Warning Touchy subject: Dambusters dog is now called Digger not Nigga

[kiwi_2005]

A decision had finally been made to change the name of the dog in Sir Peter Jackson‘s remake of The Dam Busters to ‘Digger’. “So what?”, I hear you say. Well, for those unfamiliar with the original story or film, the dog’s actual name is ‘******’. And yes, he’s a black labrador. Hmm, probably a very wise call me thinks. However, it has caused great debate, even in these more politcally correct times.[quote]Produced by Sir Peter Jackson, The Dam Busters will be a remake of the 1955 classic film starring Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd. The film, based on the true story of Squadron 617 of the Royal Air Force, will be directed by Jackson’s protege, first time director Christian Rivers. Stephen Fry is penning the script and will most likely play role, given his role in The Hobbit. A decision had finally been made to change the name of the dog in Sir Peter Jackson‘s remake of The Dam Busters to ‘Digger’. “So what?”, I hear you say. Well, for those unfamiliar with the original story or film, the dog’s actual name is ‘******’. And yes, he’s a black labrador. Hmm, probably a very wise call me thinks. However, it has caused great debate, even in these more politcally correct times.

http://www.admitone.co.nz/2011/06/14...es-the-n-word/

True to the story the dog name should stay as ******.

The word ****** derives from the latin word niger meaning black man. A white person can't be a ******. So is ****** offensive? Well I don't know I wasn't brought up in the deep south of the USA and being colored myself I don't find it offensive. Over here we call white people Pakeha which means Stranger some white people dont like that name where others dont mind one bit. I think its all how you interpret these words.

Gangsta rap artists add the ****** word in their lyrics all the time its common to hear gonna shoot your nigga ass etc., and its ok.

On the other hand for the sensitive types this is a dog where most likely in the movie nigga will be heard plenty of times. eg: Here nigga go fetch nigga good boy nigga! Some might get upset.

They should leave the name as it is changing it kinda kills the movie imo, if its going to be a remake they should not change a thing! No one is forcing those people who might find it offensive to go watch the movie. Only reason I could think off is if the PC groups get hold of this it could ruin a few careers, its not like Peter Jackson is doing an anti semite Mel Gibson rant.


No offensive meant.

[THE_MASK]

Yeah ok , quite frankly that word should be washed clean from the worlds history books never to return .

[BossMark]

Well Guy Gibson named is dog ****** then why change it, as far I am concerned the PC brigade can take a running jump.

[Hottentot]

I'm sure I have heard of this controversy for at least three or four times during the last several years, first time being when I still frequented Ubi's IL-2 forums back in high school. That's how I learned about the dog and its name in the first place.

If they were less busy renaming dogs and more busy with filming, the freaking movie would be on the screens already!

[antikristuseke]

Revising history is never a good thing.

[papa_smurf]

Originally Posted by antikristuseke

Revising history is never a good thing.

Least its only the dogs name been changed, nothing like the farce of U-571 (sorry I mentioned THAT film here)

[Platapus]

If the only historical inaccuracy in this movie is the dog's name, I will be greatly surprised.

The film, based on the true story of Squadron 617 of the Royal Air Force...

If they can change other aspects of the story in order to make the movie more marketable, than changing the dog's name is small spuds.

Now, if someone were making a historically accurate documentary, then the dog's name should not be changed. But this movie does not seem to be a historical documentary.

[Herr-Berbunch]

The name should remain! I've visited the memorial to this lab many times as an air cadet when gliding at Scampton, history is history and typically somebody who wasn't a part of that history wants to rewrite it. Will all the crews be American? Will they come back totally unscathed? Will they rework the bomb so it skates or skis across the water rather than bounces?

The film should not be remade, and if it can't be done with the two flying Lancasters in the world then it shouldn't be done ever! No CGI please.

[IMG]http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafscampton/rafcms/mediafiles/gallery/D648980D_1143_EC82_2EAEFA2F14E561EB/******s_grave_large.jpg[/IMG]

[BossMark]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

The name should remain! I've visited the memorial to this lab many times as an air cadet when gliding at Scampton, history is history and typically somebody who wasn't a part of that history wants to rewrite it. Will all the crews be American? Will they come back totally unscathed? Will they rework the bomb so it skates or skis across the water rather than bounces?

The film should not be remade, and if it can't be done with the two flying Lancasters in the world then it shouldn't be done ever! No CGI please.

Couldnt agree with you more well said

[joea]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

The film should not be remade, and if it can't be done with the two flying Lancasters in the world then it shouldn't be done ever! No CGI please.

Why not? Ok better to maybe do films on fresh subjects not done before but why not do a film with CGi? Why the hate I mean frankly we are not going to have real flying machines from that epoch forever and special effects have their place, heck done correctly we can have accurate models for theatre/year of operations and no more "fake" Me-109s like in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. As long as they don't replace a good story, acting, dialouge why not? It's not as if the original dambusters had real Lancs for all the scenes.

As to the dog, really not sure-I hate that word for what it represents but also hate covering up history.

[kiwi_2005]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

The name should remain! I've visited the memorial to this lab many times as an air cadet when gliding at Scampton, history is history and typically somebody who wasn't a part of that history wants to rewrite it. Will all the crews be American? Will they come back totally unscathed? Will they rework the bomb so it skates or skis across the water rather than bounces?

The film should not be remade, and if it can't be done with the two flying Lancasters in the world then it shouldn't be done ever! No CGI please.

Good point. I think they will try and make the movie as true to the real story as they can but yeah most likely will go CGI and whether all the crews will be Americans im hoping so, surely.

I think it is only right that history is rewritten to prevent any possible offence.
They should follow the earlier example and call the dog Trigger instead of ******, the dog must be played by Roger Loyd Pack and must frequently call Guy Gibson "Dave".

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Tribesman

I think it is only right that history is rewritten to prevent any possible offence.
They should follow the earlier example and call the dog Trigger instead of ******, the dog must be played by Roger Loyd Pack and must frequently call Guy Gibson "Dave".

I'm in two minds of this one. On one hand it is the dogs name, but on the other hand it was another era and you can't get away with half the words you could back then than you can now. So ****** is alas probably off the cards. However, given the writer of the script I would hope that that is the only change.

[CCIP]

Digga, please.


Sorry, that's about the only response I can think up to something like this.... /facepalms

[Oberon]

Oh, and especially for Hunter:

"Digga just got kicked in yo chest!"