British Comedy Guide

Comparing TV Schedules 1970s & Now Page 8

Quote: zooo @ May 14 2009, 10:50 AM BST

Even the thickest child knows what Winston Churchill or Queen Elizabeth looked like, making them look radically different would be very distracting to the viewer (although can be done in certain circumstances, if you are specifically trying for that feel etc.) But casting someone in a part like Friar Tuck, or background actors for goodness sake, which were mentioned earlier, is a wholly different thing.
If you can't see that for yourself, I can't be bothered to explain frankly.

But Winston Churchill wasn't just what he looked like (a fat grumpy baby) but who he was; irrascible, heroic, charismatic and a colossal piss head.

I believe there are some great Black actors who could play that role well.
Saying things should look a certain way seems a bit purile.

Otherwise why not just make a CGI Churchill?

It may be a drama, but it's hardly a Ken Loach drama is it? It's fantasy tea time adventure for the family.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ May 14 2009, 10:54 AM BST

It may be a drama, but it's hardly a Ken Loach drama is it? It's fantasy tea time adventure for the family.

We keep making this point and they keep trying to make out it's historically accurate drama. It's an impasse.

Wow, chipolata has brought out the fancy words.
He's serious, people.

Quote: zooo @ May 14 2009, 10:51 AM BST

Maidenpriest made it a race issue by the way, and can't claim that it was nothing to do with race once we all jumped on him.

... And made it about race by being so morally offended that someone objected to a black person, no matter their reasoning.

Quote: Aaron @ May 14 2009, 10:53 AM BST

Perhaps - but only so much as those races were extremely rare in Britain at the time. Nothing like the way you are trying to make it out to be.

It's just funny that some people think so much about it and get so uptight about this one issue of inaccuracy.

That's the feeling I got from his early posts, to be honest.

Quote: sootyj @ May 14 2009, 10:50 AM BST

Terry Scott in bisto looks like Terry Scott in bisto.

sooty, can you actually read? You've pretty much said exactly what I did, but missing out the whole point of the debate.

Quote: sootyj @ May 14 2009, 10:53 AM BST

But Winston Churchill wasn't just what he looked like (a fat grumpy baby) but who he was; irrascible, heroic, charismatic and a colossal piss head.

I believe there are some great Black actors who could play that role well.
Saying things should look a certain way seems a bit purile.

Yeah, you do have a point.
The main thing that bothers me though is not when people get upset about things like that, but when they say, Batman is gonna be played by a black guy! But he's white!

That's clearly just due to the first adaptation they saw/what they grew up with. I can't believe people can't see that.
Stop being so uptight!
(Although of course, everyone on this thread could be accused of being uptight) :)

Look how Sean Connery used the same accent for every part he played. Who cares! I think he carried it off.

Quote: Aaron @ May 14 2009, 10:58 AM BST

sooty, can you actually read? You've pretty much said exactly what I did, but missing out the whole point of the debate.

No Aaron I just think it's a tad more complex.

e.g. Terry Scott=white person playing black role in make up.

Friar Tuck=Black actor playing a role as a black person in a script that is a vague confection of modern attitudes and ancient fiction. The issue that he isn't fat would seem bigger than him being black.

Yes some black actors have whited up, Lenny Henry, Dave Chapelle etc. For what it's worth I think the results are usually poor.

Quote: sootyj @ May 14 2009, 11:06 AM BST

Yes some black actors have whited up, Lenny Henry, Dave Chapelle etc. For what it's worth I think the results are usually poor.

Lenny Henry whited-up was less poor and more flipping disturbing.

Aparently he made a pretty good Othello.

Quote: zooo @ May 14 2009, 11:00 AM BST

The main thing that bothers me though is not when people get upset about things like that, but when they say, Batman is gonna be played by a black guy! But he's white!

That's clearly just due to the first adaptation they saw/what they grew up with.

That's nothing to do with adaptation; that's to do with a comic book that the fans of are really anal about and take as gospel. See Sheldon's arguments in The Big Bang Theory as an example of the rigidity which people insist in.

Look everyone I am not a Racist so some of your comments about that racist political party were very unfair, if things were reversed and they got a white actor in to play 'Martin Luther King' in a drama for example, or heaven forbid a re-make of The A Team with I dunno, Hulk Hogan as B.A I would be just as annoyed about it, I like things not to be messed with how historically they have been represented:)

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