Filmic Examples for Ramsey and Massood

God Sleeps in Rwanda

Upon watching God Sleeps in Rwanda, I learned that women of Rwanda have had to endure a lot.  According to the short film, women's pasts were chaotic - many of whom were comparably young.  In 1994, Rwanda's Hutu government conducted an "ethnic cleansing" against it's Tutsi minority.  For some women, their pasts were packed with hardships such as (but not limited to) loss of family due to genocide and/or being a rape victim.  The latter could subsequently have led to the contraction of HIV/AIDS, or becoming impregnated - both of which would be quite shocking and life-changing, especially initially.  For those young women who had been in school and their families had suffered the loss of their parents, many had to stop going to school in order to take care of their younger siblings, giving up what some believed was their only future.  In short, women of Rwanda have seemingly had to make a lot of sacrifices.

I do think this short film presented Black female subjectivity.  I definitely felt like the Rwandan women were the subjects of God Sleeps in Rwanda.  It was packed with emotion and was good about telling stories through the women's perspective.  I mean, I felt nothing but sympathy for the individuals I saw in the film.

God sleeps in Rwanda

This film was very touching and at times hard to listen to. Hearing a woman genocide survivor talking about how terrible that travesty was gave me the viewer a great deal of sadness. Hearing her talk about almost aborting her child because she was one the militiamen, almost brought tears to my eyes because they showed the little girl playing and alive. The film was very interesting and taught me a lot of things. I didn't know that a woman was in charge of part of the raping's of during the genocide, how sick. The main scene that got me was when the documentary showed Fifi dying of AIDS. Seeing someone on their death bed, fighting for their life is way too hard for me to watch. I think this was a really good documentary and brought to light problems that we don't have to deal with, and made me a lot more appreciative of the life I live.

God sleeps in Rwanda

This short film gave me an entirely different outlook on the genocide in Rwanda. I wasn't aware that women were being raped during this horrible massacre. I felt a great deal of sadness for the women of this film because of the conflicts they had to conquered. I do believe that this short film demonstrates female subjectivity. Yes, the women identified in this film are being objectified, but the film does a magnificent job telling their story was grace and respect. The film doesn't just focus on the women being objectified, it also highlights the struggles that the women had to overcome.  

God Sleeps in Rwanda

After watching this short film, I learned many things about women in Rwanda. One of the most memorable pieces of the film for me was the fact that 70% of the population for Rwanda was women after the genocide of 1994. Despite this grisly fact, the film finds a way to document a sort of redemption paired with the shadow of loss hovering over all five of the women featured in the film.

As for Black female subjectivity, I think this film is magnificent. It tells us that this country is mostly populated by women and that this is indeed a story about women dealing with the aftermath of a horribly wounded society. These women have to reconstruct the lives they once knew and through their struggle, we are able to see their courage. Because of how close the film brings us with the "characters", we are able to at least try and understand what they are going through, even though we'll possibly never know for ourselves.

God Sleeps in Rwanda

God Sleeps in Rwanda made it clear that women’s lives in Rwanda are incredibly different from women’s lives elsewhere. Here, the women hastily acclimated themselves to a changed society while trying to move beyond the shadow of terrible, terrible tragedy. They put it on themselves to take up the opportunities that the country’s swift demographic shift presented. With that, the women keep forever-altered Rwanda from being altered solely through devastation. They embarked on an unflinching wave of progression, which can hopefully continue to develop and grow. I think that the film presents Black female subjectivity, considering the roles that these women have undertaken, and the depiction of their humanity in the face of struggle.

Yet, while women take on bigger societal roles and hold a majority in Rwandan parliament, it hasn’t kept lingering issues from looming large. Genocide survivors still have issues getting access to health care. Statistics from the Rwandan Men’s Resource Centre in 2011 show that gender-based violence is still a tremendous issue, having been experienced by 57.2% of the over 1300 women included in the study. 60% of families living in poverty are headed by women. Women in Rwanda are still nowhere near an enviable situation, and don’t get as much attention as they deserve.

The Women of Rwanda

It is extremely fascinating how resilient people can be after tragedy.

Though what brought the women of Rwanda into their current situation was catastrophic and inhumane (on so many levels), having seventy percent of the nation's population be of the female sex allows for the country progress for women's rights. I find the survivors to be inspirational in their endeavor to rebuild Rwanda and look forward to success of the country in the decades to come. This film did a fantastic job highlighting the struggles and successes of the women of Rwanda, portraying them as subjects of the film rather than objects.

One of the questions this circumstance--a mostly female-populated country--raises, though, is what will happen in the years to come when the population balances out? Will women retain these powerful positions within society? or will they regress back into their cultural norms?

...

On the note of the Rwanda Genocide, it is exceptionally repulsive that any person would suggest rape as a form of war crime; however, I find it to be a disgrace to all women and abhorrent that a woman in political power had such a hatred towards the Tutsi population to recommend this act of violence.

"God Sleeps in Rwanda"

The entire time that I was viewing this short film, a lot of emotions and thoughts occurred to me. First, I felt an overwhelming sadness for these women and children that had suffered for something that they were helpless to change. While the situation was vastly different, I saw certain parallels between this transition and the transition of American women after WW2. Rwandan women had very little rights prior to the genocide but following its conclusion they had to change their roles. Women finally gained their rights because of the absence of men; unfortunately, it wasn't because people had finally decided women were no less than men but they needed them in order to sustain society and survive.

I enjoyed the film because it did show how women were capable of surviving and capable of taking care of others. The women used their experiences to take care of others and raise the children in a new generation where they wanted them to be better and have better than they had. This female subjectivity is what helped change their position in society. With the absence of men, women are finally allowed to show their strengths and abilities. While incredibly sad that this atrocity is what it took for women to gain these rights, this film shows that these women are leaders and can rebuild whole societies.

Tutsi Genocide

I had previously heard details about the Tutsi genocide in Rwanda but this short film reflected more on the aftermath. I had no idea that over 200,000 women were raped and some infected with HIV. With most of the fathers dead and gone these women are going through hell economically and their health is failing. I do think this film displays Black female subjectivity. On one had the women were being used and objectified however that imagery was withheld. The film focuses pretty much only on Black women in africa and explores the different elements of their life and their struggles, from a empathetic viewpoint.

The Big Lie

The "Big Lie" that is presented to us in romantic novels and scripts is a misconception of how things actually play out regarding our intimate encounters with the opposite sex. Young women are almost brainwashed into believing in some clichè process of falling in love while young men are receiving a different message. What Manatu said about young boys learning about the opposite sex via porn and young girls via romance films was spot-on. Alot of women grow up dreaming of an ideal wedding for their future, and if not they've definitely gave it some thought. I have yet to encounter a male with a similar thought process. With that being said, once the two genders come together problems may occur, and viewpoints may collide all due to different expectations. Happily Ever After certainly doesn't reflect the rising divorce rates in today's society.

