Hamilton on Disney to be MUTED?

[macbeth]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:30am

Just read this, https://collider.com/hamilton-movie-censored-disney/ which seems pretty ridiculous. 

I think we’ll figure it out when we get there, but we’re not going to cut any sections of the show. If we have to mute a word here or there to reach the largest audience possible, I’m OK with that, because your kids already have the original language memorized. I don’t think we’re depriving anyone of anything if we mute an f-bomb here or there to make our rating.

 

 

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:37am

I wouldn't have expected anything different from Disney. Did you really think that a company who prides itself on being extremely family-friendly would be okay with releasing something that includes the lyrics "southern motherf*cking democratic republicans", "when they knock me down I get the f*ck back up again", or "you must be outta your g*ddamn mind"? 

I'm not an advocate for censoring - I believe that material should always be presented the way it was intended when written - but Disney is doing a really great thing by making this show accessible to the public who otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity to see it, and if a few small edits are necessary to make it fit their standards, then so be it. It's already been filmed, so it's not like they can rewrite the lyrics without profanity and film it that way. It's too late for that.

[ellbellthomps]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:47am

I mean even Falsettos (which was directed for adults, and adults only) changed the lyrics in the proshoot so there would be no "swearing". I'm not surprised; if one aimed at adults got censored so would one for all ages. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:52am

OP, I think a more appropriate word choice would have been "censored" rather than "muted." Now I'm imagining Lin-Manuel as a kind of trickster genie telling the public "I said you'd get a Hamilton pro-shot, I didn't say it would have any sound!" 

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:53am

ellbellthomps said: "I mean even Falsettos (which was directed for adults, and adults only) changed the lyrics in the proshoot so there would be no "swearing". I'm not surprised; if one aimed at adults got censored so would one for all ages."

That was filmed for PBS though.

[inmyownlittlecorner]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 9:53am

I don’t know what they’re going to do with the theaters but if the distributed the show on their streaming platform, they might have two different versions with one being more kid friendly. 

[Kad]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 10:17am

It's not like the show is particularly heavy on profanity. If you lose an f-bomb or two, what's the difference?

[macnyc]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 10:34am

I hear the whole character of Maria Reynolds will be cut. 

Updated On: 2/13/20 at 10:34 AM

[bdn223]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 10:36am

The MPAA is very flawed and this is likely what Lin Manuel Miranda is talking about when it comes to changes that will be made. In order for the filmed production to be able to have a financially viable wide release a deal was likely made with Disney that he would have to figure out how to have the film get a PG13 rating. As written the musical would immediately be given an R rating due to the MPAA’s weird rules about limited the use of curse words than limiting sexual and graphic content. For example The King’s Speech, Bully, Boyhood, Ladybird are all rated R, but nearly all Marvel, DC, Hunger Games, and Bond films are rated PG13 despite their graphic depictions of violence.

I also wouldn’t be surprised if Disney puts an “unrated” version on Hulu, with the theatrical cut on Disney+ akin to the Touchstone days. If you think about it Disney did not censor any of the language in Newsies, despite there being numerous curses in the script. The difference is Newsies did not have a wide theatrical release and was instead a fathom event. Thus I really think this Censorship question isn’t so much to Disneyfy and sanitize Hamilton, but rather make sure it doesn’t get an R rating which would severely hurt its wide release. There is no reason for Hamilton to be rated R for artistic reasons, its not graphically violent or sexual. Thus muting a few words here and there will truly guarantee that the musical’s filmed performance can get the widest audience possible.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 10:38am

MPAA ratings are kind of arbitrary. Usually a film can say "f**k" once and still be PG-13; one use of "motherf**ker" or "f**k" in a sexual way usually triggers an R-rating.

If this video is correct, there are only 3 "f**k"s in Hamilton, and it would be pretty easy to bleep all 3. There's no question that the story of Hamilton is PG-13 at minimum, but PG-13 still gets you a MUCH broader audience than R, especially in rural America. And Disney+ does show PG-13 content.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 10:38am

While I understand all points being made, I have to say that the “motherf*cking democrat republicans” line will just not land as hard without the profanity. That’s a fact.

