Song of the south, Does it make sense to hide it from the public??
I was reading Leonard Maltins website and there was an article on the home page under "Leonards Journal" and it talks about Stereotypes in the older films of the Late 20s and early 30s where a picticular class was seen in only one role and typically it wasn't a good light and deemed Not Politically correct today.
Then the article mentions that FMC has cancled there Charlie Chan festival this month because an Asian- American organization stirred up this ancient hornet’s nest. seems there not happy with the fact that the Charater of Charlie Chan Played Sidney Toler and Warner Oland were caucasian and not Asian. however the rest of the asian supporting chraters were played Asians, Example Number one son was played By Key Luke best known for playing the master Po in Kung Fu In the 70's and the shop keeper in Gremlins. Here is his comment about this decision by FMC
"If we can’t accept these films as products of their time, warts and all, then we haven’t progressed very far in the decades since they were made. If we aren’t willing—or even curious—to learn about the attitudes and prejudices of those times gone by, how can we consider ourselves to be superior?
That’s why I’m so annoyed by Fox Movie Channel’s decision to cancel its Charlie Chan film festival this summer, after an Asian-American organization stirred up this ancient hornet’s nest.
They don’t like the fact that Charlie Chan was played by Caucasians. Fair enough, but what do we accomplish by taking those movies out of circulation? Do we convince young Asian-Americans that such casting never existed? Moreover, does anyone gain anything by wiping this piece of movie (and social) history off the map? Why should we obliterate the good work of such Asian-American actors as Keye Luke and Victor Sen Yung, who played Charlie’s sons so well?
Instead of pretending these movies never existed, they should serve as a springboard for intelligent discussion about racial stereotyping and Hollywood casting.
I think the same could be said for Song of the south, why penalize anyone associated with that product by not allowing it to see the light of day, everybody looses in that event.
if you want to see the entire article go here www.Leonardmaltin.com
I was reading Leonard Maltins website and there was an article on the home page under "Leonards Journal" and it talks about Stereotypes in the older films of the Late 20s and early 30s where a picticular class was seen in only one role and typically it wasn't a good light and deemed Not Politically correct today.
Then the article mentions that FMC has cancled there Charlie Chan festival this month because an Asian- American organization stirred up this ancient hornet’s nest. seems there not happy with the fact that the Charater of Charlie Chan Played Sidney Toler and Warner Oland were caucasian and not Asian. however the rest of the asian supporting chraters were played Asians, Example Number one son was played By Key Luke best known for playing the master Po in Kung Fu In the 70's and the shop keeper in Gremlins. Here is his comment about this decision by FMC
"If we can’t accept these films as products of their time, warts and all, then we haven’t progressed very far in the decades since they were made. If we aren’t willing—or even curious—to learn about the attitudes and prejudices of those times gone by, how can we consider ourselves to be superior?
That’s why I’m so annoyed by Fox Movie Channel’s decision to cancel its Charlie Chan film festival this summer, after an Asian-American organization stirred up this ancient hornet’s nest.
They don’t like the fact that Charlie Chan was played by Caucasians. Fair enough, but what do we accomplish by taking those movies out of circulation? Do we convince young Asian-Americans that such casting never existed? Moreover, does anyone gain anything by wiping this piece of movie (and social) history off the map? Why should we obliterate the good work of such Asian-American actors as Keye Luke and Victor Sen Yung, who played Charlie’s sons so well?
Instead of pretending these movies never existed, they should serve as a springboard for intelligent discussion about racial stereotyping and Hollywood casting.
I think the same could be said for Song of the south, why penalize anyone associated with that product by not allowing it to see the light of day, everybody looses in that event.
if you want to see the entire article go here www.Leonardmaltin.com