ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXProblematic films...
1 year, 7 months ago - Tina Walker
Hi everyone,
This Christmas my family and I were discussing 'Braveheart' and it led to a long and VERY funny discussion about problematic films that seemed normal at the time but that simply WOULD NOT get made today... For the best. But then the conversation became less funny as I realised some films I cherish would be considered unethically made by today's standards (and rightly so).
I'm going to list a few of the films that came up in conversation below.
What films (good and bad ones) do you think wouldn't get made today?
What films do you love that would need to get made VERY differently by today's filmmaking standards?
I realise I might be opening a can of worms, sorry in advance SP moderators!
Tina
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1 year, 7 months ago - Tina Walker
A few films that were brought into question...
- Flash Gordon (which I loved growing up, and have just read that the 'racist villain figure caused the BBFC to raise Flash Gordon’s age rating in 2020, with a warning about “discriminatory stereotypes” added to its recent re-release').
- Christiane F. (due to the age of the young actors and how consent was managed on set)
- Last Tango in Paris (for *obvious* reasons)
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s (again, which I used to love! But features an infamous racist caricature that is truly terrible)
Response from 1 year, 7 months ago - Tina Walker SHOW
1 year, 7 months ago - Xenia Glen
Hi Tina,
Thanks for posting this, I'm also curious to hear other people's thoughts!
The first two that come to mind are 'The Danish Girl' (when Eddie Redmayne played a transgender character) and 'Aloha' (when Emma Stone took on a character based on a REAL person of Hawaiian and Asian heritage). Come to think of it, both of those characters are based on real people, which makes it all the more shocking. But in both cases, everyone involved has admitted mistakes and apologised, onwards and upwards.
I'm sure there are loads of other examples.
Oh, how could I forget, 'Soul Man'! I think this one came out in the '80s and is about a young white man who pretends to be a black man to win a college scholarship. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091991/
Response from 1 year, 7 months ago - Xenia Glen SHOW
1 year, 7 months ago - Ray Brady
Hi Xenia,
Playing the Devil's Advocate here but:
"'The Danish Girl' (when Eddie Redmayne played a transgender character)"...really?
Are you seriously saying that only a transgender actor can now play a transgender character?
I have a project in which the main character is a serial killer. Do you suggest that I should only put out a casting call for real serial killers to apply for the part, please?
How about a character in a film, TV drama or play to play the part of an abusive parent, only actors with real experience of abusing their children can apply?
To play the character of Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, are you saying that only Jewish actors are now allowed to play that character.
Sorry, but I am a little confused by what you seem to be saying, about what you are allowing actors to portray.
Please give me your definition of the word Actor/Actress?
I guess I am not qualified to ask you this question as I am neither a lawyer nor have ever worked for the Devil.
Response from 1 year, 7 months ago - Ray Brady SHOW
1 year, 7 months ago - Peter Spencer
And of course Felicity Hoffman playing a man transitioning to a woman (complete with prosthetic penis) in 'Transamerica'
Response from 1 year, 7 months ago - Peter Spencer SHOW
1 year, 7 months ago - Peter Spencer
And a latina, Ana de Armas playing a non-latina 'Marilyn Monroe' in 'Blonde'.
But she does a great job.
Response from 1 year, 7 months ago - Peter Spencer SHOW
1 year, 7 months ago - Peter Spencer
But Braveheart was co-funded and produced by Mel Gibson (I'm not a particular Gibson fan) and he's entitled to spend his own money to make the films he wants to make. In the same way people who make short films can fund themselves to make the films they want.
And I recall it was received well and won awards. Is the argument that only Scots people can fund it, write it, star in it, produce it and crew it? Only Scots can do the PR for the film? Good luck with that.
Response from 1 year, 7 months ago - Peter Spencer SHOW