Racist Theme?

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Interesting thread. Here's my view:

There are 3 scenes that people are pointing out.

Scene 1. The scene in the bar where the Dickinson girl answers that her major is "primitive cultures" and the camera cuts to Otis Day who's singing with his band. Of course, we had already met Otis Day and the Knights earlier when he performed "Shout" at the Delta House's toga party. Mildly racist perhaps, but a funny scene. I honestly always thought it was more of a joke about majors in liberal arts colleges of little value (another debate, perhaps) but also because of Otis' hair that made him kind of look like a wild man. Notice, the camera doesn't cut to a general scene of the people in the bar but specifically to Otis. If Blutarsky was there it could just have easily cut to him (interestingly, Belushi argued with the writers and director that he felt he should be part of the road trip).

Scene 2. Flounder, Boone and Pinto run back to the car after the hilarious line "mind if we dance with your dates" with another guy saying "if I were you I'b be . . ." Boone: "leaving!" They interupt Otter with Shelly, and Flounder says: "the negros stole are dates." To me - very funny and not racist in the slightest. You'll notice that in the next scene the girls are walking back to the college together completely unscathed - the men who asked them to dance caused them no harm. To use the word "negro" in the context of 1963 really shouldn't bother anybody.

Scene 3. The float that said "togetherness" of white and black hands shaking which got divided in two. This was a joke about, I think, the naivety of how race relations could be so easily improved (remember, the writers and viewers know of all the difficult events that follow, Martin Luther King, The Civil Rights Act, continuing prejudice and discrimination, etc.) Honestly, I have no idea why anyone would consider this scene even remotely racist.

Sure it had some racial overtones but it was just reflecting some of the things that were going on in the 60s.

On a final note, based on this post I think Ive just become yet another victim to modern society's obssession with political correctness. Damn it.

I'm only replying to the OP since it's the only post in this thread I've read. I will quote parts of his or her post as well.

"The scene in the bar/club, where the deltas and their dates are the only white people there, we get the famous 'what are you studying? Primitive cultures' gag."

My reply to this: Today perhaps one could twist this around to be racist. I don't think this was their intent at all, and I think with all due respect you're being too sensitive and politically correct. Maybe not a complete excuse but remember the setting of the film (1962) and when it was filmed (late 70's, I forget the exact date).

"Also in the parade scene at the end the giant 'Togetherness' float with the giant black and white hands holding each other, they get ripped apart as the deathmobile passes by with the words 'Eat Me' conveniently appearing between the separating hands."

My reply to this: I have to be honest, I don't even see how you could possible see this as racist. The two hands were torn apart due to the float being hit, and the center being cut. Like the float ontop of the Lincoln the Delta's used, it was probably built in two sections then joined together. It also sets up the gag of Neidermeier being scooped into a hand after trying to shoot Flounder. "Eat Me" on the Delta's float/Lincoln is simply there to show defiance toward being expelled. "Eat Me" was also the second thing said/coughed under Bluto's breath at the court hearing earlier in the film if memory serves.


As an aside, if you check the trivia section for this film here on IMDB, they sent a preview to a studio head (or at least some level of management at the studio, I forget whom exactly), he was worried that the bar scene would cause race riots. They also sent one to Richard Pryor. He sent a letter to the same studio saying the the film was funny and that they worry too much. Again I forget the actual detials, but check out the trivia section for this film I know such is mentioned. No, Richard Pryor can't speak for every black person in the late 70's, but I do think if he had no issues that the film has no racist agenda.

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"Animal House" took place in the early '60s and was made in the late '70s. That might explain a little.