GHOSTMAN is a film about an alienated albino man, hungry for a normal life, who gives up being "the greatest thief in the world" to be with the girl he loves, until an axe-wielding crime boss discovers his secret identity and forces him back into the game....

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To prove it is working by Stealth, an up and coming writer by the name of Maciej Ficner is writing a book "That's a colour, too", about a 9 year old albino boy (and yes he is a good boy) and his  influence has come from Bianca's web site, he has just written to thank her and us on giving him a real insight to albinism that he was not aware of.......... and so it begins.......... by this time next year you will have an albino, speaking with an English accent and playing the part of an Angel.... ummmmm ok, perhaps not but, think positive and it could happen.  

This is bought to our attention by Robinson Mason with an extract of his comments......

This was the image of Albinism I had as a teen, when I read some of these books.  Because Elric (despite his "weakened" condition without his sword and spells and herb lore) is the hero of these books, I always thought of albinos as very rare and special in a good way.

The story of Elric, the last emperor of Melniboné, ruler of the dreaming city and keeper of the ruby throne, brings together many images of life and death, fate versus free will, generations of tradition and the destruction of that tradition, thought versus action, evil versus good , law versus chaos, and the difficulties faced when trying to reconcile and make meaning out of one's own existence. It is also a vehicle for Michael Moorcock to expound on yet another incarnation of "The Eternal Champion", a theme that runs throughout many of his fantasy novels.

Elric of Melniboné: "It is the colour of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair which flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody, and from the loose sleeves of his yellow gown emerge two slender hands, also the colour of bone".

Thus begins Michael Moorcock's description of Elric. He is, as we read through the series, the last ruler of the dreaming city Imrryr. He was born an albino and requires large amounts of sorceress drugs to maintain his strength and life. He is the 428th ruler in direct line of descent from the first sorcerer emperor of Melniboné. Due to his weakened condition he has delved into the secrets of many sorceress books and the study and practice of herb lore to sustain himself. Through this process of self enlightenment he has developed a very curious side effect of introspective self loathing for the traditions of his empire, and his inability to fit in to the role of the traditional Melniboné emperor............................

If you are unaware of this book series, you might give it a read. For more information go to this link http://www.stormbringer.net/elric.html

 

Review by LEW LASHMIT Albino character in "Venture Bros" "The Venture Brothers", a cartoon currently showing weeknights on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The show is a spoof of action adventure kiddie stuff like "Johnny Quest" and "The Hardy Boys", and unlike most of the rest of Adult Swim's line-up, it's very well designed and consistently funny. The somewhat unfortunately named Pete White is a computer specialist and co-owner of "Conjectural Technologies", along with neurogeneticst Master Billy Quizboy, a hydrocephalic "boy genius" (it later turns out he's in his 40's and is just short, but "adult genius" just doesn't sound as impressive). Pete is voiced by writer/director Jackson Publick (in a strong New England accent modelled on his father, Pete). The character's very well drawn - complete with a striking asymmetric hairdo based on the guy from The Human League - he's coloured with a fairly accurate pinkish skin tone and in close-ups his eyes are coloured red. There's only one time I can specifically remember anyone pointing out his albinism, in "Tag Sale, You're It!" when he and Billy are trying to convince Dr. Girlfriend to be their arch enemy. Pete: (in an polite, introductory tone of voice) And I'm an albino. Billy: (interrupting) You can kill him with light! You could call yourself 'The Deadly Flame' . . . or 'Hot Pants'. for more information and clip: www.adultswim.com/shows/homemovies/ Our thanks to Lew for his input...........

MATRIX RELOADED We haven't seen the film yet, so if you would like to e-mail your point of view to me and I will print your review on this particular film. the following is one that has been sent in:.     Film review by Gavin Charlesworth I never thought of the Twins as Albinos but obviously I can see how others might have, but in a film full of such diverse and very different characters such as The Matrix I just thought of these guys more as ghosts (due to there ability to sort of become transparent and float in the air and walk through solid objects) that looked cool in white. This one is open to debate:. Another review by Liz Hunt: The Twins are supposed to be ghost like creatures, not albinos. At one point in the movie as the character Persephone helps the protagonists out, she explains how there have been many Matrixes before, and that different kinds of agents were created with each upgrade to try and keep things under control. However typically they made things worse, and were written into humanity's mind as werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. Some were able to escape the purging however by working for her husband. This includes the Twins, who were supposed to be like ghosts, thus the pale looks and the ability to turn incorporeal. The writers and directors of the film have actually stated this quite a bit, as they did not want people to have negative beliefs towards albinos.  So, there is some hope for some of the people in Hollywood yet:.

DIE ANOTHER DAY: Directed by Lee Tamahori released 20/11/02

Zao, the character being portrayed as an albino villain in the Bond movie.

We haven't seen the film yet, so if you would like to e-mail your point of view to me and I will print your review on this particular character.

Film review by Gavin Charlesworth

First the character Zao in Die Another Day while I guess you could draw comparisons to Albinism in his appearance he was actually meant to be sort of a blank canvas as he was going through some kind of genetic alteration to change his appearance where by the procedure is to first remove all physical genetic characteristics and then implant new ones and the procedure was interrupted (by the infamous Bond) before it was completed, leaving the character sort of blank in appearance. Therefore the character could be perceived as an albino but in my view, I don't think that was the intention.