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 10:58am

GreasedLightning said: "While I understand all points being made, I have to say that the “motherf*cking democrat republicans” line will just not land as hard without the profanity. That’s a fact. "

I disagree. If they only played the mother part of that word and censored the f bomb, the line will still land. Even if you are someone who is new to the material, and that part does get censored, you’d be able to know what they are saying therefor it would still land. 
 

Also, there’s self censoring in the show too. For example, in the song “Adams Administration,” Hamilton sings “sit down John, you fat mother—-.” They beeped that bit on stage yet we know what he was saying. Same thing with the letter from James Reynolds. When Reynolds says the line you see it was my wife you decided to, Hamilton just sighs somewhat without saying the word. Similar thing happens when Hamilton shares the letter with Jefferson, Madison and Burr. Instead of saying the F bomb Jefferson says “what.” Instead. 

[ellbellthomps]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 11:18am

n2nbaby said: "ellbellthomps said: "I mean even Falsettos (which was directed for adults, and adults only) changed the lyrics in the proshoot so there would be no "swearing". I'm not surprised; if one aimed at adults got censored so would one for all ages."

That was filmed for PBS though."

Yeah, but you can only imagine something produced by Disney would be no censored or even more. They did not market it for kids. Hamilton is gonna have a lot of kids going; regardless or marketing. It's Disney, so kids will go. 

I don't know any child who makes an effort to see something produced by PBS

[ellbellthomps]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 11:19am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "MPAA ratings arekind of arbitrary.Usuallya film can say "f**k" once and still be PG-13;one use of "motherf**ker" or "f**k" in a sexual way usually triggersan R-rating.

If this video is correct, there are only 3 "f**k"s in Hamilton, and it would be pretty easy to bleep all 3. There's no questionthat the story ofHamiltonis PG-13 at minimum, but PG-13 stillgets you a MUCHbroader audience than R, especially in rural America. And Disney+ does show PG-13 content."

I'd be reallyyyyyyy surprised if they didn't try to go PG on this. 

 

[ellbellthomps]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 11:19am

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "MPAA ratings arekind of arbitrary.Usuallya film can say "f**k" once and still be PG-13;one use of "motherf**ker" or "f**k" in a sexual way usually triggersan R-rating.

If this video is correct, there are only 3 "f**k"s in Hamilton, and it would be pretty easy to bleep all 3. There's no questionthat the story ofHamiltonis PG-13 at minimum, but PG-13 stillgets you a MUCHbroader audience than R, especially in rural America. And Disney+ does show PG-13 content."

I'd be reallyyyyyyy surprised if they didn't try to go PG on this. 

 

[Lot666]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 11:23am

Maybe they'll just overdub the "objectionable" words, like non-cable TV channels do when they air shows like Sex and the City.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 11:47am

ellbellthomps said: "I'd be reallyyyyyyy surprised if they didn't try to go PG on this."

It's all up to MPAA. They can try. But I think there's so much repeated use that it would become impossible to edit it all, for a film that's already in the can. Not to mention the "sex scandal" plotline, despite being tastefully staged.

[MollyJeanneMusic]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 11:59am

Islander_fan said: "GreasedLightning said: "While I understand all points being made, I have to say that the “motherf*cking democrat republicans” line will just not land as hard without the profanity. That’s a fact. "

I disagree. If they only played the mother part of that word and censored the f bomb, the line will still land. Even if you are someone who is new to the material, and that part does get censored, you’d be able to know what they are saying therefor it would still land.


Also, there’s self censoring in the show too. For example, in the song “Adams Administration,” Hamilton sings “sit down John, you fat mother—-.” They beeped that bit on stage yet we know what he was saying. Same thing with the letter from James Reynolds. When Reynolds says the line you see it was my wife you decided to, Hamilton just sighs somewhat without saying the word. Similar thing happens when Hamilton shares the letter with Jefferson, Madison and Burr. Instead of saying the F bomb Jefferson says “what.” Instead."

And one of the most produced shows is mother - *steps away from the mic* - Seussical!

