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12 Year A Slave, Do We Need Such Films?

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anotheoldgit | 13:27 Sat 04th Jan 2014 | News
130 Answers
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/03/steve-mcqueen-slavery-12-years-a-slave

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jan/04/steve-mcqueen-my-painful-childhood-shame

/// McQueen's film pitilessly documents the beatings, lynchings, rape and brutality of a slave-owning class half-demented by its own moral corruption, and routinely reduces audiences to tears. "I hadn't realised slavery was that bad," is the comment its director keeps hearing. ///

McQueen admits that he didn't realise slavery was so bad, so does it do any good for racial harmony to constantly remind people of man's inhumanity to others that which happened nearly 200 years ago?

/// "There's been a kind of amnesia," he says, "or not wanting to focus on this, because of it being so painful. It's kind of crazy. We can deal with the second world war and the Holocaust and so forth and what not, but this side of history, maybe because it was so hideous, people just do not want to see. People do not want to engage." ///

What is he saying that WW2 and the holocaust was also not as hideous also, what about the slaves that the Nazis used or those that the Japanese used to build their railways etc?

Just as we see less films made of these inhumane historic events these days in an attempt not to cause offence or ill feelings, to the present day Germans and Japanese, perhaps now we should do the same with other similar matters which happened further down in history?
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Slavery did not begin and end with the Africans in America, it has gone on (and still does!) since the history of mankind. It is unspeakably bad, but we should not feel that we have to bear any particular historical burden of guilt, more than anyone else. Africa has always been a mine for Arab slave traders, not only westward, but eastward too. The Turks...
14:28 Sat 04th Jan 2014
@AoG - No, we do not simply have to stick to documentaries.

"No, some prove entertaining - others not, but if you require educating stick to well made factual documentaries."

There is nothing at all wrong with making an entertainment that highlights a particular issue, although of course one should be wary of any "facts" that such an entertainment might present.

"So may I now be just as rude to say that jno either should go for an eye test or take a course in English, because I fail to see that "12 Year A Slave, Do We Need Such Films"? is the same question I asked last September when I asked "Is There Any Need To Make Such Films"? "

It is not Jno's eyesight that needs testing, AoG. Your concerns remain the same, the same motivations inform your question.You have raised the issue once, recently, using the same film as the focus for your concerns, so it is legitimate for Jno to point this out, wouldn't you say?

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1274400.html

The difficulty aog is that each new generation needs reminding of mistakes made in the past. They may need more than reminding, as they may be completely unaware of really important events, just because they haven't been taught them. I remember reading somewhere that Japanese children are not taught about the Burma Railway, or most of the appalling crimes that were committed by their fathers and grandfathers.

You don't have to go half way around the world to find ignorance in today's children...a lot of them that I meet aren't familiar with the simplest of understanding of the events of the Vietnam War, let alone WW2.
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Exactly. That's why, as part of their BMS (Basic Military Syllabus) during their National Service, young German soldiers are taken to a former Concentration Camp in order to learn about and deal with their past.
That's why the quote attributed to Edmund Burke is so relevant.
Question Author
ChillDoubt

/// Yet the likes of you, who also hasn't seen it make the inexplicable claim that we don't need films of such nature to be made. ///

There you go again did I say we don't need films of such nature to be made.

What I actually asked was "Do We Need Such Films"? that is a question and not a statement.

And since I take it you haven't also see the film how can you rely on critics? Do you always agree with their views on certain films, I know that I don't I don't even agree with certain awards that are given out to films when others much better in my opinion are much more worthy.

/// Thankfully, the BFI, Hollywood, actors, directors and producers don't listen to the likes of you. ///

Oh but I think you will find that they do, it's called "public opinion".

Even from the likes of me.
Yes, we do need such films.

Some films cannot show the sheer horror and brutality which took place in 'real life' but can only emulate it for education.
Ignorance is bliss then it would seem !
Question Author
Zacs-Master

Set yourself up as some kind of headline writer do you Zacs?

I don't think you would get very far writing headlines as long as:

'Are the issues brought up by 12 years a slave valid in today's society' or 'does society today have anything to learn from 12......'

It would have been even longer if you had chosen words instead of dots at the end.

Headlines should be short, snappy and to the point, so much so as to attract attention, and no one can say that my headline does not fit all of these.
Do you always agree with their views on certain films,
---------------------------
When the general concensus is that strong, yes I do.
................................


