How Are Seniors Portrayed in Hollywood?

[SifuPhil]

Do you think seniors are portrayed in a positive or negative light by Hollywood? Is it a mix? Has there been a change over time, or is it just our perception?

Being a fan of old B&W films, silents as well as talkies, I've seen the advances made in the portrayals of minority groups and women, but only a very few examples of elders being treated as anything other than doddering, drooling dinosaurs sticks in my mind. Is it just MY perception?

TV ... well, TV is TV. All the fair-haired children are geniuses and make Mom and Dad look like idiots. As for Granny and Gramps - comic relief, nothing more. Again, only a few exceptions (Golden Girls, etc) come to mind. Can you think of any others?

 

[SeaBreeze]

I can't think of any others, but I did like to watch the Golden Girls when they were on a long time ago. I've noticed the disrespect even in commercials though, like older people are something to laugh at or roll your eyes at. There's a commercial for internet service where they say that the price won't change for 5 years, I think it's $20. So they have an old guy stand up and say 'five years, I like that', while others around him giggle...I guess because he doesn't have that much longer to live. I commented about that one to my husband, I really don't think it's funny. It's 2012, can't they think of a better ad than that?...pathetic!

My perception may have changed a bit now that I'm nearing 60, but honestly, even when I was a teenager or in my twenties, I didn't laugh at old people, or find any amusement when I saw an ederly person struggling...if anything I'd jump in and help them out. Now if you see an older person, let's say on a sitcom, whether it's a man or a woman, if they do have their wits about them and look presentable, then they portray them as old sex starved people, usually cougar types...none that are just normal and together, worthy of respect.

Even grandpappy Amos of the Real McCoys, or granny Clampett on the Beverly Hilbillies were on their game.

 

[SifuPhil]

It's funny you mention Granny Clampett - when I'm writing in the morning I have the MeTV channel playing on the TV softly, just as background white noise (it drowns out the cat and dog snores), and at 6:00AM The Beverly Hillbillys comes on.

Now I don't seem to remember this when I used to watch it as a kid, but now most of the time granny is VERY annoying. Her voice seems to have become much more shrill and all she does is scream and cry and shriek. Then a bit later I Love Lucy comes on and the same thing happens with Lucy - she screams and cries for most of the show. That Girl - she talks 100MPH for the whole show ... the rest of the classic shows don't seem to feature this as much, just on a once-in-a-while basis.

So at least it seemingly isn't just the oldsters that scream all the time.

 

[SeaBreeze]

They were good back in the day, but I can't see myself watching them now, even as background noise. The other day there was an old Andy Griffith show on regular TV, maybe the PBS channel, and I couldn't watch for more than five minutes. I remember Lucy, she sounded most mellow on the Vitametavegimine episode.

Yeah, they don't have to be too old to yell, look at Gilbert Godfried.

 

[Elzee]

The older Betty White gets, the more I admire and respect her. She looks great for being 90 years old and still so full of energy and life.

 

[SifuPhil]

Elzee, I agree with you about Betty White - she's one of the few that have aged with their personality (and popularity) intact. Why do you think that is? Is it because she remains "authentic", or is it just a stroke of luck and popular opinion?

Sea, lol@Vitametavegimine! But you had to go and mention Gilbert, didn't you?

The man just hits me the same way that dragging a cat across a chalkboard hits me - I ruined a perfectly good 52" LCD TV not too long ago when one of his specials came on.

Who knew that a jump-spinning-roundhouse kick could do so much damage?

 

[SeaBreeze]

The older Betty White gets, the more I admire and respect her. She looks great for being 90 years old and still so full of energy and life.

I love Betty White! Just looking at her and listening to her lifts my spirits, and the fact that she's an animal lover is a big plus in my book. She's a smart and witty lady, I enjoyed watching her birthday special on TV too, great in all the shows she was in!