Well, That Wouldn't Work Now: Things From Movies That Are Outdated or No Longer Politically Correct

[JBC344]

On ‎2‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 1:47 PM, Bruinsfan said:

I vaguely recall something about Brad Renfro's mom having to be on set when he did a nude shower scene for Apt Pupil. Which, I suppose, was for legalities, but I can't help thinking that at age 16 there was no person on the planet I'd have been more mortified to be seen naked by than my mom.

I'm assuming she was "on set" for legalities but not that she actually watched the scene. 

[anna0852]

I believe SAG rules dictate that minors have to be in eye and earshot of their parent/guardian at all times.

[BatmanBeatles]

I'm not sure that it would be acceptable for Crocodile Dundee to grab a transsexual's junk in this day and age.

[starri]

Not the least of which is that the correct term is transgender.

[JBC344]

11 hours ago, anna0852 said:

I believe SAG rules dictate that minors have to be in eye and earshot of their parent/guardian at all times.

I'm sure that is the rule but I'm sure accommodations are made depending on the age of the "minor".  I remember when Christopher Mints-Plasse was being interviewed and he was talking about how his mom had to be on set when he shot a "sex scene" for Superbad I believe.  Anyway, he was under the understanding that his mom wouldn't watch it live and that she would just hang out in the production office.  His punch line was that the scene was played on the video monitors in the production office where his mom watched it with a  bag of popcorn. 

I think when your child is 16/17 and the parent and child feel comfortable with the production.  I'm sure its not an issue if the parent doesn't "literally" watch a nude or sex scene with their child in it.  If the parent wants to go around the corner and hang out by the monitor's and turn their head, I'm sure there are no objections.

[methodwriter85]

You know, with the rash of Disney live-action remakes here or on the horizon, it made me think about the fact that Disney hasn't announced a Pocohantas remake.

I cannot see modern-day Disney willing touch the subject of a young Native-American girl who falls in love with the 30-something white guy leading the band of pirates who take away the land of her people.

That's not even going into the fact that the story is bullshit.

If the story does get remade, I think it'd be a non-Disney, gritty version like the New World from 2005.

Edited February 13, 2017 by methodwriter85

[starri]

11 minutes ago, methodwriter85 said:

You know, with the rash of Disney live-action remakes here or on the horizon, it made me think about the fact that Disney hasn't announced a Pocohantas remake.

That may have as much to do with the fact that with the exception of Mulan, none of Walt Disney Animation Studio's traditionally animated films that came after the Lion King were particularly well-received, critically or financially.  Even Mulan didn't have the biggest box office take either.  That was during the time of Pixar's ascendance.  

[methodwriter85]

TIL that Pocahontas was kind of considered a flop. Didn't know that as I was 9 years old and absolutely loved Colors of the Wind. Good to know!

[starri]

13 minutes ago, methodwriter85 said:

TIL that Pocahontas was kind of considered a flop

Don't get me wrong, it made money.  More than Mulan did, in fact.  But its $350 million compared to Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin making $500 million and Lion King making almost $1 billion, plus the fact that I doubt they made nearly as much off of merchandising, I can see why it wouldn't be a quick investment.

The other thing is that with these remakes, they've tried to beef up the agency that the female protagonists have, and Mulan is the one who needs the least help in that department.  And not for nothing, if they manage to thread the needle on the storytelling, they'll have the Chinese market eating out of their hand.  The original wasn't particularly well received there (one of the reasons it didn't make as much money), because it diverged from the myths about Hua Mulan too much, and was perceived as being too Western.  Don't expect to see Mushu this time.

I should probably add here that I think Mulan is Disney's only non-Pixar, non-CGI movie in the last twenty years that's any good, and frankly that it's vastly underrated.

Edited February 13, 2017 by starri

[xaxat]

How much longer will we have car chases? It's possible that in ten years the newest/highest performance cars will be autonomous. In twenty years, they might comprise a majority of all new cars sold. 

Will our heroes have to run around looking for a vintage 2019 Ford Fusion in order to make an escape?

[magicdog]

Quote

I was watching a clip of Flashdance, and it made me think that people nowadays wouldn't be cool with watching a movie about an 18-year old girl who becomes a stripper at night while falling for her 30-something boss. They'd age up Alex to 21, I think.

