Jan29 |
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Obama Presidency Means We Can Never Watch Old Movies Again
Ahh, yes, the ever-popular 75/50 celebration that people can’t just get enough of! I do like that Mr. Short is going to make every effort to take away the broadcast licenses of the local PBS station and several cable channels, despite the lack of broadcasting license for him to be able to have revoked for the cable networks. But, hey, watch out WHYY and NJN! A bit of explanation: Imitation of Life is a 1934 movie with a 1959 remake. Both films include a light-skinned black character attempting to pass as white. I’ve never seen either, but perhaps the films — like a lot of old movies — include now-offensive racial stereotypes. That’s my best guess. So… yeah, I still have no idea. But I hope Mr. Short will also criticize any parents who show their children Dumbo next month, and I really don’t think he’s going to let any Film 101 class show Birth of a Nation. Letters: An inappropriate moment for ‘Imitation of Life’ [Daily News] |
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From what I have seen, WHYY having their broadcasting license revoked wouldn’t be much of a loss. It is the worst PBS station I have ever seen anywhere.
“Both films include a light-skinned black character attempting to pass as white. I’ve never seen either, but perhaps the films — like a lot of old movies — include now-offensive racial stereotypes.”
The 1959 remake has a half-Mexican, half-white, NON-African-American playing a light-skinned black…..that’s news enough NOT to re-air the monstrosity.
The first “Imitation”, if you will, drenched in racial deluge, at least offers up a tad bit more of an accurate portrayal of the “passing” character, albeit tragically brief due to real-life pigeon-holing of any black character, giving them as little screen time as possible, exception being Paul Robeson in other movies of the 30’s.
I will say, without giving too much away for those who haven’t seen the “Imitation” movies to form an opinion one way or the other, it makes for a better storyline to see the black mother/servant become an “entrepreneur” of sorts with her pancake business (I’ll leave it up to debate as to if the idea was solely hers to capitalize on or if that proved to be any sort of freedom for her, as she does odd things to the contrary, her character being not brightest lightbulb in the room). In the re-make, although they give her more intelligence, it is rarely convincing seeing the actress stoop so low as to be, first, Lana Turner’s character’s “friend”, then her “housekeeper”….wtf??
Then chasing after a blue-eyed, darkened-up half-Mexican girl playing her daughter whose supposed to be “passing” for white but really a light-skinned BLACK?
Couldn’t have anyone called Dorothy Dandrige or Lena Horne, albeit black-listed to handle this…..?
RM -
You’ve obviously never seen WLVT (Lehigh Valley PBS). WHYY is definitely NOT the worst.