European spirits in Australian rain forest?
 

In the cartoon Fern Gully the Last Rainforestwe meet a scenario which in many aspects reminds of Avatar. The plot is rather alike and many details in the film.

FernGully: The Last Rainforest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also like Avatar it has a strong environmental message. But one thing one can wonder over about this films that portraits spirits of nature in an Australian rainforest, is why these spirits look so European? Why are the ancient spirits and fairies of Australia white with sometimes blond, or red hair and fair eyes? Why do not the ancient spirits of Australia look like the aboriginal population of the continent, those people whos spirits and mythology usually are connected with the landscape?

http://animatedviews.com/wp-content/.../12/fern11.jpg

Light skinned fairies in Australia

Because it's an American film? :P

Also hmm, I'd heard comparisons before, but never actually seen or heard of the actual film, so I read the plot summary. That is really not the same (even magic aside, plus the completely different ending) other than the extremely vague 'person who didn't care about anything before realises what he's doing and changes sides' which is an EXTREMELY old storyline in one form or another.

Does it really matter? It's a simple asthetic difference.

Because this is America. Just like Jesus is always white.

It matters. And no, it's not an aesthetic different, it's a racial difference. And a large reason why I'm not going to watch the movie again, even though I loved it as a child. I suspect I'll be reduced to spluttering at the fail.

(When one IS Australian, the movies set in Australia are few and far between)

'Why' is easy enough to guess - American movie, and my god, we can't have BLACK FAIRIES (even aside from the fact that 'fairies' are in themselves European). It wouldn't have even occurred to them, I bet.

It never does - sadly, to a lot of Americans, characters must be either generic white, or identifiably American, British or European. I think the expectation is from film makers that people wouldn't be interested in watching anything else, so it becomes fairly self-perpetuating.

I'm not too sure but if that movie were to be remade now I'm sure they would put in indigenous fairies, so the producers don't look racist in any way. Older movies always seem to focus on caucasian tastes because they were seen as the dominant audience back then.

Except for the black man who heroically sacrifices himself. :awesome:

What if they're albino fairies? :p

Did anyone say... only white fairies? :awesome:

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...e-John-001.jpg

Albino fairies would have pale skin, white hair and pinkish eyes..
The picture above though= WIN!!

It is partly Australian (for example it had an Australian producer and involved was an Australian studio).

One can hope that someone one day wll make some beautiful films from Patricia Wrightsons Wirrun books. These books are about a young Aboriginal man who experiences a lot of exciting adventures among native Austrailan spirits of Nature.

The Ice Is Coming (Wirrun, book 1) by Patricia Wrightson

The Dark Bright Water (Wirrun, book 2) by Patricia Wrightson

Journey Behind the Wind (Wirrun, book 3) by Patricia Wrightson

Oh, thank you SO MUCH for these recs - I'll certainly keep my eye out. More things set in my country, with the original cultures, yes please!