A thread to discuss problematic movies and TV shows from the past and whether they could or would be made today.
Also a discussion of inapprpriate scenes in those movies that could still work today and why.
Where this would get interesting is solving these problems in the movies and still keeping them classics.
Examples:
Back to the Future
16 Candles
The Breakfast Club
Bosom Buddies
I think if the central idea of the movie/show isn’t too problematic you could make it. Like remove the Donger from 16 Candles and change some other details and it’d be OK. Same deal with The Breakfast Club and Revenge of the Nerds. No-go to Bosom Buddies, Soul Man, Gung Ho, any movie that involves a child in an adult’s body or vice versa, etc.
Why is back to the future problematic?
Someone here posted an incredible video that broke it down perefectly as a pitch meeting. It’s a straight up creepshow at the pitch phase. This is also why it’s a good one to discuss.
What is the problem with breakfast club?
Stalking, sexual harassment, bullying, with the bully/stalker/harasser being redeemed despite not changing. The Ally Sheedy character transformation ,etc.
I’m under the impression it was not significantly less of one then, but they still managed to get it over the finish line. I’d be surprised if it would die before being green-lit if it was a new idea today.
BTTF is fine. Marty is grossed out by his mom having a crush on him. And his mom doesn’t know he’s her son. Kinda like Oedipus.
I think that’s because the Marty character continuously acknowledges it, is creeped out, and pushes back against it. If Fox leans into it even a little it is bad news. And the pitched movie was actually worse.
Has anyone watched Adventures in Babysitting lately. That has some straight up racist scenes.
How about Never Been Kissed?
It’s about high school. That’s not problematic on the sense this discussion began. Those are all still themes of every high school movie.
You’re not getting it, but that’s why it’s a discussion.
Don’t fuck with the babysitter
The plot of 16 Candles is an issue with trying to get the panties. They could make it a different item and the premise gets better, but there are dozens of gags while reslistic that would have a hard time making it too. The date rape part is a firm no go but also key to a character’s development of what he can do vs. what he does and how that impacts who the boyfriend of her is a person.
Never Have I Ever and Square Pegs both handle high school popularity at any cost better even with their own problems.
16 Candles took the worst back alleys and played them for laughs. That’s why it would be hard to make today.
Trading Places is another good one or The Toy (not a classic)
The panty thing is the B plot, the main plot is the family forgetting the girl’s birthday because her sister is marrying an oily (problematic!) bo-hunk. Change the panties to a phone number and you’re good to go.
The question which is difficult to dance around is: does the movie (or do movies in general) suffer by watering stuff down? Like, is his quest to get panties inherently more funny than a quest to get a phone number or a kiss or something?
Was talking to my older kid about this in regard to the Tom Brady roast: sometimes things get more laughs specifically because you’re not supposed to say them. I think this is part of what comedians are talking about when they rail against “cancel culture” being bad for comedy. Obviously the other side of the coin is that there’s a reason you’re not supposed to say these things and there is definitely a line where popular comedians (or movies/TV shows) saying horrible things does actual harm. And then at some point comedians saying stuff they’re not supposed to say solely because they’re not supposed to say them becomes even less funny: see Dave Chappelle, the Adam Corolla thing.
To me a movie isn’t problematic because it tackles tough issues as long as it does it with sensitivity. That is why I don’t see The Breakfast Club as problematic. On the other hand, Revenge of the Nerds treats rape as a cute dating technique.
For example, Easy A is among the best teen movies of the last 20 years but it’s core theme has been a huge problem in so many teen films yet here it’s treated with sensitivity and intellect. Of course every teen film will deal with sex and virginity but it’s how they do it that matters so much.
Airplane. Greatest comedy ever. Could never be made today.
No part of Weird Science could be redeemed.