before the concept of political correctness had reached the white male brain

[cimorene]

I'm watching a documentary called Inside the Labyrinth from the anniversary dvd of Labyrinth, and this fabulous little thing was apparently actually made... around the time when the movie was made, and they're interviewing Jim Henson, right, and he's explaining (justifying, really) why they got a black choreographer to help David Bowie channel his inner Goblin King, and he's all: "We wanted that very vibrant, very... black movement."

Yeah. It's totally a compliment, right?

David Bowie explains a moment later that "one gets the feeling" that Jareth is a reluctant Goblin King, that he'd rather be "I don't know... down in Soho or something". AHHAHAHA. ♥ This explains a lot Y/N? Also, he says the goblins kidnapped the baby without his permission and he's just trying to make the best of it, which was really not the impression I ever received.

Comments

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

"We wanted that very vibrant, very... black movement."

I can totally imagine someone in Japan saying the very same thing today. XD I just read a manga the other day that had the line "Wow, an African-American called your bass-playing funky! What a compliment!" (Very much with this "wow, a real live black person!" tone.) The author actually draws black characters quite well (not cringe-worthy caricatures like many manga), but some of the stuff characters say is so headdesky.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Hahahha! Well, you know black people are the KINGS of funky! :O