If you are unfamiliar with this masterpiece of American cinema, it is a film based loosely on the novel of the same name by Robert Heinlein about an intergalatic war between a protofascist Earthican society and a planet of large insect-like creatures, who just happened to hurtle a meteor into Buenos Aires, which just so happens to be the hometown of the protagonists. The movie is supposed to be highly satirical (just look at other Verhoeven films like the original Robocop in comparison), but there was always something that bothered me about this movie.
You see, the movie begins in the aforementioned Argentinan capital, and three of the four major characters are supposed to be locals. But you wouldn't know that from the casting. It is like they set out to cast the whitest actors to play into the whole jingoist/fascist angle of the movie like somehow the descendants of former Nazis made up the majority of their background.
I mean, look at this guy:
I've seen more melanin in an albino. And Dina Meyers, while being really sexy and all, especially in that coed shower scene, doesn't really fit the role either, though she is perhaps the best actor in that love triangle.
But at least their fourth friend Neil Patrick Harris has an excuse. He is playing a guy named Carl Jenkins and as the movie goes on is dressed stunningly like a Nazi, and let's face it, Doogie had to play that role sometime. I mean, I think it was the stepping stone between being a teenage doctor and an ecstasy freak car thief.
And yes, while I write this, I do realize that a fair complexion does not a non-South American make, as the continent is truly a melting pot. Just look at say Julie Gonzalo or Majandra Delfino who seem to disprove my initial argument. However, the argument I am making is that the movie doesn't accurately display a certain diversity that the setting seems to be begging for.
Now, if Johnny Rico (Caspar Van Diem) and/or Dizzy Flores (Dina Meyers) had been played by actors who brought a little color to their roles, then maybe, maybe Denise Richards (Carmen Ibanez) could have marginally passed the test as being Latin, but then, as both me and Semaj noted, she doesn't really shine in the role anyway.
So I thought, who would I have put into those three pivotal roles.
The rules I followed for this exercise:
1) The actor has to have been working on some level to be considered in my version of the casting before of during the year a project was shot
2) They have to be age appropriate.
3) They shouldn't be huge stars at the time.
And here is what I came up with.
In 1997, Shannyn Sossamon did a few guest shots on Mr. Show, so she was a working actress during that year, she was 19-20 years old, which means that she was also age appropriate for a role, and I think she certainly gives off a lot more emotional warmth than Denise Richards ever did as Carmen Ibanez. Yes, I admit that she isn't Latin, but she is certainly a lot closer to that ideal than Denise Richards.
Clifton Collins Jr. was working for about 10 years when Starship Troopers came out, including a stint in 1996's Sgt. Bilko, so I could easily see him just taking over a role like Johnny Rico. Collins' grandfather, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalaz was also a well known character actor. And yes, I will admit that his turn as Cesar in Grand Theft Auto San Andreas had an effect on my decision, but I still think he had the chops for the project.
And last but certainly not least there would have been Paula Garces as Dizzy Flores. Prior to 1997, she had appeared in Dangerous Minds, Like with Mikey and a few episodic guest starring roles here and there. Of course, I purposely chose a picture of her that was a little more businesslike, but I think she would have brought the sexy in those coed shower scenes and with Mr. Rico when the time was right. And since she was also born in Medillin, Colombia, well, I think that gives her a certain authenticity and by extension the movie would have benefited from that.
And for good measure, I would have cast Scott Caan instead of Jake Busey... just because I could.
I also have to say that if Starship Troopers had been filmed and released in say 1999 or 2000, well, rest assured Rosario Dawson would have definitely gotten the nod for one of those two female lead roles.
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