Protest Against "Ender's Game"

[The Pecman]

Lionsgate is apparently very nervous about the protest, and just issued this statement today defending the film:

As proud longtime supporters of the LGBT community, champions of films ranging from Gods and Monsters to The Perks of Being a Wallflower and a company that is proud to have recognized same-sex unions and domestic partnerships within its employee benefits policies for many years, we obviously do not agree with the personal views of Orson Scott Card and those of the National Organization for Marriage. However, they are completely irrelevant to a discussion of Ender’s Game. The simple fact is that neither the underlying book nor the film itself reflect these views in any way, shape or form. On the contrary, the film not only transports viewers to an entertaining and action-filled world, but it does so with positive and inspiring characters who ultimately deliver an ennobling and life-affirming message. Lionsgate will continue its longstanding commitment to the LGBT community by exploring new ways we can support LGBT causes and, as part of this ongoing process, will host a benefit premiere for Ender’s Game.

I think what this means is: "We spent $180 million on this goddamned thing, so please, nice gay people, please do not torpedo our movie. We'll donate some bucks to charity if you leave us alone."

http://www.deadline....son-scott-card/

BTW, my mistake: this is not a Disney picture, it's Lionsgate/Summit. I've corrected my previous messages to reflect the facts. (Summit has handled Twilight Saga and many other films.)

[Cole Parker]

Wow! If ever a statement paid homage to the strength and vitality of the gay minority of our society, that one does. I love that! It doesn't sound to me like it's being done for financial gain. It sounds authentic.

C

[The Pecman]

I think they're just doing damage control as best they can. I do agree with their main three points: 1) Lionsgate isn't anti-gay, 2) the story in the book is not anti-gay per se, and 3) the film isn't anti-gay. But should we support a homophobic jerk who writes a good book (and, one hopes, a good movie)?

[Guest Dabeagle]

I am told (need to research) that Lionsgate did not distribute a movie called 'Darwin' because of the potential push back. This puts me in mind of Ford in their analysis of the Pinto and that the lawsuits would cost less than redesign, in this case that the push back wouldn't be significant enough to derail distributing a film that puts cash in to this guy's pockets.

All the other things Lionsgate said may be true, but you can't just say they didn't realize he was a bigot, a longstanding vitriolic bigot, and are in any way surprised that people don't want to give him money. No, this was a business decision where they saw a chance for profit, regardless of gay bucks going, essentially, into NOM's coffers.

Interesting article with an amusing auction here, in relation to the discussion: Huffington Post.

[Camy]

It's difficult. Everything tells me I want to see the movie - except that it's going to make OSC personally wealthy. Maybe it doesn't matter, provided the film continues to engender public awareness of GLBT matters.

Once published the author's really removed from the equation. A book takes on a life of its own; becomes part and parcel of the memories of those who read it. It turns out that Enid Blyton wasn't a very nice person at all, but that doesn't change my memories of growing up avidly waiting for the next Famous Five book.

[Guest Dabeagle]

Once published the author's really removed from the equation.

I wholly disagree - I think it speaks volumes that he is being largely kept under wraps. Having a warm memory of something that happened in our lives before we knew it/they/whatever was (insert unpleasant discovery here) doesn't separate the creator from whatever is giving him cash.

If we had a favorite Uncle that told wonderful stories that later, we find out, hates with a passion something that goes to the core of your person and wasn't chosen by you, be it sexuality, skin color, eye color, etc - then Uncle doesn't get an invite to the wedding. He doesn't get us to purchase tickets to the blockbuster release of his book, because we know what we're buying.

I certainly can't stop someone from seeing this, but I do disagree with the decision and I think you have to go in knowing what you are buying.

[Camy]

What this movie is doing, months before it even opens, is hugely raising public awareness of GLBT issues. Is that a bad thing? When it finally is released, in November, the same issues will get worldwide media coverage that no amount of money could buy. I have no idea what the end result will be but, if we're savvy, shouldn't we use the opportunity?

[The Pecman]

Forgot to post the link to the people with the petition asking fans to Skip Ender's Game:

http://skipendersgame.com/

[colinian]

I won't see Ender's Game. I'm one of the probably few people who didn't like the book. Different strokes and all that, I guess.

Colin

[Cole Parker]

Hah! Two of us didn't like it. We should start a website.

C

[Guest Dabeagle]

A different assessment of Card's work, worth reading. Find it here.

[Cole Parker]

A different assessment of Card's work, worth reading. Find it

Reading this here reminds me of some of the reasons I didn't like the book. I didn't like being manipulated into liking Ender. I didn't like the fact the adults were so uncaring about him. I thought that sophistry; if Ender is the only person who can save the planet, why allow several older kids to try to kill him when he's alone in the shower? What if they succeed? That's crazy beyond belief. I guess it was all these instances where kids didn't act as kids do, and adults didn't act as adults do, all the places where there was no humanity in the story, that just made it difficult for me to identify with anything in it, or feel it in any way represented reality.

C

[Paul_and_Paco]

This is not unlike the problem they had years ago with Interview with a Vampire, where they had a child vampire who was only 6 or 7 years old; in the movie, they made her about 12 years old, but even then, it was very creepy.

Creepy or not, I rather liked the scene in "Interview With a Vampire" where they fed from the boy's wrist.

Ender sucked.

[colinian]

Reading this here reminds me of some of the reasons I didn't like the book. I didn't like being manipulated into liking Ender. I didn't like the fact the adults were so uncaring about him. I thought that sophistry; if Ender is the only person who can save the planet, why allow several older kids to try to kill him when he's alone in the shower? What if they succeed? That's crazy beyond belief. I guess it was all these instances where kids didn't act as kids do, and adults didn't act as adults do, all the places where there was no humanity in the story, that just made it difficult for me to identify with anything in it, or feel it in any way represented reality.

