Two Controversial Films Get The Axe, Which Begs The Question: Why Is Some Material More Censor-Worthy Than Others?

Censorship rules in today’s pop culture dystopia.

Classic books get “updated” to avoid triggering literary snowflakes. Classic movies get nipped and tucked lest a racist word upset audiences weaned on “John Wick” bloodbaths and shows like HBO’s “Euphoria.”

Warning labels now greet beloved films like “Peter Pan” and “Dumbo” on the streaming service tied to its own creators.

Now, some films can’t even be seen due to pressure campaigns by those who disagree with the narratives in question.

“No Way Back: The Reality of Gender-Affirming Care” serves up a reportedly apolitical look at trans-related surgeries, the longer-term impact of hormone blockers and similar therapies. The film reportedly hails from both California Democrats and LGBT activists. Some of the filmmakers are either gay or have gay children.

The film’s team planned a June 21st theatrical release at select AMC Theatres, one of the nation’s biggest movie chains before its July streaming debut.

Enter The Queer Trans Project.

The group reportedly used social media to protest the film and demand AMC rescind its promise to screen the film.

Said campaign worked, to few people’s surprise. Anyone questioning the trans movement is either canceled or, in the case of author J.K. Rowling, threatened and doxed.

We’re also seeing a successful cancellation effort across the pond, although the circumstances are different in some key ways.

The Glastonbury Festival shelved plans to screen “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn … The Big Lie,” a documentary capturing the fall of the former Labour Party kingpin.

Why?

This time, Jewish groups applied the cultural pressure regarding a film tied to the controversial leader. Corbyn’s critics say he’s cozied up to antisemitic thinking.

They fear the film connects Jews to Corbyn’s political fall from grace. It’s unclear if any of the critics had screened the film.

The minds behind “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn” describe it as exploring, “a dark and murky story of political deceit and outrageous antisemitic smears. It also uncovers the critical role played by current Labour leader, Keir Starmer and asks if the movement which backed Corbyn could rise again.”

The film is narrated by comedian Alexei Sayle and featuring veteran film director Ken Loach, a fierce critic of Israel.

The festival’s statement on the cancellation promotes “unity” as the reason for the cancellation.


“Although we believe that the Pilton Palais booked this film in good faith, in the hope of provoking political debate, it’s become clear that it is not appropriate for us to screen it at the Festival … Glastonbury is about unity and not division, and we stand against all forms of discrimination.”

The Festival is under no obligation to screen any given film, and some of the criticism leveled against “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn” may be valid. The festival’s selection committee felt it warranted inclusion, though, and future pressure campaigns may be bolstered by the reversal.

A better solution? The film’s critics propose a post-film Q&A where both sides of the debate can be heard.

The aforementioned films will live on via different platforms, or at least we assume for now. Don’t expect “No Way Back” to appear on Netflix’s “Just Added” section anytime soon. The same is true for Hulu, Amazon Prime and Paramount Plus.

Imagine the uproar should any of the above agree to stream the film in question.

We already have mainstream product that shares debunked conspiracy theories. Disney+’s “Flamin’ Hot” shares the heart-warming story of a Mexican immigrant who invented the chip that revolutionized snacks.

Except The LA Times’ reporting shredded that narrative.

You can watch it right now on both Disney+ and Hulu … sans trigger warnings.

Or consider “The Comey Rule,” the two-part Showtime miniseries describing how the FBI tracked President Donald Trump as he partnered with Russia to steal the 2016 election.

Is anyone trying to cancel it from Showtime’s content library? They shouldn’t, of course, but why is some material more censor-worthy than others?

Written by
Christian Toto is an award-winning film critic, journalist and founder of HollywoodInToto.com, the Right Take on Entertainment. He’s the author of “Virtue Bombs: How Hollywood Got Woke and Lost Its Soul” and a lifelong Yankees fan. Toto lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife, two sons and too many chickens. Follow Christian on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto