the 1940s and racist batman
After finally cornering the evil Dr. Tito Daka in his lair, Robin dismisses our villian: "You're as yellow as your skin."
Cristina had rented the 1940s Batman Serial from her job, a major perk I might add, because it looked interesting and was one of those things we would never watch unless we could watch it for free.
"..A wise American Government rounded up all the slanty-eyed Japanese.." the narrator explains as we pan through the poor section of Gotham China-Town, now little more than an amusement park ride called the "Japanese House of Horrors" - chanelling the funhouse ride in House of 1000 corpses - with Japanese military soldiers attacking American troops. We also learn, during an incredibly bad rooftop battle between Batman, Robin, and some generic thugs with a laser gun, that Dr. Daka intends to "..free Americans from the chains of Democracy.." and to "..usher in the New World Order.."
The horrible accent was comical. The squinting and the eye make-up was amusing. But the fact that it's completely serious, without any sense of satire or remorse, was intolerable for me. And now, I think I understand why black people hate Al Jolson and blackface. I hate yellowface.