Blog 13

I have viewed part of the short film, God Sleeps in Rwanda, before, so I knew what it was about; however, this was the first time I viewed the short film in its entirety.  From the short film, I learned that before the genocide, women's lives in Rwanda were plain and somewhat boring because they did not have any rights, so all they did mostly all day was just take care of their family.  Many of the women were only teenagers when the genocide happened, so they lost their mothers and fathers at a young age, and although they had to face these hard times without their parents and some of their siblings, the women started to gain more rights after the genocide, such as becoming more political, voting, being able to go to school and get decent jobs, etc.  Even though the women's lives still may not be perfect because they still have those terrible memories, and some are still fighting to feed their families, they have hope that their children's futures will be much brighter and will be given more opportunities.
For the most part, I think this short film, God Sleeps in Rwanda, presents Black female subjectivity.  During the genocide, the women were raped and beaten, which drastically increased their chances of getting HIV/AIDS, so that makes the Black females objects because they are only seen as sexual.  However, after the genocide, Black females were seen as subjects because they were becoming political and being elected in higher roles, they had real jobs that men used to only have, such as police officers, and they were still going to school at night to get an even higher education and get even better jobs, such as lawyers.  The Black women were doing all of this still while taking care of their families and supporting all of their children; therefore, the short film represents them as subjects because it shows that they can do it all on their own without needing help from anyone.

God Sleeps in Rwanda

Dear Class,

Please find below the film God Sleeps in Rwanda, which is the film that you are asked to discuss in your blog due April 29th.

God Sleeps in Rwanda from Kehau Ahu on Vimeo.

"The Big Lie"

I really enjoyed this reading by Mantu, which discusses "The Big Lie," the heteronormative idea that women sit around and wait for men to come sweep them off of their feet and save them from whatever circumstances they are faced with. This is problematic for a few reasons. One, like Lacey said, this is a heteronormative idea, meaning that this only works for people who are heterosexual (women seeking man, vise versa) which is excluding a pretty big chunk of people in the first place. Secondly, these ideas depicted in film and literature are definitely not what every woman or man is looking for. Thirdly, this is not the kind of idea society should be feeding to young men and women. For example, pop artist Katy Perry has a song titled, "Not Like The Movies," where Perry sings, "It's not like the movies/that's how it should be"  Like the title of the chapter says, it truly is a big lie. Life is just that, life, it is real and different for everyone person who experiences theirs, films and music and books, they're often a work of creative fiction. Setting yourself up for a love 'like the movies" may not get you very far and more than likely will have negative effects rather than positive ones.

The "Big Lie"

The facade illustrated by romance novels and films is the notion of "happily ever after."  There is a strict storyline that romance novels and films follow that doesn't always coincide with real life.  The idea in romance narratives is one of heteronormativity.  It is the idea that women seek their one true love their whole life and eventually find him.  The two may go through a few trials and tribulations, but when all is said and done, they live "happily ever after."  This repetitive plot found in many mainstream films (and multitude of novels) makes an unspoken promise to women that this is how life is; and if one's life does not correspond with that sort of narrative, then it must not be true love.  The unspoken promise aforementioned results in a society of women looking for the picture perfect romance.  This can have some pretty negative consequences, one being on one's self-esteem if "true love" is not found or doesn't play out the way it's "supposed" to.  This can also result in a mixed up world, especially if the fact that men get their ideas about relationships from porn reigns true.

The "Great Lie"

The "Great Lie" that romance novels and films present to women, as discussed by Manatu on page 57 when referring to Haskell, is "women's inferiority status" as reinforced by film "through the dialectic of gender differences." It has to do with the suppression of a female's individuality, all of her different facets, ideas, and dreams are thrown to the side, while the male is encouraged to explore and pursue whatever he may wish. For an example, a female's sexuality is suppressed, while the male's is promoted. This whole notion is perpetuated in popular cinema without enough critical attention by viewers. The "Happily Ever After" narrative is the final carrying through of this lie. Once the female submits to the male, is feminine, but not oversexed, and is domesticated, she can be supported by the male. Again, it's a silly thing that is certainly troublesome in terms of gender relations, but it has made money at the box office and often goes unchallenged, thus keeping it alive.

Poetic Justice

After watching the first nine minutes of Poetic Justice, break into a small groups and discuss the aesthetics. Pay attention to intertextuality, diegetic and non diegetic sound, color, lighting, camera movement, dialogue, and the entire filmic diegesis.

Poetic Justice: http://vimeo.com/40537464

The Big Lie

I believe that the "big lie" that romance films tell women is that eventually you will find your one true love and you guys will get married and live "Happily Ever After". Realistically, this will never happen. Not saying that as women we will never find someone to spend the rest of our life with, but the way that films portray it, isn't realistic. I'm not a huge fan of the Romance Genre because its' so predictable.

Manatu

The "Great lie" that romance novels and films present is this sort of socially embedded outlook that restricts how female characters are depicted. It restricts the complex things about their personalities like ambitions, sexuality, and intelligence. The "Happily Ever After" narrative fits well with this part. It is this sort of narrative that represses these interesting things about female characters. These narratives depict men as ambitions go getters out to solve problems and progress while women are depicted as contented characters looking to settle down and stay put.

The "Big Lie"

In my opinion, romance novels and films present a lot of "lies" and perpetuate a false idea of reality. Most romance stories in books and movies follow a similar pattern; boy meets girl, some kind of spark happens, a conflict occurs, and then finally, the conflict is resolved leading to a happy ending. Not all follow this completely down to every step, but the ideas are always the same. The man is supposed to be romantic and attentive to the needs of the woman while the woman is supposed to be rescued and improved by the man.

Most women are looking for their "happily ever after" and are striving to find that with every relationship. The problem is the way that they movies portray this. Women expect to be swept off their feet by men and get that princess wedding that they've seen in the movies, but that is not reflective of reality and true relationships. A lot of women are stuck because their expectations about romance in life are reflective of the movies, but I think that if a woman can be accepting of the fact that life is not a movie, we can move on and stop chasing that fallacy.

The Truth About "Happily Ever After"

Rom-coms and romance novels all tell the same story using a different version: boy meets girl; boy and/or girl is with the wrong lover(s); boy and/or girl dump lover(s); other small conflict(s) ensue; boy and girl fall in love; they live happily ever after... THE END. The "Big Lie" about these types of stories in media is that the once-upon-a-times and happily-ever-afters are not an accurate representation of reality which leads to the confusion of real women in the real world who attempt to find this mythological ideology of "true love." Stories of eventually finding your knight in shining armor or of kissing a frog who magically transforms into a prince are strictly fantasy, yet (female) audiences interpret them as depictions of reality leading women on a wild goose chase to find their "soul mate." Because of the power mainstream media have on audiences, women are confused and dissatisfied when real men don't live up to the unrealistic or fantastical expectations set for them. They, then thinking they made a poor decision, will leave their partner in search of yet another wild goose chase allowing the vicious circle to continue.

