Cancellations

[padraig (u.s.)]

The name of the dog on Dam Busters was Nigger.

oh yeah that's rough

I wonder if any of this is making Q Tarentino rethink his films prodigious use of that word

to my understanding, his characters use it more frequently than it was even historically, which is wild

 

[craner]

Does Tarantino regret or rethink anything?

 

[catalog]

well when spike lee had a massive go at him over it, no one cared enough, and of course samuel l ljackson stuck up for him, but surely in the current climate, if tarantino released that film, and spike lee had an issue, people would now favour spike lee. and tarantino would not like it, or back down, but the film might get pulled. all cancellations depened on the current culture climate

 

[catalog]

ive never watched tony hancock, any good?

 

[catalog]

i mean, im watching curb while all this is going on, and when you do a sustained rewatch of that, there's some stuff that makes you cringe in the wrong way. but would he ever back down on it? would he fuck

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

Does Tarantino regret or rethink anything?

normally no and he's a very rich, aging with white guy who's hugely powerful in his field

but this is generally making (white) people rethink things, and he's easily the most prominent white director to make films where people use that word

the arguments - historical context, his revenge fantasies are about empowerment, etc - are the same

I'm not talking about cancellation, I'm talking about thinking twice when you go about making something (in this case, is whatever that word adds, if anything, worth the cost of using it? it's not like he's striving for historical accuracy or realism)

which depending on worldview can be taken as self-censorship or basic human respect

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

all cancellations depened on the current culture climate

lmao you really cannot get off that can you

 

[catalog]

i mean, i think its true so i dunno what you want me to do or say. i'll stop mentioning it if it bothers you

 

[craner]

Tarantino is fuelled by his love of genre and exploitation film, though, which has always been partly about transgression, bad taste, ignoring social norms and limits, so would he not, like he always has done, simply find his own justification and refuge in that tradition?

 

[luka]

it is true and it can go the other way of course. easy to imagine a culture cancelling things for being decadent. promoting gayness or whatever. it's not like its never happened.

 

[catalog]

tarantino is good cos he comes from this specific culture, that he believes in, hes not taking the piss or trying to be funny, he's genuine on his own terms. so he would not bend. even if some of that is not what we would consider good, proper, respectful or whatever. he idolises a certain kind of outsider rebel thing. that's why hes so popular.

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

i'll stop mentioning it if it bothers you

ah yes, the I'm sorry if it offends you line

it doesn't bother me, you just don't know what the hell you're talking about

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

would he not, like he always has done, simply find his own justification and refuge in that tradition

very possible

it was more of an idle speculation related to the magnitude of the last few weeks

 

[catalog]

OK!

ah yes, the I'm sorry if it offends you line

it doesn't bother me, you just don't know what the hell you're talking about

OK - got you loud and clear.

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

even if some of that is not what we would consider good, proper, respectful or whatever. he idolises a certain kind of outsider rebel thing

his transgressive popularity is deeply, inextricably tied to him being a white dude

female and POC filmmakers have vastly less space to be outsider rebels - even Spike Lee, in fact

of course he's also very talented, I wouldn't say otherwise, a kind of ideal postmodern pop filmmaker

but it's not just about some badass kool lack sticking it to them man (he is the man) thing

 

[catalog]

yeah, i get what you mean there. and yes it's unfair that a non-white director or woman does not have that space. are you saying he should take up less space? i cant see someone like him ever doing that, hes gotta be a massive egomaniac.

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

no, it's not a prescriptive statement, just a point about privilege and cultural capital

that difficult, transgressive, outsider rebel artists - at least the ones who succeed - are (almost) always white men

 

[padraig (u.s.)]

the more privilege and/or cultural capital you have, the more likely you are to get away with - even be lauded for - your transgressions

 

[luka]

film in general is dominated by white men and by the priveleged. its always been expensive. lots of outsider rebel artists in music who are not white men.

 

[luka]