'Ghost In The Shell' Was But a Ghost Of Its Source Material

Post date: Apr 11, 2018 4:20:5 AM

Even before the 2017 live-action remake of the classic Japanese sci-fi flick “Ghost in the Shell” opened in cinemas, fans of the anime were already wondering why it was headlining non-Japanese actors. True enough, this casting conundrum became one of the top reasons the film flopped at the box office.

Image source:theverge.com

Many believe that the producers took the robotic-body technology or “shell” that the film is premised on literally. Since these bodies are just manufactured to house the “ghost” or soul, they probably thought it would be okay to have Scarlett Johansson, Juliet Binoche, and Michael Pitt play the leading roles.

But with the source material having characters with names like Motoko Kusanagi and Hideo Kuze, the decision proved baffling for devout worldwide fans and an outright travesty among Japanese viewers. The film itself is well-made and mostly remained faithful to the original plot, but it was hard to dismiss the presence of these Caucasian actors. Not even their Japanese-style hairdos and revered Japanese actor Takeshi Kitano’s supporting role in the film could save the movie from the backlash.

Image source: polygon.com

Had “Ghost in the Shell” stuck with a full Japanese cast and a less Hollywood-like treatment, it would have been one of the best sci-fi films in 2017, rivaling the likes of “Blade Runner 2049” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.” Sadly, the perceived “whitewashing” just became a bitter pill that the producers had no other choice but to swallow.

Hello, there. My name’sJoe Cianciotto from San Francisco. I’m a huge fan of sci fi films and superhero blockbusters. More of my film musings and insights here.