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A while back a casting agent here on tribe was looking for a bellydancer to replace Mayte Garcia in the movie, "Charlie Wilson's War" (a Tom Hanks & Julia Roberts movie, soon to open). It created quite a stir, and Mayte (Prince's former wife) was indeed replaced at the real-life Charlie Wilson's behest. (He felt the real-life bellydancer was just "so good," and "spectacular." The two were also a couple for awhile). Well, I just saw the trailer to the movie and the clips shown of the dancer (an unknown actress / dancer to me) depict her performing risque movements -- laying on the floor on her side and parting her legs, leaning backward over a table as she slides up to & seductively reaches around a man.... I guess I shouldn't be surprised since it's Hollywood -- they're going to sell sex. I don't even see the real-life dancer's name (Carol Shannon) listed as one the characters any longer (it used to be listed but now it's been changed to just 'dancer' -- I assume to reduce the character's importance). It's just disappointing to see bellydancers depicted as sluts once again. I'm hoping the movie does a little more justice than the trailer, but I'm definitely not hanging veil on that one:
imdb.com/title/tt04720...lay-E35211-314
imdb.com/title/tt04720...lay-E35211-314
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Mon, November 12, 2007 - 7:50 AMI saw this one a few weeks ago. I got really excited when the bellydancer appeared on screen and then became pretty dismayed when they showed the leg-spreading part. Hopefully it's something that will make sense in context.
From www.WorstPreviews.com:
"On one occasion, he even brought a belly dancer from Texas to the Egyptian embassy to entertain the Egyptian minister of defense. The belly dancer was nothing more than a stripper who went far and beyond anything that the Egyptians had seen, but everyone enjoyed themselves and he was able to enlist their help."
From an article reviewing the book Charlie Wilson's War at salon.com:
The ladies in his life included a Playmate, a former Miss World contestant, an east Texas divorcée who became his personal belly dancer, and a Houston socialite who so endeared herself to the Pakistan dictator Mohammed Zia ul-Haq that Pakistan's then ambassador to the U.S. made her the country's honorary consul.
So, based on these two reviews, I would say that the "bellydancer" had questionable credentials at best and was really just a stripper pretending to be a bellydancer. I would hope that the movie would make the distinction, although I'm sure it won't. I will try to reserve judgment until I actually see it.
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Mon, November 12, 2007 - 9:02 AMI don't believe she was a stripper. I believe the comment that "she was nothing more than a stripper" is just making an assumption. From what I've read about the real Carol Shannon, she was a bonafide belly dancer who not only performed on a regular basis in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but also taught many other bellydancers as well. From news articles about the movie and her (google "Carol Shannon bellydancer") she is still alive, has a daughter, works for SW Airlines as a flight stewardess, and still occasionally performs. -
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Mon, November 12, 2007 - 9:47 AMI wasn't making an assumption. I was quoting one source that said she was a stripper and a second that I will confess I misread as saying that the "personal bellydancer" was also a "Playmate." I intended no offense to the actual Carol Shannon.
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Mon, November 12, 2007 - 10:28 AMI believe your SOURCE's comment was making an assumption, not you.
The point of the thread, however, is Hollywood depicting bellydancers as sluts and selling sex. I find this very disappointing since it continues to happen. In addition, I read from Princess Farhana's website that she taught the actress/ dancer (whom she identifies as Tracy Phillips) a sword dance for the movie, so it will be interesting to see if the scene made the cut as well as if the movie editors gave sword dancing its justice -- instead of, again, reducing it to sex.
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Mon, November 12, 2007 - 10:40 AMcorrection, P. Farhana taught the actress technique, the choreographer is identified as Fatima Robinson:
www.princessfarhana.com/news.htm -- under "On the Silver Screen" -
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Mon, November 12, 2007 - 11:44 AM<<I believe your SOURCE's comment was making an assumption, not you.>>
okay, I see where you're coming from now. And yes, I wondered whether the statement was based more on the writer's assumptions and misgivings about ME dance, rather than what is actually presented in the film or what existed in reality.
Interestingly, I looked up both Tracy Phillips and Fatima Robinson.
Tracy Phillips appears to be an accomplished dancer, but I couldn't find anything referencing previous BD experience. Fatima Robinson also appears to have top choreography credentials. She's done choreo for numerous music videos and films, but I couldn't find anything regarding bellydance experience.
<<The point of the thread, however, is Hollywood depicting bellydancers as sluts and selling sex. I find this very disappointing since it continues to happen.>>
Yes, and I agree with you. It is disappointing, especially in a film with such a high-profile cast that looks like it's expected to be a very Big Deal. I do think it I'm reluctant to get too upset about it though until I've seen the film and can see it for myself.
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Sun, November 18, 2007 - 8:07 PMJust for fact checking purposes, I grew up in Texas and my father knew Carol Shannon. We read the Charlie Wilson book by George Crile, and she was depicted accurately in the book. I haven't seen the movie yet, but it sounds like they took the usual Hollywood liberties. -
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Sun, November 18, 2007 - 8:19 PMHi SammyJo! Thanks for contributing your knowledge to this thread! Did you ever see the real Carol Shannon dance?
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Mon, November 19, 2007 - 1:59 PMI have seen Carol Shannon dance. I also have a September/October 1977 issue of The Belly Dancer magazine in which Carol Shannon is the featured portrait, ie center fold picture, plus another of her with Bert Balladine. -
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Re: the trailer to "Charlie Wilson's War"
Mon, November 19, 2007 - 2:32 PMI have posted a picture of Carol and Bert from the May/June 1977 issue. There are also picture in the November/December 1976 issue.
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