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Return of the Minstrel show?
June 12, 2011 - 10:19pm
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I just saw an old movie on "Turners Classic Movies", which was basically just a minstrel show on film. Hardly a classic of any sort. This is about the third time this month I've seen something like it. Has anyone else seen one, and second, should/could complaints be made?
What was the name of the film?
"One for the Books", I think. Light fantasy supposedly based on various historical novels, but most of what I saw was clearly just a minstrel show with a female blonde lead and all white band. Well, everyone was white but you know what I mean. CBC ran one even worse recently, but wouldn't even want to describe it. I don't like this trend.
If it's a set of old movies, I think its more of a showcase of film histor than anything else. I also don't think it will stir up anything racial and if anything, complaining and attracting attention toward it will stir up racists more than the shows themselves
That being said, I am disheartened about the CBC showings. When did you see the film?
By no means should one complain. These films are historical artefacts, and should not be censored.
You might as well call for the censorship of monster movies such "Them" and "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" as they are metaphors for the threat of communism and the need for dealing ruthlessly with the invaders.
Yes, but I wonder if they should be shown on "Turner Classic Movies" without comment.
I would give up cinema forever before I would condone censoring this film, but it needs a healthy dose of context and commentary if you want to show it on primetime television (or anywhere, for that matter):
Well, given that Robert Osborne provides a spoken introduction and summary to every film, that would be unlikely.
People get their noses out of joint over obvious racism such as that mentioned above, but has anyone noticed, or so much as commented upon, how racism pervades, say, the Indiana Jones movies?
Should they be shown on TV?
Yeah, it's a point well-taken. I watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom a few years back and I could not believe what I was seeing. I think that Hollywood's entrenched racism and sexism should be addressed, but perhaps a pre-film lecture is not the best way to do it. Ideally, film critics, promoters, actors and producers would be having a public conversation about the hegemonic myths Hollywood historically trades in, exposing them and working to move past them. Speaking of fantasy, here's It's a Wonderful Life...
I wouldn't be quite so sanguine about this, tv has always been the most heavily censored and controlled medium. These shows are not even remotely justifiable as dated works of art like say "Showboat" or "Merchant of Venice" nor are they cinematically important history like "Birth of a Nation" or "Gone with the Wind". They were pure and simple racist tracks, one quite overtly hateful, with no indentifiable redeeming value (including "lite" entertainment, far as I could see) except possibily as a signal that the neo-Confederacy is losing all fear of us and letting us in on its ultimate intentions. This is not a healthy trend, if that is indeed what it is. Has anyone else here seen anything similar recently, any late night movie viewers out there?
Ya, Temple of Doom had a lot of racist elements in it, from its colonialist themes to its crude characterizations, fact I'm surprised I didn't notice more when I first saw it, but these were much worse, much more overt and lacking in other compensating entertainment values. Ever see old "Charlie Chan" reruns? These minstral shows made them look positively respectful of other peoples and cultures.
Eric,
I can't really form an opinion about sometihg I haven't seen, . I did look up a synopsis of the short film you mention, so I presume it is some 1940s song and dance which includes some old vaudeville racial stereotypes.
In theory I'm not usually into censoring any art, and I don't think the question of whether it is "cinematically important" is really relevant. If it was a commercial I still wouldn't want to see it cut up.
Now whether it should be shown on TV or not is another matter. Again, I haven't seen it. If you were offended by it though, you might want to make a complaint to the CRTC, or to the station's audience relations.
One thing is for sure. I wouldn't read too big of a conspiracy into this, If the powers that be wanted to mount a truly effective campaign to numb us to racial prejudice, I think they'd be working through stuff like war films, jersey shore (or whatever that show is called), and things that are a little bit more contemporary than a bit of vaudeville musical theatre which, if I understand correcty, was already a period piece when if was filmed 70 years ago.
Saw it the night I send my note. Not a historical compliation but one film with several parts. Had other segments, some I missed, with their own twenties style ethnic stereotypes. Don't think TCM often has a narrator at th beginning and end, rarely pretends to be educational. Not thinking it'll 'stir anything up' but enough of it on and it could normalize these old stereotypes again and open the door for more of the same, in more modern vestments perhaps with the obligatory drop of liberal mouthwash. I think viewership complaints might be just what the "new" cbc* management might need. (*CBC running the worst offender I've seen)
IMO the "Law and Order" franchise has become one of the most effective vehicles for white middleclass "angst" against minorities, foreigners and the working class, but the fact that they feel its ok to run these again tells me something too. I'm not in favour of cutting old films but they don't have to run them on broadcast mediums like television, where anyone of any age can be watching, and let's face it, tv has a whole raft of taboos they have no problem observing. Tv also has few spontaeous accidents.
Then make a complaint and let them know how you feel. I should think they would take a conplaint of racist content seriously.
What was the show on CBC that you found offensive?
Didn't catch the name, only saw some of it before I flipped over but no mistaking its content or tone. Not even sure how to describe what I saw without being offensive myself. I have several complaints I want to make against CBC recently, but I'd like to know if anyone else has noticed an uptick in overtly racist material being broadcast recently? There is a reason I ask.
Is this a problem you have with certain movies, or a problem with the CBC?
You make it sound as if there's a campaign by the Grand Wizards of TCM and the CBC to promote racist stereotypes.
Last week I started this thread on what TCM is really up to these days:
Turner Classic Movies to Debut "Arabs in Cinema" ProgramSo far that thread has generated raging indifference hereabouts.
delete
I don't understand the resistence to this. "Arabs" might be public enemy right now on CNN and FOX, but a few more progressive programs doesn't change the overall drift backwards on tv -still the largest medium-- and yes, I do suspect that even "liberal" billionaires like Ted Turner retain some of the racist beliefs they grew up with -particularly the most deeply rooted hatred of "blacks". It's not so much that the shows in themselves are going to "influence" many people under the age of seventy, as the fact that the ugliest most blatantly offensive (nd need I say false) racial images are seen as okay for broadcast again. It's not a good sign.