BFI Ban Villains With Face Scars

[Small Man Big Horse]

Bit of an odd story this: https://news.avclub.com/the-british-film-institute-will-no-longer-finance-movie-1830769572

Scars have long been a cinematic shorthand for two things: Past trauma and, as is often the case with fearsome villains, one's ability to withstand and rebound from extreme violence. In the latter instance, the argument can be extended to say that scarring represents a fundamental change of character, a shift from good to evil. While that can be effective or, in the case of The Dark Knight's Joker, exploited for ambiguity, it also carries with it an outdated stigma, one the British Film Institute is hoping to help eradicate.

The BFI has linked up with the #IAmNotYourVillain campaign launched by Changing Faces, an organization that works to shatter preconceived beliefs around those with disfigurements. As such, the BFI will no longer provide funding to films that slap facial scars on their mustache-twirling baddies, a trend that, if we're being honest, is tired as hell anyways.

"Film is a catalyst for change and that is why we are committing to not having negative representations depicted through scars or facial difference in the films we fund," says Ben Roberts, the BFI's deputy CEO. "This campaign speaks directly to the criteria in the BFI diversity standards, which call for meaningful representations on screen. We fully support Changing Faces's #IAmNotYourVillain campaign, and urge the rest of the film industry to do the same."

To demonstrate their commitment to the movement, the BFI has provided financial backing to Dirty God, a new film about a woman reentering society after recovering from an acid attack. It stars Vicky Knight, herself a burn survivor.

Becky Hewitt, Changing Faces' chief executive, adds, "The film industry has such power to influence the public with its representation of diversity, and yet films use scars and looking different as a shorthand for villainy far too often."

Well, Disney must be feeling a little awkward right now.

I mean I've no issue with this, and it's obviously only going to affect a tiny amount of films anyway, but it seems to be an odd thing to be against when there are so many other things they could get arsey about. And what about actors who have scarred faces? Aren't they allowed to play villains any more?

[BlodwynPig]

"How did you know im a villain?"

"The blue rose in your handkerchief pocket was a dead giveaway, sir"

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Do people with scars tend to be discriminated against in real life? Undoubtedly they get treated differently, but in more of a "Don't stare, Timmy" way, than a "Run away, Timmy!" way. Timmy's the worst.

Isn't the real connotation of cinematic scars that the bearer is a well'ard badass? There are tons of villains that don't have scars and some heroes that do.

Anyway, If the BFI should be stamping out any villainous cliché, it should surely be the prevalence of evil English people.

[BlodwynPig]

My new film Beige is out soon

"Inoffensive" - The Sun

"Rollicking bland fun" - Vanity Fair

[Sebastian Cobb]

Bit of an odd story this: https://news.avclub.com/the-british-film-institute-will-no-longer-finance-movie-1830769572

I mean I've no issue with this, and it's obviously only going to affect a tiny amount of films anyway, but it seems to be an odd thing to be against when there are so many other things they could get arsey about. And what about actors who have scarred faces? Aren't they allowed to play villains any more?

These blanket things are probably quite frustrating if you want the part. A few years ago I went to see a screening of Candyman and he said he had a bit of bother directing a film with a black villain. Not by Tony Todd or anyone in the NAACP, whom the producers insisted he consulted, mind.

[Shit Good Nose]

Fuck me...

Well, as long as they don't start editing and digitally altering films already in existence.

Isn't it Tommy Flanagan who, by his own admission, basically owes his entire career to the scar he received in a knife attack?


"Quick, get all the old Bond films and get rid of Blofeld's scars.....AND GIVE HIM A FULL HEAD OF HAIR WHILST YOU'RE AT IT!!!"

[Sebastian Cobb]

Fuck me...

Well, as long as they don't start editing and digitally altering films already in existence.

The idea to edit out or remove tabs from old films has been floated numerous times. From films when smoking was something the hero and heroine did, rather than just the bad guy.

I doubt many impressionable youths are going to watch Bogart and Bacall in To Have and Have not, but editing it would fuck it right up.

[Shit Good Nose]

Well Spielberg already did it with the rifles in ET of course, and the BBFC, god love 'em, have been cutting tripwire horsefalls from older films as they've been re-released.

I think all these movements are going too far in confusing reality with fiction, and erasing/rewriting history.  It's doing my fucking nut in.

[Howj Begg]

The BFI haven't actually banned anything here, then?

[Sebastian Cobb]

Well Spielberg already did it with the rifles in ET of course, and the BBFC, god love 'em, have been cutting tripwire horsefalls from older films as they've been re-released.

