John Cleese says wokeness is impacting comedy, creativity
The entertainment icon discusses the current state of comedy with Fox News Digital.
Legendary English actor Sir Michael Caine denounced critiques of the British war epic "Zulu" after it was flagged by an anti-terror study as promoting "extremism." Caine scoffed at the claim as "bulls---."
Caine, 90, has had a diverse film career, ranging from Christopher Nolan’s "Batman" series to "Austin Powers in Goldmember" and "The Muppet Christmas Carol." In 1964, he starred in "Zulu," a film about the 1879 Battle of Rorke’s Drift amid the Anglo-Zulu war. An Internet Movie Database summary described the battle as one where "150 troops will fight about 4,000 Zulus in one of the most courageous battles in history."
His film was featured among texts attacked by a British government study on content associated with far-right extremism. The "Prevent" program has also reportedly flagged the complete works of Shakespeare, "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien and the "Great British Railway Journeys" documentary series as works that could lead viewers toward right-wing extremism.
The Daily Mail noted that "Zulu" in particular "had been listed as a 'key text' for 'white nationalists' and 'supremacists' by the Government's beleaguered anti-terrorism Prevent scheme."
Michael Caine receives the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema at the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, on Aug. 20, 2021. (Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Images)
Caine defended his films and career as he spoke to The Spectator via email. "There are no films I wish I hadn’t made," the actor told the news outlet.
Spectator journalist Tanya Gold recounted her interaction with Caine when she mentioned the U.K.'s Prevent program reportedly highlighting "Zulu":
"When I tell him that 'Zulu' is listed on the counter-terror Prevent scheme as a piece of culture that incites the far-right, he says: ‘That is the biggest load of bull**** I have ever heard.’"
The legacy of the British Empire and its military conquests that once spanned the globe is a source of controversy today as films from decades past glorifying this history are subjected to modern, left-wing standards. (REUTERS/Phil Noble)
The Daily Mail added that actual living Zulu royalty has defended the film as well, as the "leader of the Zulu tribe Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, now 94, who played own his great-grandfather King Cetshwayo in the film, said it should not be viewed through a 21st-century lens."
"Even if the past is uncomfortable, and perhaps especially when the past is uncomfortable, it needs to be examined and unpacked rather than hidden away. Of course race is a central theme in the film," he reportedly told British newspaper The Times.
Michael Caine attends the world premiere of 'King of Thieves' at Vue West End in London on Sept. 12, 2018. ( Karwai Tang/WireImage)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News Digital could not verify the extent of entertainment and literature flagged by the British government program, and the U.K.’s Home Office noted it does not "comment on leaks."
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.