#TheWomanKing
The "Marvelization" of the Civilization of Dahomey Kingdom By Hollywood

The Woman King is an upcoming American historical epic film directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, from a screenplay she co-wrote with Dana Stevens and a story by Maria Bello. It is based on the true story of the Dahomey Amazons. It stars Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and John Boyega. Davis and Bello also produced the film. The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on September 16, 2022, by Sony Pictures Releasing.

Choosing South Africa to shoot a historical film based on the legendary Amazons of Dahomey Kingdom in West Africa is a falsification of history.
The geography of South Africa is different from the geography of West Africa.
They never lived in such huts and terrain.
#Hollywood is fond of the fabrication and falsification of African history.
The haute couture of the culture is wrong.
The weapons are wrong.
The hairdos are wrong.
The geography is wrong.

They almost don't do any research. Don't even get me started on the wrong accent.

Well, better to have a movie than no movie at all. If it becomes a hit watch every black person on earth try to claim association with the tribe.

meobizy:
Well, better to have a movie than no movie at all. If it becomes a hit watch every black person on earth try to claim association with the tribe.

What they have done is an action film about female gladiators in a kingdom in South Africa and not the Amazons of Dahomey Kingdom.

IbileIfe:

What they have done is an action film about female gladiators in a kingdom in South Africa and not the Amazons of Dahomey Kingdom.

The Hollywood alternative is to not tell a black story in the first place. Better this than nothing. Filming in South Africa doesn’t mean they can’t replicate the West African atmosphere. Captain America’s Lagos scene was filmed in California yet looked visually authentic.

meobizy:
The Hollywood alternative is to not tell a black story in the first place. Better this than nothing. Filming in South Africa doesn’t mean they can’t replicate the West African atmosphere. Captain America’s Lagos scene was filmed in California yet looked visually authentic.

In this case, the production designers failed to depict the appropriate architecture and environment of Dahomey Kingdom in the period of the Amazons.

Historical films on the facts of history should be more factual.
The film adaptation of Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" and "No Longer at Ease" was shot in Ibadan and the production designers made the sets appropriate to the locations described in the novels.

In historical films, you must get the costumes right and characteristics of the personality with the manner of speaking.
You don't produce a historical film on an Irish kingdom without the Irish accent of the people.

Viola Davis as "Nanisca" did not have the accent of the Fon people or any of their mannerisms.

The Amazons were from the Fon people of the Gbe ethnic group of Benin from 18th - 19th centuries.

Photo: "Dahomey Amazon" by Élisée Reclus (1905).

IbileIfe:

In this case, the production designers failed to depict the appropriate architecture and environment of Dahomey Kingdom in the period of the Amazons.

Historical films on the facts of history should be more factual.
The film adaptation of Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" and "No Longer at Ease" was shot in Ibadan and the production designers made the sets appropriate to the locations described in the novels.

In historical films, you must get the costumes right and characteristics of the personality with the manner of speaking.
You don't produce a historical film on an Irish kingdom without the Irish accent of the people.

Viola Davis as "Nanisca" did not have the accent of the Fon people or any of their mannerisms.

The Amazons were from the Fon people of the Gbe ethnic group of Benin from 18th - 19th centuries.

Photo: "Dahomey Amazon" by Élisée Reclus (1905).

I’ll watch the trailer later to get a feel of the final product.

Once again, do you want a story with inaccurate research or no story told at all? From what I’m seeing this is a case of white people telling an African tale. If Hollywood had African people in powerful positions things would turn out different. If anything I believe black producers would rather create white stories than look our way. God knows the bastardization of a story Tyler Perry would craft if handed the mantle to produce this.

meobizy:
I’ll watch the trailer later to get a feel of the final product.

Once again, do you want a story with inaccurate research or no story told at all? From what I’m seeing this is a case of white people telling an African tale. If Hollywood had African people in powerful positions things would turn out different. If anything I believe black producers would rather create white stories than look our way. God knows the bastardization of a story Tyler Perry would craft if handed the mantle to produce this.

I loved "Black Panther", including the Sambisa Forrest scene.
But "The Woman King" is about female gladiators in an African Kingdom and not about the Amazons of Dahomey.

IbileIfe:

I loved "Black Panther", including the Sambisa Forrest scene.
But "The Woman King" is about female gladiators in an African Kingdom and not about the Amazons of Dahomey.

Now you’re typing in circles. I watched the trailer and the producers went with a tried and successful formula. I won’t blame them. If you do then that’s on you. Most people in the comments section are eager to watch the movie. I am too.

That’s the end of my replies until I watch the movie.

meobizy:
Now you’re typing in circles. I watched the trailer and the producers went with a tried and successful formula. I won’t blame them. If you do then that’s on you. Most people in the comments section are eager to watch the movie. I am too.

That’s the end of my replies until I watch the movie.

Fantastic entertainment.
But the real historical film on the Amazons of Dahomey has not been done

Who was the first Dahomey Amazon?
According to historian Bienvenu Akoha, the first Amazon was Tassi Hangbe, daughter of King Houegbadja, founder of the Dahomey kingdom, and the twin sister of King Akaba. In 1708 after the latter's death following a long illness, she was silently installed as the head of the military. It was only after returning from her military campaigns that she was publicly proclaimed Queen of Dahomey.
https://www.dw.com/en/the-amazons-the-female-strike-force-of-the-dahomey-kingdom-benin-african-roots/a-57010794