559 - The Mikado (1939)
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Imagine it\\u2019s 1939. \\xa0The world stands at the precipice of war. \\xa0So why not make a film adaptation of a classic English comic opera set in Imperial Japan, but all of the character and place names are silly baby-talk? \\xa0And this reliance of nonsense serves as a stand-in for \\u201cforeign\\u201d which is contrasted against a view of Japanese culture as arbitrarily cruel and hidebound to antiquated and contradictory social propriety? \\xa0Except it\\u2019s not really about Japan, it\\u2019s actually just using tactless cultural appropriation as a means to disguise biting social commentary actually directed at England? \\xa0Is the result straight-up exploitation or the last gasp of cultural chauvinism before the British Empire fell to pieces? \\xa0You\\u2019ll have to join us and listen to find out the definitive answer to all of these questions and more as we discuss Victor Shertinger\\u2019s The Mikado.
If you\\u2019d like to watch ahead for next week\\u2019s film, we will be reviewing and discussing Mike Leigh's Topsy-Turvy (1999).
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