2 Messages
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80 Points
Parents Guide section centering on Problematic depictions of race
Hello, I have been a fan of IMDB since its conception and a contributor for the past year- year and a half.
I am a very big fan of movies of the "golden era" of the 1920s, 30s. and 40s hollywood. One specific example is the work of Buster Keaton.
I was very excited to learn of a film of his that I hadn't seen or heard of called College. Sometimes with old movies they can be rated g or not rated at all and feature somewhat disturbing/ unappealing things, but since it was Buster Keaton I assumed it would be fined. I was than however pretty shocked when a random scene of Keaton in "blackface" happened. I fast forwarded and was left more confused than anything else.
I move, or at least hope to know if there are plans, for a section in the parents guide saying something like "Could be considered Racially/Culturally offensive" or "Outdated Racial Depictions"
Sometimes similar scenes are noted in dramas under "frightening and intense" such as in Bamboozled, but not as often in comedies, especially of an older time.
Thank you very much for your time, once again I am a life-long fan of IMDB and hope to add more as a contributor. Thank you
hallandoatmilk
2 Messages
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80 Points
4 years ago
With so many of these older movies (and some modern ones). Black-face, or actors and actresses dressing as any race other than their own, was not used as "shock" or with the intention of scaring someone. But instead to try and genuinely tell a story that would just randomly have (typically) white actors using makeup and costumes (as well as offensive stereotypical mannerisms and cadences ) to tell a comedy or drama where it really wasn't necessary to be doing so. With the Buster Keaton film as just one example, the scene involves him pretending to be a waiter to spy on his girlfriend whose out on a date with another man, funny enough right? Except that in doing so he paints his skin, he specifically doesn't do anything offensive besides that and maybe for 1927 that was considered funny. But from today's viewpoint it's just hard to watch as with many of these specific scene the intent was to promote a stereotype (usually people of the actual race were turned down by the studio, or personally refused to act as such) more than anything else.
So usually these scenes aren't frietening but can more just leave a modern viewer, kinda grossed out, but it is important to remember that these scenes reflect the viewpoint, progress, and humor, of many at the time and a category may be useful to future IMDB users as well looking to study exactly that. Thank you very much for your help furthering this Karen! : )
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