Here in NV, until recently it was legal to become a stripper at age 18!  Although most were not going to school by day like Alex.  The age difference is still real though.  Heaven knows how many younger women are wined and dined by men old enough to be their fathers - or even grandfathers!

 

On 2/11/2017 at 0:56 AM, JBC344 said:

I think when your child is 16/17 and the parent and child feel comfortable with the production.  I'm sure its not an issue if the parent doesn't "literally" watch a nude or sex scene with their child in it.  If the parent wants to go around the corner and hang out by the monitor's and turn their head, I'm sure there are no objections.

I disagree.  There is a lot of bad behavior in Hollywood - not the least of which is sexual abuse of minor actors.  A friend of mine whose father worked in the biz told me how one studio in particular would pass around their tween/teen actors around to various suits.  This is one big reason why so many child actors often are emotionally messed up.  If I had a child who was a performer, you better believe I'd be on set every moment the kid is and never let him/her out of my sight.    

[JBC344]

31 minutes ago, magicdog said:

Here in NV, until recently it was legal to become a stripper at age 18!  Although most were not going to school by day like Alex.  The age difference is still real though.  Heaven knows how many younger women are wined and dined by men old enough to be their fathers - or even grandfathers!

 

I disagree.  There is a lot of bad behavior in Hollywood - not the least of which is sexual abuse of minor actors.  A friend of mine whose father worked in the biz told me how one studio in particular would pass around their tween/teen actors around to various suits.  This is one big reason why so many child actors often are emotionally messed up.  If I had a child who was a performer, you better believe I'd be on set every moment the kid is and never let him/her out of my sight.    

Ok, what your describing is abuse/molestation, wildly damaging and inappropriate behavior.  What we were previously discussing is the embarrassment of watching your child on set do something said parent wouldn't want to watch.  If my child was doing a movie yes, I would be on set everyday as well to make sure they were protected.  With that said if my 17 year old son was shooting a shower scene and was going to show his backside and I as a parent wanted to close my eyes and not watch the monitor for the 6 seconds his ass was shown I'm quite sure studio security wouldn't be holding me down making me watch the scene.

Truth be told I would be much more worried about my child's time on set when they aren't on camera.  When a minor is shooting a scene and there are a hundred eyes on them it is probably their "safest" on set.  The scenarios you describe are the things that happen when the cameras aren't rolling and the kids are allowed to roam the sets and studio without supervision.

[Qoass]

Animal House was so funny back in the seventies but from today's perspective, the scene in which Tom Hulce has a debate with himself about whether to have sex with an unconscious high school student makes me cringe.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

On 2/15/2017 at 3:30 PM, JBC344 said:

Truth be told I would be much more worried about my child's time on set when they aren't on camera.  When a minor is shooting a scene and there are a hundred eyes on them it is probably their "safest" on set.  The scenarios you describe are the things that happen when the cameras aren't rolling and the kids are allowed to roam the sets and studio without supervision.

In an appearance on Graham Norton's show, Emily Blunt said that she did a nude scene in 2004's My Summer of Love, and it was supposed to be a closed set. She went on to say that she was surprised by how many people were present and watching, even though the set was closed and only 'necessary' people for the shot were supposed to be there. So yeah, a set is a pretty safe place, at least comparatively.

[UYI]

On 2/13/2017 at 6:56 PM, starri said:

Don't get me wrong, it made money.  More than Mulan did, in fact.  But its $350 million compared to Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin making $500 million and Lion King making almost $1 billion, plus the fact that I doubt they made nearly as much off of merchandising, I can see why it wouldn't be a quick investment.

 

According to my research--so basically, the girls I knew in first grade back in 1995-1996--there were a lot of Pocahontas t-shirts worn by us back in the day. ;) 

[starri]

46 minutes ago, UYI said:

According to my research--so basically, the girls I knew in first grade back in 1995-1996--there were a lot of Pocahontas t-shirts worn by us back in the day. ;) 

Yeah, but can you name the raccoon and the bird without looking it up?  Literally the only reason I remember the bird's name is because of the Honest Trailer.  When even that fails, Disney was in trouble.  I mean, I don't need to describe Flounder, Sebastian, Abu, or Timon and Pumbaa for you to know exactly who they are.

