by Convotron » Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:40 am
- Motto: "When in doubt, transform and roll out!"
- Weapon: Saber Blade
With respect to the controversy of the frequent use of the "n-word" in the movie, I think most, if not all, the people who are offended and view the movie in a racist light are missing the point.
The audience is meant to feel uncomfortable and cringe with disgust and repulsion when the n-word is used with such regularity. That is the point! The movie doesn't glorify the use of such a word nor does it glorify the plight of African(and black as well, we can't assume every slave character in the movie is from Africa) slaves. When we see the inhumanity of the antagonists in the movie, we are meant to experience a negative reaction.
While the movie is not meant to be a historical documentary, it is set in the late 1850s in the south of the United States. Slavery existed and the n-word was used regularly. Violence and cruelty against slaves was, unfortunately, a reality. The context of the movie's story demands that Quentin Tarantino does not pussyfoot around the n-word.
QT is in a "damned if he doesn't and damned if he does" situation. If he plays nice and doesn't mention the n-word at all or very little, people will say the story's adherence to historical accuracy with respect to the setting is lacking. If he uses the n-word with anywhere near the frequency it was used in history, as we hear in the movie, then people get offended and have a knee jerk reaction rather than understanding that it's meant to be a repugnant thing.