions and mythos inquiries, is about the casting. There are a lot of fans that have casting issues with Sokka, Katara and the Fire Nation. Can you address the fan concerns about the casting?
Here's the thing. The great thing about anime is that it's ambiguous. The features of the characters are an intentional mix of all features. It's intended to be ambiguous. That is completely its point. So when we watch Katara, my oldest daughter is literally a photo double of Katara in the cartoon. So that means that Katara is Indian, correct? No that's just in our house. And her friends who watch it, they see themselves in it. And that's what's so beautiful about anime.
When we were casting, I was like, "I don't care who walks through my door, whoever is best for the part. I'm going to figure it out like a chessgame." Ideally we separate the nations ethnically — ideally. I didn't know how or what it was going to be. And it was so fluid. For example if you found a great brother, [but] he didn't go with my favorite Katara, then we couldn't use him. Theoretical things like that. There was an Ang that we really loved, but he was like 5'10." There's all kinds of issues that come to the table physically. And I had a board of all the people that I was considering, the seven or eight. There was, at one time, a Chinese Sokka and Katara, and they were over here. One of them was a better actor than the other, and so I was gathering my pros and cons.
I was without an agenda, and just letting it come to the table. Noah is a photo double from the cartoon. He is spot on. I didn't know their backgrounds, and to me Noah had a slightly mixed quality to him. So I cast the Airbenders as all mixed-race. So when you see the monks, they are all mixed. And it kind of goes with the nomadic culture and the idea that over the years, all nationalities came together.
The Fire Nation was the most complicated. I kept switching who was playing Zuko. It was such a complicated and drawn out thing, about practical matters. But the first person that I was considering casting for Zuko was Ecuadorian. So I started thinking that way. Then when that person couldn't do it, the next person who came in was much more Caucasian. And then we had to switch everything around.
The Earth Nation was always the issue as well, because the second movie is so dominated by that group, and it will represent most of the movie. But it has a small, small part in the first movie. So that was important in thinking about it in the long term. Then Dev [Patel] came into the picture, he was really early on. He had auditioned for me in London. He was a sweet guy, but he did such a great reading...I always go for the actor.
When I was doing Sixth Sense, if you literally read the script he [Cole Sear] has dark, hair black eyes. I always pictured the kid from Searching For Bobby Fisher as the lead for Sixth Sense. And I said, "We are not hiring any blonde LA kids, ok? Don't even bring them in." Then Haley [Joel Osment] came in and I said, "You've got the part." How can you not have him play this part?
That's always been my lean. I have hopes of what I want them to be, my hope was that the movie would be incredibly diverse. That when we look back on all three movies that it is one of the most diverse movies of all times. And that is the case when you watch the movies. And it's not an agenda, like when you see a picture of a kid's school and they have everybody on the swings. It's not like that. This nation has this ethnicity and when we go deep into that culture, we will see more there. Dev ended up being my choice for Zuko, and I looked for an Uncle that could be in that realm, for a moment I thought about Ben Kingsley. But Shaun Toub, I just loved him in Iron Man. I thought this takes us into a Mediterranean kind of Arab and Indian world, and I can go as far as that, that will be the breadth of the Fire Nation, that kind of look.
For me, Nicola [Peltz, who plays Katara] had a lot of Russian qualities, European and Russian qualities. So that was the direction we went there. Whoever I ended up with, I went that was their nationality. Suki was Jessica [Andres] who is a mix of Filipino. And now the Earth Kingdom is all Asian so Toph will have to be Asian. Suddenly I was looking at the board and I thought, this works for me, because everything was represented.
And there's a section of the Earth Kingdom that's African American. Because it's such a big country and land I thought you could have some diversity in there as they travel through the cities. So more so than the show, it will have a much more diverse ethnic backgrounds to it. It's not an agenda for me, but it's something I'm super proud of. That when my kids or any kids look at it they will see themselves.
Problem: You're a hack director of Indian dissent, who has convinced himself that he's the next Alfred Hitchcock and therefore needs to have personal cameo in all your movies. However, in your next movie, you're dealing with a fictional world not based in India.
HOWEVER, the movie's casting has caused controversy: all of the main characters are white. Except for the Fire Nation characters, who are now brown Indians. This is especially ironic because in the show, Fire Nation people were the palest of all.
Well, that explains a lot.
Also, I heard some people point out that Fire Nation is supposed to be a parable for Japan/China during WWII. But I'm not a war buff, so I can't verify.
Here's the thing. The great thing about anime is that it's ambiguous. The features of the characters are an intentional mix of all features. It's intended to be ambiguous. That is completely its point. So when we watch Katara, my oldest daughter is literally a photo double of Katara in the cartoon. So that means that Katara is Indian, correct? No that's just in our house. And her friends who watch it, they see themselves in it. And that's what's so beautiful about anime.
