The Representation of Minorities in American Cinema Essay

The 1987 film documentary Ethnic Notions directed by Marlon Riggs, identifies the evolution of African American cultural depictions through ethnic stereotypes and caricatures in American culture. I feel Ethnic Notions exposes the roots of false generalization from the beginning and presents a series of classifications for racial depictions that still are noticeable in today's society. These racial depictions identified with in this film begin in the mid 1800's and continue thought to the 1960's. I now after viewing Ethnic notions agree that there are generalizations and depictions that are exaggerated in American popular culture and entertainment.

Asian American actors and actresses are portrayed in Hollywood movies as always being the silent and yielding foreign victims to social injustice and prejudice. Whether or not these depictions are true, they are nonetheless stereotypes that Hollywood producers have come up with. According to the US Census in the year 2000, Asian Americans make up 4.2% of the entire American population, and knowing that most Asian Americans live on the west and east coast of the United States, many Americans living in central parts of this country have not really been exposed to any Asian Americans. Because of this fact, it is highly probable that most Americans get their exposure to the Asian American lifestyle only through television and movies. Even if

In the film industry, we see all different types of films and movies, but there’s always guidelines on what needs to be followed by stereotypes that have been built by society. In the film “The Bronze Screen” it gives us a better understanding on how the system is set up for film making but especially for Latinos in the film industry, Latinos are seen as a minority group who don’t have a lot of changes on making into the big screen, the film explains how Latinos are put in movies to fill the stereotypes that have been made by society but to be specific by the white people.

Author Scott L. Baugh has examined the role of Latino Americans in the movies, and he explains that there "…remains the uneven balance of power among characters," in particular with reference to Latino "subordinate characters" that tend to be portrayed as "stereotypes" (Baugh, 2012, p. 259). Early films (in the late 19th century and early 20th century) depicted a very "simple hierarchy," in which the heroes and main characters were white and held positions of "leadership and agency" (Baugh, 259). Latino characters were "secondary" to those main white characters, and Latino characters tended to be the villains, Baugh explained.

The Latina women, even throughout the era resistance cinema, have not been able to make much progress in overcoming the degrading stereotypes that Hollywood has created for them. Despite the many advances that minorities have made in the cinema in recent years, Latina actresses still take on the roles of the "dark skinned lady" and other such stereotypes with strong sexual connotations. It is often debatable whether or not the role of the Latina has undergone dramatic changes since the days of Dolores Del Rio and Carmen Miranda dancing with the fruit baskets on top of their heads. However, in recent years there has been an emphasis by various Latinas in the film industry to combat such stereotypical roles and redefine themselves

The United States has long been a country that has accepted that change is a necessity for prosperity and growth. However, each change within the nation's history was hard fought against those who resisted such change either through racism, bigotry, and blatant discrimination. African American cinema is enshrouded in history that depicts these themes of racism, struggle, and deprivation. Yet, this same cinema also shows scenes of hope, artistic spirit, intellectual greatness, and joy. Black actresses, actors, directors, producers, and writers have been fighting for recognition and respect since the great Paul Robeson. The civil rights movement of the 1950's and 60's was fueled by black cinema through films like A Raisin in the Sun.

Film is one of the most influential means of communication and a powerful medium of

The history of African Americans in early Hollywood films originated with blacks representing preconceived stereotypes. D.W. Griffith’s 1915 film, Birth of a Nation, stirred many controversial issues within the black community. The fact that Griffith used white actors in blackface to portray black people showed how little he knew about African Americans. Bosley Crowther’s article “The Birth of Birth of a Nation” emphasizes that the film was a “highly pro-South drama of the American Civil War and the Period of Reconstruction, and it glorified the role of the Ku Klux Klan” (76). While viewing this film, one would assert that the Ku Klux Klan members are heroic forces that rescue white women from sexually abusive black men. Griffith

Let’s face it. Almost all Jewish characters we see on screen are written by Jewish writers. We like seeing ourselves represented, and we love writing about ourselves. It’s the same with every minority: Asians write about other Asians, African-Americans write about African-Americans. But the reverse rarely happens. When was the last time you watched a film or TV show that centred around a minority and the writers and creative team weren’t comprised of people from the minority? Shows about African-Americans written by White people? A story about a Gay couple written by a Straight dude? I don’t think so, minorities write about minorities and majorities write about majorities.

Stereotypes and generalizations about African Americans and their culture have evolved within American society dating back to the colonial years of settlement, particularly after slavery became a racial institution that was heritable. However in the clips we watched and from my own viewing of the movie Carmen Jones the movie explains two media stereotyped roles present in films with black characters, the black jezebel and the integrationist hero. Their representations of these roles have many implications on how their characters interact with each other and other characters throughout the film and the outcome of the film’s plot. For a number of years in American film, one could find two black stereotypical presences, the integrationist hero, who dominated the screen for a time, and the black jezebel, also present in many films. Hollywood made movies that featured the well liked,

Disney films use their characters as a vehicle to portray specific ideologies of race and sexuality to the viewer (168). For example, The Road to Eldorado depicts a fictionalized account of the Spanish Conquest. Using relatable characters, the film highly racializes both Spaniards and Indigenous American’s (169). The authors are able to explain this racialization by describing the Indigenous people as being in need of rescue and the Spaniards as the “bad or wrong” Europeans, who are incapable of rescuing

The interest of Hollywood producers expected actors of color to adapt and adjust to an ambiguous American cinematic method in portraying Latin people in films. Miranda, although already famous in her own right as an actress and singer had to accept her role as the quirky, sexy Latina entertainer.

Throughout history, the American film industry has undoubtedly struggled with a huge racial issue. Despite America’s changing demographics, Hollywood’s most powerful leaders still lag behind in responding to the demands for movies that reflect cultural and racial shifts. America is a melting pot of cultural diversity that is not accurately portrayed in the American film industry. As a result, the demand for more culturally diverse movies has been increasing tremendously. There are many great actors and actresses who are struggling to survive in the film industry because they are categorized as a minority.

Films have the power to both influence and reflect society. The stereotypes prevalent throughout American culture are reflected in most films. While the United States is becoming an increasingly diverse country, this diversity is not portrayed within American cinema. Minority figures often occupy

“Most people pronounced his last name ‘Mee-show,’ though some who knew him insist it was ‘Mi-shaw.’ The correct pronunciation of his name is only the beginning of the ambiguities and mysteries associated with Oscar Micheaux”