If Coming To America Were Released In 2014 Would It Receive Backlash?
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blackrain
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Got sent a blog post today asking if Coming To America would be heavily criticized if it dropped today or still seen as brilliant comedy...Here's the main part of the post....
Thoughts....
Yet, after re-watching it last weekend for the 367234th time, something dawned on me: If this movie was released in 2014, it would not receive the same love. In fact, many of us would hate it. Not all of us, of course. Many would still enjoy it. But, considering today’s general mood about comedy — where certain types of humor seems to have to pass through a gauntlet of arbitrarily determined standards before considered socially acceptable — there would be so much negative pushback towards it that even the people who loved it would be loathe to publicly admit it.
The pushback would start on Facebook and #blacktwitter weeks before the movie was even released, as word about the plot and the people involved would begin to circulate.
“A White director making a comedy about Africa? #nocountryforoldappropriation”
“Apparently, Arsenio is in a wig during a scene. And a dress. I couldn’t make this sh*t up if I tried. Does everyone in Hollywood hate Black women?”
As the release date neared, and media people started to attend advance screenings, thinkpieces would start to formulate on Slate, The Root, Clutch, EBONY, Jezebel, and (admittedly) VSB.
Coming to America’s Big, Fat Africa Problem: What The Movie Gets Wrong About African Immigrants, And Why It’s So Upsetting
Queen To Be? Not If She’s Dark: Coming to America’s Disturbing Colorism
Lisa McDowell, Feminist or Fake?
Homies or Homie/Lover/Friends? Akeem and Semmi’s Very Peculiar Bond
From Mop to Fries in Three Years: On Slave Wages and Cleo McDowell
Was it Selfish For Eddie and Arsenio To Play Multiple Characters Instead of Hiring More Black Actors?
By the time the movie was set to be released, there would be so many petitions and protests against it that the studio would pull it from the theaters. WorldStarHipHop would buy the rights to it, replace Shari Headley and Allison Dean with Erica Mena and Dutchess from Black Ink, and release it in six 15 minute long installments on their site.
I don’t know if there would be a sequel. Perhaps there would be one 14 years after the original film was released. Who knows? I don’t.
Thoughts....
Comments
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Probably. Eddie Murphy isnt nearly as funny now as he was back then.
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Yeah definitely would have people in their feelings. People in general are always looking for that underlining in everything and with social media any movement for or against something could spread like wildfire.
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reaching on alot of those..a bit too much for me
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So what? Birth of a nation was a hit when it dropped.
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It was niggerish
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Yeah. Black women would want a white man to play the lead.
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People would complain about it but it wouldn't matter; look at Django Unchained.
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Black cinema is almost non existent today. ? would still be better than the last 10 years of ? that's been made towards our demographic.
If anything it should be re-released in theaters. They better not even think of doing a remake. -
Thinking too much. 80s comedy, period, wouldn't last in 2014 because while some social aspects remain the same, ultimately the view is different. Now our comedy is much more darker than it was back then. It's just that simple
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This post just shut down the threadThinking too much. 80s comedy, period, wouldn't last in 2014 because while some social aspects remain the same, ultimately the view is different. Now our comedy is much more darker than it was back then. It's just that simple
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ThirdEyeFive wrote: »So what? Birth of a nation was a hit when it dropped.
Definitely got a point there
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Black cinema is almost non existent today. ? would still be better than the last 10 years of ? that's been made towards our demographic.
If anything it should be re-released in theaters. They better not even think of doing a remake.
Quoted for GOATNESS -
How did it last in the 90's and not now? First time I saw the movie was '95...could've came out the day before and wouldn't have known the difference besides the hairstylesThinking too much. 80s comedy, period, wouldn't last in 2014 because while some social aspects remain the same, ultimately the view is different. Now our comedy is much more darker than it was back then. It's just that simple
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light skin dark skin they dont got dat ass but id dip in them both
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=06O316LpmjA -
Oh hell yeah. Fox News would have a field day about this. And you know they would tie Pres.Obama into this somehow
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There definitely would've been an outcry about the lightskinned and darkskinned sisters. One popular and the other always complaining about how her sister always gets the good guys. Wonder what woulda took the place of the soul glo empire in 2014.
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Black cinema is almost non existent today. ? would still be better than the last 10 years of ? that's been made towards our demographic.
If anything it should be re-released in theaters. They better not even think of doing a remake.
*says black cinema is almost non existent but blacks have had 3 movies come out in 4 months* -
damobb2deep wrote: »Black cinema is almost non existent today. ? would still be better than the last 10 years of ? that's been made towards our demographic.
If anything it should be re-released in theaters. They better not even think of doing a remake.
*says black cinema is almost non existent but blacks have had 3 movies come out in 4 months*
Mobile is a damn pain, that's the only reason I ain't correcting your ? . -
damobb2deep wrote: »Black cinema is almost non existent today. ? would still be better than the last 10 years of ? that's been made towards our demographic.
If anything it should be re-released in theaters. They better not even think of doing a remake.
*says black cinema is almost non existent but blacks have had 3 movies come out in 4 months*
3 whole movies? thank white jesus. -
lighthearted26 wrote: »There definitely would've been an outcry about the lightskinned and darkskinned sisters. One popular and the other always complaining about how her sister always gets the good guys. Wonder what woulda took the place of the soul glo empire in 2014.
I read nothing you said in this post bcuz your avi had my attention. My apologies madam. -
Black cinema now don't got ? on Black cinema then from the actors to the stories to the comedic talent. And I know I'm sounding real old and grumpy right now.
Even Black comedies back then had relevant social commentary. Just look at movies like Hollywood Shuffle (which should practically be required viewing if you're a Black comic trying to break into movies) and Livin Large. -
Yeah definitely would have people in their feelings. People in general are always looking for that underlining in everything and with social media any movement for or against something could spread like wildfire.
that's because this modern era sucks. I was just thinking about the state of hip hop now and when it started in 2009 every thing went borderline ? . it's cool to be a geek. all these weird looking kids. the girls are more masculine than men. faux hawks nose rings ( like a bull) piercings. tat sleeves. man we are in hell! on that note mufuckas would complain but aint ? gonna happen especially if django unchained got a pass. I would rather watch a movie about an African prince and his assistant coming to America to find his bride than watch a movie about a do boy white house buttler. -
damobb2deep wrote: »Black cinema is almost non existent today. ? would still be better than the last 10 years of ? that's been made towards our demographic.
If anything it should be re-released in theaters. They better not even think of doing a remake.
*says black cinema is almost non existent but blacks have had 3 movies come out in 4 months*
The ? is you talking about. Please dont mention Tyler Perry, lol. The last movie black people had was "LIFE" .True Story -
Harlem Nights >>> Coming to America
Black Gangstas sayin ? the established order in hilarious and tactical fashion..
