Written by Dennis Hurley, featured panelist at the VSA arts RI sponsored preshow discussion of the Gamm Theatre’s production of The Elephant Man on Friday October 5, 2007 at 6:30pm
As someone with albinism, I’d like to discuss my perspective on how Hollywood filmmakers and novelists continue to spread negative and fictional stereotypes.
Since albinism involves a visual impairment, some consider it a disability. Certainly attitudes toward albinism are similar to those experienced by other disability and minority groups, including a lack of understanding, fear of the unknown, and prejudice based on appearance. Like The Elephant Man, many people with albinism exhibited themselves in sideshows.
I can tell you that albinism affects the pigment of the eyes, skin, and hair; vision problems are a key part of the condition—probably the most important part. In “The DaVinci Code” the character Silas has red eyes, shoots people from far distances, and drives in a high-speed car chase at night. The activities that Silas engages in are nearly impossible for someone with albinism (at least for any that I’ve met, and I’ve met a lot of folks with our trademark paler-than-pale skin).
Dan Brown supposedly did his research in the area of religion, but he seemed to skip the albinism research entirely when he created Silas. Silas bears no resemblance to a real-life person with albinism. As a result, Mr. Brown reproduces stereotypes of the evil albino with red eyes and/or supernatural powers that Hollywood has perpetuated for years. This film is the 68th movie since 1960 to feature an albino portrayed as villainous, deviant, mystical or sadistic including End of Days, The Matrix Reloaded, and Powder.
Admittedly, I did try my best to audition for the role of Silas, not to further the stereotype, but to bring my own sense of realism to the role that ultimately went to Paul Bettany, a non-albino. Instead of complaining endlessly, I wrote a short film parody, entitled “The Albino Code”, with the following premise: “What if the story of The DaVinci Code could be told from Silas’s point of view? And what if Silas were an actual person with albinism thrust into a world of secret codes, mystery, and assassination?” The Albino Code is my way of mocking certain novelists and filmmakers and give movie-lovers some insight into what having albinism is really like. It was released on May 11, 2006 (one week before the release of The DaVinci Code) and has played many film festivals.
For those of you who think I’m overreacting, let me just say that when both “Powder” and “Me, Myself & Irene” were released, it was often an adventure for me to walk down the street and I worry about children and adults with albinism that get harassed by insensitive people making fun of us. During our shoot, a random woman on the street told me I needed “more white on his face” to look like a real albino.To learn more about albinism, as well as an upcoming theatre production Diamond in the Rough (an albinism awareness benefit) visit www.albinism.org or www.positiveexposure.org.
Now it’s your turn! Discuss Dennis Hurley’s essay here at the VSA arts of RI blog and then come see him speak in person at the pre-show discussion of the Gamm Theatre’s production of The Elephant Man on Friday October 5, 2007 at 6:30pm. For more information click here for the full pdf or to purchase tickets visit www.gammtheatre.org
Hollywood is a very powerful source when it comes to embedding ethical assumptions into the minds of the audience. It seems as though Hollywood has been slipping not only in providing acurate information (like the albino monk who speeds around Paris at night, even though albinos have visual impairments) but most certainly on the creative front.
For instance, people with albinism are used as the evil/mystical character because that’s just the way it’s always been in movies. It’s easier for the audience to adjust to a character they already know is going to be a certain way, than for them to try and think about which way the character is going to go (good or bad). Reality is smeared in the media, and should be giving us something to actually think about rather than doing the thinking for us!
I’m very excited to hear Mr. Hurley speak at this discussion on Friday. Thank you for putting this on.
)
Beatrice, I agree that the media plays a large part in stereotyping certain people. But my question is, when do we stop blasting the media all the time and start looking inward towards our own prejudices and insecurities. Movies aren’t real and people (to a degree) understand that. They aren’t going to walk down the street and run in the other direction when they see someone with albinism because they think their evil. They’re going to walk down the street and point their fingers at someone with albinism (or any other stereotyped character in film) because they want to live vicariously through a film they know isn’t real. They want to be a part of the story Hollywood is telling. In which case, I go back to my initial question, when do we stop bashing these films (that we know are completely bogus) and start looking inawards toward our own prejudices and insecurities, and our value and respect for human beings in general. People are only looking to gratify themselves. If Dan Brown wanted to he could have paid a little more attention to the actualities of living with albinism, but instead, he made the albino monk more attractive to the audience, to gain more (money/fame) for himself! And now because the way he portrayed the monk, people walk down the streets, pass someone with albinism and make a comment because to them it means recreating fiction. To the person with albinism, or again, any other stereotyped character in films, just another day of ignorant people.
To me it is necessary to find