The dog may live, but is it cancelled?
November 7, 2023 11:38 AM Subscribe
Is there a good resource or 'system' for reviewing older media for plot elements or characterization that may have been acceptable at the time, but which no longer is? Things like "hey, this older movie has depictions of race relations that are not considered appropriate today" or "Hey, there's some gay panic jokes in this 2000s sitcom you might not remember clearly." Basically, content warnings for cultural sensitivity and respect for minority groups.
A lot of older movies we may have fond memories of, or heard great things about, have elements that are hit differently, or are no longer acceptable. Sometimes that's a good opportunity to stop and talk about how culture's changed; sometimes it's just a gross derail that damages or ruins the experience for all parties.
Some of the more straightforward examples of this: The Mickey Rooney character in Breakfast at Tiffany's is not just a little iffy but now comes across as a gross stereotype. The Disney Peter Pan is a lovely fun delightful oh my god the Indians oh god. A lot of 90s and 2000s comedies had at least a moment or two of gay panic and/or transphobia, where "a man could be mistaken for being gay, trans, or otherwise queer" is played as either laughable or horrifying (or both). The specific event prompting this question is that a friend of mine was waxing nostalgic about Jim Carrey movies and wanted to start watching them with their child, and a coworker jumped in to warn them that vaguely fun memories of Ace Ventura probably did not include the fact that basically the whole movie is a wind-up to a trans woman's body being the punchline of a joke and resolution to the plot.
I'm a big fan of sites like Does the Dog Die to check on content before viewing or suggesting it - is there anything like that for this kind of concern? Or other tips/tricks for being aware without fully pre-viewing the entire show/movie? It's one thing to go into a show or movie expecting a certain amount of cultural bumps and being prepared to talk about them; it's another entirely to say "Hey, let's watch this fun show together" and being 'ambushed' by something we'd never be OK with in a modern film. And I'm especially concerned about things that are 'just' a passing joke or a minor character who's played as a punchline - a lot of those things just aren't going to show up in a contemporary review or a plot summary.
A lot of older movies we may have fond memories of, or heard great things about, have elements that are hit differently, or are no longer acceptable. Sometimes that's a good opportunity to stop and talk about how culture's changed; sometimes it's just a gross derail that damages or ruins the experience for all parties.
Some of the more straightforward examples of this: The Mickey Rooney character in Breakfast at Tiffany's is not just a little iffy but now comes across as a gross stereotype. The Disney Peter Pan is a lovely fun delightful oh my god the Indians oh god. A lot of 90s and 2000s comedies had at least a moment or two of gay panic and/or transphobia, where "a man could be mistaken for being gay, trans, or otherwise queer" is played as either laughable or horrifying (or both). The specific event prompting this question is that a friend of mine was waxing nostalgic about Jim Carrey movies and wanted to start watching them with their child, and a coworker jumped in to warn them that vaguely fun memories of Ace Ventura probably did not include the fact that basically the whole movie is a wind-up to a trans woman's body being the punchline of a joke and resolution to the plot.
I'm a big fan of sites like Does the Dog Die to check on content before viewing or suggesting it - is there anything like that for this kind of concern? Or other tips/tricks for being aware without fully pre-viewing the entire show/movie? It's one thing to go into a show or movie expecting a certain amount of cultural bumps and being prepared to talk about them; it's another entirely to say "Hey, let's watch this fun show together" and being 'ambushed' by something we'd never be OK with in a modern film. And I'm especially concerned about things that are 'just' a passing joke or a minor character who's played as a punchline - a lot of those things just aren't going to show up in a contemporary review or a plot summary.
Best answer: Commons Sense Media, which is aimed at parents of kids, is pretty useful for ethnic stereotypes/racism, but probably behind on the gay panic/transphobia. Peter Pan and Breakfast at Tiffany's both have a "flagged for concern" tag under "diverse representations" but there's no warning for transphobia on the Ace Ventura page, although it does say, "this movie has not gotten better with age, especially the jokes at the expense of homosexuals and the mentally ill."
posted by mskyle at 11:50 AM on November 7, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by mskyle at 11:50 AM on November 7, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I'm a big fan of sites like Does the Dog Die to check on content before viewing or suggesting it - is there anything like that for this kind of concern?
Yes, Does The Dog Die, which now covers more than just canine mortality.
Looking at your examples:
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective:
posted by zamboni at 12:51 PM on November 7, 2023 [19 favorites]
Yes, Does The Dog Die, which now covers more than just canine mortality.
Looking at your examples:
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective:
- Is someone misgendered?
- Is there hate speech?
- Are there "Man in a dress" jokes?
- Is a minority is misrepresented?
- Are there transphobic slurs?
- Is a trans person depicted predatorily?
- Is there deadnaming or birthnaming?
- Is an LGBT+ person outed?
- Is there hate speech?
- Is a minority is misrepresented?
- Is there hate speech?
posted by zamboni at 12:51 PM on November 7, 2023 [19 favorites]
Response by poster: I am genuinely embarrassed that I hadn't noticed just how extensive Does the Dog Die actually gets these days. The combination of DtDD and CSM for backup looks like it'll nicely cover all of my needs and I'm looking forward to sharing them as options with others. Thanks!
posted by Tomorrowful at 12:54 PM on November 7, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by Tomorrowful at 12:54 PM on November 7, 2023 [6 favorites]
(Don't feel bad - DtDD has changed over the years, but it hasn't done much to improve the bare bones UX. You have to scroll down a long way to find the categories you'd be looking for.)
posted by zamboni at 1:04 PM on November 7, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by zamboni at 1:04 PM on November 7, 2023 [4 favorites]
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posted by splitpeasoup at 11:48 AM on November 7, 2023 [12 favorites]