40th Anniversary Watch Party

[Mark de Croix]

A story that's very much of it's time as a lot of the fashion show scenes wouldn't be PC today.

Are you talking about wearing the bathing suits? Is that not a thing anymore in fashion shows?

No, it’s the commentary from the compère that would probably get some triggered nowadays.

What was the commentary? I don't remember anything offensive.

Not offensive per se just a bit cringy and likely to have dungaree-clad feminists screaming "demeaning to women", for example when the compere says stuff like: "..and more than a touch of sexiness in this daringly-cut two-piece"

Actually you're right Ivan, having rewatched that scene I think I remembered it as being worse than it actually was.
I blame that on me becoming an old git !

No need to walk back anything. Extreme feminists would object for example to Jan, the businesswoman, referred as "beautiful" as one of the attributes used for admiring her business success. Also, the models continually are referred to as "girls." As long as there will be beauty contests or fashion shows physical attractiveness will be an important feature; ignoring the obvious is ludicrous. Some older women would enjoy the flattery. It could be that insiders in the fashion industry might still talk that way, so MPI might not deserve the PC criticism.

[charybdis1966]

Not offensive per se just a bit cringy and likely to have dungaree-clad feminists screaming "demeaning to women", for example when the compere says stuff like: "..and more than a touch of sexiness in this daringly-cut two-piece"

Actually you're right Ivan, having rewatched that scene I think I remembered it as being worse than it actually was.
I blame that on me becoming an old git !

No need to walk back anything. Extreme feminists would object for example to Jan, the businesswoman, referred as "beautiful" as one of the attributes used for admiring her business success. Also, the models continually are referred to as "girls." As long as there will be beauty contests or fashion shows physical attractiveness will be an important feature; ignoring the obvious is ludicrous. Some older women would enjoy the flattery. It could be that insiders in the fashion industry might still talk that way, so MPI might not deserve the PC criticism.

What it was is that I thought the commentary from the compere was quite salacious and sexist, but when I re-watched it was really not that bad, IMHO.
As a show of the '80s looked at through contemporary eyes it it can appear chauvinistic.

[ENSHealy]

I had to Google "compere". That one hasn't made it across the pond yet. And I hadn't bumped into it despite Morse, Lewis, Endeavour, Luther, Unforgotten, Collateral, Shetland, Fleabag, etc. I guess there weren't enough bathing suit fashion shows in those....

[charybdis1966]

I had to Google "compere". That one hasn't made it across the pond yet. And I hadn't bumped into it despite Morse, Lewis, Endeavour, Luther, Unforgotten, Collateral, Shetland, Fleabag, etc. I guess there weren't enough bathing suit fashion shows in those....

Ha ha, yes “compère” is a particularly English word (but perversely of French origin).
If you’ve seen stuff like Luther, Lewis and Morse can I make a suggestion?
You might want to try some especially indecipherable English dialects as you might enjoy them, in which case there is “Auf weidersehen Pet” (only the first 2 seasons as they are the best) as it’s a series from around the same time as MPI.
It centres around a group of bricklayers from the north east of England(Geordies)
Their accents are so strong and dialect so tricky that most English people need the subtitles on when the Geordies speak.

[T.Q.]

Not offensive per se just a bit cringy and likely to have dungaree-clad feminists screaming "demeaning to women", for example when the compere says stuff like: "..and more than a touch of sexiness in this daringly-cut two-piece"

Actually you're right Ivan, having rewatched that scene I think I remembered it as being worse than it actually was.
I blame that on me becoming an old git !

No need to walk back anything. Extreme feminists would object for example to Jan, the businesswoman, referred as "beautiful" as one of the attributes used for admiring her business success. Also, the models continually are referred to as "girls." As long as there will be beauty contests or fashion shows physical attractiveness will be an important feature; ignoring the obvious is ludicrous. Some older women would enjoy the flattery. It could be that insiders in the fashion industry might still talk that way, so MPI might not deserve the PC criticism.

What it was is that I thought the commentary from the compere was quite salacious and sexist, but when I re-watched it was really not that bad, IMHO.
As a show of the '80s looked at through contemporary eyes it it can appear chauvinistic.

I don't even really worry about this stuff anymore since everything is "offensive".

You look beautiful.
What do you mean? Don't I normally look beautiful? I have a brain you know? That's mean to ugly girls. How dare you!

A Babe is a Babe. Whatchagonnado?