Ambiguous.
When we were casting, I was like, "I don't care who walks through my door, whoever is best for the part. I'm going to figure it out like a chessgame."
Except that the casting notices specifically asked for Caucasian actors, so apparently you did care. Yes, maybe you didn't have a notice saying "No asians need apply," but when you ask for white actors in your casting sheet and you cast whites for all your major roles, it's really hard to pretend that this wasn't intentional.
There was an Ang that we really loved, but he was like 5'10."
Also, I heard some people point out that Fire Nation is supposed to be a parable for Japan/China during WWII. But I'm not a war buff, so I can't verify.
They are the "evil empire," so there's a bit of those, a bit of Rome, and arguably a bit of neocon Amu'rca.
Edit: Schrodinger, Aang is really short in the show.
Do you have a source for what you said about the casting notices?
Here's the thing. The great thing about anime is that it's ambiguous. The features of the characters are an intentional mix of all features. It's intended to be ambiguous. That is completely its point. So when we watch Katara, my oldest daughter is literally a photo double of Katara in the cartoon. So that means that Katara is Indian, correct? No that's just in our house. And her friends who watch it, they see themselves in it. And that's what's so beautiful about anime.
Ambiguous.
When we were casting, I was like, "I don't care who walks through my door, whoever is best for the part. I'm going to figure it out like a chessgame."
Except that the casting notices specifically asked for Caucasian actors, so apparently you did care. Yes, maybe you didn't have a notice saying "No asians need apply," but when you ask for white actors in your casting sheet and you cast whites for all your major roles, it's really hard to pretend that this wasn't intentional.
There was an Ang that we really loved, but he was like 5'10."
Huh?
Ang shouldn't be taller than anyone. That's why Shamelan's first choice was
Your first source does not say what you claimed; it says "Caucasian or any other ethnicity."
Your second source, however, is completely bizarre.
I said they specifically asked for Caucasian actors. Which they did. The fact that they added "or any other ethnicity" comes across more as damage control than serious consideration.
If this was truly open casting, then why not simply leave the word "Caucasian" out altogether, and simply specify "any ethnicity"?
It's not "damage control" if it's stated in the exact same sentence as the alleged "damage."
My reading of that casting statement is that they want to make clear they're not limiting the casting to the ethnicities portrayed on the scene, noting that most actors would obviously be Caucasian.
I suppose you could read into it a nudge towards Caucasian actors, but I think it's unfair to say—as you did—that it somehow contradicts Shamaylan's claim that he casted for acting ability first and ethnicity second.
You can get legitimately upset by the casting, but I think you are overreacting.
It's not "damage control" if it's stated in the exact same sentence as the alleged "damage."
My reading of that casting statement is that they want to make clear they're not limiting the casting to the ethnicities portrayed on the scene, noting that most actors would obviously be Caucasian.
If most actors would obviously be Caucasian, then why would they need to specifically ask for them? Why mention it at all? Especially when the series itself was never based on Caucasian culture to begin with?
For instance, if a job posting says, "We're looking for employees who are white, or any other ethnicity," what would you make of it? Especially when you knew that most of the people applying for the job would be white to begin with?
And it is damage control, in the same sense as "I'm not racist, but [insert racist statement]" is damage control. Despite taking place in the same sentence.
Personally, if I put out a casting call for Avatar of all things, I'd probably specify 'Asian, Inuit or other ethnicity' because... well... you'll probably have Caucasians showing up anyway, but it'd be... awkward... if you put them in any roles larger than, say, Unfortunate Cabbage Salesman.
Personally, if I put out a casting call for Avatar of all things, I'd probably specify 'Asian, Inuit or other ethnicity' because... well... you'll probably have Caucasians showing up anyway, but it'd be... awkward... if you put them in any roles larger than, say, Unfortunate Cabbage Salesman.
Yeah, that's the really odd thing about it. It's not simply that they specified race, but they specified in a way that was counter to the source material, while claiming that race wasn't a deciding factor, despite the actual results showing otherwise.
I mean, if this was a movie set in fictionalized feudal Europe that specified for Caucasian actors, no one would bat an eye.
There are also underlying social/cultural connotations already of viewing white people as the "default" ethnicity in America, and all other races as "the other." i.e., "White people who claim not to see race have the luxury of never having to deal with it."
In this case, the status as "the other" is made explicit. Are you Chinese? Japanese? Vietnamese? Oh, we'll lump you all of you up under "the other." In terms of the casting sheet, either you are white, or you are not white. Those are the only things that matter. And they do in fact matter, despite claims to the contrary, or else they wouldn't have asked for them.
I don't know. I am willing to give Shaymalan the benefit of the doubt. It seems far-fetched that he would go into this only wanting white people for the hero roles.
I don't know. I am willing to give Shaymalan the benefit of the doubt. It seems far-fetched that he would go into this only wanting white people for the hero roles.
Why? It's not like he has a strong history of casting minorities in his films. Especially Asian minorities.
Pretty much all of his movies only cast white people in the hero roles. The only difference with Avatar is that it's the first movie he's directed that doesn't take place in America, which is why it stands out.
Yes, he does descend from India. But again, that's what Fire Nation is for.
And there's a difference between wanting only white people, and being strongly biased for them. MNS probably had a movie poster in his mind that he wanted to shoot with a bunch of white kids, and he posted the casting list accordingly. Then when he did his casting, he looked for the types of kids who could live up to that poster. White kids obviously did a better job, because they fit into the mold that he was already considering.
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I agree.
I also think that last trailer is well done for both prepping fan anticipation and drawing the interest of those who've not heard of it before. That's not an easy fence to straddle.
wish list
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You might be on to something here.
A lot of people seem to think it is.
Myself I'm leaning towards Admiral Zhao.
I want to like this, but what I've seen and heard so far hasn't really given me any indication that I actually will.
And to be honest, I'm more than willing to completely separate this movie from the series and let it stand on its own merits, I really feel that's the best way to view the thing. Whilst it's ostensibly a movie version of the series, it's not going to achieve in 120 minutes what the series did in a season of world building and character development. So you need to look at it in its own light as its own thing. Trying to compare it with what the series does isn't really fair.
Yeah, one of the greatest dangers this movie will face is being rushed to holy hell. That and taking itself far too seriously. Though M. Night working with the original creators gives me hope.
I'm willing to give skinnier Iroh a chance. Just being "kinda pudgy" instead of "santa claus" doesn't seem like it's take me out of the movie. Also that feels like Zuko's banishment scene.
Also the people that said this said it months ago but...
...Aang straight up killing the firelord would be very against his nature and his way as an air-bender. It's all about finding a different way, evasion, and freedom. I thought i was a truer to the character, and the tone of the series for it to end the way it did.
Now it it was Avatar: the Last Earthbender, go ahead, totally smash the bad guy with rocks. 8-)
Like a black guy doing chinese circus opera...
I thought that was perfectly handled, if not a little bit of dues ex machina to pull it off. Now what I do think they bungled up was.....
Just took another look, and after comparing against his publicity photos on IMDB, that's definately Iroh. But like you, Iroh being fat isn't his defining characteristic for me. Iroh still manages to kick some ass periodically through the series, so it makes sense they'd need someone more physically fit for a live-action adaptation.
Or even a 3-D movie, but one that is far away from the standard Pixar bubbly, bulbous look with big white irised eyes ... okay, this is hard to explain, but ya'll know what I mean, right? Every 3-D movie with the exception of Wall-E basically looks like it's done in the same style?
We need a stylized, new direction for animation, CGI or handdrawn or both. But it doesn't have to look like an anime or a Disney cartoon.
There was also Final Fantasy: Spirits Within, which was just a shitty movie in general.
One could also make the argument for Avatar (the Cameraon pic, not this one), though that one tried to skip over the animation label entirely, by including live action segments, and striving for vividly photo realistic in it's animation segments.
The problem is that Pixar came up with the first style that really "worked." When 3D first came out everybody except Pixar tried to go for a "realistic" style that looked hideous. Go watch Shrek again... great movie, but kinda ugly. Madagascar has an odd angular look that works pretty well, but the angular look of Open Season was just fugly. I think everyone hews close to Pixar's style because it works, and because it's easy. I suspect it's a lot harder to develop a new, unique art style for 3D movies since you have to design an entire 3D space for people to maneuver around instead of just drawing it.
As far as 2D movies? Not so much hope there. Given The Princess and the Frog's good but not great box office, I don't think anyone will be inspired to take the time and expense to make a hand-drawn movie of their own. The rumored Family Guy and Simpsons II movies may be it, barring the odd indie. And now that Disney's the only game in town in that respect, they have little reason to alter their "house" style. Their next hand-drawn movie will be Winnie-the-Pooh done in the style of the old 60s segments. (Which actually sounds pretty good, since they're going back to the A.A. Milne stories.)
But there are people creating interesting new looks. Go watch Sita Sings the Blues here, legally, for free: http://www.sitasingstheblues.com/
And Flapjack on Cartoon Network has a neat style to it. I really need to start watching more of it.
Ideally it would be done alongside an established property to calm the corporate jitters.
