Now this isn't the sort of topic I'd usually talk about but my recent viewing of Quentin Tarantino's 1993 directorial debut 'Reservoir Dogs' at a two-off Cineworld showing got me thinking.
In the 18-rated film I didn't mind all the swearing, all the blood or the infamous "Stealer's Wheel" ear scene. In fact, I thought it was all quite tame comparatively and you see worse things on the ten o'clock news.
No, the main bit I didn't like was the over-use of the n-word.
I have to confess I don't like the use of the word anyway, be it said be a white person or a black person or other, in real-life or in rap records. It's an insult word that, in my opinion, no matter how much it is supposedly reclaimed, is offensive and derogatory to that culture of people. Just like I'm not keen on the word 'queer' being used in its homosexual sense and the P-word, which like the aforementioned one, I've heard used by people who come from Pakistan, which sits uncomfortably with me.
That aside, the thing that most made me uncomfortable was the word being spoken by white actors from a script written by a white male. In context and realism I could understand it being used. It's a bit like that old TV advert where the criminal spoke in a way that wouldn't fit in with the drama.
(I've looked and can't find it on YouTube but it was funny).
It's just that it seemed odd that the word, and the conversations, were included and they seemed to jar with the film as if they were put in for shock sake. They didn't really add to the story and felt superfluous.
Or is it just me? Should I be more bothered about how the policeman will wear his glasses with only one ear or how much blood will need to be cleaned up in the warehouse?
But it's not controversy that's gone away as this article shows - http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700322/django-unchained-n-word-nas.jhtml
Thursday 17 January 2013
I Don't Like The N-Word
Posted on 14:33 by Unknown
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