[UYI]

1 hour ago, starri said:

Yeah, but can you name the raccoon and the bird without looking it up?  Literally the only reason I remember the bird's name is because of the Honest Trailer.  When even that fails, Disney was in trouble.  I mean, I don't need to describe Flounder, Sebastian, Abu, or Timon and Pumbaa for you to know exactly who they are.

Oh shoot, I remember Miko! But just that one. Good point. -_-

[VCRTracking]

I hate the ending to My Fair Lady so much. Eliza Dolittle should never have gone back to Henry Higgins. George Bernard Shaw's original play Pygmalion that the musical based on she didn't. She left to marry Freddie. But audiences at the time demanded a "happy ending" so he was forced to change it. Wikipedia:

 

Quote

 

During the 1914 run, to Shaw's exasperation but not to his surprise, Tree sought to sweeten Shaw's ending to please himself and his record houses.[13] Shaw returned for the 100th performance and watched Higgins, standing at the window, toss a bouquet down to Eliza. "My ending makes money; you ought to be grateful," protested Tree, to which Shaw replied "Your ending is damnable; you ought to be shot."[14][15] Shaw remained sufficiently irritated to add a postscript essay, "'What Happened Afterwards,"[16] to the 1916 print edition for inclusion with subsequent editions, in which he explained precisely why it was impossible for the story to end with Higgins and Eliza getting married.

He continued to protect what he saw as the play's and Eliza's integrity by protecting the last scene. For at least some performances during the 1920 revival, Shaw adjusted the ending in a way that underscored the Shavian message. In an undated note to Mrs. Campbell he wrote,

When Eliza emancipates herself – when Galatea comes to life – she must not relapse. She must retain her pride and triumph to the end. When Higgins takes your arm on 'consort battleship' you must instantly throw him off with implacable pride; and this is the note until the final 'Buy them yourself.' He will go out on the balcony to watch your departure; come back triumphantly into the room; exclaim 'Galatea!' (meaning that the statue has come to life at last); and – curtain. Thus he gets the last word; and you get it too.[17]

(This ending, however, is not included in any print version of the play.)

Shaw fought against a Higgins-Eliza happy-end pairing as late as 1938. He sent the 1938 film version's producer, Gabriel Pascal, a concluding sequence which he felt offered a fair compromise: a tender farewell scene between Higgins and Eliza, followed by one showing Freddy and Eliza happy in their greengrocery-flower shop. Only at the sneak preview did he learn that Pascal had finessed the question of Eliza's future with a slightly ambiguous final scene in which Eliza returns to the house of a sadly musing Higgins and self-mockingly quotes her previous self announcing "I washed my face and hands before I come, I did".

 

And that's the ending Lerner and Leowe used for the musical too. Ugh. Personally I wouldn't have had Eliza go off with Freddie either but it was better than Higgins. Today the happy ending would Eliza having her independence.

[raezen]

Can My Fair Lady 's ending be worse than The Seventh Veil? I actually threw something at my TV I was so offended.

[Captain Carrot]

I've been a fan of Lindsay Ellis for years now, and I've never cared for Rent. So, I thoroughly enjoyed her take down of Rent:

[kiddo82]

Ugh.  Rent.  Everything she said x 10.

[BatmanBeatles]

I wonder how Rent or Reality Bites would go over for survivors of the recession?

[methodwriter85]

4 hours ago, BatmanBeatles said:

I wonder how Rent or Reality Bites would go over for survivors of the recession?

Well, the movie Rent basically clarified the setting as being 1989-1990, so it's technically a period film. You can't really set it in the present because the area it's set in is basically impossible for struggling artists to live in now, and HIV/AID's medication has advanced to the point that correctly medicated people are leading normal lifespans.

I think Reality Bites would work fine in a modern environment- Elaina's angst about being a college valedictorian who can't find a real job seems to be even more relevant now. Gabby wouldn't be working at the Gap, though. It would be Forever 21 or H&M. You'd also have to drop the psychic hotline plot- nobody calls those anymore. I also don't really think the MTV Real World reality show angle wouldn't quite work- someone Elaina's age in 2017 would be pretty well-versed in how reality t.v. shows work, and I can't picture her being blindsided at the edit. Honestly, I feel more likely, Elaina would be doing a webcast about her life that gains viewers, which MTV or some struggling network wants to pick up and turn into a show, ala what happened to "Fred."

I do think, realistically, one of them needs to be living with their parents. Ooh, and maybe Steve Zahn's character can actually be transgender instead of gay?

My thought has always been that St. Elmo's Fire would work REALLY well as a contemporary drama, or a period piece set in 2008-2009. The only thing that would be kind of outdated would be Andrew's character that everybody thinks is gay, but even now it's not inconceivable that a group of friends would think their friend is gay when he's really not. Demi Moore's character would be pretty bang-on for a go-getter in 2007 who falls hard in 2008.

[raezen]

I don't think Emilio Estevez'plot would work. I found it creepy and stalkerish. 

[dusang]

8 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

I think Reality Bites would work fine in a modern environment- Elaina's angst about being a college valedictorian who can't find a real job seems to be even more relevant now. Gabby wouldn't be working at the Gap, though. It would be Forever 21 or H&M. You'd also have to drop the psychic hotline plot- nobody calls those anymore. I also don't really think the MTV Real World reality show angle wouldn't quite work- someone Elaina's age in 2017 would be pretty well-versed in how reality t.v. shows work, and I can't picture her being blindsided at the edit. Honestly, I feel more likely, Elaina would be doing a webcast about her life that gains viewers, which MTV or some struggling network wants to pick up and turn into a show, ala what happened to "Fred."

Lelaina can and does find a "real" job -- as noted in the Rent-rant, a paying job in her field -- but as it's an entry-level job on a show she doesn't like, she considers it beneath her because how dare the world expect her to work her way to success rather than drop it in her lap immediately and unreservedly? God, I hate that movie.

Edited February 21, 2017 by dusang

[Captain Carrot]

18 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

I do think, realistically, one of them needs to be living with their parents.

Part of the problem with both Reality Bites and Rent is that they act like their parents are horrible. I mean Mark got mad at his parents for leaving a message saying that the loved him.

[starri]

Also, no one ever liked "My Sharona" even ironically.

[kiddo82]

I don't know.  Any song that rhymes "my Sharona" with "thigh Sharona" is okay in my book.

[methodwriter85]

On 2/21/2017 at 9:56 AM, dusang said:

Lelaina can and does find a "real" job -- as noted in the Rent-rant, a paying job in her field -- but as it's an entry-level job on a show she doesn't like, she considers it beneath her because how dare the world expect her to work her way to success rather than drop it in her lap immediately and unreservedly? God, I hate that movie.

It's been a super-long time since I've seen that movie, so I forgot that. That bit seems even more Millennial. Totally something that would happen on Girls.

You could update the "Conjuction, Conjuction" scene to "Nations of the World" from Animaniacs.

Quote

Part of the problem with both Reality Bites and Rent is that they act like their parents are horrible. I mean Mark got mad at his parents for leaving a message saying that the loved him.

I think that's the biggest difference between the stereotype for Gen Xers and the stereotype for Millennials. Gen Xers are latchkey kids who's parents divorced and basically were too busy to pay attention. The Millennial stereotype is that they are the adored trophy kids with overly-indulgent parents who can't really let go. If they were being true to the stereotypes, there would be an embarrassing bit where Lelaina's parents talk to her former bosses to try and get her job back for her.

Edited February 22, 2017 by methodwriter85

[Cobalt Stargazer]

17 hours ago, raezen said:

I don't think Emilio Estevez'plot would work. I found it creepy and stalkerish. 

I dunno, Fifty Shades of Grey only came out two years ago.

[shantown]

On 2/21/2017 at 9:16 AM, raezen said:

I don't think Emilio Estevez'plot would work. I found it creepy and stalkerish. 

 

9 hours ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

I dunno, Fifty Shades of Grey only came out two years ago.

And Twilight. 

[Pyralis]

raezen

That was my reaction to Seventh Veil as well.  I hadn't seen it in about 25 years and watched during its latest showing on TCM and my first thought at the end was - how could they have her end up with the violent tempered one?

[mariah23]

13 minutes ago, Pyralis said:

raezen

That was my reaction to Seventh Veil as well.  I hadn't seen it in about 25 years and watched during its latest showing on TCM and my first thought at the end was - how could they have her end up with the violent tempered one?

I know!  UGH!

[raezen]

On 22/02/2017 at 1:10 AM, Cobalt Stargazer said:

I dunno, Fifty Shades of Grey only came out two years ago.

 

On 22/02/2017 at 10:42 AM, shantown said:

 

And Twilight. 

Touche. Although the intention of the character should mean something. After all, Christian is based on Edward, who is a vampire. Something dangerous. Wasn't Emilio's character supposed to be kind of ,, lovable? Hapless? I don't see them doing that now.

[slf]

7 Brides for 7 Brothers. A family of men abduct a bunch of young women and hold them captive at their cabin. "They're a bunch of sobbin', sobbin' women!" I liked the musical numbers when I was a kid but, yikes.

[methodwriter85]

Emilio Estevez in 1985 was a good-looking guy. It's never stalking if you're cute. The whole "cute guy acts obsessively over a girl and tries to win her" trope hasn't died off at all. See: Paper Towns. (Although in that case, he learned a lesson at the end.)

[Bruinsfan]

On 2/21/2017 at 8:05 PM, starri said:

Also, no one ever liked "My Sharona" even ironically.

Don't bet on it, you could easily lose more money than you can afford if someone like me who loves 70s cheese is asked for verification.

[ratgirlagogo]

On 2/21/2017 at 9:05 PM, starri said:

 

Also, no one ever liked "My Sharona" even ironically.

 

And no one but Peter Frampton ever said that Frampton Comes Alive was the "album that changed my life." Gah, where to begin with Reality Bites?  What a terrible movie.

Edited March 4, 2017 by ratgirlagogo

[wallflower75]

3 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

Gah, where to begin with Reality Bites?  What a terrible movie.

Same here.  I remember kinda liking it because it came out around the same time I was in college, but twenty-plus years on...what was I thinking??  After she loses her job (one she felt she was too good for anyway), Lelaina turns right around and pooh-poohs Vickie's offer of working for her at The Gap when it at least would've provided her with income until she could find something.  When she can't find a job in her field (or any other field--as unrealistic as the scene where she doesn't get hired at the fast food place was, I had to laugh), what does she do?  Starts calling psychic hotlines, running up a monstrous phone bill in the process!  Then to pay it off, she uses her father's gas card.  As much as I hated Troy--and oh GOD, did I hate Troy--I was cheering when they had that fight where she's accusing him of being a slacker and he calls her out for not being any better than him, really.  Those two deserved each other.  Vickie and Sammy deserved better friends (and Janeane Garofolo and Steve Zahn deserved a better movie).  And as for Ben Stiller's Michael?  He should breathe a sigh of relief that he got away.

Sorry, that wasn't on-topic.  So what do I think wouldn't work today?  I rewatched Robin Hood: Men in Tights the other day.  The song of the same name would probably be frowned upon these days.

[theredhead77]

On 2/21/2017 at 10:10 PM, Cobalt Stargazer said:

I dunno, Fifty Shades of Grey only came out two years ago.

 

On 2/22/2017 at 7:42 AM, shantown said:

 

And Twilight. 

 

On 2/23/2017 at 10:23 AM, raezen said:

 

Touche. Although the intention of the character should mean something. After all, Christian is based on Edward, who is a vampire. Something dangerous. Wasn't Emilio's character supposed to be kind of ,, lovable? Hapless? I don't see them doing that now.

50 Shades is literally Twilight fanfiction called Master of the Universe. http://www.avclub.com/article/holy-crow-fifty-shades-grey-crazy-similar-its-twil-215185

I can't see scene in Flatliners with young Winnie Hicks is cursing up a storm flying today.

[Silver Raven]

15 year old Thora Birch dancing topless in American Beauty has always made me feel skeevy, and I would hope it would never fly today.

[methodwriter85]

5 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

15 year old Thora Birch dancing topless in American Beauty has always made me feel skeevy, and I would hope it would never fly today.

I'm positive that Jane would be cast with a girl over the age of 18 today.

American Beauty in general is pretty much dated within late 1990's suburban American society. I mean, it could technically work in modern society (although Ricky's camera would be updated for sure) but the backdrop of the movie is based against the sunny optimism and materialism of the late 1990's.

[Mulva]

Quote

I rewatched Robin Hood: Men in Tights the other day.  The song of the same name would probably be frowned upon these days.

I think of that song whenever I see an ad for a superhero movie.

[Spartan Girl]

I think a movie like In and Out would be considered a little offensive today, if only because the premise is that it starts with a guy being unintentionally outed as gay because he acts a certain way (he likes Barbra Streisand, is neat, likes to dance).  Even though it turns out to be correct at the end, it's still stereotyping.  I mean, gay or straight, a guy isn't any less of a man if he likes to dance.

[methodwriter85]

10 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

I think a movie like In and Out would be considered a little offensive today, if only because the premise is that it starts with a guy being unintentionally outed as gay because he acts a certain way (he likes Barbra Streisand, is neat, likes to dance).  Even though it turns out to be correct at the end, it's still stereotyping.  I mean, gay or straight, a guy isn't any less of a man if he likes to dance.

Ooh, good one. I don't think you could get away with it today. Not to say they wouldn't try, but the general idea of the movie is that small town, Middle-American folk have no idea how to deal with a possible gay in their midst. In a world where gay kids are openly gay in middle school and trans kids are coming out in elementary school, it just doesn't ring true anymore.

I sure as hell couldn't see social media not raking this over the coals.

Edited March 17, 2017 by methodwriter85

[Blergh]

On 3/16/2017 at 11:22 AM, Spartan Girl said:

I think a movie like In and Out would be considered a little offensive today, if only because the premise is that it starts with a guy being unintentionally outed as gay because he acts a certain way (he likes Barbra Streisand, is neat, likes to dance).  Even though it turns out to be correct at the end, it's still stereotyping.  I mean, gay or straight, a guy isn't any less of a man if he likes to dance.

Not an invalid point, Spartan Girl.

 

 However; can you name the last movie/TV show which had a guy into those things or a woman who liked sports and construction projects who turned out to be completely hetero contrary to the stereotypers' projections?

[caracas1914]

"Sixteen Candles" and Long Duk Dong.

Gawd, even typing these words....

[ChelseaNH]

2 hours ago, Blergh said:

However; can you name the last movie/TV show which had a guy into those things or a woman who liked sports and construction projects who turned out to be completely hetero contrary to the stereotypers' projections?

James the braider in Beauty Shop comes to mind, but that was 2005.

[GaT]

On 2/23/2017 at 6:43 PM, slf said:

7 Brides for 7 Brothers. A family of men abduct a bunch of young women and hold them captive at their cabin. "They're a bunch of sobbin', sobbin' women!" I liked the musical numbers when I was a kid but, yikes.

I read your comment & thought "What?", so I Googled this song

"Right, now let this be because it's true,
A lesson to the likes of you,
Rough 'em up like them their Romans do
Or else they'll think you're tetched.

WTF???????????

[slf]

2 hours ago, GaT said:

I read your comment & thought "What?", so I Googled this song

"Right, now let this be because it's true,
A lesson to the likes of you,
Rough 'em up like them their Romans do
Or else they'll think you're tetched.

WTF???????????

I know, right?! I get that the lyrics are meant to be clever (the song starts off with talk of the Sabine women, IIRC) but...I mean...:

And the women was sobbin', sobbin', sobbin'
Fit to be tied.
Ev'ry muscle was throbbin', throbbin'
From that riotous ride.
Seems they cried and kissed and kissed and cried
All over that Roman countryside
So don't forget that when you're takin' a bride.
Sobbin' fit to be tied
From that riotous ride!
They never did return their plunder
The victor gets all the loot.
They carried them home, by thunder,
To rotundas small but cute.
And you've never seen,
So they tell me, 
Such downright go domesticity.
With a Roman baby on each knee
Named "Claudius" and "Brute"