FF and Avatar aren't really what I mean when I say "animation" because they're both basically going for pure realism, despite being technically animation. I just find it very frustrating that of all of the potential styles of modern animation—3d and 2d—we're basically set with Disney, Anime, and Googly-eyed Pixar/Shrek.
I really love that style. But it only works for certain types of stories.
Plus Aasif Mandavi is Zhao
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's Jake Lloyd senses were tingling.
You guys mean Tartakovsky? Or is it someone else?
Huh, didn't know they were making a Samurai Jack movie. Thought it would be a bit late for that.
And he's on a new series too, that'll be something to look out for.
He's been planning a Samurai Jack movie for a loooooong time, even before the series ended. Though J.J. Abrams coming on board for it makes me think it could actually come together.
Him explaining the whole race thing...
Solution:
Well, that explains a lot.
Also, I heard some people point out that Fire Nation is supposed to be a parable for Japan/China during WWII. But I'm not a war buff, so I can't verify.
Air nomads: mixed race
Fire nation: Indian
Water tribes: Caucasian
Earth Kingdom: Asians and blacks
Prediction: King Bhumi will talk jive
Ambiguous.
Except that the casting notices specifically asked for Caucasian actors, so apparently you did care. Yes, maybe you didn't have a notice saying "No asians need apply," but when you ask for white actors in your casting sheet and you cast whites for all your major roles, it's really hard to pretend that this wasn't intentional.
Huh?
Edit: Schrodinger, Aang is really short in the show.
Do you have a source for what you said about the casting notices?
Ang shouldn't be taller than anyone. That's why Shamelan's first choice was
I was referring to how you could have a 5'10" dude who would be "perfect" for the role. How many 5'10" child actors do you know?
Why would a 5'10" even audition for the part?
http://www.racebending.com/v3/background/the-last-airbender-primer/#casting
Also, this is an interesting sidenote:
http://lastairbenderfilm.com/2009/01/24/open-casting-call-in-philly-tomorrow/
“We want you to dress in traditional cultural ethnic attire,” she said. “If you’re Korean, wear a kimono. If you’re from Belgium, wear lederhosen.”
Your second source, however, is completely bizarre.
I said they specifically asked for Caucasian actors. Which they did. The fact that they added "or any other ethnicity" comes across more as damage control than serious consideration.
If this was truly open casting, then why not simply leave the word "Caucasian" out altogether, and simply specify "any ethnicity"?
My reading of that casting statement is that they want to make clear they're not limiting the casting to the ethnicities portrayed on the scene, noting that most actors would obviously be Caucasian.
I suppose you could read into it a nudge towards Caucasian actors, but I think it's unfair to say—as you did—that it somehow contradicts Shamaylan's claim that he casted for acting ability first and ethnicity second.
You can get legitimately upset by the casting, but I think you are overreacting.
If most actors would obviously be Caucasian, then why would they need to specifically ask for them? Why mention it at all? Especially when the series itself was never based on Caucasian culture to begin with?
For instance, if a job posting says, "We're looking for employees who are white, or any other ethnicity," what would you make of it? Especially when you knew that most of the people applying for the job would be white to begin with?
And it is damage control, in the same sense as "I'm not racist, but [insert racist statement]" is damage control. Despite taking place in the same sentence.
Yeah, that's the really odd thing about it. It's not simply that they specified race, but they specified in a way that was counter to the source material, while claiming that race wasn't a deciding factor, despite the actual results showing otherwise.
I mean, if this was a movie set in fictionalized feudal Europe that specified for Caucasian actors, no one would bat an eye.
There are also underlying social/cultural connotations already of viewing white people as the "default" ethnicity in America, and all other races as "the other." i.e., "White people who claim not to see race have the luxury of never having to deal with it."
In this case, the status as "the other" is made explicit. Are you Chinese? Japanese? Vietnamese? Oh, we'll lump you all of you up under "the other." In terms of the casting sheet, either you are white, or you are not white. Those are the only things that matter. And they do in fact matter, despite claims to the contrary, or else they wouldn't have asked for them.
Why? It's not like he has a strong history of casting minorities in his films. Especially Asian minorities.
Pretty much all of his movies only cast white people in the hero roles. The only difference with Avatar is that it's the first movie he's directed that doesn't take place in America, which is why it stands out.
Yes, he does descend from India. But again, that's what Fire Nation is for.
And there's a difference between wanting only white people, and being strongly biased for them. MNS probably had a movie poster in his mind that he wanted to shoot with a bunch of white kids, and he posted the casting list accordingly. Then when he did his casting, he looked for the types of kids who could live up to that poster. White kids obviously did a better job, because they fit into the mold that he was already considering.