Borat?

[JMD]

this country is out of control with political correctness.

 

[mirthmaiden]

Personally I think stuff like Borat is not only funny, but very useful. Many people are pretty good at hiding their true feelings, but they come out when somebody like Borat makes them feel comfortable in their ugliness.

..... NOT!

I really could've done without the whole naked scene. The damage is done. How can you "un-see" something like that

How were the people in the TV station hiding their ugliness? I think there is a difference between hiding ugliness vs. being uncomfortable and annoyed by some guy running around acting like a moron on purpose.

As for the rodeo scene, do you think it would've been in the movie if it wasn't so controversial? And do you think those people are typical? I doubt it. Extreme views get ratings. Who knows what happened in the editing process. Don't believe everything you see in the media (duh!) And there will always be a "fringe" element of people you could find who express any extreme view. That doesn't mean they're representative of everybody. To decide not to move to Texas because of one scene in a movie is rather shallow (imho)

 

[cardaway]

I really could've done without the whole naked scene. The damage is done. How can you "un-see" something like that

We agree on that. In my next viewing of the DVD the next chapter button on the remote will be hit.

How were the people in the TV station hiding their ugliness?

They were not, never said they were.

As for the rodeo scene, do you think it would've been in the movie if it wasn't so controversial? And do you think those people are typical? I doubt it. Extreme views get ratings. Who knows what happened in the editing process.

I don't think any editing was needed to show how ugly the rodeo official was or the many people in the audience that were cheering along.

To decide not to move to Texas because of one scene in a movie is rather shallow (imho)

That wasn't me. I wouldn't make a choice like that based on a movie.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

There was also one scene that I wouldn't care to watch again, but most of the movie I thought was funny. I went with quite a few of my family--my DH, his father, my sisters, a BIL, and my two teenage sons. The one who laughed the loudest in the theater was my very prudish sister, which made me laugh all the more. Thankfully my mother and my MIL did not go...they would have HATED it. The rest of us liked it to some degree and my teen sons loved it. It's not really a movie that I would want to watch over and over again, however.

The movie that I loved was Little Miss Sunshine.

 

[mirthmaiden]

They were not, never said they were.

Just using that as an example of some people in the movie who were "victims" of his pranks and weren't trying to cover up their true feelings of hatred or bigotry or whatever. Same thing with the people at the hotel desk. And the guy at the car dealership. Etc. Just regular people reacting to this guy behaving like a moron.



I don't think any editing was needed to show how ugly the rodeo official was or the many people in the audience that were cheering along. What I'm saying is that he (the rodeo official) is 1 man. Not necessarily a representative of any group of people. And who knows... maybe the film crew visited 15 different rodeos before that one and couldn't find anybody to say something controversial. Maybe he was coached on what to say, despite Cohan's assurances that this was all unrehearsed and impromptu (I'm skeptical). And as for the people clapping and cheering, how can you be sure they weren't cheering for something else that got edited out so it would look like they're cheering for hanging gays? And did you actually notice every person in the audience clapping, or was the camera focused on one or two people in such as way as to make it look like it was the whole crowd? It wouldn't be very interesting if nothing happened, right? The point is, we don't know and we can't just assume that what we think we see and hear is how it really happened. You can put a spin on anything to make it seem different. It's a movie meant to entertain and thus has to be taken with a grain of salt.



That wasn't me. I wouldn't make a choice like that based on a movie. Yes, I realize that. I apologize. I didn't mean to infer that you said it.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[cardaway]

What I'm saying is that he (the rodeo official) is 1 man. Not necessarily a representative of any group of people. And who knows... maybe the film crew visited 15 different rodeos before that one and couldn't find anybody to say something controversial. Maybe he was coached on what to say, despite Cohan's assurances that this was all unrehearsed and impromptu (I'm skeptical). And as for the people clapping and cheering, how can you be sure they weren't cheering for something else that got edited out so it would look like they're cheering for hanging gays? And did you actually notice every person in the audience clapping, or was the camera focused on one or two people in such as way as to make it look like it was the whole crowd?

I can understand being skeptical, but in this case I can't see where you are getting this from. I agree the stuff you decribed has been done, Michael Moore being the king of editing for effect, but the official said what he said and things were cearly not edited (one long take). Same goes for the crowd shots. Most were of a large section of the crowd having never moved the camera. YMMV.

 

[MRNsMommy]

Did that stuff really make it on the air? I would be dying.

Yes...it really made it on the air. It was probably the mildest of all the scenes in the movie. It was the part where it breaks into 16WAPT News and at first Borat is being interviewed by our local news reporter, then he gets up and goes and jumps into the middle of a live weather broadcast.
The weatherman cannot stop laughing! It's one of the funniest parts of the movie, IMO...just b/c I "know" the people.
There's also some scenes from one of our local Krystal's that were cut from the movie, but are included in the outtakes. They are pretty funny, too.
They were later interviewed and said they did not know they were being filmed for this movie...so, no...to other posters, they were not coached in any way. They had NO idea what was going on. I think Pamela Anderson was definitely in on the joke, though.

 

[MushyMushy]

I haven't seen this movie yet, but I got it from Netflix the other day. I wanted to see what the big deal is. I am going to watch it tonight.

No, Lindsay, not you! It's got some baaaaaadddd scenes.

 

[dngrmys]

..... NOT!


As for the rodeo scene, do you think it would've been in the movie if it wasn't so controversial? And do you think those people are typical? I doubt it. Extreme views get ratings. Who knows what happened in the editing process. Don't believe everything you see in the media (duh!) And there will always be a "fringe" element of people you could find who express any extreme view. That doesn't mean they're representative of everybody. To decide not to move to Texas because of one scene in a movie is rather shallow (imho)

I believe the rodeo scene was filmed in Virginia.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I believe the rodeo scene was filmed in Virginia.

Hmmm, I think you're right...

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2006/11/the_real_storie.html

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/89901

 

[mirthmaiden]

I believe the rodeo scene was filmed in Virginia.

Wouldn't surprise me at all. Personally, I don't care where it was filmed. I was referencing another poster's comment that her husband decided not to move to Texas after viewing the rodeo scene in the movie.

 

[ptrbryant]

and DH and I think Sacha Baron Cohen does it brilliantly. Much of the joke is that we Americans are so insular that we think it's actually possible in this day and age that a professional from eastern Europe would think it's normal to put handicapped people in cages, rape and incest are non-offensive, toilets are unknown objects, etc., etc.

I think many people bristled at what our society showed when a mirror was held up to it, but I think it was an hysterically funny movie.

Karla B.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

No, Lindsay, not you! It's got some baaaaaadddd scenes.

Well, I just finished it. All I have say is:

Allllllllllllllllllllllllllrighty then.



BTW Mushy, do you think I'm square or something? LOL!

 

[alldiz]

and DH and I think Sacha Baron Cohen does it brilliantly. Much of the joke is that we Americans are so insular that we think it's actually possible in this day and age that a professional from eastern Europe would think it's normal to put handicapped people in cages, rape and incest are non-offensive, toilets are unknown objects, etc., etc.

I think many people bristled at what our society showed when a mirror was held up to it, but I think it was an hysterically funny movie.

Karla B.

I agree with this....
This movie is very funny....if you get it....
Kerri

 

[Charade]

and DH and I think Sacha Baron Cohen does it brilliantly. Much of the joke is that we Americans are so insular that we think it's actually possible in this day and age that a professional from eastern Europe would think it's normal to put handicapped people in cages, rape and incest are non-offensive, toilets are unknown objects, etc., etc.

I think many people bristled at what our society showed when a mirror was held up to it, but I think it was an hysterically funny movie.

Karla B.

I'm waiting to watch the movie so I can comment on this because I think you're way off base.

 

[Charade]

I agree with this....
This movie is very funny....if you get it....
Kerri

It'll be interesting if I do. But I suspect I'm not enlightened enough.

 

[mirthmaiden]

and DH and I think Sacha Baron Cohen does it brilliantly. Much of the joke is that we Americans are so insular that we think it's actually possible in this day and age that a professional from eastern Europe would think it's normal to put handicapped people in cages, rape and incest are non-offensive, toilets are unknown objects, etc., etc.

I think many people bristled at what our society showed when a mirror was held up to it, but I think it was an hysterically funny movie.

Karla B.

I don't think you can pinpoint what "our society" is because there is such a diverse population in this country compared to, say, Uzbekistan (just using that as an example), or China or Japan. Many other countries are much more homogenous when it comes to culture. "We Americans" doesn't really apply anymore. I am not insular. My father is an immigrant from Nothern Europe (a former Soviet country). I have two college degrees and I've travelled around the globe. I don't think those things represent eastern Europe (and btw... Kazakhstan and Kyrgystan are in Asia, not Europe), so why must I be included in that group simply because I am an American citizen? Possibly people bristled at the way a few misguided or uneducated people were selected to represent "our" culture.

 

[Amity 3]

and DH and I think Sacha Baron Cohen does it brilliantly. Much of the joke is that we Americans are so insular that we think it's actually possible in this day and age that a professional from eastern Europe would think it's normal to put handicapped people in cages, rape and incest are non-offensive, toilets are unknown objects, etc., etc.

I think many people bristled at what our society showed when a mirror was held up to it, but I think it was an hysterically funny movie.

Karla B.

I agree, the Hummer salesman brought it home. 35 mph would be enough to kill a gypsy, but you might crack your windshield if the body hits it. anything for the sale.

and his reaction when Borat was describing how his wife had 'gone downhill', he totally believed it.

 

[cardaway]

and DH and I think Sacha Baron Cohen does it brilliantly. Much of the joke is that we Americans are so insular that we think it's actually possible in this day and age that a professional from eastern Europe would think it's normal to put handicapped people in cages, rape and incest are non-offensive, toilets are unknown objects, etc., etc.

I think many people bristled at what our society showed when a mirror was held up to it, but I think it was an hysterically funny movie.

I don't agree with the first part of your post. I think it's pretty clear the first part of the movie was for laughs and not supposed to be anything anybody thinks would be the norm.

But I totally agree with the second part. I think a number of people saw something they didn't want to admit still exists and may even exist in them.

 

[Charade]

I don't think you can pinpoint what "our society" is because there is such a diverse population in this country compared to, say, Uzbekistan (just using that as an example), or China or Japan. Many other countries are much more homogenous when it comes to culture. "We Americans" doesn't really apply anymore. I am not insular. My father is an immigrant from Nothern Europe (a former Soviet country). I have two college degrees and I've travelled around the globe. I don't think those things represent eastern Europe (and btw... Kazakhstan and Kyrgystan are in Asia, not Europe), so why must I be included in that group simply because I am an American citizen? Possibly people bristled at the way a few misguided or uneducated people were selected to represent "our" culture.