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Original poster

Films that would have a different angle now... eg, Devil Wears Prada.

153 replies

CantFindTheBeat · 19/05/2023 21:35

I've been watching some old skool^ movies with my^ niece this week.

She's 17 and hasn't seen Devil Wears Prada, so that was on our list.

I'd forgotten how much Ann Hathaway's character's boyfriend and friends vilified her for being ambitious in her job and i think I might have felt sorry for her boyfriend when i first watched it 20(?) years ago.

I don't think the storyline would be the same now^, and this time round, I definitely was more in the 'tell him to jog on' camp.

We also watched Pretty Woman, which was even older. Funnily enough, i thought it stood the test of time much better even though 'man hires prostitute and falls in love' would be totally cringy. Julia Roberts
Character was still 100% her own woman, despite the difference in wealth.

Any other movies we should add to our list? Any previous corkers that need to get in the bin?^

OP posts:
TheDuchy27 · 20/05/2023 18:12

Puddingypops · 20/05/2023 09:35

You guys are not going in big enough,….

one of my favourite films as a little girl in the 80s was “7 brides for 7 brothers”

no point in even listing the number of ways THAT is now problematic!

hood songs though lol

Mine was 'The Best Little Whitehouse in Texas 😳😳
Genuinely did not have a clue when I was 8 😂

Unicorn2022 · 20/05/2023 18:16

@Iyiyiiii "I don't remember that it was "considered a fantastic film" ?" - well I do remember that it was 🤷‍♀️

Saschka · 20/05/2023 18:54

Unicorn2022 · 20/05/2023 18:16

@Iyiyiiii "I don't remember that it was "considered a fantastic film" ?" - well I do remember that it was 🤷‍♀️

I’d say more of a cult classic - it wasn’t a Ghostbusters or Star Wars.

Marchintospring · 20/05/2023 19:22

Fiddie · 20/05/2023 12:43

I watched Grease with my 17 yo DS. I popped to get a drink and when I got back asked what I'd missed.

He said Danny has just sexually assaulted Sandy at the drive in and she's got out of the car.

That movie hasn't aged well

The bit that ages it isn’t that he didn’t ask for consent before trying it on but that Sandy was outraged and stormed off. They had just agreed to go out with other.

tailinthejam · 20/05/2023 20:39

iwantmyownicecreamvan · 20/05/2023 09:38

Well ... he puts a cardigan on over his normal clothes.

Show quote history

Yes, and he tries to take up all those different sports and is useless at it. He tried to change himself and failed... she tried to change herself and succeeded.

lljkk · 20/05/2023 21:33

Venkman was meant to be creepy & outside social norms in Ghostbusters. You gals are writing like that wasn't always obvious. A complete and utter total bounder. If you think he's bad in that, don't watch CaddyShack (although BM is desperately funny in that). Right at the boundary of ... is this harmless or not? That's what makes him so funny. You should feel fairly uncomfortable with most his characters.

BM's character is borderline totally horrible (Rush Limbaugh fan) in Olive Kitteridge, too, he's always played those parts that push the comfort zone. You never know if he's alright or a complete perv you want to run far away from. Ditto Lost in Translation (he's married, 52, with a family, while his love interest is 17-18).

Marchintospring · 20/05/2023 21:38

tailinthejam · 20/05/2023 20:39

Yes, and he tries to take up all those different sports and is useless at it. He tried to change himself and failed... she tried to change herself and succeeded.

Show quote history

No he did pass.
She changed because she realised she wasn’t enjoying who she was. She liked her edgy mates better than Patty Simcox and the like.

Cantthinkofaname2203 · 20/05/2023 21:43

tailinthejam · 20/05/2023 20:39

Yes, and he tries to take up all those different sports and is useless at it. He tried to change himself and failed... she tried to change herself and succeeded.

Show quote history

He did change and became a “jock”- he “lettered” in distance running.

I think this may be one of those lost in translation things.
What may be “a cardigan” to UK audiences is a “letter jacket” in the US, which appears to have a significance we don’t appreciate.

Marchintospring · 20/05/2023 22:36

Grease is the 70’s looking back at 50’s teen love story culture and having a dig. The fact Dandy is outraged and walks off is the 70’s. 1950’s Dany would have gone along with it to be nice to him.
Rizzo gets to tell you that being having sex because you want to isn’t as bad as being nasty to others.
Danny makes the effort to improve his input at school. Sandy finds herself.
The bits that date it are having adults pretending to be 17

Movies about teens that came after in 80’s and 90’s all involved teens dying. That’s quite dated.

Marchintospring · 20/05/2023 22:37

Sandy not Dandy.

mysonsmother82 · 20/05/2023 23:56

Me & SD watched A star is born last week it's not even an old film but I thought it was awful. not romantic at all and I think it's supposed to be.
Also watched cocktail for the first time in years and hasn't aged well. Can't remember the ins and outs of it but I remember thinking in the 90s that the girl who Tom cruise cheats with was a awful person when in fact Tom cruise is just a dick.

iwantmyownicecreamvan · 21/05/2023 00:42

Cantthinkofaname2203 · 20/05/2023 21:43

He did change and became a “jock”- he “lettered” in distance running.