[Mark de Croix]

@TQ, completely agree, Bro. Also enjoyed @ENSHealy's humor.

[ENSHealy]

I had to Google "compere". That one hasn't made it across the pond yet. And I hadn't bumped into it despite Morse, Lewis, Endeavour, Luther, Unforgotten, Collateral, Shetland, Fleabag, etc. I guess there weren't enough bathing suit fashion shows in those....

Ha ha, yes “compère” is a particularly English word (but perversely of French origin).
If you’ve seen stuff like Luther, Lewis and Morse can I make a suggestion?
You might want to try some especially indecipherable English dialects as you might enjoy them, in which case there is “Auf weidersehen Pet” (only the first 2 seasons as they are the best) as it’s a series from around the same time as MPI.
It centres around a group of bricklayers from the north east of England(Geordies)
Their accents are so strong and dialect so tricky that most English people need the subtitles on when the Geordies speak.

I actually watched the first episode, maybe the first two, on youtube, but the subtitles are artificially generated, and are more amusing for their inaccuracies then anything else. Looked for a DVD set online, but it doesn't look like it was ever released in Region 1 format. But I should definitely go back and give it another go on youtube.

[charybdis1966]

I had to Google "compere". That one hasn't made it across the pond yet. And I hadn't bumped into it despite Morse, Lewis, Endeavour, Luther, Unforgotten, Collateral, Shetland, Fleabag, etc. I guess there weren't enough bathing suit fashion shows in those....

Ha ha, yes “compère” is a particularly English word (but perversely of French origin).
If you’ve seen stuff like Luther, Lewis and Morse can I make a suggestion?
You might want to try some especially indecipherable English dialects as you might enjoy them, in which case there is “Auf weidersehen Pet” (only the first 2 seasons as they are the best) as it’s a series from around the same time as MPI.
It centres around a group of bricklayers from the north east of England(Geordies)
Their accents are so strong and dialect so tricky that most English people need the subtitles on when the Geordies speak.

I actually watched the first episode, maybe the first two, on youtube, but the subtitles are artificially generated, and are more amusing for their inaccuracies then anything else. Looked for a DVD set online, but it doesn't look like it was ever released in Region 1 format. But I should definitely go back and give it another go on youtube.

That’s great that you did try to watch them somewhere - I think it’s in Britbox via Amazon Prime as you’re right that it didn’t come out on region 1 DVD.
For a giggle here’s a short YouTube clip where the gang end up comparing themselves to the Magnificent Seven. Turning on the subtitles will be quite amusing as you've already discovered.
https://youtu.be/3k_zSJlUg_8

[Styles Bitchley]

Hi Guys! I had to bail on the party several weeks ago, as my current job is taking up all of my waking hours. I plan on playing catch up though and reading through all the comments. Thanks for keeping things going!

[Little Garwood]

Hi Guys! I had to bail on the party several weeks ago, as my current job is taking up all of my waking hours.

A job that takes up all of your waking hours? Sounds important…or absolutely horrific.

[Styles Bitchley]

Hi Guys! I had to bail on the party several weeks ago, as my current job is taking up all of my waking hours.

A job that takes up all of your waking hours? Sounds important…or absolutely horrific.

Lol. Thankfully, it’s the former. Lots of travelling and late nights. If they carried Magnum on the entertainment systems on long haul flights, I’d be able to keep up easily. Actually at the airport now preparing to cross the pond for the second time in two weeks!

[Little Garwood]

I figured it would be important!

[charybdis1966]

Hi Guys! I had to bail on the party several weeks ago, as my current job is taking up all of my waking hours.

A job that takes up all of your waking hours? Sounds important…or absolutely horrific.

Lol. Thankfully, it’s the former. Lots of travelling and late nights. If they carried Magnum on the entertainment systems on long haul flights, I’d be able to keep up easily. Actually at the airport now preparing to cross the pond for the second time in two weeks!

Crossing the pond ? It’s typical English spring weather here, wet and overcast. At least you missed the sleet showers a week or so ago.

[Styles Bitchley]

I’ll be in Scandinavia, actually. Still pretty cold there - but not much different from Canada!

[charybdis1966]

I’ll be in Scandinavia, actually. Still pretty cold there - but not much different from Canada!

Scandinavia is definitely a place to visit in the summer in my case - when I’ve gone in the past it’s been in August.
Only saw Oslo and Trollhättan (for the SAAB museum) and have since decided to try and learn Swedish.