New Survey Shows TikTok, Not X, Is Where to Find Antisemitic Content
More Than 1,300 Actors Sign Letter Condemning Firing of 'Scream' Star
Politico: Gov. Gavin Newsom's Camp Says Sean Hannity, Ron DeSantis Cheated in Debate
Man Reportedly Yells 'Allahu Akbar' Before Deadly Stabbing in Paris
NBC News' Ben Collins Informs Us 'There's No Take-Backs on Fascism'
Residents of Gaza Turn Out in Force for Hostage Exchanges
Actor Timothee Chalamet 'Literally Rubbing His Zionism in Everyone's Faces'
He Went There: Greg Gutfeld Calls Out Fox for Firing Tucker Carlson (Watch)
President Biden Credits Bidenomics for Zero Percent Inflation Last Month
NBC News: Entertainment Industry Still Grappling With How to Talk About the War...
U.N. Agency for Palestinian Refugees Gets Dragged, Community Noted Over Alleged Hamass Tie...
Shorter Owen Benjamin: I Don't Always Support Persecuting Jews but When I Do...
WaPoo: Philip Bump Steps in It Trying to Fact Check DeSantis's Map of...
BINGO! James Woods & MANY Others Answer Question About Why Climate Conferences Aren't...
Pope Francis Is Wrong To Call Israel's War In Gaza 'Terrorism'

The Economist looks at the challenge of troubling art of the past, citing 1983's 'Trading Places'

Why is The Economist publishing a critique of an Eddie Murphy/Dan Ackroyd movie from 1983? Because although some people consider it a Christmas movie, it’s actually a New Year’s Eve movie. And a New Year’s Eve scene from the movie makes us tackle the challenge of troubling and offensive art of the past.

Advertisement

The author’s name is hidden behind a paywall (perhaps on purpose?) so we’ll just have to credit it to The Economist, which reports:

… there are lots of cringe-inducing moments: racial stereotyping, explicit and vicious racism that is presented as reprehensible but played for laughs, casual homophobia, a caricature Irishman and gratuitous nudity.

Most important are the two moments when, startlingly, Mr Murphy breaks the fourth wall, looking directly at the camera and through it at the audience.

In these frames Mr Murphy’s expression is defiant, infinitely unsurprised, accusatory, coldly furious: a wordless, powerful indictment of racism—including the viewer’s. These fleeting, jolting seconds seem to belong to another movie entirely.

From this editor’s memory, the gratuitous nudity was not cringe-inducing.

Advertisement

Advertisement

No kidding. Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood? Classic.


Related:

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Twitchy Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement