The French Connection
Artist: William Friedkin
Year: 2023
Date of Action: June 3, 2023
Region: Europe
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion
Medium: Film Video, Television
Confronting Bodies: Criterion Channel
Description of Artwork: In The French Connection, a character named Popeye Doyle uses ethnic/racial slurs in a conversation with another character. Doyle is an anti-hero, and the offending section of the movie contains two instances of racially offensive language.
The Incident: On June 3, 2023, a viewer noticed that the Criterion Channel's version of The French Connection removed the offending language by removing the section of the movie altogether.
Results of Incident: Members of the public have noted how this action appears discordant with Criterion’s stated mission to restore and distribute important classics and thus further the interests of film and media scholars, cinephiles, and libraries.
Source:
• https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2023/5/3ixj54t2k12w626zsbhumz4i1u2t6r
