"This is for Allah. And it's goin' way out there, sucka."

[LanternWaste]

Last night, I watched the original Bad News Bears (1976). Initially, I was magically transported back to what I remember as an easier, much more laid-back social era. I watched a little more, and flinched. I watched even more, and winced. Then it was though an avalanche of the then social mores grabbed me by the collar and yelled, "it wasn't as golden as you remember, Pony Boy!"

(I'm not making *any* social, or cultural judgements-- it just struck me as very odd-- even in the context of a 70's teen comedy flick)

Another odd thing is that the movie was rated as PG. I saw the movie when it originally came out, and though I was only ten or eleven, I remember my mom (the archetypal sweet, little-old Christian lady) was laughing her ass off. Granted, I haven't seen the remake of the film, and am not inclined to either, but if I were a betting man, I'd wager a cool five spot that there's no way the following lines were used by ten and eleven year old actors for ten and eleven year old audiences...


"All we got on this team are a buncha Jews, spics, niggers, pansies, and a booger-eatin' moron! "

"Don't give me none of your honky bullshit, Buttermaker."

"the baseball you guys play is for faggots and old farts with nothing better to do with themselves. "

"Goddamn class action suits are gonna be the ruin of this country. It wasn't so bad when the courts made us take girls. At least the ones that came could play, but now this."

"This is for Allah. And it's goin' way out there, sucka. "

"Jews, spics, niggers, and now a girl? "

"All we got is a cruddy alky for a manager! "


I guess i really don't have a specific point to make, other than I remember the movie as being sweet and charming, but seeing it again last night, well... it's still sweet and charming, but in a really mean way.

[HiPointDem]

1. +1

[TBMASE]

2. a movie like that couldn't be made today

neither could Blazing Saddles.

And the BNB remake sucked major balls

[deutsey]

5. Yep, it was a different era...

I think in that post-Lenny Bruce time, the things the OP cites (along with Blazing Saddles among other examples) were seen more as liberating than offensive. A good example of this was the SNL skit between Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor called Word Association where they both trade racist insults, culminating with Chase saying the "n-word" and Pryor responding with a menacing "Dead Honky." The audience went wild with laughter.

It was as though through openly, honestly, and humorously venting/exposing these sentiments people thought they could dissipate or control them.

But there's such a fine line there between liberating ourselves through naming the demons and reinforcing them.

[Enrique]

3. i saw it on TCM recently and had the same reaction

the "Jews, spics, etc." line especially.

I saw it at as a kid too, it was very much a kids movie, we saw it at a theater that played kids movies almost exclusively (the Will Rogers theater in Chicago). Maybe there was controversy, I don't know, but I certainly wasn't aware of any.

[seabeyond]

4. my son told me yesterday, as a matter of fact, that he really really wanted to watch that

my mind was processing what i remembered from the movie, and i remember parts... (you have mentioned some) that made us wince way back when.

so it is funny you bring it up

i let him watch foul play the other night. walk into the room with the scene of dudleys apartment. he is an innocent 14, lol. he was syaing, cool apartment. i want one of those. i am laughing. as he turns on strobe light, music.... then as it continues, i am laughing, he is saying, wait... no wait... take that back.

i laughed so hard. so did hubby when i told him.

sigh... lol

[Poll_Blind]

6. Dude, tell me about it! I fucking downloaded that movie to watch with my son...

...and (as I always do) I watched a bit of it just to make sure it was as entertaining as it was when I saw it when I was a kid. That "jews, spics, niggers" thing happens pretty early on in the film and so I was still in quick preview mode when I came across it.

My jaw dropped. I was like "How the FUCK did I not remember this shit?"

Needless to say, that didn't make the playlist for our viewing that evening. I think it was a documentary on Jesse James and his gang or something like that.

But seriously...I know exactly what you're talking about.

PB

[Blue_Tires]

8. brilliant, brilliant film...

[TrogL]

9. I was thinking about that movie earlier today

Something about the girl losing her virginity over a game (air hockey??). At least I assume that's what she meant by "do me".

[obamanut2012]

11. I do not remember Amanda losing her virginity to Kelly

Over the air hockey game bet. And, Is wear I've seen that movie probably 100 times since it came out.

[DenverDad]

12. I think the bet was

if Amanda won, Kelly had to play for the Bears. If Kelly won, Amanda had to go to the Rolling Stones concert with him.

[Archae]

10. Try watching a late 70's movie on broadcast TV.

Great example: "Smokey And The Bandit 2."

When it's put on broadcast TV or even most cable channels, it's BUTCHERED.

("Bad" language, donchu know.)

[PatSeg]

13. I watched it few years ago

and was shocked at how crude and tasteless it was. I didn't even watch the whole movie. I don't think we saw it when it first came out, unless I blocked it in my mind.