Blog 12

I believe the "Big Lie" that romance novels and films present to women is how the journey of the love actually goes.  In the books and films, the male and female characters have either just met, and it is love at first sight, or they have known each other for quite some time and realize they are meant for one another.  They get together, date and have a relationship, something climatic happens that causes them to have a disagreement and break-up but then in the end, they realize they actually do love each other, so they get back together, and the film or novel usually ends happily.  Not all romance films follow this diagram because some have endings where the two characters do not end up together; however, audiences do not like these endings, so if an author, producer and/or director wants something successful, they will follow the diagram.  These stories give women hope, but it is more of a false hope and not reality because it hardly happens that way.  Romance films give women high expectations of how men should be, so when a man is not actually romantic, loving and caring, the woman gets upset.
I have never really thought of it this way, but the function of the "Happily Ever After" narrative is mainly for the women viewers. In terms of gender relations, the film or novel ends how a women would picture a love story ending, but that is not entirely the case for men.  There are some men out there who are romantic and somewhat similar to characters in films and novels, but the majority of men are not; therefore, the "Happily Ever After" narrative is meant to be leave a feel-good feeling after viewing the film or reading the novel, but it just so happens that that feeling is left in women.

bell hooks and Hoop Dreams

I also think bell hooks may have been a little critical of them film, but not without reason. It's like Biggie says in his song Things Done Changed, "either you're slinging crack rock or you got a wicked jump shot." The successful black basketball player is a common and often used stereotype, and although it is not necessarily a negative stereotype, it's a stereotype none the less. I see what everyone is saying when they say that race isn't the emphasis of the film and that the film could have worked with a person of any color, but if that's true, why didn't that happen?

Hoop Dreams

Having not seen the documentary film, Hoop Dreams, but having read what bell hooks had to say about the film, as well as her other critiques we have read thus far, I am going to have to agree with the many others who say that bell hooks seems to overanalyze at times.  When I watched the trailer for Hoop Dreams, it appeared to be a documentary about two boys who have a dream of playing professional basketball - not that it was about exploiting their bodies - and that type of story line could have the potentiality to inspire.  However, hooks also mentions that Hoop Dreams reinforces this notion that the sports arena is the only arena black males can be successful in.  I will say this: I would be lying if I said I have never thought this very thing.  Not about Hoop Dreams in particular, because, again, I have never seen the film, but it is an interesting thing when black males make up a large portion of America's athletes (opposed to other professions), while many coaches are white males.  I definitely think this is one topic that deserves further exploration.

Hoop Dreams

Having seen and enjoyed Hoop Dreams a few times in the past, I was a bit biased coming into the bell hooks piece on it. I think it's a tough choice of film to pick apart, given that it is an impressively longitudinal documentary, it's low-budget, and it's made by a man who has since done work like The Interrupters, a similarly critically acclaimed and beloved film about a group trying to stop street violence. While the trailer applauds the quest for the American Dream, it seems mostly a selling style, as most of the film is realer than that. I don't necessarily agree with hooks on who she thinks is being portrayed as "triumphant" or "defeated" at certain points in the film. And while all films shape reality in their own ways, I differ with hooks in her sensing of "suggestions" in the film. "The film suggests that it is only their potential to be exploited... that makes this dream a potential nightmare," is one line I thought saw parts of the film too simply. And I think many of the things hooks notes, such as exposure of the commodification of Black men, are necessary to see in a documentary, as that can led to further recognition of the problem and possibly change.

Hoops Dreams

I'm gonna have to say that Hooks seems to be far too critical of Black American cinema films in general. When she finds something good about a film, she manages to find about three more things that she finds the film at fault, such as the "overuse" of Black American stereotypes. Sure the film had Black Americans with a great love for basketball, but that was the point of the film. I'm sure that there are a great deal of people who have a love for basketball, black, white or otherwise. Sure it is not the perfect film for everyone, but then again, when has there been a perfect film?

hoops dream

I completely agree with Alexis. I feel like Hooks over analyzes black films all together. It seems like there isn't one acceptable Black Cinema film in her eyes. She's way too critical and I think that causes her to over look some of the good attributes of films. She liked some things in "hoop dreams" but with every compliment came a complaint. I think that this was a well portrayed film of the men (black in this case) who had an extreme love and dedication for the sport of basketball. I really didn't see any fault in this film, but maybe I just don't think critically enough.

Hoop dreams

Bell Hooks seems like she has some personal issues toward any black cinema in my opinion. Hoop Dreams was praised for being an accurate portrayal of young black youth and basketball, yet Hooks finds a way to say that the film portrayed the black youth (well, their bodies) as "commodities" for whites. I understand it's Hooks' job to pick apart films and find the underline issue with them, but I would say she over-analyzes just a tad bit.

Hoop Dreams

In my opinion, the trailer doesn't necessarily frame the film in a way to correctly demonstrate its cultural significance. From the uplifting, gentle tone of this trailer, one might assume that it is about triumph and victory, about success and winning. While both players in the film experience victory on the basketball court, they ultimately experience failure when it comes to their dreams. Arthur Agee and William Gates both went on to play Division I ball, but neither reached their goal of playing in the NBA. This trailer doesn't really communicate that at all.

As for bell hooks' view of the film, I strongly disagree. I don't think of the film as a triumphant look at the American dream, but rather a deep, two lane character study. Arthur Agee and William Gates weren't symbols of any problems or issues in society. They were young men with hopes and wishes and families along with them.

I believe any player, despite racial distinctions, would've qualified for coverage in the film if that player could've shown more drive and desire than Agee or Gates. bell hooks entered the theater with a bias. She even talks about how uncomfortable she is watching the film with a white audience. Its a bit unfair to write off the trials of these two athletes as a gimmick or as something laced with an ulterior agenda. If you've seen the film, you know how compelling it is, how heartbreaking certain scenes are. Arthur Agee's interaction with his younger siblings and William Gates' tears after a loss come to mind. There is a scene in the film where Arthur Agee's father plays basketball with him and then buys crack on the same court he just played on. These types of images, contrary to what some might believe, are not synonymous with any race or nationality. All human beings are subject to this type of behavior and by showing this, the filmmakers effectively portray the obstacles standing between the two athletes and their dreams.

Hoop Dreams

Unsurprisingly, Hooks found fault in "Hoop Dreams", but she also had some positive things to say. She liked the portrayal of the mothers but claimed that while the film is attempting to get away from some stereotyped, it ends up upholding and reinforcing many of them. She is critical of the idea presented that if you work hard (are good at a sport) you can escape your circumstances. I tended to disagree with her analysis of this because I thought the film showed the two boys/men in a positive light and that their determination and focus on the sport of basketball was admirable. They worked hard and did escape their circumstance, but I think that's great and I find no fault in that idea.

Transformative films

Using women as sexual objects while remaining transformative can be very difficult although it's doable. To do so effectively there must be some sort of subliminal message or a few moments of insight into the characters consciousness. The women cannot just perform the demeaning acts, they must show glimpses of good moral character throughout other scenes in the movie for it to work.