C

What Cole wrote is also my POV about Ender's Game. I was in the 7th or 8th grade (I don't remember which) when I started to read (and stopped reading) Ender's Game. It completely frustrated me because of what Cole says: the children don't act like children and the adults don't act like adults. Add to that the question: who is it who decided that Ender Wiggin was so important to saving humanity? And that killing other kids, even if they were bullies, was so important to his ability to succeed as a mass murderer of a civilization and all of its inhabitants? The events in the story are artificial and yet without them the buggers wouldn't have been defeated. How did the planners know that Ender was the key? When he was 6 years old, for God's sake!

Colin

[Guest Dabeagle]

The very well written response to Lionsgate from Geek OUT, I think it states things very, very well. Find it here.

[Cole Parker]

The very well written response to Lionsgate from Geek OUT, I think it states things very, very well. Find it here.

I found some of the comments following the article interesting. I've copied one here:

lenprobert

on Sat, July 13, 2013

Don't just look at

Ender's Game

for anti-gay sentiment. Look at it for its conservative values. This novel is a solid endorsement of the Vietnam War and war in general. I hated the book when I read it and could not understand why my liberal friends, who were much younger than I, liked it so much. It reminded me of how I loved Ayn Rand's

Atlas Shrugged

when I was seventeen, but then grew up, realized I wasn't the center of the universe and that I needed to contribute to society and not just take care of myself. Now I hate anything Rand wrote. If you read this novel as a teenager, reread it now as an adult and realize that it helped contribute to the conservative swing this country has taken since the Reagan administration. And besides, Orson Card is not a very good writer when compared to the likes of Heinlein, Herbert, or Dick.

[Guest Dabeagle]

When it comes to dissecting a story, I always find it's tricky business. Like George Carlin said 'sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Other times it's a big, brown dick.' Metaphor's are everywhere and sometimes they are intentional or at other times subconscious, and it is easy to become convinced of an author/storyteller/filmmaker's intention. This article takes a look at the things portrayed in Ender's Game, from a certain point of view. I would say that certain bits are stretched, but others seem quite dead on as to how Card's true feelings towards gays come out on the pages of this book, which claims to preach so many nice things. Worth reading!

Find it here.

[Guest Dabeagle]

Look at that asshole [Orson Scott Card] that wrote this new Harrison Ford movie [Ender's Game]. I think that you can have any opinion you want, but at least be willing to take the consequences of your opinion. It’s like, “Well, I hope that people will be more understanding,” or what did he say? “More tolerant of my views.” The quotes that got me about him weren’t against gay marriage -- he wanted homosexuality criminalized in the United States. That's what he called for. You want me to be tolerant of you wanting to criminalize homosexuality? F--k you on your grave, you piece of shit. ~ Harvey Fierstein.

Whole interview, concerning Russia, here.

[Cole Parker]

" A forthcoming bill would forcibly remove children from their families if either parent is suspected of being gay or lesbian."

Why is Putin doing this? He's a political animal, so this probably is being done for effect. But this is the 21st century. I simply can't believe the bulk of the Russian people are in support of this sort of egregious domestic terrorism.

C

[The Pecman]

And in the latest news about Orson Scott Card and Ender's Game, Card has now issued a statement that he believes that President Barack Obama is acting like a dictator, comparing him to Hitler, that Obama is funding the Muslim killers in Egypt, and says that Obama is secretly starting an urban army of activists:

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/how-does-summit-respond-when-orson-scott-card-compares-obama-hitler-111181

He's gone right off the deep end. I'm sure all the publicists and producers back at the studio are moaning, "why won't this stupid idiot just shut up?"

[JamesSavik]

I'm still boycotting asparagus in protest!

[Camy]

I'm still boycotting asparagus in protest!

Spinach. I like asparagus ... with oodles of butter.

[Guest Dabeagle]

So the Advocate has an article elaborately explaining why they are going to see Ender's Game.

http://www.advocate.com/print-issue/current-issue/2013/09/09/op-ed-why-im-going-see-enders-game

If you need a long explanation, I think you may feel guilty. Even more, what they are saying doesn't ring true. They want you to feel for the 600+ people who made the movie, because they may not share Card's views. So? They knew they were making his movie, didn't they? Okay, maybe some just go from job to job and it doesn't really register - kind of like stocking shelves at the supermarket with Koch Brothers merchandise.

You can't make something like this, then claim to be pro-lgbt. You can't, you don't get to hide there because they don't go together. Having done something positive doesn't entitle you to purposely do something negative.

People keep saying this book was about compassion, et al. We all know that isn't the case, but they keep pushing it. It makes me despair.

[The Pecman]

People keep saying this book was about compassion, et al. We all know that isn't the case, but they keep pushing it. It makes me despair.

Naaaa, I think the book was about one race wanting to stomp the crap out of another race, to the point where they put them out of existence. In fact, later books detail the adult Ender's guilt at inadvertently causing the end of an entire alien civilization, and his efforts to compensate for that.

I have mixed feelings on whether to see the movie in the theater, but I'll probably wind up seeing it only if the reviews are positive. And I think this will be a tough movie to pull off, because there are a lot of story elements that are kind of "distancing". This is not a warm and fuzzy, emotional movie.

[colinian]

Naaaa, I think the book was about one race wanting to stomp the crap out of another race, to the point where they put them out of existence. In fact, later books detail the adult Ender's guilt at inadvertently causing the end of an entire alien civilization, and his efforts to compensate for that.

That's the best summary of Ender's Game I've ever read. Bravo, Pecman!

Colin