Has Political Correctness in movies and TV gone too far?

[mikejet]

Note to mods, this is not a thread about politics! Note to posters, NO POLITICS!

From dictionary.com:

political correctness

noun
avoidance of expressions or actions that can be perceived to exclude or marginalize or insult people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against

Now for sure, a movie like Blazing Saddle would never get the studios approval. But still it stands the test of time and is a great comedy.

Why is it that movies, especially comedies and comedians, can't push that same envelope anymore?

It's a joke right?

[Clark Kent]

I think comedy still pushes boundaries, though you are right that certain groups of people are not targeted at all in humor. I think political correctness has infected other genres more if anything. Modern action movies exhibit the worst of this type in my opinion. You can tell that movie producers are having a hard time figuring out who to make the villain. Back in the 70's and 80's it was very easy to cast Russians as the enemy.

[ScarredLungs]

I think it has gone too far. There are many ways to approach humor or action without being rude or degrading for them. I think today people are becoming to afraid to "step on someone elses toes". Some movies may have a politcal agenda, but most movies are made for enjoyment, no strings attached (in terms of having an agenda to push a certain polictical ideal).

[P1rat3]

Hmm..some politically incorrect films in recent memory off the top of my head:

Team America: World Police, Bad Santa, Borat, South Park (film and TV show), Religulous....

And how about the forthcoming Black Dynamite ?
http://www.blackdynamite.com/

[Chordata]

No, I don't think it has. When it comes to comedy -- to me at least -- anything goes, and it usually does.

[mikejet]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

I think comedy still pushes boundaries, though you are right that certain groups of people are not targeted at all in humor. I think political correctness has infected other genres more if anything. Modern action movies exhibit the worst of this type in my opinion. You can tell that movie producers are having a hard time figuring out who to make the villain. Back in the 70's and 80's it was very easy to cast Russians as the enemy.

Isn't that one of the reasons True Lies 2 was canned? The subject matter was thought to be inappropriate?

[J6P]

I haven't noticed any undue restraint, whether overt or covert, placed on comedians or comedy at all. Seems like everything goes.

[surfdude12]

only modern show i can think of is Sopranos.

i don't think you can count a show that mocks everyone (i.e. mocks "those perceived as disadvantaged" in isolated scenes, but whose overall message is mocking the prviliged/advantaged)

[matthieuxdetoux]

I think the fact that Chapelles show was on television and Tropic Thunder was released in theaters as well as nominated for an oscar pretty much negates the argument.

[Aerodude73]

This should be interesting to see how far they show what Pryor Really was like in his LIVE stand-up act. Def. not PC in his time.

[STARSCREAM]

Yes, it has definately affected the way things are now.

[PH3AR]

Originally Posted by mikejet

Note to mods, this is not a thread about politics! Note to posters, NO POLITICS!

From dictionary.com:



Now for sure, a movie like Blazing Saddle would never get the studios approval. But still it stands the test of time and is a great comedy.

Why is it that movies, especially comedies and comedians, can't push that same envelope anymore?

It's a joke right?

+1 a movie like Blazing Saddle will never be made anymore...but is still a classic

most movies now adays are poiticaly correct but some comedies out there are not and comedies should be that way

[krazeyeyez]

i think comedies have been the most unaffected by this, as there are still some pretty screwed up ones coming out, nothing on the level of blazing saddles lmfao but there are comedians still pushing the envelope. loved the line from Zohan where the one guy says to the other, look at you, I wouldn't sit next to you on a plane! rofl

the one thing that does bother me and im not really sure how much truth there is to this, there was an outcry after 911 for hollywood to be more responsible with violence etc... and that today it is harder for a rated R movie to get through then a pg-13. While there are many movies that are still not hurt by censorship, things like a censored die hard 4 have been noticed, and i just gotta wonder why. If there is a movie a don't like i don't feel the need to prevent others from seeing it, i just won't see it myself.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by STARSCREAM

Yes, it has definately affected the way things are now.

Gotta agree, and a lot of it is for stupid little things. Smoking is taboo, but drug use is okay? Even drug use (for comedy sake) has all but disappeared. Can't possibly have Indiana Jones on another religious quest as it may offend someone, so we'll offend everyone by playing the alien card. Guns in E.T.? Just replace them with walkie-talkies. It is a proven fact that young, male Islamic extremists are at the heart of most terrorism today, but God forbid you portray that in a movie. Instead, you have ethnically neutral (except for the French speaking) terrorists in movies like Live Free or Die Hard. Not only that, we'll make the leader an ex-CIA "crazy".

I'm sure I can come up with many more examples, but I'm tired and going to bed.

[matthieuxdetoux]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

Gotta agree, and a lot of it is for stupid little things. Smoking is taboo, but drug use is okay? Even drug use (for comedy sake) has all but disappeared. Can't possibly have Indiana Jones on another religious quest as it may offend someone, so we'll offend everyone by playing the alien card. Guns in E.T.? Just replace them with walkie-talkies. It is a proven fact that young, male Islamic extremists are at the heart of most terrorism today, but God forbid you portray that in a movie. Instead, you have ethnically neutral (except for the French speaking) terrorists in movies like Live Free or Die Hard. Not only that, we'll make the leader an ex-CIA "crazy".

I'm sure I can come up with many more examples, but I'm tired and going to bed.

If I'm not mistaken both Iron Man and Body of Lies contained islamic terrorists and don't forget about things like United 93 and World Trade Center.

As far as Indiana Jones goes, they already found the holy grail so what the hell else out of christian mythology can they possibly go after?

[krazeyeyez]

actually indy 4 was based on scientology from my understanding, so it was religious based still lol.

but the thing with the E.T. edit lol, i saw this when i was a kid, i don't own a gun, i have never shot someone, and that scene never stood out in my mind, but the edit IMO is the movie equivalent of burning books and a great example

[andyman1970]

Originally Posted by matthieuxdetoux

If I'm not mistaken both Iron Man and Body of Lies contained islamic terrorists and don't forget about things like United 93 and World Trade Center.

As far as Indiana Jones goes, they already found the holy grail so what the hell else out of christian mythology can they possibly go after?

United 93 and World Trade Center was based on actual events so that throws a hole in your theory there. If I remember correctly the terrorist in Iron Man were hired by Tony Stark's so called friend Obadiah Stane an American making him out to be a traitor and the real bad guy. I have not seen Body of Lies so I can't comment on that.

[matthieuxdetoux]

Originally Posted by andyman1970

United 93 and World Trade Center was based on actual events so that throws a hole in your theory there. If I remember correctly the terrorist in Iron Man were hired by Tony Stark's so called friend Obadiah Stane an American making him out to be a traitor and the real bad guy. I have not seen Body of Lies so I can't comment on that.

Right, but if political correctness plays such a major role in Hollywood films those films probably wouldn't have been made.

Just because Obadiah is paying islamic extremists to do his bidding doesn't mean they're not islamic extremists.

[PH3AR]

Originally Posted by matthieuxdetoux

If I'm not mistaken both Iron Man and Body of Lies contained islamic terrorists and don't forget about things like United 93 and World Trade Center.

As far as Indiana Jones goes, they already found the holy grail so what the hell else out of christian mythology can they possibly go after?

I never knew they found the Holy Grail?

[matthieuxdetoux]

Originally Posted by P|-|3@R

I never knew they found the Holy Grail?

Indiana Jones found the holy grail in "The Last Crusade"....

Choose wisely.