Voices
in
Japan

have your say

What are some movies that couldn't be remade today because social norms have changed?

27 Comments

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

27 Comments
Login to comment

Thouroughly Modern Millie

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Fanný By Gaslight.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Too many to list. We are living in something like early Soviet times, when only approved themes may be shown. Eventually, this will pass and artists/filmmakers will be free to create again. The good thing is that the cost of making a movie has come way down, so "subversive" films can still be made. Distribution will be a problem, though, as long as the media is controlled by monopolies like YouTube/Google.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Any movie can be remade it just isn’t usually a good idea. There are of course some notable exceptions which improve on the original for example Cape Fear, The Thing, True Grit, The Departed.

Moving too far from the source material is not always due to ‘social norms’ so you can’t blame the woke/pc bogeyman because screenwriters are lazy.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I think most Peter Sellers comedies wouldn’t be made today due to changing norms. I love a lot of his movies like The Party but no way would that be made today.

This is probably a good thing, not because of being woke or whatever but because they spent decades trying to re-boot his Clousseau movies after he died with awful results and it’s just best to let the originals stand on their own (the good and the bad).

2 ( +3 / -1 )

My all times favorite, Porky's. I can imagine the outrage of the offended.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

One of my favourite comedies, 'Carry On Up the Khyber'. Maybe all the 'Carry On' movies and many other comedies. Comedy has really been hit hard, both stand-up and in movies, from the new model censorship.

That said, most remakes are awful anyway. Off the top of my head, I can't recall a remake that was better than an original.

I don't think the problem is 'social norms'. It's just the toxic, Mao-like cancel culture that is sterilising and censoring so much of the arts. Literature can switch to independent publishers and self-publishing, but movies are big money risks and sensitive to activist boycotts. As a result of this, some of the best novels produced over the next decade will not be made into movies or TV series. You may have to cast your net wider to find them as well, as timid mainstream publishers have been quick to self-censor.

It may take 5 or 10 years, or a generation, but the quality of classic novels and good movies will see them rediscovered by a generation that doesn't go into a superficial state of moral panic reading or watching something produced in a past age with different values. Eventually the woke activists will have kids and be too busy to spend their days ruining peoples' enjoyment via social media witch hunts. They will have their work cut out forcing their unfortunate progeny to be carbon copies of their culturally pure and perfect selves.

The rest of us have decades of quality material available to view on physical media. I have boxes of DVDs - classic TV and movies. Hollywood can shovel out dreadful woke remakes all it wants. I'll stick with the originals. Buy them now, whilst you can. Streaming is easy to censor.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Most of the Benny Hill stuff would create megastorms of offended social media snoflakes

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Thouroughly Modern Millie

Ironic, considering the American government is literally playing "Thoroughly Modern Millie" on the international stage.

One of my favourite comedies, 'Carry On Up the Khyber'. Maybe all the 'Carry On' movies and many other comedies.

I'm absolutely shocked how much the Carry On movies are now censored on TV. With the exception of that iconic exercising scene in Camping, Barbara Windsor's scenes have been edited and she is mostly dressed in those films now. And that Bristol's Bouncing Baby Food scene in Carry On Again Doctor was totally butchered.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

"Up the Khyber Pass" is hilarious, probably the best Carry On film, but the gags include ones powered by casual racism. The much later "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" is worse, the whole thing is built around exaggerated tropes, and that film certainly wouldn't be made now. It had to be made in Sri Lanka because the Indian government said it was racist and offensive at the time. That was their 1980s verdict, not some woke revisionism forty years later.

As it happens, my nine-year-old daughter asked me today why Bowser in the Mario games kidnaps Peach and doesn't just get Mario if its Mario he wants to fight. I tried to tell her that there used to be lots of stories where a strong boy would go and save a weak girl. It's not something I've ever thought about, but maybe Mario would not be made with that kind of backstory now.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I guess, without exemptions every older movie and even all those already censored new ones of our times have the one or other scene that can be complained about, if someone is interested and focusing on such complaining instead of just watching and enjoying.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Everything is a product of its time.

Great movies like Slapshot or Bad News Bears wouldn’t work as remakes today, but not because of offensive material.

