When you watch old (20+) movies, are you struck by the racism?

[cheapie]

I watched the French connection last night. The main character used a lot of racial epitaths which really didn't bother me because that's still in movies today.

But what struck me is how they showed him going into bars where black guys hung out and every black guy was packing drugs. And he just freely beat the **** out of them w/o a problem. The black guys are usually portraid as lazy, criminals, etc. in the old movies.

There was a scene in the movie where this black transit cop was chasing a French cop in a train. I told my wife...He's gonna die. She asked why? I said...cuz he's a black guy. The black guys always get shot first in these movies. Sure enough, BANG.

Also, the drug guys were all Italian. I guess I noticed cuz movies today seem to put Italians in mob roles and white/hispanic guys in drug lord roles.

[kimchicowboy]

BLAZIN SADDLES! shooots. hahaha. THE post politically incorrect movie ever! :P

[cheapie]

well...not really imho. because it was overtly so. the movie mocked racism.

[DarkFury]

Honestly, it doesn't bother me... since you have to look at these movies within the context in which they were produced...

Getting mad at movies like this would be like getting mad a Mark Twain for producing "Huckelberry Finn and Tom Sawyer" where the only Black character was "N****r Jim" the runaway slave...

Yeah folks get their panties in a wad over this stuff... however I personally wouldn't go there with a 20+ year old movie. Now if this was a current release... and all the Black characters were portrayed this way, then yes... that would cause some issues.

The Blaxploitation era is over.... we can parody it now, however back then, those movies were serious... and that is how society viewed it.

[cheapie]

i'm not pissed about it. i just never really thought about it until i got all the movie channels recently and have been watching old movies that i've heard about.

[speedracer120]

At least you think about such things. It's amazing how people won't even reflect about how how society affects them and what not.

[ialsohaveadream]

If you want a jarring experience, read the autobiography of Langston Hughes. He talks about touring through the Deep South in the first half of the 20th century, and he talks about lynchings and beatings and false imprisonments like we talk about ice cream flavors. It's unnerving.

[gwilks98]

I get my panties in a bunch every time I watch a Martin Lawrence movie or even the show. For a modern day man, he sure likes to play the reverse racist card.

[blueindian]

reverse racist card.

i hate that term.

racism is racism, period.

[gwilks98]

i hate that term.

racism is racism, period.


I agree. But it doesn't make what I said untrue. It's just a description.

[DarkFury]

what is the "reverse racist card"? :shrug:

[ialsohaveadream]

It's like in Uno, where you throw the reverse card, only it's for racism. There's probably also "skip racism" (good) and "wild racism" (not so good).

[speedracer120]

Using Uno to categorize racism. That's a good one. :heh:

[Merlin]

CHUCK D:

Burn Hollywood burn I smell a riot
Goin' on first htey're guilty now they're gone
Yeah I'll check out a movie
But it'll take a Black one to move me
Get me the hell away from this TV
All this news and views are beneath me
Cause all I hear about is shots ringin' out
So I rather kick some slang out
All right fellas let's go hand out
Hollywood or would they not
Make us all look bad like I know they had
But some things I'll never forget yeah
So step and fetch this ****
For all the years we looked like clowns
The joke is over smell the smoke from all around
Burn Hollywood burn

ICE CUBE:

Ice Cube is down with the PE
Now every single bitch wanna see me
Big Daddy is smooth word to muther
Let's check out a flick that exploits the color
Roamin' thru Hollywood late at night
Red and blue lights what a common sight
Pulled to the curb gettin' played like a sucker
Don't fight the power ... the mother ****er

BIG DADDY KANE:

As I walk the streets of Hollywood Boulevard
Thinin' how hard it was to those that starred
In the movies portrayin' the roles
Of butlers and maids slaves and hoes
Many intelligent Black men seemed to look uncivilized
When on the screen
Like a guess I figure you to play some jigaboo
On the plantation, what else can a ****** do
And Black women in this profession
As for playin' a lawyer, out of the question
For what they play Aunt Jemima is the perfect term
Even if now she got a perm
So let's make our own movies like Spike Lee
Cause the roles being offered don't strike me
There's nothing that the Black man could use to earn
Burn Hollywood burn