I think all these movements are going too far in confusing reality with fiction, and erasing/rewriting history.  It's doing my fucking nut in.

It's weird, it's generally a fallacy that left-leaning people want to hide things like racism from books (e.g. Steinbeck in schools) because despite being horrid it makes people think about the attitudes at the time. It's odd film isn't necessarily considered as sacrosanct. It certainly feels gritty cinema has peaked.

[Shit Good Nose]

The BFI haven't actually banned anything here, then?

No, but they've made a point which could very easily start a trend which could then lead to all sorts of stupidity.  The Video Recordings Act (the worst thing that has happened to films in the UK in history) only exists because some prick made a comment which then developed into mass hysteria.

[Sebastian Cobb]

No, but they've made a point which could very easily start a trend which could then lead to all sorts of stupidity.  The Video Recordings Act (the worst thing that has happened to films in the UK in history) only exists because some prick made a comment which then developed into mass hysteria.

It's easy to think that that's unenforceable in an online world but it's not too different to some of the age verification stuff they're proposing on porn, which is quite obviously the thin end of the wedge for more online control.

[Shit Good Nose]

At least that cunt Mary Whitehouse is long in her (got in) grave.  Cunt.

[Small Man Big Horse]

The idea to edit out or remove tabs from old films has been floated numerous times. From films when smoking was something the hero and heroine did, rather than just the bad guy.

I doubt many impressionable youths are going to watch Bogart and Bacall in To Have and Have not, but editing it would fuck it right up.

Once marijuana is legalised they could just replace them with spliffs.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Ahhhh

[pigamus]

The idea to edit out or remove tabs from old films has been floated numerous times. From films when smoking was something the hero and heroine did, rather than just the bad guy.

I doubt many impressionable youths are going to watch Bogart and Bacall in To Have and Have not, but editing it would fuck it right up.

I'll say. You'll edit that out of my cold dead hands.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Some censorship is good.  If you didn't cut Savile and DLT from TOTP repeats, some people might actually think it was okay to go round looking like that.

[Sin Agog]

Once marijuana is legalised they could just replace them with spliffs.

"You just put your lips together and--- do you ever feel like you're just an actor in a movie, man?"

[Lordofthefiles]

Bang goes my elaborately storylined caesarean porno idea.

[Neomod]

So third nipples are safe?

[Shit Good Nose]

So third nipples are safe?

Only until new legislation comes in in 2021.  Also affected will be webbed feet and back hair.

[Noodle Lizard]

I think most sensible people agree that retroactive censorship or otherwise tinkering to align more with modern values is absurd.  As for this, ultimately it's up to the BFI, but it seems like an especially odd thing to highlight (in the sense that it's not something I think many would have even considered as being "problematic", rather than the result of a recognised controversy), and does make you wonder to what extent they're interested in appealing to special interest groups or causes rather than, y'know, funding and promoting good art.

[Mango Chimes]

You guys are going to be so upset when you hear what's happened to Christmas...

[Thomas]

Santa's been glassed.

[shh]

Yes bizarrely specific. Also patronising in that it doesn't grant disabled people the full range of human potential. Par for the course for our middle-class gatekeepers. I doubt this measure will have any practical impact but it does confirm the idea that political considerations trump artistic ones in what passes for TV & cinema in this country.

Bruno Dumont's recent P'tit Quinquin has two disabled characters (one of whom is the title character) neither of whom are wholly sympathetic. One is potentially a brutal murderer and the title character a bit of shit really.  Just one reason why there is no equivalent over here.

[Lemming]

Scars are more synonymous with cool action hero than villain, surely?

[Mango Chimes]

Is everyone thick as shit, or what?

the #IAmNotYourVillain campaign launched by Changing Faces, an organization that works to shatter preconceived beliefs around those with disfigurements.

It's not remotely fucking odd for charity that supports people with 'visible differences or disfigurements' to launch a campaign focusing on the thing they focus on. The BFI aren't fucking banning anything for fuck's sake. The BFI Film Fund, which has a load of strategic aims and criteria for funding, has made quite a general statement in support as a de facto media partner to get press for the charity. The charity is arguing for better representation of the people they support, as you'd expect they might. Fucking hell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA4BcwEeikA

[buzby]

That's my acting career down the pan then - thanks BFI!

[thecuriousorange]

I just hope they've renamed the Lion King baddy.

[checkoutgirl]

I think all these movements are going too far in confusing reality with fiction, and erasing/rewriting history.  It's doing my fucking nut in.

Yeah, it seems an odd thing to shout about. Christ knows what they'll make of the 1930s gangster classic and 1980s remake Scarface.