[ellbellthomps]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 12:01pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "ellbellthomps said: "I'd be reallyyyyyyy surprised if they didn't try to go PG on this."

It's all up to MPAA. They can try. But I think there's so much repeated use that it would become impossible to edit it all, for a film that's already in the can. Not to mention the "sex scandal" plotline, despite being tastefully staged."

Yeah, you're right. I'm sure they will try, but the whole say no to this song is probably leaning towards pg13, especially when intricately filmed vs. just staring at the stage.  

[bdn223]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 12:12pm

ellbellthomps said: "ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "MPAA ratings arekind of arbitrary.Usuallya film can say "f**k" once and still be PG-13;one use of "motherf**ker" or "f**k" in a sexual way usually triggersan R-rating.

If this video is correct, there are only 3 "f**k"s in Hamilton, and it would be pretty easy to bleep all 3. There's no questionthat the story ofHamiltonis PG-13 at minimum, but PG-13 stillgets you a MUCHbroader audience than R, especially in rural America. And Disney+ does show PG-13 content."

I'd be reallyyyyyyy surprised if they didn't try to go PG on this.

"

Disney is perfectly fine with PG13 content, as nearly all Disney Marvel, Star Wars, and Pirates of the Caribbean films are PG13. The only Disney content that is PG or under is fairy tale content, which Hamilton does not fall into. DIsney distributed Stephen Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis's Lincoln which was rated PG13.

[ellbellthomps]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 12:16pm

"

Disney is perfectly fine with PG13 content, as nearly all Disney Marvel, Star Wars, and Pirates of the Caribbean films are PG13. The only Disney content that is PG or under is fairy tale content, which Hamilton does not fall into. DIsney distributed Stephen Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis's Lincoln which was rated PG13."

The only reason why I think it might be PG is because kids love the music. I don't think the content in Hamilton is pg-13, unless you include the language.

The difference between Pirates, Star wars, Marvel, and this is there's no blood or violent wars, or "scary" characters. It's like apples and oranges. Hamilton has nothing like Thanos, Darth Vader, Palpatine, etc. 

 

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 12:17pm

LMM is the perfect example of what Disney money does to people

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 12:57pm

bdn223 said: "Disney is perfectly fine with PG13 content, as nearly all Disney Marvel, Star Wars, and Pirates of the Caribbean films are PG13. The only Disney content that is PG or under is fairy tale content, which Hamilton does not fall into. DIsney distributed Stephen Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis's Lincoln which was rated PG13."

Well –– the technicality there is that most of those were released under a different Disney-owned banner (Marvel, Lucasfilm, Touchstone, etc). If this IMDB list is correct, only 8 Walt Disney Pictures films have been PG-13, and 4 of those are Pirates. All that said, the definition of "what is a Disney film" is rapidly evolving, with the acquisition of FOX and now with Disney+. This might be under Walt Disney Pictures, or it might be released as a 20th Century title. We'll see.

[darquegk]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 1:05pm

PG-13 allows a certain number of uses of the f-word as exclamation, as long as none of them are as a verb for copulation. Disney's ABC sitcom "The Goldbergs" has a running gag of how foul-mouthed the wholesome sitcom mom is, dropping the f-word at least once per episode and getting bleeped (usually as part of a longer, more colorful and heavily censored chain of curses). I wouldn't be surprised if there's at least one f-word on the Disney+ roster already in the acquisition of Marvel films, though I wouldn't bet money on it.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 2/13/20 at 1:24pm

darquegk said: "PG-13 allows a certain number of uses of the f-word as exclamation, as long as none of them are as a verb for copulation. Disney's ABC sitcom "The Goldbergs" has a running gag of how foul-mouthed the wholesome sitcom mom is, dropping the f-word at least once per episode and getting bleeped (usually as part of a longer, more colorful and heavily censored chain of curses). I wouldn't be surprised if there's at least one f-word on the Disney+ roster already in the acquisition of Marvel films, though I wouldn't bet money on it."

No Marvel film has the f-word in it. It's implied, cut off, and beeped, but you'll never actually hear it.