God Sleeps in Rwanda

The images shown in the short clip of God Sleeps in Rwanda were sometimes jarring and uncomfortable. After watching the video, I felt a highly respectable attitude toward the filmmaking and photojournalism that went into the film’s production for its commitment to show a side of reality as depicted by black women in Rwanda and their intention of giving these women a voice/sense of empowerment to the things happening around them. I think the film presents black female subjectivity because its a production by women reporters who frame the storyline through the lives of five women. 

“Big Lie”

The "big lie" of romance films is the way the films frame love and relationships to be viewed at as better than being alone. Although I didn't necessarily like "The Break-up" starring Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, I thought it was more satisfying when the couple didn't get back together in the end. It was a real representation of real relationships and presented an alternative to the "happily ever after" narrative. 

Hoop Dreams

I appreciate hooks’ honesty in all of her critical film reviews/assessments. In her critical analysis of Hoop Dreams, she examines the role viewers play when watching images of race and defines viewers who are critically aware as "enlightened witnesses.” I support Hooks' argument and the notion that people should be more critical and open minded when viewing any form of media on screen. Also, I like her counter argument on the narrative in Hoop Dreams as showing a form of institutionalized racism as it exists in the film because it reflects a completely different representation of the film than the trailer's framework of the documentary.

Hoop Dreams

As I continue to read bell hooks' essays, it is abundantly clear that she is consistently taking the oppositional view to almost every film she discusses. Her analysis of the 1994 documentary Hoop Dreams, in comparison to the raving reviews of critics and moviegoers alike, highlights this conflicting perspective hooks has towards black cinema. While Hoop Dreams received numerous praises for its insightful and passionate storytelling of Arthur Agee's and William Gates' routes to fame in attempt to become professional basketball players. Most viewed the film as a genuine depiction of the lives of young athletes trying to achieve the American Dream. hooks, on the other hand, interpreted the film as media representation which reinforced black parental stereotypes and emphasized the idea that black male bodies are seen only as commodities for the "white supremacist capitalist patriarchy" that is American society. She views the film as one which focuses on all the wrong issues asserting that the filmmakers didn't discuss how becoming a successful athlete is (what she considers) the only way poor black youth can make it in America. I am interested in viewing the film as to see where I believe the film guides audiences and to uncover whether or not hooks' claims are accurate.

Blog 11

After watching the trailer for the documentary, Hoop Dreams, I felt inspired and uplifted. In the matter of 1 minute and 38 seconds, the producers and directors managed to get the point across about what the documentary is about, while also making the audience feel how they want you to feel. Also in that short amount of time, they showed how the main characters went from a working social class and basically having nothing to having about everything they ever dreamed about and achieving the American Dream. It also showed that not every Black male fits the stereotype of being a Black male, in that they are poor, lazy thugs, because they can be successful and achieve dreams with hard work and dedication.
Personally, I have not seen the film, but from watching the trailer, I would not completely agree with bell hooks' assessment of the film. Although I would not agree with her completely, I would agree that it fits the stereotype of Blacks being athletes and succeeding in doing so, but at the same time, one has to remember that it is a documentary, so it is about people's lives, and these two individuals just so happen to have had dreams of playing in the NBA. The trailer has intrigued me, and now, I am wanting to watch it, so I can compare her thoughts of it not being as good as it is praised to be.

bell hooks

I think that black women can be seen as sex workers could also be depicted as transformative, if the film is done right. It can show a new view of women as not just some sex objects. A huge example is of the character Foxy Brown from the film Film Six. Foxy only got into the sex industry as a phone sex partner as a way to avoid being seen as a sex object on the screen. It can cause a soul search for the place of women, and their potential powerlessness in certain industries.

Black Women As Sex Workers

I do believe that a film can portray black women (and all women) as sex workers in such a way that can be transformative.  In the example given by bell hooks in Reel to Real, the character Foxy Brown in Girl 6 only seeks her job as a phone sex specialist after being denied a job in the film industry because she refused to be sexually objectified on the big screen.  This has a profound message behind it.  When done in creative way, such as the way Spike Lee produced Girl 6, films can possess a greater meaning within their own plots, and thus, disperse a more deep, intelligent, serious message throughout society.

bell hooks

I think that a filmmaker can can represent Black women as sex workers in a way that is cinematically transformative. A lot of the possibility to do so lies in having a foundation of appropriate narrative components and taking the steps laid out by bell hooks for such a re-framing. Representation is a big part of that. A film would need to consider new representations of liberatory sexuality and a challenging of the notions of "the eroticism of the patriarchal phallic imaginary." The characters must be complex, and shouldn't be portrayed as victims, as properly done in Girl 6. It must also not dwell solely on one section of race, sex, or class, but consider all, as in Exotica.

Bell hooks

For filmmakers to represent black women as sex workers and to make such an action trans-formative , in my opinion the filmmaker must not ignore the race of the women, in fact, the race of the women should be the first priority. The fact that the women are black is problematic within itself.

hook

I think that it is possible for filmmakers to represent black females as sex workers in a transformative way, but I think that it would be very hard to do.
I completely agree with Valerie, in order for this to happen, the female character needs to have more depth, we need more knowledge of the characters background as to why they had to choose this job to acquire the job of their dreams, make it literally the last option.

In Spike Lee's "Girl 6" she turned down all other sexual demanding jobs, and was forced to become a phone sex operator in order to make a living and to get to achieve her dream of becoming an actress. I like this because it gave the character some morals, she was almost forced to take this job, I think that spike lee did  a really good job of transforming and developing this character into a person that the viewers had sympathy for.

bell hooks

For filmmakers to represent Black women as sex workers in a way that is cinematically transformative they must emphasize how the character feels in regard to her work. More times than not, it would seem as thought the female sexual worker must dislike her career choice and ONLY be in that business as a means of survival. By depicting the story in this way, filmmakers show the female's willingness to do what it takes to survive--especially if she works in the sex industry to provide for her family.

In opposition to this hegemonic outlook on female sexual workers, a film can also be transformative if it depicts women who are empowered by their sexuality. The downfall to this type of storyline, however, is that most audiences won't find it to be transformative but rather demoralizing and (potentially) unrealistic.

bell hooks

I think that it is possible for filmmakers to portray women in cinematically transformative ways. When involved in sex work, as bell hooks mentions, it's problematic if filmmakers portray these women as victims. Victimizing the consciousness of personal sexuality only leads to more idealized themes. It's as if they treat sexuality like a disease or syndrome female characters can't help but have.

A good example that bell hooks uses when noting a success in the depiction of female sexuality comes from Spike Lee's Girl 6. Rather than rendering her as a stereotypical, naive girl punished by harsh reality, Lee gives her a bit of power in her situation. She must reveal her breasts to Quentin Tarantino's director character, only to run off and abandon the job. When she won't pose nude for other jobs, she isn't hired.

