It's a Wonderful Lie

I was reading that James Stewart's classic It's a Wonderful Life was the latest target by the self-appointed Ministry of Culture click-bait news writers and my stomach turned, but there is a larger issue here in regards to Film Noir and the movies that we love...

With thinking like this, I feel classic films are now in danger of being lost to future generations.

Forget the film stock degrading and the films themselves being lost forever to the ravages of time, no, we have a worse problem to contend with: the films being shunned, edited, or banned because they don't conform to the current popular cultural standards. I feel this toxic brand of political correctness is now a danger to classic film preservation.

In a way, it is already here. Let's digitally remove guns from ET, or if they could, use VFX to remove smoking from old films so the actors awkwardly wave their hands through mid-air as if they had some strange affliction. Let's draw black bikinis over nudity as they did in some versions of Showgirls. Let's edit the curse words out, or change who shot first to please those who may be offended. Let's remove everything that gives us pain, like shots of the World Trade Center in old movies, and let's quietly put films which reflect who we were and where we came from in a cardboard box and put it in the attic as if we were ashamed of possessing them.

Do I know that what was portrayed in those films were 'back then' and those values may not reflect today's way of life? Yes, I am not stupid. Stop treating me as if I am. I enjoy these movies, this era, and the art these talented people brought to the screen. I enjoy my film history and don't wish to see any of it changed, deleted, or "retired" as they say.

Everyone gets thrown under the bus.

It is for progress, after all.

It pains me to think of all of the actors and actresses in these classic movies who fought so hard for progressive causes, gender equality, and racial equality in Hollywood back then are now having their greatest works thrown into the trash bin in the name of today's current social feud. Or maybe this is just click-bait meant to squeeze a few more advertising pennies out of every page view through ever more incendiary articles just to get a reaction out of the people gullible enough to click on them.

It is sad to see the hate some people have for the fights of today being transferred to history and artistic expression. The old and forgotten statues being torn down were first, now I feel it is our films.

We don't live in a normal world anymore when you open that browser. This is not the not the same place as the one when you step outside your front door. Every move is tracked, and every moment spent with a website is monetized. Every click, link, minute, and moment is a penny to someone. I get this feeling every topic and story can and should be politicized for maximum social media impact.

Progress.

And the political fights are so overbearing and oppressive you cannot escape them and they shall consume everything. Everything. I guarantee you something you love and hold dear shall be "next." Maybe videogames. Maybe music. Possibly food we shouldn't eat anymore. Certainly there are books that should be retired as well. To me, this feels like lashing out and it reminds me of one of the classic 'stages of grief' where rather than face the truth, someone afflicted with a chronic condition seeks to hurt others. And through attacking what we love they lash out, and it doesn't matter who, and it doesn't matter what.

All that matters is they inflict pain so we may 'feel' theirs.

And I don't feel angry at them, I feel sorry for them and wish we could all be better people.

This is not the path towards peace and understanding and a better tomorrow. Respecting each other is, no matter how vile we think the other side may be. Which is why we protect and defend free speech, even that of which we disagree. But a call to silence and censor an era and its works of art?

This is not the way.

So I fear for tomorrow's audiences and what they will see. I want to think I am just thinking crazy thoughts, but we have seen movies in our time edited to remove elements which do not adhere to the current political and social standards. We have lost so much of original films to editing and after-the-fact changes that what these films were are simply no more.

How long will it be until these "socially unacceptable" films of the past aren't on streaming services, can't be purchased, and can never be seen because of their forced "retirement?" Maybe you could buy an old DVD, but will the next generation even know what one of those were? Film Noir, with it's "sexist" attitudes and socially unacceptable messages and dark outlook surely can't be far on the progressive "to censor" list for the memory hole. This is what I fear.

We are in danger of erasing our own history to please the feelings of the present.

History is bittersweet, some of it is very good, and a lot of it is very bad, but we are adult enough to handle it. To understand we bear shame, but also we have much to be proud of. It is the darker parts of our own history that encourage us to be better people today. I enjoy the old movies, but I am also adult enough to know that is not how things are today. But...some things in these old movies are worth remembering.

The sense of duty and community.

That goodness and respect lead to salvation and a better life.

That crime and deviancy does not pay.

I can see past the casts that may have been less that diverse or gender progressive, and hold those ideals up to the world of today and see a better and more understanding future for us all. These films were black and white, but what made them interesting was when the light hit the actors and created all these beautiful shades between. Whatever shade of gray you may be, there are certain truths and messages in these films that shall lead you toward happiness and a deepened sense of respect for yourself.

To forget and deny our checked history is to make us worse people, for we forget the lessons of the past. Worse yet, we deny the next generation the knowledge and art in which to come to their own conclusions as well.

Or they may see this generation as the destructive and senseless force which erased monuments and art history which I hope they may take a moment and restore for future generations to enjoy. The damage, I fear, may have already been done.