« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2

Author Topic: Major Anderson  (Read 995 times)

Ender

  • Launchie
  • *
  • Posts: 12
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • The Enemy's Gate is Down
    • View Profile
Major Anderson
« on: May 27, 2012, 11:01:14 AM »
I'm curious to see people's reactions to the fact that Major Anderson is going to be portrayed by Viola Davis.  I have no problems with the decision, but I'd like the see the public's opinion on this, most especially fans of the book.  Personally, I think it's pretty cool to see the Commander of Battle School as a woman, but maybe that's just my opinion.
Logged
"Knocking him down won the first fight. I wanted to win all the next ones, too. So they'd leave me alone."

Valentine

  • IF Administrator
  • Commander
  • *****
  • Posts: 263
  • Karma: +5/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2012, 02:48:42 PM »
That's one of the big areas the book is dated, imo. The male:female ratio was unfairly skewed and so I like it that Anderson is a woman. Plus, who the heck can complain about Viola freaking Davis playing the role? None here!
Logged

Ender Wiggin

  • Cadet
  • **
  • Posts: 50
  • Karma: +2/-0
  • The enemy's gate is down!
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2012, 08:57:28 AM »
I'm rather pleased with the casting, even though I have not seen most of the younger actors' performances.  Had Anderson been cast as a male, I might have found myself thinking of Mass Effect too much during the movie whenever he's on screen! :p
Logged

Ender

  • Launchie
  • *
  • Posts: 12
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • The Enemy's Gate is Down
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2012, 02:03:02 PM »
No complaints on this end either; Viola Davis is very good, and you're right when you say the book is dated.  I just wanted to see whether the major fan-base is happy with the decision because it diverges from the book.  I know some people can't handle a little abberation, so I was just curious.
Logged
"Knocking him down won the first fight. I wanted to win all the next ones, too. So they'd leave me alone."

Valentine

  • IF Administrator
  • Commander
  • *****
  • Posts: 263
  • Karma: +5/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2012, 02:06:49 PM »
No, I get it, totally. But I think people will welcome a female Anderson, really. It's going to be the kids' ages that will be a constant battle with diehard book fans.
Logged

Ender

  • Launchie
  • *
  • Posts: 12
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • The Enemy's Gate is Down
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2012, 03:47:08 PM »
Honestly, I don't mind that either.  It would have been too difficult to get 7 year-olds to play such complex roles as Ender, Bean, and the like, so they went with the next best option.  The idea of very small children commanding armies is a stretch of the imagination already, but in the book you're inside Ender's head, and so it seems much more believable.  To see it brought to life visually could be incredibly jarring to many viewers, especially those unused to Card's style and thought processes.  Even beyond that, I can't think of any other actor that I'd rather see portray Ender than Asa Butterfield.
Logged
"Knocking him down won the first fight. I wanted to win all the next ones, too. So they'd leave me alone."

Dink Meeker

  • Launchie
  • *
  • Posts: 21
  • Karma: +2/-0
  • Knock 'em out the box, Luke! Knock 'em out!
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2012, 08:44:00 PM »
I'm glad to see that the movie is making itself a separate piece of art from the book. Since there are a lot of things that you really can't do in the books, you go for the very best movie you can make and don't worry about staying strictly to the original version. Viola will keep the role as a very strong person and the fact that it'll be more realistic to what the year will be like socially-- black females in more positions of power-- is really a positive.
Logged
"I'm a murderer, even when I play. Peter would be proud of me."

vonsabrewulf

  • Launchie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2012, 03:01:09 PM »
good actress
Logged

Alai

  • Launchie
  • *
  • Posts: 29
  • Karma: +0/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #8 on: September 17, 2012, 06:02:46 PM »
I think that with Viola, she will bring a new depth in the Major Anderson vs Colonel Graff deal.
Logged
“O my son Absalom, my son, my son Abdalom. Would God I could die forthee, O Absalom, my son. My sons!” - Bean

enderwiggin

  • Battle School Teacher
  • Toon Leader
  • *****
  • Posts: 132
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • Enjoying Ender
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2012, 08:14:24 PM »
I'm happy with the gender change. It really allows for a bunch of different dynamics that keeping him as male would not. This version of Ender's Game will hopefully bring in a ton of new fans to the series. What will be interesting is to see fans' reactions when they read the book AFTER they see the movie!
Logged

Colonel Graff

  • Launchie
  • *
  • Posts: 9
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Your people are fools. we know the truth.
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2013, 08:48:05 AM »
Personally, I dislike it. I would ultimately cling to the movie being 100% true to the book, which I know is impossible in my heart. The actress has never read Ender's Game and said that since her character was originally male that there is nothing she could learn about him by reading the book.
Logged

Valentine

  • IF Administrator
  • Commander
  • *****
  • Posts: 263
  • Karma: +5/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2013, 10:01:34 AM »
Well to be fair, Anderson isn't exactly in the book much. I hope she's read it by now though!
Logged

Colonel Graff

  • Launchie
  • *
  • Posts: 9
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Your people are fools. we know the truth.
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2013, 10:25:34 AM »
“I did not read the book. [...] In Ender’s Game, in the book, Major Anderson is actually a male so [...] I just felt like this is a different character and I didn’t feel like I could learn anything from reading the book as much as I could learn something from studying the psychology of people who have come back from war and experience post-traumatic stress disorder and I felt that was much more valuable for me.”
-Viola Davis

Doubt she will... and the back and forth between chapters was enough to give character insight for both Graff and Anderson.
Logged

Valentine

  • IF Administrator
  • Commander
  • *****
  • Posts: 263
  • Karma: +5/-0
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2013, 11:42:16 AM »
Well, when I (hopefully) meet her, you can be sure I will ask her again!
Logged

enderwiggin

  • Battle School Teacher
  • Toon Leader
  • *****
  • Posts: 132
  • Karma: +3/-0
  • Enjoying Ender
    • View Profile
Re: Major Anderson
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2013, 08:47:27 PM »
"...I didn’t feel like I could learn anything from reading the book..."

:(

A book has been a sci-fi favorite for ~28 years and you don't think you could learn anything?

Maybe even check out the audiobook?
Logged
Pages: [1] 2
« previous next »