Her sexuality becomes an obligation in this case, meaning that she must be more open to fully exposing herself if she wants to reach the level of stardom she desires. Many films might falter at this point and try to gain sympathy for the character. Lee, on the other hand, gives Girl 6 a great edge that lifts it above any stereotypes. The main character can't find jobs because she withholds her sexuality, so instead of backing down or giving in, she takes a job as a phone sex operator, where the sexually natured conversations really are just acts like the movies she dreams to star in. Each call is an opportunity at a new role and she takes it, mimicking the vulgarity that Tarantino's character wanted.

I think this is a great example because it makes the character a lot more dynamic than many depictions of sex addicts, strippers, porn stars or prostitutes, or any other women involved in sexual professions. This woman is not a quitter nor is she weak at all. This character is intelligent and conscious of what she must do in order to survive. She is conscious of her sexuality, and conscious that sometimes it can be used in order to make money. In that vain, to me this character is intriguing. She takes what other characters claim as obligations and alters them in her own way to try and survive.  

Hooks

Question: Can a filmmaker represent Black women as sex workers in a way that is cinematically transformative? If so, what narrative components are necessary for such a re-framing?

First off, I want to be optimistic and I do believe that it is possible, so I am going to say yes to the first question. I think that it is definitely possible in film to show a black women working as a sex worker and show her in a cinematically transformative way.

First, I think what is already lacking for most of these representations is depth of character. Most films portray Black women sex workers in a stereotypical light and fail to show them outside of their actual job. In portraying this role, I think that one must give more information on the character and more circumstance as to why that job choice. In Girl 6, the woman is forced to enter this line of business via phone sex because she is unable to fulfill her dream of becoming an actress. As Hooks praises, Spike Lee was able to transform this character without having her come off as a sexual object only by making her the main character and actually spending time on developing her character.

Spike Lee

Out of all of Lee's films I would say School Daze was transformative. The film used unique film aesthetics to to dramatize it's message and even blends some affects from shows seen on Broadway. The behaviors of Black Greek organizations in the U.S was exposed by Lee. Shedding light on the issue of greek "hazing" was very effective in black greek culture.

Cinematically transformative

Can a filmmaker represent Black women as sex workers in a way that is cinematically transformative? If so, what narrative components are necessary for such a re-framing? 

I think its possible for filmmakers to frame the storyline of any film to be transformative, however, the film must be authentic and realistic and easily identified by audience members in order to meet the criteria of being labeled as a transformative piece.

Spike Lee

Unfortunately, I haven't seen a lot of Spike Lee's work, so I don't feel like I can really give a solid opinion on his most transformative work. I enjoyed the clips of his film Malcolm X and I feel that that was an important story to be told and from the clips it looked like a very powerful film to me. Overall, I think that films that touch upon important historical stories are important in order to keep the story alive and further education. This is why I would like to see this full movie because I think that there is something to be learned from this film.

This past weekend, I watched one of his most recent films, "Oldboy", which was a remake of a previously done film. I enjoyed this movie even though the themes were quite disturbing, but I felt that it was well done and the plot was developed really well. I don't think it was one of his best films or did much to transform any ideas, but it was a decent film that I would recommend to others.

Blog 10

I believe that yes, a filmmaker can represent Black women as sex workers in a way that is cinematically transformative.  In order to represent the re-framing, the filmmaker has to show a change in the female cinematic role.  There are very few films with a strong female lead, and there are even fewer films with a strong Black female lead because in a lot of movies, females are represented as supporters and/or girlfriends to their male counterparts, so they are shown as the object instead of the subject.  To go along with that supporting character, women are quite frequently represented as sex symbols, and everything has to be about their body and their appearance.  Therefore, if a filmmaker wants to transform this image, they have to give the Black woman a strong lead role.  The character might be sexy, have a good body, look good and be a sex worker, but if the character also has narrative components like being in control of her life, a group of people, her family and/or maybe even her husband and can support herself if she needed to, that is a big step toward re-framing the representation.

spike lee

I agree with Jacob and the others who said that "Shes Gotta Have It" is one of Spike Lee's most transformative films. The film was controversial because it kind of did an opposite roll play of men and women, men are allowed to sleep with numerous women but women cant sleep with more than one really without being labeled a sexist name. This movie had a different edge to it than most because of just that, it hadn't really been shown in movies till Spike Lee came out with this movie.

Spike Lee

In my opinion, the 2008 film Miracle at St. Anna is Spike Lee's most transformative film. It is a story about four Buffalo soldiers in WWII. They seek refuge and shelter in a small Italian village and eventually form bonds with the people living there as they try to survive the occupancy.

Although Lee has an impressive number of diverse films under his belt, this seems to be an outlier. As a fan of Lee's films, I wouldn't have guessed that he'd want to make a war film. When I first saw this film almost six years ago, I was glad that he did it.

Somehow, Lee finds a way to integrate the very themes of his other films into this one while maintaining the look and feel that many other American war films have established. Miracle at St. Anna   contains themes about race, love, and survival, much like Do the Right Thing or Jungle Fever. I think this film is the most transformative because Lee was able to take an established genre, the war film, and put his own stylistic mark on it. Also, Lee accomplishes so much in this film. He shows how Black soldiers were treated in the second World War while simultaneously depicting the absolute resilience and bravery of United States Buffalo soldiers.

Lee does this a lot. Whatever genre he dabbles in—be it romance, drama, thriller, crime drama, or his upcoming horror-comedy Da Sweet Blood of Jesus—he always makes his own mark.

Spike Lee Film

I believe that one of Spike Lee's most transformative films include Malcolm X.  This is a tale of Malcolm Little, a human rights activist - immediately alluding viewers to the fact that this film will (presumably) unveil a greater truth.  A greater truth about Malcolm X and his efforts, and about black culture.  In this film, Spike Lee does not follow the normal film aesthetics of a Hollywood masterpiece.  The film is about a man who went against the grain, while the film itself also goes against the grain.  I think that is profound and possesses a powerful message in and of itself.

Hip Hop

It depends on what music you listen to and what films you view.  I think that non-mainstream hip hop artists definitely reflect the atrocities faced in urban life.  Following that same pattern, I believe that non-mainstream films, AKA independent films, also do a good job of reflecting urban atrocities that many people face.  Both of those types of text also do a great job of displaying the true artistry and intelligence that lies in the minds of those music and film producers.
On the other hand, I believe that many mainstream films and hip hop songs, ones that don't really talk about anything and their message does not really serve a civic purpose, are put out into the mainstream to illustrate a backwards, skewed image of what hip hop culture is all about.  In other words, mainstream hip hop texts reinforce negative stereotypes.

Spike Lee

Although having never seen Spike Lee's 1986 film, She's Gotta Have It, it is abundantly clear after reading the assigned passages that this film in particular is exceptionally controversial both during the year of its release and still almost thirty years later today.  Lee's character Nola, the heroine of the tale, can be interpreted in two drastically differing opinions:  (1) Nola is a highly original character who is praised for her overt sexuality and "going against the grain" attitude towards feminine hegemony; or (2) Nola is an unoriginal, hyper-sexualized black woman who has portrayed numerous times, leading critics such as Amiri Baraka to draw the conclusion that her character "echoes the basic slavemaster propaganda" (149).  These highly polarized readings of Lee's film suggest the powerful impact the film has/can have on its viewers attempting to break new ground against double standards which negatively target women.  This film calls upon its audience to choose a side:  to either become empowered by embracing their sexuality or to stand up against hyper-sexualized femininity--regardless of the audience's perspective, the film still poses the question.