There you go again did I say we don't need films of such nature to be made.

What I actually asked was "Do We Need Such Films"? that is a question and not a statement.
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Then why ask such an inane question when your answer is so obviously in the negative?

I mean this seriously. I do wonder about your mental welfare on here, simply because earlier you replied to me with the "I don't need the likes of you" retort, yet last week thanked me for adding RIP Sapper to a post on a thread you'd started.
Previous to that, you thanked me for elaborating on a post of yours and posted in defence when you were taken out of context. You subsequently on another thread called me a Leftie, yet failed to take into account my years of service in HM Forces (voluntary, not National Sevice like some), hence I seriously doubt at times if you can recall with whom you're dealing with and alternately praising and berating in equal measure!
Bit of a flaw in aog's argument there.

He is referring to 'Question Titles'

They are not 'headlines'.

He may fancy himself as a tabloid editor (in his dreams) but he needs to try harder to make his titles more relevant and a more accurate representation of the question he asks later.
-- answer removed --
-- answer removed --
Headlines should be short, snappy and to the point

And carefully chosen to avoid criticism. I'm sorry you found mine a bit long winded. Maybe they were a little hard to understand what with all those words in them. Most of the posts disagreeing with you are due to your badly worded headline. Take a look back thru the history of your posts and I think you'll see a common theme.
Question Author
THECORBYLOON

Crikey I will try yet again, it is not the 'SAME' question, the difference is in the wording.

September 2013 "Is There Any Need To Make Such Films?

January 2013 "12 Year A Slave, Do We Need Such Films"?

The words in question are 'IS','THERE', 'ANY', 'TO', 'Make'

No of these words are included in today's question, so therefore the two questions are not the same but different, now even to a five year old I could not be any clearer than that.

AOG

Please explain the difference in meaning between the two questions.

Otherwise, show yourself up as deceitful and weasely.
@AoG Once again, you are reduced to attempting to defend the indefensible - a not uncommon situation for you.

Anyone with half a brain can see that what informs your question in September 2013 and again now in January 2014 is down to exactly the same motivations and same concerns. You even use the same kind of wording.

This from your OP here;
"McQueen admits that he didn't realise slavery was so bad, so does it do any good for racial harmony to constantly remind people of man's inhumanity to others that which happened nearly 200 years ago?"

And this from the question back in September 2013
"We all know that such things happened during the times of slavery, but should such graphic films be made, as I am sure they do nothing to foster good race relations?"

Trying to weasel your way out of that by resorting to pedantry does not hide that fact. When in a hole, AoG, it is advisable to stop digging if you ever wish to get out of it.

But as a source of incidental amusement - describing either Chill or Fred as "Lefties" is hilarious! ;)
I would repeat my post re the confusion:
You commented, AOG
//I fail to see that "12 Year A Slave, Do We Need Such Films"? is the same question//
//But if he'd said it was the same subject matter he would have been correct//

This contradicts your own assertions.
Question Author
LazyGun

/// It is not Jno's eyesight that needs testing, AoG. Your concerns remain the same, the same motivations inform your question. ///

We won't go any further into the accusations that I have asked the same question, I have already explained that in simple terms for those that cannot see the different words.

/// You have raised the issue once, recently, using the same film as the focus for your concerns, so it is legitimate for Jno to point this out, wouldn't you say? ///

is there anything in the site's rules that one cannot raise more than one question on the same subject matter even films, after all we all know of various identical subject matters that have been done to death.

If you read the two reports one is a Daily Mail report, regarding a controversial slavery film that prompted viewers to walk out, and today's is two Guardian reports about the films director, Steve McQueen's inner feelings.


**The words in question are 'IS','THERE', 'ANY', 'TO', 'Make'
No of these words are included in today's question**

Lol... have some sustenance, aog!

http://graeme.woaf.net/otherbits/jellypics/jelly_twelve_nails.jpg
So that will be 'Deceitful and Weasely'

Thanks for confirming that AOG
AOG
Why not admit a similarity. Everyone can see it. The more you deny they are essentially the same, the more you look foolish. I have noticed on other threads you inability to admit you are wrong, or to apologise. We all make mistakes and have to apologise and correct ourselves. It is better to do that quickly than to have it dragged out of us, or refuse to do it at all.
//after all we all know of various identical subject matters that have been done to death//

that, at least, is true

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