There are far more offensive movies still being made now in the Mel Brooks tradition of offending everyone.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Too many to list. We are living in something like early Soviet times, when only approved themes may be shown.

You could start by naming a few - those that are those you strongly feel should still be made today but can't because of the politically correct dogma of the "liberal elite".

Of course you don't name them because it would just reveal what your point is - tacit approval of the casual racism that was present in so many movies from previous eras.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I'm absolutely shocked how much the Carry On movies are now censored on TV. With the exception of that iconic exercising scene in Camping, Barbara Windsor's scenes have been edited and she is mostly dressed in those films now.

Can't say I've seena Carry On for many years - they are quite dated and a product of a differnt period. But I would be very surprised if the Carry Ons were censored - Barbara Windsor was always clothed (apart from the scene in Camping). Can you give a specific example?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Airplane!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Animal House.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Gone With The Wind. One of the best movies (and novels) ever. In spite of the Wokists' revisionist critiques, notice how they skip over the many true and historically factual acts of bravery committed by the actors in support of Hattie McDaniel, who also just happened to be the first African American to ever win an Oscar. You should look up the story, before the Wokists erase that inconvenient part from our history forever.

Blazing Saddles. Mel Brooks said it himself: "political correctness will be the death of comedy. ""They" wouldn't let me make a comedy like that now...nobody can. Comedy has to walk a thin line, take risks. It's the lecherous little elf whispering in the king's ear, telling the truth about human behaviour...It's OK not to hurt the feelings of various tribes and groups. However, it's NOT good for comedy."

We all know who are the "they" to which Mr. Brooks is referring. The Revisionist Wokists would have us all in Mao Suits, enjoying a dull, dead, monochrome "culture" so vapid and devoid of humanity just so they could politicize entertainment into a mass indoctrination of the "masses" into being politically correct! Sad, but true. Look around you at the "wonderful" PC Kulture they're spewing out for us today...

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

many.

Dirty Harry?

btw what "social norms were changed"?

do you mean political correctness or LGBTI thing?

highly likely so?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Ah so:

Barbara Windsor was always clothed (apart from the scene in Camping). Can you give a specific example?

Two, on the top of my head. As I said, the Bristol's Bouncing Baby Food scene in Carry On Again Doctor where Babs is covered in a blanket with not much else under and sitting on the exam table in the hospital. Dr Nookey asks her to remove the blanket so he can examine her, and the next scene, she's already on her back! And because of that cut, we don't get to see the expression on Dr Nookey's face.

One other example is Babs taking a shower in the hotel in Carry On Abroad. She's washing herself with soap when Sid comes in and tells her she missed a bit. We never get to see what bit she missed because that part was cut too.

Absolutely unbelievable coming from a country which has given us 'Naked Attraction'.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

We all know who are the "they" to which Mr. Brooks is referring. The Revisionist Wokists would have us all in Mao Suits, enjoying a dull, dead, monochrome "culture" so vapid and devoid of humanity just so they could politicize entertainment into a mass indoctrination of the "masses" into being politically correct! Sad, but true. Look around you at the "wonderful" PC Kulture they're spewing out for us today...

You need to watch more movies.

If you want Mel Brooks style offensive you are spoiled for choice nowadays. Mao would have controlled everything you watch. Now you have too much choice and anyone can make a movie, unless ironically you live in China.

I’m a huge fan of his early movies but the last time he made a good film was in the 80’s. Robin Hood and Dracula were hardly subversive. Were the ‘revisionist wokists’ holding Mel back then?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@ah_so

whooosh !

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@Ah_so

My apologies. I have read far worse said in earnest on this site.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Absolutely, the early series of movies of Crayon Shin-Chan. Although each of the storytelling is so funny and sometimes heartwarming that many people who watch them have been moved, the movies around the year of two thousands always include a scene which might not be appropriate for child education in public. The main character, Shin-Chan, often show a certain part of his body, which should be covered by cloth, and sometimes his phrases include a bit sexual contents. Also, due to his behavior, he often get a blow on his head as a small punishment. These interactions really match his characteristics and create a humorous aspect.

However, recent social trend tends to restrict such scenes since they can give negative effect on child growth. I think it is understandable because this is the world trend, I should take it into consideration. But unfortunately, recent series of movies look less and less funny.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites