Hollywood is over 100 years old, but sometimes it feels as if we are living in a limited world with few choices because there aren’t enough to go around. While temporarily imprisoned at home recently, I found myself unable to use the DVD player and, since I don’t have the TV hooked up to online streaming, I was left with the choice of looking at entertainment on network TV or on my computer.
I could almost make a bet that, if I turned on Paramount network, I would see an Indiana Jones movie; TNT would have something directed by either George Lucas or Peter Jackson; SciFy might have something either Harry Potter or Twilight and at least one network would make a run at Pretty Woman.
Sure, that’s a good 21 movies right there, but not when you’ve already screened them 21 times yourself and you’re seeking something a bit more exciting.
I ended up selecting the music channel and enjoyed Eighties tunes while I sorted my wool and yarn.
Meanwhile the industry is mulling over what to do about movies which contain references to historically valid content which is frowned upon today, including slavery in Gone With the Wind and perceived stereotypes in shows or adapted movies such as South Pacific (particularly now that a gunman has killed several Asian women and the focus of inclusion has turned to Asians and Pacific Islanders). A high school canceled the musical because of the depiction of an Asian character as a huckster speaking broken English. Nobody, however, ever notes that we Americans often learn to speak poorly in most other international languages, but natives appreciate the effort when somebody tries their language, as should we when they do the same. After all, we went there first (in terms of colonizing Hawaii), not they here.
After going over what has been going on lately with stale movie marathons and inclusion issues, I have come to the conclusion that my best bet is to go with TCM. That network does an intro for every movie, and explains things to the viewer to give them a sense of what they are about to experience. Why can’t networks do that to other movies and programs? It takes airtime (networks must end on the hour or half hour, while TCM has fillers for space past a film’s true running time) and money to research and find a narrator (TCM has Ben Mankiewicz).
Recently the amorous skunk Pepe LePew was booted from WB cartoons and an upcoming cameo in a feature film because his advances are shown to be unwanted from his love interests and is alleged to resemble stalking or predatory behavior. The generations that grew up with this culture, however, do not appear to be the ones perpetrating the offenses: it’s a much younger line-up of questionable characters, deprived of satirical education in how not to behave, who seem to be the cause of all the uproar.
When I was growing up, we had lots of old educational films about dating, hygiene, safety and general knowledge issues. They never got remade. Maybe a few marathons of those would help straighten a few generations out.
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