Does the "Old, ugly gypsy woman placing a curse for petty reasons" stereotype in the new movie "Drag Me to Hell" seem outdated?
by 
weareallhypocrites
ANSWERS: 4
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Yes very, but it does prey upon the suspicions and misconceptions many have about psychics or gypsies as "Oh no, I better be nice or they'll curse me" or "I'm not going to see a fortune teller, what if they curse me?" etc.
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I have not seen the movie but heard it was a real dud all around. Was it really as bad as people have told me? Not only is the stereotype outdated, but it was never valid to begin with. I first saw it in the silent movies and it has persisted. Now it has reached "cliche" for most. Edit: please view Miss Anubis's answer. It is far superior to mine: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/6664160
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Well, it's a horror movie, where the oldest concepts make it work. You're never gonna see a Jason film where he doesn't kill anyone. I like the stereotype attributed to things like zombies, psychological dementia or whatever. But things like this I feel a bit irky about, because Gypsies are people. This is like all those cannibal movies where they portray cannibals as psychos, where in reality, they are very fearful of strangers. It's a rather asinine concept, and one I thought we'd have done away with by now. Horror movies are supposed to be fun, not insulting. Note-I'm also disappointed in Stephen King for presenting the idea that the stereotypical ideas about Gypsies is ignorance, yet his Gypsies are portrayed exactly like that which he speaks against in the book. Nice.
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Fact from fiction, truth from fiction. There is hardly anything new in Hollywood. Supposing 180 movies a year come out of there and most are forgettable. If you had the power to put a curse on someone because they slighted you etc, you would. Mortal men who was exalted to Emperor, Tsar, King, Caesar, etc have had men killed for as much, maybe even less. Imagine what fun Stalin would have had if he had the power to curse anyone at will? Would he have held back? No. I have not seen the movie (and probably never will) but the fact there is a Gypsy lady in it who would set a curse over trifling don't surprise me.
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