Genghis Khan is Not Japanese.

The story of fearless Mongolian leader Genghis Khan has been told in many different ways over time, but one of the more recent adaptations was done in Japanese, with Japanese actors. My friend James Lee reviewed it for the SF Weekly:

The film shows the sensitive side of Genghis Khan, as he sheds more tears than blood. However, the horrible directing, diarrhea dialogue, and laughable acting makes the whole thing seem like a war reenactment made for TV. In one scene, a brave enemy asks Genghis (actually pronounced “Chingis,” and the one thing the movie gets right) that he wants an honorable death and doesn’t want any blood spilt, so the soldier requests to get strangled by Khan’s own hands, and I wanted to form a line behind him.

I have to agree, it really wasn't that good. I walked out about 3/4 of the way in. I just think that movies about a certain nationality/people should be represented to the extent possible by their own people. Same deal with some of the "Japanese" actors in Heroes.

Comments

[vagrant]

I'm down with that. If the characters of the story are of a certain heritage, get an actor of that heritage. If they can speak the language of the society you're producing it for, *bonus*, if not, use sub-titles.

I can't stand to watch foreign movies in English. You lose the expression of the actors.

I'm not about to watch Zatoichi with an American accent, nor would I want Clint Eastwood speaking Japanese.

It was Chinese city in Memoirs of a Geisha. I couldn't believe that...wait...I'm ranting.

Anyways, watashi mo.

[kungfupiggy]

During the WWII, Japanese army raided Kahn's tomb, took his remains and declared that his was a Japanese. It is believed that his remains and treasures are hidden in the Philippines where the Japanese arm force last stationed.

I guess it is really hard to find Mongolian actors. I can only think of one actress and few Olympians.

[YoppaRaian]

hey now, kankokujin or not, James Kyson Lee, who plays Ando, is the only decent actor on the show.