weird racism in films and tv

top 100 most racially awkward movie moments

On "Fresh Air" the other day, Edelstein basically said the same thing you did, and that he hated the original ... and then went on to sort of apologize for it and say the new one was actually really great. Meh.

Does Murphy have to project a positive image in every movie? People of all races have played these sidekick "jackass" roles. I think you are being over-sensitive here. You should direct your anger at that horrible fortune-cookie woman instead.

perhaps. I shall agree that playing a "jackass" - black or white or in between - is historic. BUT blackface jackass comes from a racist place - travelling, vaudeville theater. Theaters that were white only.
Eddie Murphy should just make a decent movie and relieve me of this. maybe I am overly sensitive - but the big teeth and the big lips and the "jive" really bother me.
of course, I've never seen the movie - just the ads.

Cultural context = very important.

But "Eddie Murphy as a character" has been pretty close to "minstrel character" for a while. The PJs to thread.

He was meant to be Chinese, shurely? Not that that makes it any better.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001724/

"We're not really like that."

Generated a pretty interesting conversation, tho.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000DMBK.01-A3LTAW8FHJ63G2._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

"Why yes, young black child, feel free to play Twister with us in complete racial harmony! No wait, stop touching the white girls. Right. Umm ... why don't you go back over there and work the spinner for us, 'kay?"

Universal changed "Couples Retreat" marketing material for the film's UK release, and removed the black actors from both the poster's photo and the list of stars typed out.

The film, which features four couples who go on vacation together, costars Faizon Love as a divorced man who takes his new girlfriend along, played by Kali Hawk.

Below are the UK (left) and the US (right) poster.

The Mail on Sunday reports:

The studio said it regretted causing offence and has abandoned plans to use the revised poster in other countries... A Universal spokesman said the revised advert aimed 'to simplify the poster to actors who are most recognisable in international markets'.

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/118825/COUPLES-RETREAT.jpg

to simplify the poster to actors who are most recognisable in international markets

did seem fairly obvious. its jean reno i feel sorry for.

tbf the international poster does look better. The huge red arrow ruins the original imo haha etc...

uk also ok with more bloated looking vince vaughn

simplify the racism more like - the vague unease over why the black couple is so far back and so unclear simplified to the blatant racism of just getting rid of them completely

Universal changed "Couples Retreat" marketing material for the film's UK release, and removed the black actors from both the poster's photo and the list of stars typed out.

The point w/r/2 the black actors not being in the photo/credits is a fair one, but the piece gives the impression that the black couple has been shopped out of the "poster's photo", when they are actually 2 different photos altogether? Seems a bit, I dunno, dishonest, the way it's written.

+ no Peter Serafinowicz on the poster = no cred anyway.

idk what kind of film it is - the US poster looks like it'll be a thriller/horror, there's more of a sense of isolation and creepiness about it; the international poster looks like it'll be a comedy of manners/romcom.

And yeah, as per Lex, in the international poster, the not-white couple is way, way at the back! Might be worth addressing that, whoever published the orig article.

ok that movie is obv a comedy wtf?

there's more of a sense of isolation and creepiness about it

That's true actually. Not just in the way the characters are spaced apart in the dark water, but the landscape behind them, the bare mountain rising ominously.

the not-white couple is way, way at the back! - also, the artist has cleverly camouflaged the fellow by blending his face in w/ the mountains & his shirt w/ the water. wtf is up w/ that?

On the international poster they look like holiday-makers, on the US like plane crash survivors.

the water stains on their clothing on the US poster add to this too - makes their being in the water seem less voluntary

i really do hope the film company has to explain this b/c it's obv 100% indefensible

the edited photo looks better = 100% defensible

There's a plot summary on imdb which suggests a romcom of some sort. Apparently the film features a guitar hero duel between 2 of the characters.

The point w/r/2 the black actors not being in the photo/credits is a fair one, but the piece gives the impression that the black couple has been shopped out of the "poster's photo", when they are actually 2 different photos altogether? Seems a bit, I dunno, dishonest, the way it's written.

― mu-mu (Pashmina), Sunday, November 15, 2009 1:18 PM (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

These aren't two "photos" of 8 actors standing in the water. The posters themselves are photoshop collages of a bunch of different elements. Making a new version without black ppl in it, is akin to "removing" them imo

the international one is a real hack job generally - the distance between the sand relative to the deepness of the water Vaughan and co are standing in is totally unrealistic. INDEFENSIBLE.

weird sand distance in films and tv

never heard of the shopped out couple - do not need in poster

its also bullshit that the men are all listed first inc faizon love who i'd never heard of before seeing this (Pete blogged about the racist aspect on FT a few weeks back incidentally). basically Universal hates women but hates the french more.

Fair point, Whiney.

otoh in North America its okay to display wet trousers

kristen bell ws

Vince gets to put his arm around Kirsten in the Int version, but coldly holds hands with her for the US. I'd like to hear the justification for this from whoever is responsible.

That's Malin Akerman

I actually thought it was weird that the TV commercials for Couples Retreat only mentioned Vince Vaughn's name. He's definitely the biggest star, but I'd have thought Bateman, Bell, and Davis would've at least warranted an "also starring" credit.

you're saying that's RACIST?!

No, just weird.

jk

vince vaughn is wite btw

wide?

"completely typical racism in films and tv"

kennyfasugbe

People excusing this act because it is only a different photo and that it is only meant to make profit overseas are really missing the point here. Racial sensitivity demands attention to rifts such as this as created. Not only that, it also speaks to the racism in the United Kingdom, of which Universal Studios is ready to appease just to make an extra buck or two! This act is deplorable. Simple! Removing a black couple who I believe is not just an extra in the movie, but plays a significant part is to me acrimonious and in a very bad taste, regardless if different pictures are used or not.
This Movie needs to be shunned for what Universal Studios has exposed itself to be: an appeaser of European countries racism! If this movie were to be played in some African countries where the white actors are not known, would they remove all the pale skin faces and names from the posters? Go figure!
Reply Favorite Flag as abusive Posted 12:41 PM on 11/15/2009

http://best.complex.com/lists/The-50-Most-Racist-Movies

no fucking way on earth am i clicking through all that but

http://cdn.best.complex.com//assets/images/lists/racist-movies/310x450/rob_schneider.jpg

It's OK; he's half Filipino.

Oooof, are we allowed to say "Filipino"?

re: Bottle Rocket

BR isn't the most obviously loathsome racist flick around (although Inez the docile maid is straight outta Frat Boy Fantasy central casting), it's just that the movie is so violently white that you know something fucked up is going on somewhere.

Pretty good piece. Racism at the borders for entertainment

https://www.vittlesmagazine.com/p/the-casual-cruelty-of-border-security