Whenever people turn movies on, the last thing they expect is racist undertones, purely because they are inappropriate. Unless the film is based on content that features that topic, such as Django Unchained, it will always shock audiences. Sometimes, there can be a subtle undertone in how a culture is represented, but other times, it is more blatant, which always leaves a bad taste because society has improved.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Audrey Hepburn’s iconic performance in Breakfast at Tiffany’s led to her gaining many well-earned plaudits. However, people’s problem with this movie is the character of Mr. Yunioshi. It’s a racist and poor portrayal of a Japanese man that leans into every potential negative stereotype possible throughout the film.
Dumbo
Disney animated movies might be the last place people would expect racist undertones due to the fact they’re aimed at families. But the truth is, many of the classic films have several issues to the point where the company has had to put an advisory warning in place before they can be streamed on Disney+. Dumbo just so happens to be one of them, as the song that the crows sing is a homage to racist minstrel shows. It’s inappropriate and wasn’t needed within the movie, which always catches audiences off guard.
The Love Guru
The Love Guru might be positioned to be all about romance, tapping into comedic aspects. But the reality is that Mike Myers’ character negatively depicted Indian culture, as it was often the butt of the joke.
Tropic Thunder
Tropic Thunder was created as a satire on the Hollywood industry, but the movie is riddled with controversy due to its topics. That was clearest with Robert Downey Jr.’s character, who wore blackface throughout, which is deeply inappropriate. While it’s meant to be satire, it’s still offensive.
The Aristocats
The Aristocats might seem like a happy movie about cats, but one scene has racist undertones: when one of the cats falls into stereotypes of East Asian people. The way the character is animated, and the lyrics used are very inappropriate.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Indiana Jones’ adventures are always fun to watch, and the titular hero is an iconic character in cinematic history. But in Temple of Doom, the way that Hindus are portrayed brings a lot of racism. They’re pushed as people who enjoy human sacrifices, and that’s not the case, which is why many viewers may not enjoy it.
Peter Pan
Disney’s animated version of Peter Pan features a lot of classic moments that the company likes to promote. But the scenes involving the Native people are not among them, and for good reason. The term “redskins” is repeatedly used, while how they’re portrayed is a form of cultural appropriation.
Fantasia
Fantasia might be a movie that was heavily praised for its blend of classical music with animation, but it does have racist undertones as well. This is clearest in the “Pastoral Symphony” section when one of the characters, who acts like a servant, is drawn differently.
The Toy
The idea that a white person being able to ‘purchase‘ a black journalist would be seen as appropriate is ridiculous in today’s society. Back in the 1980s, that could be made, as it’s the entire premise of The Toy. But the racism doesn’t stop there, as there are plenty of jokes that are made that aren’t appropriate anymore.
Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind is a movie filled with whitewashing, depicting how the Civil War is viewed. The film also showcases slavery without shaming it for the barbaric situation people were put through.
The Passion of the Christ
This movie takes a look at the story of Jesus, but how it tackles that ended up being heavily criticized by people for how Jewish people were depicted. It’s not appropriate, and those undertones hurt the movie overall.
Sixteen Candles
For some reason, a decision was made that anytime Long Duk Dong appeared, a gong sound would play in Sixteen Candles. It’s baffling how that ended up being acceptable, and it provided a clear racist undertone.
Borat
Borat is one of the more obvious examples of a movie that brings racism to the forefront. This piece is supposed to be satire, and many scenes have gone on to become iconic in pop culture. But there’s no doubt that there sometimes becomes a blurry line between what is deemed comedy and what others will see as offensive.
Aladdin
Aladdin is a popular Disney movie featuring one of Robin Williams’ most outstanding performances as the voice of Genie. But when it comes to representing Middle Eastern culture, there are many problems. There are many subtle racist moments throughout the movie, which can take away from the charm that other aspects of the story provide.
The Birth of a Nation
The Birth of a Nation doesn’t just have subtle racist tones, but it’s an entirely racist film from the get-go. Whether it’s blackface or the fact the KKK is essentially celebrated at points, this is a movie that would disturb anyone to watch now and has not aged well in the slightest due to how racist it is.
The Mask of Fu Manchu
The fact that the Chinese government protested this movie showcases the fact that there are racist messages put through this movie. The villain in this movie is Asian, and he takes on every possible negative stereotype, which is why it’s such an inappropriate film.
Song of the South
Song of the South might feature some vibrant animated characters, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that this movie is littered with racism. There’s a reason why viewers cannot find this on Disney+ or why it cannot be bought online: Disney pulled this one into the vault as it crosses the line.
Flash Gordon
This science-fiction movie might have many positive moments, with Queen providing some incredible music to accompany it. However, the character of Ming the Merciless has many discriminatory stereotypes, which is why this movie hasn’t aged well and led to its age rating increasing in 2020.
