Last night, my wife watched The Help. (I watched Wolves vs. Arsenal upstairs.) I saw a tiny bit of The Help and in the little bit I saw, the rigid, narrow-minded, rich, white, married, Southern mom talked about how she read that being gay could be cured. I wanted to puke.
I just can't take another drop of gay-rights moralizing at any level. I feel like it's jammed down my throat constantly. I'd be much more interested in some movies or TV shows about this.
I'm not holding my breath. Hollywood hates people like me.
Alienation: it's not just for beatniks anymore.
ReplyDeleteWell, they're pretty pathetic on a personal level, so this does double-duty: gives them an acceptable target for attack and gives them warm fuzzies about standing up for a chosen victim.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Foxfier, it is more about them feeling good about themselves than propagandizing and re-educating the world, but it is that also.
ReplyDeleteI love how they think they're being all brave and speaking truth to power when in fact they're beating up on the same tired straw men over and over and over.
ReplyDeleteI thought Robin Williams was particularly craven in Good Morning Vietnam as the brave rock and roll disc jockey who took on polka. What a risk! What a statement of independence! Zzzzzz! Yes, I know it happened, but the villains in the piece were totally cardboard.
I agree with you. I'm tired of manipulative propaganda at every turn.
ReplyDeleteWe also watched The Help - like you I only saw part of it as I was in and out of the room - the part I saw was the beginning, and it was pretty good. I got sidetracked right about the time they started laying it on thick and heavy about the maid's son being dumped in front of a hospital, and not cared for.
What struck me most was that none of the people in the room (my own family) and probably 99% of the people watching it elsewhere have any idea that it was REPUBLICANS who went to bat for "The Help."
The rich white fat cat stereotype implies that Republicans were the oppressors, when in fact the opposite is true.
Thus, the rich white girly who was proposing an ordinance mandating outdoor toilets for The Help was in fact, a Democrat.
I'm confused. While I haven't seen "The Help," it is supposed to be about the civil rights era south. There shouldn't be a lot of discussion about gay rights there.
ReplyDeleteKT, don't take it personally, Hollywood doesn't care about anyone over 40. And if you think there is too much discussion of gay rights in American media you should take a look at the BBC!
Foxfier, your thinking of Dixiecrats, a whole different breed from regular democrats. Pretty much all of them became Republicans when Johnson pushed through the Civil Rights legislation in the 1960's. These are the descendants of those who split from the Union over slavery. Historically they avoided the Republican party because of its association with the North in the Civil war. Southerners can hold a grudge for a very long time.
Kelly, I'm not sure about the rest of the movie, but the shout out to gays jumped at me pretty quick. I won't lie to you, I wanted to watch Wolves vs. Arsenal anyway.
ReplyDeleteI guess the real point of the post is that there are things going on in the US and across the world where we do need to speak truth to power, truths that would indeed cause controversy and would require some courage. Dean's post, linked in this one is one example.
ReplyDeleteThe riots at the Wisconsin State Fair earlier this year and the Mall of America this week would be another.
I think you mean Rose, Kelly. ^.^
ReplyDeleteKT, wow! Thanks for the Scratch-a-lanche.
ReplyDelete2011 movie attendance numbers are down substantially from 2010, which weren't all that great to begin with. My son and I have been watching DVDs of Hollywood classic historical films (The 300 - 1961, Alexander the Great - 1956). We have enjoyed them more than we would have the bulk of what has been offered for family viewing this year. I suspect that 2012 numbers will be worse still, as people are discovering other entertainment alternatives.
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