Films
26th Feb 2024
In a Nutshell: The BBFC (the U.K. film regulator) has reclassified Disney’s hit 1964 movie Mary Poppins over the use of “discriminatory language… [which] exceeds our guidelines.” Previously, the film carried a ‘U’ rating for Universal (suitable for all). Under new guidance, the film will be rated ‘PG’, indicating Parental Guidance is required.
How to use this source: This reclassification is a good example of the BBFC in action (as the U.K. film regulator), and also of how attitudes, morals and values relating to film and society can change over time.
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Critics have called the move ‘woke’, with many saying they had never heard of the particular phrase that has been censored before the BBFC drew their attention to it.
Key Information to include: Mary Poppins was once ‘U’, but is now ‘PG’; the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is the regulator for film in the U.K.
One of the two scenes where the derogatory term is used.
1st & 2nd Jan 2024
In a Nutshell: Disney has been forced to release the first Mickey Mouse cartoon ‘Steamboat Willie’ from its copyright protection. This is because copyright can only be held for 70 years in America, with the option to extend a further 25 years. As the 95 years is up, the version of Mickey Mouse that appears in ‘Steamboat Willie’ is now available for anyone to use for free.
This has led to a number of knock-off movies, the first of which to be released is the comedy-horror Mickey’s Mouse Trap.
How to use this source: This is a good example to use when discussing copyright, and how brands try to protect their intellectual properties (IP). It will also be interesting to track the ways in which Disney responds to this first adaptation of Mickey, in terms of Curran and Seaton (power & control). As big conglomerates like Disney become less and less able to prevent legal copies, how will they respond to protect their brands and ensure customer loyalty (hint: it will likely NOT be through law-suits, which had been a favoured tool in the past).
Key Information to include: ‘Steamboat Willie’ was the name of the boat Mickey Mouse first appeared on; the copyright lasted for 95 years; Mickey’s Mouse Trap was the first adaptation of Mickey, though there was an adaptation of Winnie the Pooh (Blood & Honey) earlier in the 2023, with a sequel slated for 2024.
21st Dec 2023
In a Nutshell: This article discusses a possible merger between WB and Paramount, two of the Big 5 Media companies. If this merger happens, it will reduce the Big 5, to the Big 4, further concentrating the power and control of Big Media into even fewer companies (the Big 6 became the Big 5 in 2019 when Disney bought Fox).
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How to use this source: This is a great source to use in conjunction with Curran & Seaton’s theory about media power and control. Curran and Seaton argue that the media is dominated by very large companies, motivated by power and profit. The ownership of lots of media producers by a small number of companies, they argue, reduces competition and offers less choice to consumers. Obviously, the merging of companies increases wealth and reduces risk for the companies involved (as well as increasing the size of the ‘media library’ or past shows and films available to both brands)
Key Information to include: The deal would create a super-conglomerate valued at $38bn; the deal is still at a very early stage and may not happen.
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THIS IS AN ONGOING STORY
19th Dec 2023
In a Nutshell: The actor who was supposed to play Kang (the main villain) in the upcoming Avengers 5 and Avengers 6 movies has been dropped by Marvel after being found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend and using coercive behaviour.
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How to use this source: This is a comparable moment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the death of Chadwick Boseman (who played Black Panther). Like the death of Boseman, the guilt (and possible imprisonment) of Majors may force re-writes and/or recasting; unlike the death of Boseman, Marvel has had a lot less time to prepare for the changes. How Marvel responds to this new crisis may make or break the studio after a series of lukewarm releases (see 'The Marvels' story, below),
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This is an Ongoing Story...
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Key information to include: The victim's name is Grace Jabbari; Majors was arrested on March 25th, before the airing on Disney+ of Loki season 2 (in which he stars); Marvel has hired Loki creator (MIchael Waldron) to work on the scripts for Avengers 5 & 6,
In a Nutshell: This story reports opening figures for the Marvel Superhero film The Marvels, which performed poorly both critically and commercially.
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How to use this source: This is a good companion piece to the Black Panther study at A level, but also useful more generally for issues of audience and industry. The argument runs that people are ‘fatigued by’ (tired of) superhero films, which have grown too vast and sprawling in their storytelling, and are switching off, despite the industry’s best attempts to keep the genre alive. There is also an argument that this is a female-led superhero film and that these often underperform at the box office. It’s a good comparison with Black Widow (which was released during Covid) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Both of these films were also female-led.
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Key information to include: The Marvels made $47m in its opening weekend (the lowest of any Marvel film); its opening weekend was down 67% on the opening weekend of Captain Marvel; The Marvels cost $220m to make (and probably at least another $100m to market).