Lieutenant Chard! Look! Killjoys! Over A Dozen Of ‘Em!

Some of us are lucky enough to be able to express our opinion and thoughts in print or as part of a stand-up routine.

But although there are things in this world that I disagree with or just ‘can’t get my head around’, I’d never prevent anyone from raising money for good causes because I don’t agree with the method by which they’re doing it.

Members of Folkestone’s Silver Screen Cinema Club run events at their local cinema where ‘mature cinemagoers’ can have tea and biscuits before watching classics like “Casablanca”  or “Police Academy 48”.
Recently they wanted to raise money for Armed Forces charities by screening “Zulu” a film described by Sheldon Hall, author of “Zulu – With Some Guts Behind It” which chronicles the making of the 1964 classic as… ’One of the best-loved and enduringly popular British films ever made.

The extraordinary story of the 1879 Battle Of Rorke’s Drift in which barely 150 soldiers of the British Army fought against an attack by 4000 highly disciplined Zulu warriors”.

No sooner had the charity event been announced when a bunch of local killjoys wanted it stopped because the film has ‘racist overtones’.
Poppycock!

Yes the film depicts Zulus being killed.  But it also shows British soldiers being killed.

Because – that’s what happened at Rorke’s Drift.

Would the same killjoys complain if the film chosen had been 1979’s “Zulu Dawn”, a belated prequel, which depicts the massacre of 1300 British soldiers by 20,000 Zulus?

Don’t just take my word that “Zulu” isn’t racist.

The following was written by someone who appeared in the film.
“It was an experience I will always cherish. And it must be remembered that eleven British soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross in that battle – an all time record”.

Prince Mangosuthu G. Buthelezi M.P. Province Of kwaZulu-Natal.

Killjoys of Folkestone – take that!