Spike Lee

I think Spike Lee's most transformative film would have to be She's Gotta Have It, on account of its challenging of mainstream film notions in style and substance (through budget), the way it helped propel an independent filmmaking movement in the 1980s, and, as Greg Tate called it, its "uncompromisingly black vision." The character of Nola is a unique, layered representation that would still be appreciated in films today. As Connor said below, the difference between a sexual object and a sexual being is gigantic - and Hollywood still has trouble grasping it. It takes an unceasing voice like Spike Lee's to work such viewpoints into good films.

Spike Lee films

I agree with Jacob that She's Gotta Have it is quite a transformative film. It challanges classic gender roles in cinema with the character of Nola. Her sex life is celebrated, not shamed. Here, we have a film where women aren't seen as sexual objects but sexual beings, this is very different from most films in the industry. Nola is the protagonist, not the slutty damsel in distress co-lead in some romantic movie, she's protrayed as a real, sexual women and I find that transformative!

Spike Lee Films

I think Spike Lee's film She's Gotta Have It is a very transformative film. It can show a part of the world that people are very, very unconfortable talking about, even in privat affairs. The idea that any man can have sex with anyone and virtually come out unscathed while women can't have sex freely without being labeled a harlot or worse is an idea, while controversial, should be explored. It shows how a woman who is comfortable with her sexuality, can have a wild life and still be just as much a person as anyone else. It offers a fresh view of a strange, exotic viewpoint. While this is new and fresh, it is still a fresh wound to people who are sensitive to this kind of subject. It needs more experimentation to show more films that can change sexual stereotypes.

Blog 9

I think Spike Lee's film Love and Basketball is very transformative because of the way he represents the characters.  Although love stories have to involve at least two people, and usually a male and female, the film is still usually focused on mainly the male and his story; whereas, Spike Lee did not only focus on Quincy (the main male lead).  The plot of the film was about Quincy's life but also about Monica's (the main female lead) life journey/story.  Along with that, typical sports films are mainly about a male and his journey through his sporting career, but Spike Lee made his film differently.  Yes, it was about Quincy's journey through basketball, and him wanting to achieve his dream of playing in the NBA; however, it was also about Monica's journey through basketball, and her dream of wanting to play in the WNBA, which is representing a girl having sporting dreams, and that was not typical in sporting films because the general population thought women did have sporting skills.  In a sense, Lee even represented Monica as being a better basketball player and having more skills than her boyfriend/husband, Quincy, and that was really transforming films, especially in the sporting world, because he showed that women do have sporting skills, too, and it is not just a "man's world".  

Hip-Hop Culture

Hip-hop is a subculture within the United States.  As within any other subculture, tragedy plays a huge role in the influence of behavior.  As a form of self-expression, hip-hop lyrics and films depict the lives of urban citizens striving to identify with others through artistic forms.  It is a vicious circle which depicts the lives of everyday urban individuals while also fueling the fire to inspire new atrocities on a daily basis.  However, with media representation as a form of self-expression, it would be extremely hard and somewhat unjust to attempt to censor their work out of fear of inspiring new crime.

Hip-hop

In my opinion I feel as though Hip-hop does reflect on urban atrocities and it also facilitates the behavior that many critique it for in public sphere. Initially, Hip-hop was a form of music genre that allowed the artist to express themselves lyrically. It was an outlet for most people. Through Hip-hop music, people who lived in rough neighborhoods were able to talk about the struggles they went through and the battles they faced while on the streets. It almost in a way raised awareness to people who were unaware of the lives of people who lived in the projects or were open to gang life. After a while, Hip-hop began to facilitate the same behavior that it once reflected upon. Many people in rough neighborhoods looked up to the artist who made songs that talked about killing and shooting and drugs. They too wanted to do and sell drugs. They also wanted to shoot people in order to feel like they belong. Rich children who weren't from the rough neighborhoods also wanted to belong to this new Hip-hop era. A bad portrait began to be painted and now the new depiction of Hip Hop and the people associated with it included violence, guns, gangs, and murders.

Hip Hop Music

I believe that Hip hop music and film don't represent atrocities at all. In my opinion, they represent a lively, differentiated culture. Many critics argue against the violent, often times misogynistic content. Although they have somewhat of an argument at times, it seems that other genres of films and music aren't so frequently questioned.

Take country music, for example. Compared to hip hop, it's just as bad. Country songs often contain violence, alcoholism, and they also generalize and objectify women just like hip hop. So why doesn't country music or rock and roll receive any backlash? Could it be because the majority of country musicians are white?

It seems that critics like to imply that violence, sex, and substance abuse are only problems seen in the black community. I couldn't disagree more with this. To me, the real atrocities lie in the constant notion that one race or one genre is superior or more advanced than the other. Hip hop's place in the public sphere is important simply because ALL tiers of society need to be represented.

Hip Hop Culture

It seems that hip hop does have its faults, but it does have certain redeeming characteristics. While it does show all the violence, heartbreak, and potential death, it does show that someone can rise up from the streets to someone of power and influence. However, it does seem to make light of the subjects that hip hop is all about, namely violence and debauchery. It seems that it just wants people to hate to love  it and love to hate it.

Hip-hop Culture

I think that this weeks blog question is definitely more of an opinion that anything because I feel that there are ways to support both arguments. In my opinion, the idea works both ways. I think that hip-hop film and music perpetuates some of the issues that it addresses because in a way, it glorifies it by showing that it can lead to success. But I also think that the music and film speaks to actual conditions and issues of poor urban areas.

The only critique that I have of films and music is that it sometimes fantasizes these issues and makes them cool, but I think that it is important to talk about the atrocities and violence experienced in these urban areas. So overall, the fact that these issues are being talked about and addressed in some manner is a positive thing even if they aren't always sending the best message to audiences.

Blaxploitation

Black films made in the 70's set a different tone and was influence by a different generation of black culture. Musically the in the 70's the films were influence by mainly by Funk and the films from the late 80's and early 90's were influenced by the emergence of hip-hop culture. The films in the 80's and 90's were a bit more realistic as well although that comes with the territory of time and evolution.

There are some similarities however. Black men are viewed as aggressive, and sexually driven throughout all the blaxploitation films. There are also similar attempts to reshape the way the black male and female are viewed within society. Women are also disrespected often throughout many of the films although there are many roles where they have scenes to assert dominance.

