when the protangonist isn't the point

[odditycollector]

After my post on albinism, I was recommended Powder as a movie with positive portrayal of someone with the condition. I did not find that to be the case.

Even ignoring the terrible makeup - the actor is painted with thick white makeup that does not reflect light naturally, and only occasionally is tinted to show evidence of a working circulatory system - this is the summary I got after sitting through the whole thing:

Grieving boy with albinism is bullied and ostracized by a small town community until he commits suicide. This is meant to be a somewhat uplifting event, as by then he's taught several members of that community important life lessons (and now there is no need for him anymore).

I appreciate that the character is not a villain, and that his "superpowers" are not magic albino powers. But "we drove this person to kill themselves, but it is okay because we will always remember them" is not a positive moral. I had a hard time watching.

(And yes, I see the parallels to other "Magic Minority" stories.)

Comments

[count-fenring.livejournal.com]

Also, I'm led to understand that Powder is really creepy when you realize that, in fact, it was directed by a gay pedophile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Salva).

[odditycollector.livejournal.com]

...well, that does make several filming decisions... something... in retrospect.