MigBuster 2,884 Posted June 10, 2011 Wasn't sure if this was still going ahead: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-13727908 Dam Busters dog renamed for movie remake The black Labrador was run over and killed during the planning of the raids Peter Jackson to film Dam Busters The Dam Busters' dog will be renamed for a new version of the classic war movie, it has emerged. Stephen Fry, who is writing the film's screenplay, said there was "no question in America that you could ever have a dog called the N-word". In the remake, the dog will be called "Digger" instead of "Nigger". The black Labrador was the mascot for RAF 617 squadron, which during World War II destroyed dams in Germany with Barnes Wallis's famous bouncing bomb. Owned by the squadron's wing commander, Guy Gibson, the animal was run over and killed during the planning of the Dambuster raids, and was buried at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire - from where the operation was launched. Stephen Fry told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's no good saying that it is the Latin word for black or that it didn't have the meaning that it does now - you just can't go back, which is unfortunate. "You can go to RAF Scampton and see the dog's grave and there he is with his name, and it's an important part of the film. "The name of the dog was a code word to show that the dam had been successfully breached. "In the film, you're constantly hearing 'N-word, N-word, N-word, hurray' and Barnes Wallis is punching the air. But obviously that's not going to happen now. "So Digger seems OK, I reckon." Phil Bonner, from Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, a privately run Bomber Command museum, said: "I think for the Second World War generation that word was acceptable - but with my daughters growing up in Lincolnshire - they have been taught that the word is unacceptable now. "The film is not about the dog - my big concern would be if they watered down what the Dam Busters had achieved." The 1955 film, which starred Sir Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd, told the story of Barnes Wallis' struggle to develop the bomb and the subsequent raids on Nazi Germany - codenamed Operation Chastise. The remake is being produced by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+DoctorQuest 125 Posted June 10, 2011 For good or ill language evolves and the N-word did not evolve in a good way. It was either rename the dog or have a paragraph at the start of the movie explaining the dog's name. I appreciate the post. I have read the book many times and really got tripped up over the name of the dog. I had no idea about the orgins of the word. Let's hope this is the only change they have to make to the story. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
exhausted 55 Posted June 10, 2011 I don't think it's a big deal. As was said above, this movie isn't about the dog and this little change is not going to really matter. The story is still 99% intact. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+DoctorQuest 125 Posted June 10, 2011 ^Those were good! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Derk 265 Posted June 10, 2011 http://www.bbc.co.uk...nshire-13727908 Where the hell is "....n shire " situated ? Will it be renamed too ? Houdoe, Derk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MigBuster 2,884 Posted June 10, 2011 (edited) Where the hell is "....n shire " situated ? Will it be renamed too ? Houdoe, Derk I have no idea where n shire or lincolnshire may be The Costs for a remake today would be mind boggling , it's highly doubtful sufficent backers could be located Pah - check out the 633 Squadron version: Edited June 10, 2011 by MigBuster Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Derk 265 Posted June 10, 2011 I have no idea where n shire or lincolnshire may be All right, so to prevent any n word bad feelings it's going to be Lincoldiggershire for the movie Houdoe, Derk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bossco82 11 Posted June 10, 2011 To be honest I can see the point for the renaming the dog, its not the 1940's anymore and things have changed. On the other hand i'm glad things like the Dambusters are being brought back into the mainstream public eye. I'm 29 and a lancaster pilot used to live on the road I grew up on, I grew up listening to his stories. I'm shocked at how many people under roughly 20 dont know what world war 2 was or dont understand its significance. A young lad I teach car mechanics too said not long ago he couldn't be bothered to vote, which led me to drill into him that millions of people gave a huge sacrifice so he had that right, maybe if films like these are remade it will educate them. I really hope they do this remake justice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+streakeagle 871 Posted June 11, 2011 On the one hand, it is really a very minor change. On the other hand it is revisionist history, i.e. altering historical facts. Where does it stop? To meet German laws, photos with Swastikas have to be retouched, model airplanes have to leave those decals out, even games have to delete them entirely or make them an optional download. For me, the ultimate is in the country that made freedom of speech one of its founding principles, I can burn the national flag, an effigy of the President, or even make crude cartoons about God/Jesus of the dominant religion, but the moment you talk about burning the Quran or having Mohammed appear on South Park, it is the end of the world. So, people within the USA can do things that are utterly offensive to the majority of our own population, but they are severely discouraged from doing the same types of things if outsiders threaten to react violently? The system has been utterly broken since the emergence of the term "politically correct" -- which is quite the oxymoron as most politicians say and do things that are anything but "politically correct". The editing was far superior on the Dambusters video... so, I liked that one much better even if I am more of a Mosquito/633 Squadron fan. There was a movie made in the early 80's that had clips from the Dambusters, one of my all-time favorites: Pink Floyd the Wall, and they didn't dub out the name of the dog either! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Nightshade/PR 7,939 Posted June 11, 2011 This is a post that should end now, before tongues and attitudes go too far. It's already wayyyyyyyyyyyy off track. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capitaine Vengeur 263 Posted June 14, 2011 As far as I know a post should end before Lies are put forth about an individual, or a group of people. Nothing of that sort has happened yet, actually some truths have been stated Actually I'm curious about the world wide banning of the swastika, the swastika was not invented by the nazi's, only used by them. It dates back some 3000 years http://history1900s....tikahistory.htm Gee . . we're real lucky they didn't use the circle, we'd be in for it then Escadrille Lafayette: not exactly flying nazis, and yet... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+ianh755 196 Posted June 14, 2011 It's still used by 617 SQN as their callsign for the 2 squadron radio channels. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+allenjb42 4,234 Posted June 14, 2011 (edited) Anyone remember this advert? Edited June 14, 2011 by allenjb42 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
