# Movies that could not be made in today’s world **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 13, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064 "2023-09-13T18:10:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/81 "2023-09-15T17:54:51Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I think a lot of movies could just have material unpalatable to modern audiences removed and you’d still have a similar story. Similar sentiments have been expressed here. I guess it depends on how you choose to define ‘get made today’. Things To Do In Denver When Your Dead could, of course, be made today providing it had a heavy re-write (as noted in the OP). But I suspect if released as a new movie today, as is, there might be a bit of a backlash against the casual homophobia and racism, as it’s not intrinsic to the plot. In fact, it appears just to be tacked on to provide edginess. As others have pointed out, offensiveness that’s vital to the plot probably wouldn’t make even with a re-write. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/82 "2023-09-15T17:56:26Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Much of this is a passing phase as common attitudes change and the pendulum swings to far in correction. Then after some time when the issue is no longer ‘hot’ satire becomes better understood for what it is. At least I hope that’s the case. I’m hoping with you… but I fear it is not. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/83 "2023-09-15T18:19:44Z")
I always figured it was satirical, specifically about the thought processes in Hollywood that led to “I Am Sam” and “Rainman”. I mean, if you’re aware of those two movies, it seems pretty obvious that Ben Stiller’s character was essentially doing the same thing, but was so blithely unaware of how problematic “Simple Jack” was. Kind of a “Let’s exaggerate it’s offensiveness, so we can show how offensive these older movies really were.” sort of thing. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but that’s what I came away from it with, not so much that they were _directly_ making fun of the mentally handicapped. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/84 "2023-09-15T18:51:51Z")
I remember a Sinbad video where he performed in front of a primarily black audience and he started talking about the Civil War. He said “Y’all would have hated me. I’d have been the first to rat out all the black people. ‘Massah Johnson, I saw some slaves slippin’ out the back door into the woods!’ (pretends another person is talking) ‘Oh, they ain’t my people! YOU my people!’” The audience was howling with laughter. So was I, mostly out of shock. No white comedian could have gotten away with that. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/85 "2023-09-15T18:57:26Z")
You essentially have all that in _Django Unchained._ Not that Tarantino has never been subject to criticism concerning his content. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/86 "2023-09-15T19:26:50Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > The blackface is less problematic because it’s the white guy that is the butt of the joke. See, I don’t think so. Many people in my generation and particularly younger generations would be likely to be highly offended by any white person having blackface for any reason, even if the point was to criticize white people in blackface. I’m thinking of the scene in _Sorry to Bother You_ where um… ooh. It’s a rough scene I’m afraid to even describe. The protagonist, who is black, attends a work function full of drunken white people who implore him to rap. When he finally does, this happens: (broken link for repeated use of the n-word.) [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com) /watch?v=pNZbfjVGDlQ The director of the film said it was very difficult to get the white actors to play their part. Even though that is the point of the scene, they didn’t want to do it. Honestly it’s hard to blame them. (Great film, BTW.) ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/87 "2023-09-15T19:38:27Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > I don’t think we’ll ever see another Fu Manchu movie. Easy. Fu Manchu is an agent of the Chinese government, protecting his country from the diabolical criminal mastermind, Denis Nayland Smith. Or, set it in a neutral country, with Fu Manchu and Nayland Smith as honorable adversaries. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/88 "2023-09-15T20:01:43Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > The plot is “so similar” that Richard Prior got a screen writing credit on Paws of Fury because of his work on Blazing Saddles. Sure. But that _plot_ is not the reason why Blazing Saddles would have issues today. The main reason is the N-word. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/89 "2023-09-15T20:20:54Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Sure. But that _plot_ is not the reason why Blazing Saddles would have issues today. The main reason is the N-word. How did they manage to release Django Unchained? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/90 "2023-09-15T20:24:59Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > I used to love _Animal House_ – and it still has some indelible comedy – but the scene where the boys go to the Black nightclub is just pathetically racist, and not in any kind of ironic way, either. Actually, this has ALWAYS bothered me about the _Animal House_ movie. In fact, there are a lot of such depictions that bothered me when the film came out. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/91 "2023-09-15T20:40:26Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > How did they manage to release Django Unchained? Note I didnt say Blazing Saddles couldnt be made today. I said it would _have issues_. _Django Unchained_ was criticized for the use of that word, and for being a “parody of slavery”. [Is Django Unchained worthy of the controversy? | by ALaw | Medium](https://iamalaw.medium.com/is-django-unchained-worthy-of-the-controversy-b8065448e6dd#:~:text=Although%20even%20before%20its%20release,against%20the%20backdrop%20of%20slavery). ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/92 "2023-09-15T23:43:54Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I’m pretty sure that the theme song for _Twinky_ wouldn’t be made today. Apparently it’s not just the theme song that’s problematic. > A 38-year-old writer of pornographic novels named Scott (Charles Bronson) meets and falls in love with a sixteen-year-old school girl (Susan George) whilst living in London. [Lola (1970 film) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lola_(1970_film)) So it’s _Lolita_ with the age raised from 12 to 16 and some porn thrown into the plot? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2023, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/93 "2023-09-15T23:53:22Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > So it’s _Lolita_ with the age raised from 12 to 16 and some porn thrown into the plot? To give the movie a _little_ credit when the girl wants the man to marry her, he tells her it is a bad idea (but he finally goes along with it). Her family thinks it was a bad idea. His family thinks it was a bad idea. The general public finds out about it and thinks it was a bad idea. After being together for a while the marriage falls apart because of the huge differences between them and they get a divorce. Proving that everybody else that they ever met or ever heard of them thinking it was a bad idea was right. So in the end the movie wasn’t _supporting_ the relationship. (And the guy wrote basically Harlequin romance novels.) ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/94 "2023-09-16T00:28:50Z")
Do they even make high school sex, drugs, & alcohol comedies in the style of Fast Times & Ridgemont High, Dazed and Confused, American Pie, and Superbad anymore? [I recognize most of the movies on this list, but none that strike me as particularly iconic.](https://www.imdb.com/list/ls062781406/) Maybe with all the helicopter parenting and social media these days, the themes of kids with largely absent parents getting into all sorts of trouble and throwing a massive end of the school year party no longer resonates with today’s youth? > [@TriPolar](#): > > > [@DrDeth](#): > > > > Sure. But that _plot_ is not the reason why Blazing Saddles would have issues today. The main reason is the N-word. > > How did they manage to release Django Unchained? Or the Hateful Eight for that matter. Django Unchained was about the abuses of slavery. The Hateful Eight could probably still been told without Chris Mannix’s constant racist diatribes or Major Warren’s graphic tale of raping Gen Smither’s son. 48 Hours could be made today as a standard mis-matched buddy cop comedy. On having rewatched it on cable recently, cop Nick Nolte sure does call convict Eddie Murphy the n-word a whole lot. Although, I think the whole point of the movie was that they lived in a very racially divided world (as it was and often is) on opposite sides of the law, yet somehow managed to find mutual ground to catch the bad guy (and make a sequel). ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/95 "2023-09-16T00:35:29Z")
How do you even make a “period movie” now. Show the casual racism of the time and be accused of endorsing it or not showing it leaving yourself vulnerable to accusations of “whitewashing”. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/96 "2023-09-16T06:17:39Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > To give the movie a _little_ credit when the girl wants the man to marry her, Marriage at 16 is legal is a LOT of states. Just no hanky panky before the vows. ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/97 "2023-09-16T15:50:10Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > I used to love _Animal House_ – and it still has some indelible comedy – but the scene where the boys go to the Black nightclub is just pathetically racist, and not in any kind of ironic way, either. I’m not seeing the racism in the Animal House scene. It’s an accurate depiction of what guys like that who had never been in a black majority environment would act like. (I know that accurate depictions no longer matter, but still.) The joke’s on the white guys. The black people are not doing anything other than how they would be in their normal environment. I think with “woke” or whatever you want to call it everything will eventually be offensive. It’s not like the Hays Code where there were actually rules laid out. The whole point is to catch people off guard. So it’s more like a witch hunt or Spanish Inquisition. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/98 "2023-09-16T17:12:57Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I watched **Murder by Death** last night. I know Peter Sellers is mocking/parodying the classic Charlie Chan portrayal but would anyone under 40 have a clue? I don’t think his portrayal would fly today. I think his protrayal in blackface of an Indian in “The Party” would fly even less today. “The Great Santini” - thoroughly two-dimensional, unhinged, child-harassing wife-beaters (Duvall) probably wouldn’t be the most poplular character these days. The outlandishly creepy Telly Savalas character from “The Dirty Dozen” might appear, say, in a current slasher film, perhaps, but other than that… “I Spit On Your Grave”. Sure, there’s incredibly stupid torture porn these days, but some of the over-the-top misogyny here, such as when the raping assailants stand above their beaten victim while laughingly reading aloud from her diary…yeah, that’s just a whole new level of “nah, not these days”. ETA: A mild one: “A Fish Called Wanda”. I’d be surpirsed if there’ll be another film with a stutterer for “comic effect”. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/99 "2023-09-16T17:58:32Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > ETA: A mild one: “A Fish Called Wanda”. I’d be surpirsed if there’ll be another film with a stutterer for “comic effect”. And see above re: “Life of Brian.” ---
**Author:** ![Jay\_Z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Jay\_Z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jay_Z)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064/100 "2023-09-16T19:25:33Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > The outlandishly creepy Telly Savalas character from “The Dirty Dozen” might appear, say, in a current slasher film, perhaps, but other than that… I don’t think anyone approved of Maggot’s behavior in the film. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-could-not-be-made-in-today-s-world/990064.md?page=6)