I think this may be one of those lost in translation things.
What may be “a cardigan” to UK audiences is a “letter jacket” in the US, which appears to have a significance we don’t appreciate.

Show quote history

Ah well, the jacket thing was definitely lost on me.

lljkk · 21/05/2023 01:14

The whole Star is Born story never appealed to me. I've always been baffled why people dig it. For the music, maybe? I like Judy Garland. Maybe I'll try her version.

And Bridget Jones...omg, nothing relatable there. So irritatingly neurotic. I could never see the appeal.

Gosh British ppl, or at least MNers, love Grease. I feel completely flat about it.

So I can't relate on all those because I was never enamoured with the originals.

The shocker for me was watching James Bond movies... the Sean Connery ones are disgusting to me, now. Bond basically commits sexual assault, repeatedly (!) Jaw-dropping.

Inarightpickleandpreserve · 21/05/2023 03:52

Cocktail!

Catsmere · 21/05/2023 04:06

Appalonia · 19/05/2023 22:52

I wonder how young women react to Bridget Jones' Diary now? Has it stood the test of time? She drinks, smokes, is obsessed with her weight and, it could be argued, was sexually harassed by her boss?

I started watching it recently and lasted maybe ten minutes - thought it was woeful, not remotely funny.

I sat through Love, Actually once because my sister thinks it’s the funniest thing ever. I loathed it. Sexist drivel imo.

JandalsAlways · 21/05/2023 04:07

CrumpetsandJammmm · 19/05/2023 22:16

I was just thinking about Pretty Woman the other day. It’s a fucking awful story really, that he happily uses prostitutes and they gloss over why she’s in that position. But as a film, it’s saved by Julia Roberts giving such an amazing performance with so much character.

I agree. I never quite understood how it became so popular and why it wasn't just ick about Richard Gere. He did not seem like a winner to me

Funkyblues101 · 21/05/2023 05:07

mauveiscurious · 20/05/2023 14:35

Trading places - have you seen that recently - it would never be made today

Trading Places wouldn't be made today but it is a fantastic film! The joke is on the bigots throughout.

Iyiyiiii · 21/05/2023 07:31

mysonsmother82 · 20/05/2023 23:56

Me & SD watched A star is born last week it's not even an old film but I thought it was awful. not romantic at all and I think it's supposed to be.
Also watched cocktail for the first time in years and hasn't aged well. Can't remember the ins and outs of it but I remember thinking in the 90s that the girl who Tom cruise cheats with was a awful person when in fact Tom cruise is just a dick.

Depends which version you watched (not even an old film)

A Star Is Born (1954 screenplay)

InchHighPrivateI · 21/05/2023 08:36

Funkyblues101 · 21/05/2023 05:07

Trading Places wouldn't be made today but it is a fantastic film! The joke is on the bigots throughout.

Show quote history

The plot against the racists is fine, although these days they wouldn’t use the N word. It’s the bit on the train where Dan Ackroyd blacks up etc that’s more of a problem.

mysonsmother82 · 21/05/2023 09:41

@Iyiyiiii I didn't realise it was a remake, we watched the one with lady gaga.. expected to be a romantic film and it's really not. We were rooting for her to leave him within half hour of it being on.

Iyiyiiii · 21/05/2023 10:13

mysonsmother82 · 21/05/2023 09:41

@Iyiyiiii I didn't realise it was a remake, we watched the one with lady gaga.. expected to be a romantic film and it's really not. We were rooting for her to leave him within half hour of it being on.

there's at least 3 big versions
Judy Garland
Barbara Streisland
Lady Gaga

Porkchops22 · 21/05/2023 10:23

I haven't read all the comments, so apologies if it's been mentioned. Rita, Sue and Bob too.

lljkk · 21/05/2023 14:13

Funkyblues101 · 21/05/2023 05:07

Trading Places wouldn't be made today but it is a fantastic film! The joke is on the bigots throughout.

Show quote history

Ditto Blazing Saddles. Which is a great piece of social commentary. "They aren't bad people just pig ignorant."

QueefQueen80s · 21/05/2023 14:49

CrumpetsandJammmm · 19/05/2023 22:16

I was just thinking about Pretty Woman the other day. It’s a fucking awful story really, that he happily uses prostitutes and they gloss over why she’s in that position. But as a film, it’s saved by Julia Roberts giving such an amazing performance with so much character.

Agree with this. We should all be cringing at Richard Geres character

Unicorn2022 · 21/05/2023 14:56

Porkchops22 · 21/05/2023 10:23

I haven't read all the comments, so apologies if it's been mentioned. Rita, Sue and Bob too.

God yes that's aged really badly. They should rename it Rita, Sue and #MeToo