Indiana Jones films: racist?

Are the Indiana Jones Films Racist?

  • No

    Votes: 61 79.2%
  • Yes - all of them

    Votes: 4 5.2%
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark

    Votes: 2 2.6%
  • Temple of Doom

    Votes: 9 11.7%
  • Last Crusade

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

    Votes: 1 1.3%

  • Total voters
    77

Udvarnoky

Well-known member
Hmm. Well, this guy...

Ratty_Nepalese.jpg

600px-ROTLA_310.jpg


...is played by regular Lucasfilm stunt guy Malcolm Weaver. Here's a picture of him from 2008:

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Yikes.
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
I don't see how Malcolm Weaver playing a Sherpa Henchman could be viewed as racist. Just because he had prosthetic eyelids to look more Asian, so what?
 

mrman7

New member
Racist elements, but I don't think the filmmakers were racist

The Indy flicks are a throwback to a time in cinema that was, yeah, pretty racist. Spielberg and Lucas fall back on a lot of stereotypes from that era to flesh out their characters. It's a narrative shorthand that you can't get away with anymore in mainstream film --- probably for the better. Is it mean spirited? Probably not, both Spielberg and Lucas have made films about overcoming racial adversity such as A Color Purple, Amistad and Red Tails so I think they're on the right side of history in terms of equality. Are they particularly culturally sensitive artists? Eh, probably not. I don't think Steve or George have it out for India for instance, but if I was a young boy from India and I saw my country portrayed as a place where people eat snakes, enslave children and rip each other's heart's out, I'd probably be upset.:rolleyes:
 

gabbagabbahey

New member
Indy 5 Salon article. Indy sexist, racist?

"Like most millennials, I?m absolutely psyched that Steven Spielberg is making a fifth ?Indiana Jones? movie. The 1980s trilogy was a staple of my childhood, and after the disappointment of 2008?s ?Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,? I?m hoping with bated breath that this new (and presumably final) chapter will offer a fitting close to the Harrison Ford-helmed series.

That said, there is something the existing Indiana Jones films contained that I hope Spielberg will be circumspect enough to omit this time around ? namely, the copious quantities of racism and sexism"


My opinion is oh shut the hell up! Pulps played in stereotypes because of the very nature of the genre. Your thoughts?


http://www.salon.com/2016/03/16/how...acist_sexist_tropes_the_series_is_steeped_in/
 

Lao_Che

Active member
in another scene, while listing pros and cons about having her around, he includes ?speaks her mind? under both sections.

Someone's been using the Indiana Jones wiki for their research and they haven't been reading it properly.
 

Major West

Member
None of the films are racist. There's some stereotyping, but stereotyping isn't racist unless it's portraying that race in a negative way. For something to be racist the intention to be racist has to be there. It's as simple as that. Do you really think the man who made the color purple and Schindler's List is racist? Exactly. No further questions your honor.
 

The Man

Well-known member
Major West said:
None of the films are racist. There's some stereotyping, but stereotyping isn't racist unless it's portraying that race in a negative way. For something to be racist the intention to be racist has to be there. It's as simple as that. Do you really think the man who made the color purple and Schindler's List is racist? Exactly. No further questions your honor.

Indeed. TOD may seem blatantly racist to the uninitiated, but it's a deliberate ****-take on people's preconceived stereotypes of Indians and their cultural leanings...
 

Dr.Sartorius

New member
Montana Smith said:
There's a reference to it on IMDB:



If it's true it shouldn't be too hard to find a screenshot.

From TheRaider.net's stash there's this one:

129.jpg

I always thought Toht looked Asian.
 

The Lone Raider

Well-known member
Honestly, in today's society, anything that a white male does is racist or sexist. Political correctness is ridiculous.

The Indiana Jones movies aren't really racist, but most any millennial will find a way to argue. All I know is that when Indiana Jones 5 hits the theaters, I do not want it to be a politically correct Indiana Jones. I want to see Indy shooting bad guys and globetrotting to find a supernatural relic, not making a political statement.

What makes Indiana Jones so great is that it's gritty. It needs to stay that way for the fifth installment.
 

Mickiana

Well-known member
What is needed to be done to make the movies not racist? If you want a Mongolian character, do you actually hire a Mongolian actor? And then the same for every nationality represented in their respective roles?

What about John Rhys-Davies' Sallah, a Welshman acting as an Egyptian? That should come under fire if you think Malcolm Weaver's portrayal of a Mongolian character should.

But why would you do that? This is acting and movies. Not a National Geographic documentary which requires some sort of authenticity and in a totally different context.

Are we to represent no definable national or racial characteristics at all, just to achieve 100% Political Correctness? Whose agenda would that serve???!!!
 

Major West

Member
Exactly. The point of being an actor is you transform into somebody else. In the theatre this is even more so the case. Making a movie isn't an equal opportunities program. You cast the best person for the job. It's different these days, but if you need a Mongolian stuntman in 1980 it's easier to cast a good stuntman and put some makeup on him.
 
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