Blog 8

Hip-hop music and Hip-hop films facilitate the behavior that many critique it for in the public sphere instead of reflecting urban atrocities.  Hip-hop music and Hip-hop films have the tendency of singing about or filming about people that are violent, smoke weed, drink a lot, party a lot, people who do not go to school, are thieves, are not going anywhere in life, etc.  By portraying these images, this is where we get our stereotypes because since it is in the media, whether it be a song or film, we think that all people who like Hip-hop must be like that or do that.  These images is what the public wants to hear in Hip-hop music or wants to see in Hip-hop films because it is what sells, but we all must remember that just because it is what may be popular does not mean that it is how every person who likes Hip-hop is.  Yes, I am sure that these images are actually how some people's lives are, but there are also very successful people in the world, who are not violent, do not smoke week and went to school, that really enjoy Hip-hop music and/or Hip-hop films.  The public/media creates these stereotypes/images, and that is the case for this incident.  

Blaxploitation and Gangster films

Blaxploitation is the intentional exploitation of black people especially with regards to stereotype roles in movies. Blaxploitation movies that came out in the 70s were intended for the urban audience but it became popular amongst many. Blaxploitation in the 70s was a new way people could view African Americans in a manner that they had never seen them before. It showed the difference in race and class in urban areas. 

Gangster films were similar to Blaxploitation films except they left out some of the actuality of things in an attempt to be popular to the viewing audience. These films included hard rap and Hip Hop music with very cruel male characters. Gangster films often depicted families living in poverty stricken areas such as the projects. The main characters of gangster films were usually African American boy or many facing hard times. 

Although Blaxploitation and Gangster films hold many differences, they were both similar in a way that they represented the African American life in a manner that was never depicted on the big screen before. Although a hit to many, there were numerous people who found a problem with the two types of films. They both essentially created a stereotype American lifestyle. 

blaxploitation

I do believe that the blaxploitation of films between the 70's and 80's were edger than the films of today. The film makers of today have definitely 'dulled down' the exploitation of African Americans in film. Not saying that blaxploitation isn't still prominent today, but its not as brutal as that of the 70's and 80's. I also found it interesting that Tarantino announced in 2003 that he wanted to do his own 'spaghetti western', yet know accepted his 2012 film Django as anything in that context.  

Blaxploitation

The Blaxploitation films of the 70s definitely have a different feel than the gangsta films of the 80s and early 90s. While both frequently perpetuate a certain violent, Black masculinity, many films of the Blaxploitation era evoke a playful attitude, sometimes reaching cartoon-ish heights. Other, stricter ones (there’s a certain no-nonsense inclination to Shaft, though it became displaced in the sequels) seem to be forebears to the more somber gangsta films. The light genre-film bent of the 70s (often there for easy marketing) disappears into a thicker reality-based air. The music also plays a big role in that switch, with the advent of rap coming after the Blaxploitation boom.

Blaxploitation

Blaxploitation is a sub-genre of exploitation films that were made and found popularity in the 1970s. These films were aimed at urban black audiences but did eventually reach other audiences as well. Like gangsta films, Blaxploitation films also perpetuated black stereotypes, such as pimp and drug dealer; however, the music featured in them varied. Blaxploitation films used funk and soul/jazz soundtracks, while gangsta film usually feature rap and hip hop music.

In Blaxploitation films, women were featured as tough yet not overly tough in order to not upset the gender stereotype; the films also featured strong masculine males as most gangster films do as well. Both film categories feature a lot of violence from street violence and gangs to other forms of violence.

While some have praised Blaxploitation films and gangsta films for representing black people and providing ways to reach success, there are still many that do not agree with the exploitation and focus on stereotypes. One thing is certain though, this sub-genre has played an important part in history.

Blaxploitation & Gangsta Films

I personally do not see huge differences between blaxploitation films and gangsta films (aside from their story lines, and perhaps musical choices), but their overall message is the same.  This is because both genres of films reinforce negative stereotypes about African Americans.  For example, in the reading by Christopher Sieving, the films discussed, Foxy Brown, Coffy, and Friday Foster, all emphasize Pamela Grier's womanhood (AKA her curves/body), while also exemplifying a violent lifestyle, and thus culture.  So, too, do gangsta films.  Gangsta films generally illustrate extreme violence in men, and extreme sexuality in women (i.e. the women are usually objectified and seen as a sexual object - which is what Pamela Grier's character portrayed in the aforementioned films.)  When violence is consistently shown of a culture on the silver screen, widespread beliefs begin to be formed in the mainstream mind about certain cultures (i.e. stereotypes).  There is a difference between exploiting a culture and informing about a culture.

Blaxploitation & Gangster films

Arguably, blaxploitation films started the black centered film. The films were FUBU inspired, thus a more authentic representation of African American experience and thought, and showed the dichotomy of race and class in urban America. Struggling to produce this same authenticity, Gangster films often blurred the lines of actuality and performed reality in a consumer-driven society. Since the films were higher valued and “mass marketed”, Gangster films lost some of blaxploitation’s authenticity and instead started new problems of black representation in relation to violence and criminality. Both had similar thematics of violence and sexualized content, however after blaxploitation, films played more on stereotypical representations rather than real experiences.

blaxploitation

Blaxploitation films are films that came out around the 70s  that featured  black people (men in general). These films were intended for people of urban backgrounds and they were a hit. These films had a lot of stereotypes and showed black people in a way that they weren't ever showed in before.  The stereotypes of the men and women featured in these films are still around in todays movies, its just not as out in the open. Black men were stereotyped as gangsters, pimps, and intimidating; dangerous. which is still seen today in numerous films. The black woman played the role as the sex symbol, dressed scandalous and emphasizing her curves.

All though these movies were extremely stereotyped, I think it was an important part in history in black cinema. It gave black people a chance to do what they wanted with films and not do something they were forced to do.

Blaxploitation

As many can guess, blaxploitation films were originally intended for the urban black audience. However, it exploded in popularity for a multitude of peoples. It turned people on to a new way of viewing black people and now it was on the big screen.
With that in mind, it showed a whole bunch of stereotypes that turned gave a new view on black people. Black boys for example, who did not have a job or were of a teenage age, were very tough, very mean and had little respect for authority. The men were very intimidating, with big muscles and a tendency to fight. Women however, gave a different sort of stereotype. More often than not, they were the jezebel, the manipulator, and always sexy. Older black wome, when they are portrayed, are seen as either clownishly hilarious, or seriously wise.
With that being said, I believe that people are coming to a new enlightenment of black people in cinema, especially since no more blaxploitation films are being made as frequently. However, the stereotypes persist, with the tough black man and the beautiful black woman dominating. Until black people are placed in roles that portray them as often as white people, this may be tough to change.

Blaxploitation/Gangster Films

Blaxploitation films and gangsta movies have a lot of differences, but those some of those aspects actually are actually quite similar in the long run.

Gangsta films often stick to a specific type of music, mainly different versions of hip-hop like Mac Dre in Fruitvale Station or Scarface in South Central. Blaxploitation films stuck to their own genre of music just like gangsta films, mainly featuring jazz and funk from artists like Curtis Mayfield or James Brown.

Both film genres feature the theme of racial discrimination. In gangsta films, black males often face the struggles of a harsh society—they confront poverty, violence, and loss. They deal with heavy subjects and often take place in poor neighborhoods. Blaxploitation films do this as well and they deal a lot with white culture and how it can often be oppressive.