THE TIME MACHINE:  Directed by Simon Wells, 2002.

Adapted from H.G. Wells's 1895 science fiction novel of the same name, this newest of two film versions is directed by Wells's great-grandson. The story follows Alexander Hartdegen, a scientist and inventor who is determined to undo the tragic events leading to the death of his fiancée by finding a way to travel through time. He succeeds in creating a time machine, and winds up projecting himself 800,000 years into the future. To his horror and dismay, he encounters the Morlocks, a race of hideous, underground-dwelling beings who prey upon human flesh.

ME, MYSELF, & IRENE:  Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly, 2000. 

This slapstick comedy features a character called "Whitey" and "Casper" who is openly ridiculed about his albinism. His use of a bioptic (a telescopic lens mounted on glasses), which some people with albinism use to help improve their distance vision, is also mocked in the movie.

Rintaro's X-1999:  Clamp Studios, 1999.

While not identified with albinism explicitly, the character of Hinoto in the Japanese anime eco-epic

X-1999 displays many of the physical traits stereotypically associated with the condition. Her eyes alternate between red and purple (left) and, like many other "albino" characters, she is portrayed as severely handicapped — blind, deaf, mute, diminutive in frame, and unable to walk — while also possessing counterbalancing supernatural abilities; in this case, telepathy and dreamweaving. She is sought out by the most powerful political figures in Japan, and guides the hero of the story, Kamui, on his quest to save the earth.

On the bright side, Hinoto is shown to be a sympathetic and benevolent character with valuable aid to offer. However, her multiple handicaps reflect a common misconception amongst even the medical community about the effects of albinism on the body.

END OF DAYS:  Directed by Peter Hyams, 1999.

This horror film revolves around Satan's release from Hell just prior to the second millennium. It is prophesied that his success in impregnating a human female by the end of 1999 will usher in the apocalypse and preserve his freedom. The target woman receives ominous visitations from demonic entities amidst her daily life, including a character referred to only as "Albino" in the credits.

DISTURBING BEHAVIOUR:  Directed by David Nutter, 1998.

This story is set in a high school whose students have had their brains surgically altered to suppress their rebellious tendencies. However, this causes a build up of negative emotions leading to random acts of violence. "U.V.," a character with albinism, is one of a group of "misfits" who has not yet been subjected to the operation. He and his friends band together to prevent further proliferation of the procedure and to expose the madness of its creator, whose vision of a perfect race includes total conformity. Although U.V.'s uniqueness puts him on the fringe, it is also a key factor enabling him to advance the cause undertaken by the story's main protagonists. He emerges as both likable and somewhat heroic, which is refreshing and unusual for fictional characters with albinism.

POWDER:  Directed by Victor Salva, 1995.

Young Jeremy Reed, born to a mother struck by lightning while she was pregnant, is diagnosed with albinism at birth and later, with the ability to conduct electricity all over his body. His head is completely bald, his skin stark-white, and his eyes pink. Though extraordinarily intelligent and empathic, his life is a constant struggle, as he is rejected by his father shortly after being born, spends his childhood in a basement locked up by his grandparents, endures merciless treatment from his peers, and loses his only chance at romantic love. In the end, he leaves the world behind via self-electrocution, his bodily energy dissipating in a powerful burst as he places himself in the path of a brilliant bolt of lightning.

Though deserving credit for at least putting a character with albinism in the role of the protagonist, this film still perpetuates the concept of people with albinism as freaks with no place in society. Additionally, Jeremy's physical features are extremely artificial (one could even see the cakey residue of the unnaturally white makeup the actor was wearing) and he is more often addressed by "Powder," the nickname given to him because of his skin colour, than by his real name.

THE SIMPSON'S HALLOWEEN SPECIAL:  Aired mid-'90s, written by Matt Groening

In the wake of a nuclear accident Homer Simpson sets off, survivors are transformed into pale, menacing creatures who live underground. He drives through the streets and comes upon the Winter brothers, two musicians with albinism, as they are loading equipment onto their truck below a marquee with their names on it. He associates them with the radioactively altered mutants and runs them over with his car, yelling, "Die, chalk-faced scum!"

"STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE "BLOOD OATH" Episode:  

Aired 1994, written by Peter Alan Fields.

A crusade is undertaken by Lt. Dax and three Klingon warriors to seek revenge against a villain known as "The Albino" by hunting him down and killing him. "The Albino" has murdered one of the Klingon's sons, and the bereaved father vows to "cut out [The Albino's] heart and eat it while he watches with his dying breath."

THE FIRM:  Directed by Sidney Pollack, 1993.

A hired hitman for a law firm connected to organized crime is said to be an "albino" with "long blond hair, almost white, and weird blue eyes," and is shot by his own cohort near the end as both are attempting to kill the hero.

LETHAL WEAPON:  Directed by Richard Donner, 1987.

Another evil hitman, this one legally blind, at one point makes direct hits through plate glass from a helicopter. The protagonist calls him, amidst a stream of curses, an "albino" and later succeeds in killing him.

