Banning movies: Ach-ya or Nish-Nish?
The "Ministry of Culture and Tourism" in Ukraine has banned the movie Brüno. They cite "homosexual perversion" and say it "may harm the moral education of citizens."
CatieCat, writing at the popular feminist blog Shakesville, is torn. CC says government bureaucrats banning this film "does seem like rather a good thing" but this case is "a mixed bag" because the reasoning given for state censorship is not progressive enough.
CatieCat, writing at the popular feminist blog Shakesville, is torn. CC says government bureaucrats banning this film "does seem like rather a good thing" but this case is "a mixed bag" because the reasoning given for state censorship is not progressive enough.
One fewer countries running this crapfest is good. Doing so because it has the temerity to depict gay acts and male genitalia, rather than because it endangers the lives of your gay citizens, considerably less good.I've gotten a laugh from all my progressive friends who think Brüno will somehow set the gay rights movement back 30 years, but this is taking the fear to whole new level. The movie isn't exactly Milk, but I don't think it was intended to be. A question for CatieCat: Given that Brüno "endangers the lives of gay citizens," would you ideally outlaw screenings in the United States?
posted by Matt Bors at
1:07 PM
5 Comments:
It's all bullshit...I bet these people thought Blazing Saddles would set the Civil Rights movement back twenty years, too.
Get a sense of humor (and a life).
"One fewer countries...." That phrase hurts my brain.
Yes, let us ban it. Let us make it into forbidden fruit. Let us martyrize Cohen. Let us avoid the risk that audiences can think for themselves. Let us infantilize citizens. Let the government do the thinking for you.
I don't think it's going to set the gay rights movement back 30 years, but I do think it's lame, in the way that hack cartoonists with no social awareness whatsoever draw lame cartoons about racial issues. And kinda lame on a yawn level, too.
I think the original skits for Brüno were hilarious and did a great job of exposing the vapid, self-obsessed fashion industry and people's homophobia. I gather the movie is less substantive and more over-the-top outrageous but I think it's harmless at worst.
I just saw it this weekend and it was hilarious! The absurdity and over-the-top humor kept me laughing through almost the entire movie.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home