MovieChat Forums > Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) Discussion > Accused of Being 'Seriously Problematic'

Accused of Being 'Seriously Problematic'

posted 5 years ago by Rorikon (16442)
19 replies | jump to latest

https://people.com/movies/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-controversy/
https://twitter.com/HuffPost/status/1067972666622189568

After the beloved Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer TV special aired again on Nov. 27, the Huffington Post tweeted out a video summarizing ways in which it could be seen as problematic. The special first aired in 1964, and the video pointed out that some themes are inappropriate now.

Among them was the bullying that little Rudolph faces for his red nose, including verbal abuse from his father Donner who tries to cover up the shiny nose.

“There are more important things than comfort: self-respect,” Donner tells Rudolph after the reindeer complains about the nose cover-up.

Among the critiques were how Santa aids in marginalizing the young reindeer, as well as the bullying behind his coach egging on the other reindeer to not let Rudolph play with them.

No, your progressive activism is problematic and not acceptable in any day of standards.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

They have to watch it until the end. Sheesh, that’s the whole lesson of this morality play! At the end, Donner, Santa, the elves all felt the burning shame of their sins and were forgiven by Rudolph.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Anyone else see how this show parallels the story about the bullied kid with the homemade University of Tennessee t-shirt?

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/07/us/bullied-student-university-of-tennessee-shirt-trnd/index.html

See? This theme never goes away. It’s a morality tale for the ages.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8307) 5 years ago

Obviously these people miss the point. This is the kind of shit that's ruining society.

[–] strntz (10884) 5 years ago

Yep.. and it's so sad. The generation that made this wonderful cartoon can count the conquering of the Nazis and Japanese Empires, landing a man on the moon, and building the greatest nation in the world among their accomplishments.

This snowflake generation sees social injustices in simple cartoons and counts the criticism of them as their life's accomplishment.

[–] ltquinn (64) 5 years ago

What I think is funny about this is that the Huffington post did that video last year and nobody paid attention to it. Somehow, they got more exposure when they reposted it this year and it blew up in their face. lol

[–] pioneergrrrl (2390) 5 years ago

People are trying to watch something made with 1964 values and superimpose 21st century ideas--including the ADA...etc over it.

They don't realize that people with disabilities had been locked up and away (by progressives) for 'protection'. Putting them out and about in the public sphere was considered 'extreme'

in 1964 there was no special education, no ADA. You were educated ...etc only if you had connections. Otherwise tough luck.

[–] liscarkat (16592) 5 months ago

In 1964 I was in fourth grade. The teacher divided our class into two groups. Those of us who were normally intelligent were the "fast group". The dumber kids were put in the "slow group". That way, we weren't held back, and they got the extra attention they needed. It worked. That method would never fly today, and everybody would lose.

[–] B1cKsurN (14892) 5 years ago

Marxists just want to destroy our culture so they can have their little revolution.

[–] FilmBuff (6700) 5 years ago

When I watched as a kid, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical about the message of the story. Rudolph is bullied and ostracized because he looks different, and it's only after his "deformity" proves useful to everyone else that he's loved and accepted. That seemed like the opposite of the message children were typically told, i.e. to be nice to everyone regardless of how they look, who they are, etc. My takeaway from Rudolph was that it's okay to bully the unpopular kid unless/until he becomes helpful to you.

[–] strntz (10884) 5 years ago

Rudolph is bullied and ostracized because he looks different, and it's only after his "deformity" proves useful to everyone else that he's loved and accepted.

Watch again. Everyone realized after Rudolph ran away from home that they were unfair to him, so they risked their lives to go search for him. They all apologized for their bullying behavior, even Santa. Even Head Elf realized he was a jerk to Herbie. It wasn't until after Santa had to cancel the Christmas run because of the weather did Rudolph then become the hero.

The *song* on which this movie is based is a different matter however.

"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then how the reindeer loved him.. etc.

In the movie the jerks realized they were jerks based only on their jerkdom - Rudolph and Hermie were accepted for who they were before Rudolph became useful to Santa.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

When I watched as a kid, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical about the message of the story. Rudolph is bullied and ostracized because he looks different, and it's only after his "deformity" proves useful to everyone else that he's loved and accepted.

Yes. It's why so many kids who either were unpopular or had an unacceptable social trait (overweight, unattractive, stutter, etc.) always wound up overcompensating by becoming the class clown or jock or excelling in some other way. Because we don't accept "negative traits" in people unless it becomes useful, kids who desperately want to be loved learn that the only way they can is to turn the negative into a positive that everyone can appreciate.

This "lesson" in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is also why people see it as acceptable to bully a kid who is perceived as weak, slow, etc. The idea is that they're helping him or her "improve" by bullying.

[–] FilmBuff (6700) 5 years ago

That's maybe the most ridiculous justification for bullying that I've ever heard, and it does seem close to the message being conveyed by the story of Rudolph.

[–] strntz (10884) 5 years ago

That at least we can agree upon!

[–] JigsawDude (173) 5 years ago

Anyone who accuses a movie like this of being "problematic" have some very deep issues of their own that they need to address.

[–] GreenGoblinsOck8 (7414) 5 years ago

Agreed Jigsaw. Then again the Huffington Post is an extreme far leftist paper.

[–] liscarkat (16592) 3 years ago

F the Huffington Post. Nobody with a properly functioning brain agrees with them or gives a rat's ass what they think.

[–] andersonb85 (1598) 2 years ago

Woke people drive me crazy. Just watch the show without whining.

[–] jk90us (5344) 4 months ago

HuffPost is a worthless sludge-slinging clickbait site that posts “controversial” opinions just to draw views.