THE PRINCESS BRIDE:  

Directed by Rob Reiner, 1987.

A lumbering, hunchbacked lackey who is one of the "bad guys" is referred to as "The Albino," both by the other characters and in the closing credits.

VAMP:  Directed by Richard Wenk, 1986.

A red-eyed, white mutant named Snow is called a "psychotic albino" in the midst of a coffee-shop brawl that he is involved in and subsequently loses. He and a gang of other "albinos" later chase the protagonist through the sewers but are defeated when vampires attack them.

STICK:  Directed by Burt Reynolds, 1985.

"Snow White" and "Bunny Eyes" are the epithets given to a sadistic, drug-lord strong-arm with a bad make-up job designed to resemble a person with albinism. He eventually meets his death by plummeting to the ground from a tower.

FOUL PLAY:  

Directed by Colin Higgins, 1978.

A shockingly white "albino" with a twisted agenda divides his energies between stalking the leading lady and attempting to kill the Pope. The film comes to a climax when he is shot through the neck by the hero.

ALBINO:  Directed by Jürgen Goslar, 1976.  (German)

An "albino" African terrorist leader and woman-stalker leaves fear and horror in his wake.

THE EIGER SANCTION:  Directed by Clint Eastwood, 1975.

A murderous crime boss named Dragon describes himself as "a total albino...the slightest amount of direct light is painful to my eyes," and says that his skin will burn instantly if he leaves his red-lit room. Dragon's condition is further dramatized by his being extremely susceptible to infection, and by his explaining that he requires periodic and lengthy blood transfusions to avoid falling prey to severe illness.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN:  Directed by John Huston, 1972.

Stacey Keach plays "Bad Bob," an Old West-style villain with albinism who is most likely a parody of real-life blues-rock musician Johnny Winter who, unlike the film actor, actually has albinism.

THE OMEGA MAN:  Directed by Boris Sagal, 1971.

A rampant virus causes those it infects to lose their pigment. They cannot stand bright light and become nocturnal stalkers dressed in hooded black robes, attempting to kill the few not yet infected. One of the protagonists shoots at them, but they capture him and try to sacrifice him in a darkened Yankee Stadium. Their efforts are thwarted when the rescuers switch on the lights, sending the evil horde scurrying from the scene of the crime.

This consistent pattern of degrading portrayals makes a troubling statement about the way albinism is viewed by the general public. Furthermore, these characterisations amplify and reinforce the social stigma associated with the condition. The Albinism Fellowship & National Organization for Albinism and Hypo-pigmentation (NOAH) (see Links Page) & (Credits & Links (coming soon) along with other organizations are doing their best to combat such treatment by the media and to educate people on a large scale.  This site is just collating as much as can be found on the web and by personal and other means, so as to, hopefully give people a chance to learn and understand from a relaxed and simplistic way.........

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Music Artists

While mythological representations of albinism abound, many people have never seen a real individual with the condition. The fact that it is relatively rare contributes to its elusiveness, but some who have it are quite well-known public figures.

J O H N N Y  &   E D G A R  W I N T E R
t h e    b l u e s    b r o t h e r s

Y E L L O W M A N
r e g g a e   r e b e l

Born in Jamaica in 1956 as Winston Foster, the person who would come to be known as Yellowman faced a youth fraught with hardship. Because of his albinism, a condition that was looked down upon by natives of his country, he endured hostility and scorn from those around him and was placed in an institution. During those difficult years, he drew inspiration from the Jamaican folk music of the sixties, which encouraged him to create his own songs in the hopes that he would one day gain acceptance in spite of the stigma placed upon him. In the course of his quest for fame and validation, Yellowman developed a bold, cocky personal style and engaged in shameless self-promotion, garnering the attention and opportunities he needed to showcase his abilities. With a major talent show victory under his belt by 1979, Yellowman went on to make scores of recordings, reaching close to 40 by 1982. He thrilled audiences with his wild, raunchy dancehall performances, which transformed him into a national sex symbol. Yellowman eventually became Jamaica's top-selling reggae star, and scored a recording contract with US label CBS Records, leading to a worldwide tour and an international following. One reviewer remarks, "Listening to Yellowman sing is like watching Michael Jordan play basketball. He knows he's got it, you know he's got it, and it's a trip just experiencing him perform." In recent years, Yellowman's bouts with throat cancer and skin cancer have resulted in a mellower, more serious approach to his music, but like the struggles of his early days, he has not let these difficulties stand in the way of his aspirations.

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S A L I F  K E I T A
" T h e   G o l d e n   V o i c e   o f   M a l i "

Public Figures

R E V.   W I L L I A M   A R C H I B A L D   S P O O N E R
l e a v i n g   a   l i n g u i s t i c   l e g a c y

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Information & pictures used on this page have been originally collated together & duplicated from other Web sites. The information is only as accurate and complete as what exists on those sites and through other sources.  

Any additional information that you may be personally aware of or just discovered on the web would be very much appreciated and will be posted if appropriate and with sufficient information.

Check out Albinism Credits & Links to do with this page and others ...............