Fawlty Towers “Don’t mention the war” removed.

[boredtotears11]

Aibu to say I think that is a ridiculous decision by the BBC.Theyve removed it from its streaming service because of its “racist slurs”. It was a classic piece of comedy. I mean if they start picking apart old classic comedy how far are they going to go. Dads Army next?

@SecondaryBurnzzz thank you for posting that.

OP if you're going to stir the pot at least be aware of all the facts. Horrible, hateful words are used and so it should be removed.

@Saucery

Pumper my education was not anything special. It had an awful lot of God in it, for one thing. Many, many lessons sat in Church and I draw a mean Angel thanks to it. Apart from that we were taught to think for ourselves. Which comes in handy 50 years later, I suppose.

Well, plenty of people weren’t. That’s why we need Netflix to step in and call out racism - because a lot of people pretend they can’t see it.

I’m intrigued at the thought of all these people sat watch8ng things with no outside influence whatsoever. No parents, teachers, peers, colleagues.....no Mark Kermode or Barry Norman even. Whoah.

Netflix is awfully keen to peddle me a load of absolute shite, so I’ll put its superior knowledge to the back, thank you.
It currently wants me to watch animal abuse and some seedy biopic of Epstein. I’m not sure I trust it has the best interests of what is tasteful at heart, really.

@Saucery

I’m intrigued at the thought of all these people sat watch8ng things with no outside influence whatsoever. No parents, teachers, peers, colleagues.....no Mark Kermode or Barry Norman even. Whoah.

Well, be intrigued - but don’t use that as a way of belittling people for whom this actually means something.

@Saucery

Netflix is awfully keen to peddle me a load of absolute shite, so I’ll put its superior knowledge to the back, thank you. It currently wants me to watch animal abuse and some seedy biopic of Epstein. I’m not sure I trust it has the best interests of what is tasteful at heart, really.

Also, keep in mind you too can complain to Netflix about anything at all you find distasteful. You don’t have to tack it onto the back on existing movement, your own opinion is enough.

We are on the same page here, Pumper. I think disclaimers are a jolly good idea. I’ve seen them at the front of new Willard Price and Enid Blyton editions, as I said. I would have thought they were more applicable to people born after about 1985 but whatever, if they are useful, they are useful.
What I don’t agree with is censorship or banning. It makes things bigger than they actually are, more attractive and more Forbidden. Shine a light on it, put it in context and let people make their own minds up.

Exactly! Like Churchill - he’s been censored for far too long. Censorship is a Bad Thing. Of course, a private company deciding they’re no longer going to stream programmes deemed offensive isn’t censorship, but I’m sure you understand that.

Also, keep in mind you too can complain to Netflix about anything at all you find distasteful. You don’t have to tack it onto the back on existing movement, your own opinion is enough.

Lol, I was brought up in the era of the Off Button. I don’t need to complain about Whosit Exotic and his unsavoury wife, I can just turn it off. My point was that Netflix is not an arbiter of taste or decency so their opinion on what I should be watching means jack shit.

There are a number of films that depict slaves happily singing away in the cotton fields

There are also a number of films where one of the main characters is black and he/she is saved by a white person or the white character becomes the hero in some way - The Green Mile is a good example

I saw an episode of OFAH recently and they used the term p*ki shop I felt sad and remembered that it was so openly used then. It was an early episode. I’m not offended by his the sexist attitudes as I think it shows the characters up more than anything

I haven’t seen The Green Mile since it was out the cinema I don’t like it then

It is not something I have thought about until I was older and started to understand or be more aware

As for OFAH it was my mum’s DVD

But I have made complaints when I have felt I needed to

Sorry Enthusiam I misunderstood your point, I’ve asked MNHQ to delete my comment. You’re right, white saviourism is a massive problem in films. Feels like we’re a long way off having that acknowledged though.

Also, keep in mind you too can complain to Netflix about anything at all you find distasteful. You don’t have to tack it onto the back on existing movement, your own opinion is enough.

The problem with this mindset is that you cannot control the mob that is complaining, nor can you have an issue with those who writein green ink.

Censoring the likes of David Attenborough after we have had a year of Greta Thunberg talking about overpopulation is going to be difficult sittuation for the white middle class left.

The vocal labour activists on MN are going to have issues if BLM do actually want to defund the police, they have spent years spouting that tory austerity regarding the police as a significant problem.

What’s David Attenborough done?

@Pumperthepumper

What’s David Attenborough done?

Worked for the BBC? Clocked up the air miles travelling to far flung places? Been nice to the Queen? Been the brother of a hammy actor responsible for Jurassic Park amongst other crimes? (hang on, can I complain to Netflix about that accent?)

No worries

It is a problem

I think it was Spike Lee who said that professional intelligent black men are not allowed to be angry in mainstream films they always have to be passive and almost thankful (something along those lines) to be in the position they are in

When I think about it it’s true - unless there are a police officers

There's another thread that asks about the wives of the men 'protecting' the statues and what kind of woman would marry them.
Reading this thread I have my answer..

Fawlty Towers is 41 years old. Gone with the Wind is 84 years old. FT should probably be in the public domain already, GwtW definitely should be. If they are in the public domain we wouldn't have to worry about copyright holders locking them away or censoring them.

The problem is media companies have retroactively had governments increase copyright durations, again and again, to the point where they last for close to 100 years now. They are now allowing properties from the 1920s to enter the public domain, but I bet they won't allow big technicolor productions like GwtW (or Disney movies) to enter the PD when their time comes.

@Midsommar

They could just blank out the N-word, not pull the bloody episode. We are quickly sliding into a nanny state, full of censorship and people dictating what we can and can't watch. It's scary. I feel our TV history is being erased to meet the ideals of the modern generation.

@Midsommar, are you ok? These aren't just 'ideals of a modern generation' are they? Its racist language and racist connotations and should be removed because it was NEVER ok to take the piss out of ethnicities.

Enough of standing up for the programmes to be reinstated, it's an absolute travesty it's taking this long and we're still debating it??

This business of giving introductions to give context of stuff like GWTW - this kind of suggestion really only happens when society as a whole already sees something as problematic. There are not reams of adults watching that film who don't have some sense of the context, if there are any it must be vanishingly rare.

Most of this business about tv, statues, etc is about the illusion of doing something. It's easy, and it doesn't challenge anyone in power, it makes some people feel righteous, and it fractures communities that otherwise might agitate for real change.

Gourmet Night is my favourite.

How many women are simpering hand maidens to their manly husbands in films and not just the old ones.
Should they be banned as the image of married life is a false one.

Gourmet Night is my favourite

Is that the episode where Cleese beats the car with a bunch of twigs? If it is, it’s my favourite too. I’ve watched that scene so many times and it still makes me helpless with laughter.

The episode of FT in question is still on Netflix in its entirety. I watched it on Friday. Bleeping the words out doesn’t work because the entire point of the scene hinges on them. And that point is to ridicule the character who uses them.

I’m a doctor and I just want my sausages