Martin Scorsese is a racist. Why do we put up with it?

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Permalink Reply by MDS on June 23, 2009 at 12:24am

Well, tell you what. Since we are clearly trying to call out a director for being a "racist", let's go ahead and call out the biggest racist in years. Go back and count how many times the word "nigger" appears in QT's movies, I think you'll be shocked at the number.

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Permalink Reply by Q on June 23, 2009 at 12:27am

Oh, come on now. QT's portrayal of that word is clever satire.

Besides...if Scorcese is a racist by having racist antagonists in his movies...I suppose that Spielberg is an alien...for having alien characters in his movies.

Yeap. That's exactly a parallel logistics statement to yours, Cap'n. ...Doesn't make a whole lotta sense, does it stud?

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Permalink Reply by MDS on June 23, 2009 at 12:37am

Here's the thing though. In MOST (granted not all) cases of Scorsese's characters having an issue with another race, it's because HISTORICALLY that character's racial background has an issue with another race.

Sorry, but it's a KNOWN FACT that the Italian mafia scene has a LONG running history of disliking SEVERAL racial backgrounds. Asians, Africans, even OTHER European countries like Ireland, German, Spanish ... etc,etc. If they are using the racial point of view of a character's supposed background that is known to be realistic, is that a "wrong"? No, it's something that gives the character more depth and accuracy. Besides, it's not like the Asian cultures go around singing praises of the Italian or other races all the time.

QT on the other hand, just doesn't come across as "satire" as well as he COULD. Sure, most of the time it is satirical, but not always. Some of it just slaps you in the face with how racist it is. Hell, the famous "Sicilians are the Niggers" in True Romance is attacking TWO racial backgrounds at once, and what's worse, it's not "satirical" at all, it's clearly added in JUST to appear to be "cool".

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Permalink Reply by Q on June 23, 2009 at 12:40am

Yet he gets away with it, while the rest of us can either enjoy it, or sit there, be angry, and do nothing about it...

I dunno about joo, but I tend to prefer positive karma over the negative shit...hence, anger without a path is a waste for me. I'd rather just enjoy it. C:

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Permalink Reply by MDS on June 23, 2009 at 12:43am

I tend to ignore it from QT, because I tend to ignore his movies IN GENERAL.

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Permalink Reply by Q on June 23, 2009 at 1:06am

Your above posts say otherwise...

You're bugged about Jackie Brown's rampant use of the word nigger, and you're bugged about QT inserting his own foot fetish fantasies in Death Proof.

Oh well....if you look past the feet, you get some of the most badass car chases ever filmed...

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Permalink Reply by MDS on June 23, 2009 at 1:51am

Okay, I'll amend my statement....

I tend to ignore it from QT, because I tend to ignore his movies as being enjoyable. Don't assume I've not seen his movies, but since Pulp Fiction, I've not really cared much for anything he's done as a film worth remembering. I've seen them, but I don't like them.

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Permalink Reply by Q on June 23, 2009 at 4:27am

That's a fair and sensible statement. :3 Something hard to come by on Spill these days! Kudos.

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Permalink Reply by MDS on June 23, 2009 at 10:57am

I don't deny the historical accuracy of the statement made.

I contend that the ONLY purpose it's in the whole movie is to show how "Cool" that character is in the face of danger. So, in order for the character to be "cool" he has to insult two racial backgrounds? Really, that's not what I would deem to be "cool" for any reason. What's worse, it also interrupted the scene's PACING just to have that bit of dialogue added. AND, not only that, but look at the way it ends when the two guys are speaking Italian to each other, they have the Italian dialogue add the word "nigger" as well, just in case you missed out on the whole thing and you speak Italian in the audience. It was BLATANTLY added into the scene for the sake of appearing "Cool" as a character, regardless of it's effect to the development of the scene as a whole.

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Permalink Reply by Deadly Dr. Jay on June 23, 2009 at 11:51am

I don't agree MDS. The statement was made to piss off the mob boss because the character knew that the Italians were racist and it would piss them off. It was said during a scene when the character knew no matter what he was not going to leave alive so he didn't care and wasn't going to tell them what they wanted to hear. It had nothing to do with being "cool".

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Permalink Reply by MDS on June 23, 2009 at 12:04pm

Really, it was going to piss them off?

Hey, "Fuck you, I'm not telling you a damn thing".

Hey look, I have the guy pissed off.... Look, I know I'm not getting out alive, so I'm not going to give them anything...... Wow, did I bring the CONCLUSION of the scene into action within SECONDS of it's build up?

Well, gee. I must be a fucking genius after all. I was able to piss them off, I was able to convey to the audience that I know I'm going to die, but not give out information, and gee I do believe I was able to show how "Cool" I was by still being tougher than the "thugs" beating on me by not breaking...

And hey, I did it all in 3 or 4 seconds without saying a single racial slur or insulting anyone's heritage.

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Permalink Reply by Kizmania on June 23, 2009 at 7:02pm

yeah but your scene sucks...

That scene from True Romance is extremely witty, and clever... It is surprising you can't appreciate it.

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