Films that have aged because of bad behaviour

[Soldier Of Misfortune]

In many of those eras, they didn't have toilets so carried around buckets or just shat their pants. The dress department usually overlooks that and it doesn't take away from the film.

My favourite movies are period accurate movies where everyone just shits their pants. I feel like I'm really there.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Should period movies and tv shows that are made now include things like homophobia, the n word etc to accurately depict the eras they are showing?

Or does that help perpetuate attitudes and language that are no longer acceptable?

It depends if it's important to the story. You can't have Django Unchained without depicting slavery and racism. But I don't think anyone would be organising people auctions and dishing out the n word after watching it.

From an early age we know the difference between stories and our real world. Also, film makers often put a modern spin on historical scenarios. Attitudes and language that are no longer acceptable are rarely, if ever, presented in a good light. Though some of the best material realistically shows how good people can be drawn into doing bad things.

 

[emuboy]

When I was young I loved Fat Albert and The Cosby Kids,

Im not sure what that would be called these days;

Maybe something like, "Unfortunate Albert who has a Disfunctioning and Slow Digestive System, and The Cosby Kids: Sleeping even deeper than their mums.

There's something in the opening in 'Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids' that definitely falls into the 'That didn't age well' file, where Bill Cosby breaks the fourth wall and directly addresses the audience and says, "This is Bill Cosby coming at you with music and fun, and if you're not careful you might learn something before it's done." It now sounds very different than it would have done 10 years or more ago ...

It's funny (peculiar) how seemingly innocent lines in TV shows or movies years later can take on a whole different meaning after real life events. For example, in the late 1980s there was an American sitcom called 'My Sister Sam' which included a young rising star actress called Rebecca Schaeffer, who while working on the show attracted the interest of a stalker. The stalker seemed to be more a nuisance than a danger to the young actress, until the day in 1989 he went to her house and shot her dead when she answered the door. What is really eerie is that the opening lyrics of the 'My Sister Sam' theme song begin, "Everything starts with a knock at the door, you don't know who it is, but you know who it's for..'

In a 2010 episode of Glee, the Glee Club teacher Mr. Schue is trying to motivate his very much unmotivated students, and tries a new tactic, writing the year 2020 on the whiteboard and asking where they see themselves a decade on. One of the boys, a jock football player named Noah 'Puck' Puckerman laughs and gives a smart-ass answer, "Jail, dead, or both." In 2018 and three years after Glee finished the actor who played this character, Mark Salling, took his own life while on bail and awaiting a prison sentence for possession of illegal pornography.

 

[PhatBoy]

and do our stories need heroes and morals? Can they just be the tale of something that happened that wasn't good and wasn't fixed?

They would just be dramatised documentaries.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Should period movies and tv shows that are made now include things like homophobia, the n word etc to accurately depict the eras they are showing?

Or does that help perpetuate attitudes and language that are no longer acceptable?

The answer to the first question is yes.

The art of story telling when it comes to period peaces is to be as realistic as possible. Its how people buy into the story. I do think though depicting an era in all its glory can be unnecessary if it plays no part in the plot. But if its beneficial to adding depth to the plot then absolutely.

Getting modern day actors to perform these roles is increasingly difficult however and even now many rabbit on about movies they regret. When secretly we know they dont. They just want to disown something that could question their character.

The second question is No. They dont increase bad behaviors. I think that is fear mongering to stop these stories from seeing the light of day. Often those offended by movies that have come out depicting the use of no longer acceptable behavior and stereotypes are offended because it was made and havent actually seen the movie and only been told 2nd hand.

Overall movies should go as hard as they need to to tell the story as well as it can be possibly told.

 

[adelaidecrows]

and do our stories need heroes and morals? Can they just be the tale of something that happened that wasn't good and wasn't fixed?

isnt that roadhouse?

but yes of course. we dont need a lecture. being entertained should be enough.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

My mother in law loves the movie, The Dam Busters.

When she watches it, she invariably posts online that she's watched it.

I follow up with the question, 'what's the name of the dog again?'.

She never answers me.

 

[PhatBoy]

My mother in law loves the movie, The Dam Busters.

When she watches it, she invariably posts online that she's watched it.

I follow up with the question, 'what's the name of the dog again?'.

She never answers me.

Cue the conversation between David Brent and Gareth.’it was the 50s before racism was bad.’

 

[Frank Bunn]

My mother in law loves the movie, The Dam Busters.

When she watches it, she invariably posts online that she's watched it.

I follow up with the question, 'what's the name of the dog again?'.

She never answers me.

The issue of the dog's name is possibly a reason the remake didn't happen. Peter Jackson wanted to keep the original name but knew they would be accused of racism. Exec producer, David Frost, suggested 'Nigsy'. The writer, Stephen Fry, wanted to go with 'Digger'.