Why I Will NEVER Watch 10,000 B.C.

*** MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ***

I had my suspicions, even from the trailers. I suspected this movie might just contain some very big turn-offs for me. Sadly, an article on Tractor Facts titled 10,000 B.C.: And a White Man Will Lead Them confirmed my worst fears. In that article it states:

"D'Leh - looking handsome above - fights killer ostriches, horse-whispers to a saber tooth, gets mystical about the moon, plants crops, and leads a legion of black men into liberating themselves (and pyramid slaves) from The Almighty. That last bit comes off as more than a little condescending, because, for some inexplicable reason, large villages of capable black warriors are unable to rise up until a white man shows them the way."

I have to say I am truly sick of this mentality from Hollywood. Since the dawn of film, Hollywood has depicted a world view where up until old honest Abe Lincoln came along, blacks are shown anywhere in the world, through all of human history, to be slaves. I won't even get into the mountains of archaeological or anthropological evidence that show that nothing could be further from the truth. Still, even classic writers like Shakespeare created dramatic stories which featured black characters in positions of power and influence in, of all places, Europe. Yet, in Hollywood the same backwards myth perpetuates.

That's only one aspect of Hollywood myth making that has irked me for some time now. Another reviewer, writing on Kaylow Media had this to say:

"Plus, the Pharaoh is depicted as a shrouded, hissing snake-like villain. It’s only after he’s killed by The World’s Most Improbable Spear Toss that we see that he’s an ordinary Caucasian white guy. Ruling ancient Egypt. In Africa."

If you go by what Hollywood shows, one would not even realize that Egypt is in Africa, let alone was ever an African kingdom. I think a simple look at Joel Freeman's Egypt photo gallery says all that need be said about how the ancient Egyptians saw themselves. Hollywood has never been known for anything resembling historical accuracy and there is a reason for this. Consider a movie like Troy. Greeks are not today, nor were they at any point in history, white like Brad Pitt and Sean Bean. When Hollywood creates, they create a Hollywood world.

Now don't get me wrong. I don't fault Hollywood for what they create, nor do I expect that they should do any different. I'm simply saying that I'm done watching it. Their works are simply not for me. This is, in fact, the whole matter. One must consider who the movies are made by and who they're made for. Think of it this way. In China, when they sit down to make the next great wuxia epic, do you think the creators sit down and think, "I want to make an epic movie and I want it to have a Chinese hero instead of a white guy."? Of course not! That would be ludicrous. It's all about who the movie is by and who it's for. The largest American movies are made for the largest majority of the population. That's both wise and financially sound. There's no reason to expect them to do any different.

What this means, though, is that for those of us who desire to see something different, or want a different experience, we have to make it! That's what it comes down to. Sitting around waiting for someone to make something for us, when they have no valid reason to, is folly. If we want to see a different story, then we must make that different story. If we want a different kind of hero, then we must create that hero. Some of the best movies, TV shows and anime done were made because the creator wanted to see something different and wasn't getting it anywhere else. So it is with any of us who want something different. No need to sit down and lament what someone else is making. Instead of spending two hours watching it, spend that two hours creating something for you.

Tags: movies, Hollywood