Both films were also criticized for their different stereotypical representations of black people. Though gangsta films seemingly tried to eliminate the previous stereotypes used in Blaxploitation films, they established their own "problem" with representation, accused of depicting criminality with masculine or glorifying connotations.

Though they share a ton of "similar differences", they have some distinct aspects that set them apart. For example, Blaxploitation films made in the 70's usually have a specific, defined look to them just as gangsta films of the 80's and 90's have theirs. Blaxploitation films were sometimes shot with low budgets, using stock footage to fill in empty spaces where the gangsta films of the 80's and 90's often came through large studios with big talent names attached to the projects.

In the end, both genres are entertaining to a certain degree, but still subject to a lot of criticism and controversy.

Blaxploitation & Gangsta Films

Blaxploitation films of the 1970s, according to author Beretta E. Smith-Shomade, were a result of a financial crisis within the movie industry which led to the search of newly targeted demographics.  S. Craig Watkins points out that during this time, the majority of movie-goers were now urban, young, and black.  To entice this new audience, Hollywood produced an abundance of films featuring “blacks as tough, angry, and vengeful […] who protected (and exploited) their communities, pride, and women” (Smith-Shomade, 26).  The most interesting note about these films, as pointed out in her article, is the irony of the genre which is directed towards black men, but was mostly directed by white men. 

In comparison to the Blaxploitation films of the 1960s and 1970s, gangsta films of the late 1980s and early 1990s targeted black youth through relatable contexts, focusing on prevalent urban crime.  Both genres feature black, hyper-masculinized characters who fall on the other side of the law, emphasizing their physicality, mostly through violence. 

The largest difference between the genres, as shown through Smith-Shomade’s essay, is the role of females featured in the films.  The female-centered Blaxploitation films typically showed powerful, masculinized women in roles which held up the law and justice; whereas female roles of the late 1980s- early 1990s placed women in the roles of masculinized crime-doers.  This contrast of the gangsta films to that of its earlier counterparts suggests a shift in women’s roles in contemporary life and allow for the changing gender roles in society.

Representation

I waited to do this blog post because I wanted to respond on the portrayal of black masculinity in Fruitvale Station. I found something that Herman Grey said about the different types of portrayals that exist throughout films, television, music, and so on. He said that mainly, Black males are depicted as: "The super star athlete, the indignant rapper, 'menacing' gang member, ad pitch man, appropriate middle class professional, and movie star."

I thought that the portrayal of Oscar Grant in this film sort of broke through Grey's claim, at least in this particular section. Rather than masculinity being something that shapes and defines him, Oscar's masculinity appears to be somewhat of a conflict that he is quite conscious of. His feelings that HE must provide for his family, as if Sophina isn't there at all, flips the idea of masculinity as a sort of trophy into masculinity as a burden. 

Oscar's masculinity is worn almost like a mask he can take off and put back on. He isn't able to necessarily control it, but nevertheless he is always at odds with it. His personal struggle isn't concerned with police brutality or racial tensions. Instead, Oscar's struggle is within himself. He struggles to hold onto this confusing sense of masculinity that overflows much of his culture, yet deep inside he feels less and less like a man each day because he isn't fully providing for his family like he wants to. 

Blog 7

At first, Blaxploitation films were made for urban black audiences in the 70s, but the genre started to appeal to many different ethnic and racial lines.  There are actually quite a few differences between these Blaxploitation films from the 70s and the gangsta films of the 80s and early 90s.  Similarly, they both have many ethnic slurs, focus on crime, action, horror and drama in both genres of films.  However, the Blaxploitation films also focused on westerns, comedy and musicals, which you do not see in gangsta films.  Blaxploitation films were usually set in poor neighborhoods and were usually taken place in the South and dealing with slavery; whereas, gangsta films were not always focused on poor families and were not always in the South, such as taking place in Chicago.  Blaxploitation films became controversial because some people thought they were showing black empowerment; however, some people thought it was only proving black stereotypes.  Gangsta films were not only focused on blacks being the 'bad guy' because in some gangsta films, white guys would be the 'bad guy with the gun'.  Gangsta films are still being made; whereas, the Blaxploitation film genre ended, but there are still some films, such as Austin Powers in Goldmember, that are very similar to the Blaxploitation genre; however, Blaxploitation films made an impact on hip hop/rap music, so in reality, it never completely disappears.

Black Male Representation

It was really interesting reading Guerrero and Gray work through the stereotypes and representational problems of Black males prevalent in mainstream cinema and I wish I had a film better fit to evaluate through their lens, but the last film I watched was 12 Year A Slave, which was so impactful and did such a solid job creating complex, human characters, that it is tough to immediately analyze through a critical lens. It certainly subverts many of the issues discussed by the authors. The last movie I've seen otherwise would be Annie Hall, and Woody Allen is infamous for the insane whiteness of his films. Chiwetel Ejiofor of 12 Years A Slave is the only featured Black male character in any of Woody Allen's films actually, in Melinda and Melinda. And that character doesn't face the issues of Guerrero and Gray's concern either, though another issue comes up, considering it was more than likely written with a white actor in mind.

Black Male Representation

The reading for today basically expressed notions of stereotyping of Black males in film. The last film I watched was No Strings Attached, starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman.  The only mole of color in the film is a minor character played by Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges. This character, along with the other POC character played by Mindy Kaling, ends up alone and is only used in a few scenes for comedic relief. He's played out as a modern buffoon, the black guy who cracks jokes that we all laugh at, but has no real character resolution.

Male Representation

I could not find the names of the male actors who played as the African American gang members in the film, End of Watch, but they immediately came to mind when addressing this question.  They play the typical role of a gang member/thug/OG that you find in many Hollywood films, as Herman Gray mentioned.  As far as other representations go, another movie that comes to mind is Hitch featuring Will Smith.  In this movie Smith is a "ladies man" and "coaches" fellow actor, Kevin James, on how to be smooth with the ladies.  This undoubtedly reinforces heteronormativity and black masculinity.

Male Representation

I know I've already talked about "The Best Man Holiday" but it is a really good movie and it's the most recent black film that I have seen. I agree with Valerie. The three topics that all three authors agreed on when it came to how African Americans were represented were masculinity, heterasexuality, and patriarchy. I'm going to use one male character from the movie, Lance. Lance holds all of these characteristics. He shows his heterasexuality by being with a woman, his wife Mia. As Mia is dying, Lance steps up in his patriarchy way. He knows that he has to be an even better father than he was before now that Mia is going away. He also shows his masculinity numerous times in the movie by overpowering many people and often referring to what he has to do as being a "mans job."

Meaningful concept in Black American Cinema

I think the most influential concept in chapter one of Reid’s Redefining Black Film is his definition of Black independent film (vs. commercial film). Reid defined Black independent films as being studio productions made by Black people, not about Black people. His definition redefines the scope of black film as “a feminist-Marxist-black cultural reading” (3).