Hollywood classical style reinforces the status quo

America was founded on the main idea of white patriarchal capitalism. It is the way most Americans think about themselves and the world around them. White patriarchal capitalism has a few specific aspects. White refers to the idea that people of European decent are superior to people from other parts of the world. Patriarchal refers to a culture that regards the men as the most important members of society, and are entitles to better opportunities. This also reinforces the gender role of women being the ones at home taking care of the children, while the husband is out making the money. Capitalism is the idea that success and worth are measured by ones material wealth (Benshoff and Griffin 20-27). We know how prominent capitalism is in our society because everyone has their American dream. The typical American dream includes a big house, nice cars, and other material items indicating financial success.

Most Hollywood films depict the central idea as being white patriarchal capitalism. The protagonist is usually a straight white male searching for power or wealth. By the end of the film, he is victorious conquering all those around him, making him the superior being. The love interest for the protagonist is usually white, and is defined by her physical beauty. For example, in the Indiana Jones movies, the white male hero saves his white love interest from Asian gang members, while still managing to save a village of children. Focusing on the white male as the main character in most Hollywood movies reaffirms the status quo of white male superiority because it seems as though only white males can gain wealth and save the day. Gender roles of women are reinforced too because in most movies, we see the female as being a side character to her man. She is usually not seen for her work or intelligence, but rather as a sexual object of desire.

Another recent example of white patriarchal capitalism is the film Drive (2011). The white male hero attempts to save the day for his white love interest. While seeking wealth in exchange for his driving talents, the main character gets involved unknowingly in shady business. The villains in this movie are Hispanic, or Italian mobsters, and the main goal is to kill the main character. While dodging bullets, the main character manages to protect his love interest and her child, as she hides helplessly in her apartment. In the end of the movie the male hero is battled and broken, but he is still victorious and rises above all of his enemies.

Hollywood movies reinforce our American status quo because every single time we watch a Hollywood movie, white patriarchal capitalism is what we see, and this permeates our implicit and explicit attitudes. We learn things that are repeated and reinforced to us, and white patriarchal capitalism is reinforced in almost every popular movie.

Benshoff, Hary and Griffin, Sean. America on film representing race, class, gender, and sexuality at the movies. 2nd. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2009. 20-27. Print.

Blackfaced

Can “Blackface” ever be appropriate?

 

Blackface is a style of entertainment that is based on stereotypes about black people. Blackface continues to be a success even today, and every culture has been a victim. Blackface originated during the minstrel period, and was based on the white men’s characterizations of slaves and free black people. Audiences even expected black people to fit into the typical stereotypes that were portrayed by people in blackface. Many cultures have been characterized, but for some reason many of the black stereotypes still stick around in our society. If blackface can lead people to really believe in stereotypes, can blackface ever be appropriate?

There is heavy use of blackface in the media even in today’s society. In many cases blackface can be very funny, but it all depends on context, execution, and intent. In an episode of “The Mighty Boosh” the spirit of jazz is waken from the dead as one of the main characters plays the trumpet. The spirit of jazz is in blackface, and displays every known stereotype about black jazz musicians from the south. This episode was using the stereotype about black people and jazz, to be funny and ironic. Some people may regard this as being racist, but blackface can be an appropriate form of entertainment.

In a world that is being consumed by the media, it is becoming harder and harder to separate ourselves from what we see in the media. I think that the perception of blackface depends on our ability to separate entertainment and art, from our judgment of the world. The Sarah Silverman Program is a comedy on television, and there is always a risky subject being covered. In an episode of The Sarah Silverman Program, Sarah was in blackface. She believed that it was easier to be a black person than a Jewish person, and because she knows what it is like to be Jewish, she put on blackface makeup, thinking it would make her look like an actual black person and thinking other people would treat her like a black person. This episode is meant explore honest ideas and thoughts and stereotypes about race to be ironic and funny. The writers even made their message very clear because they knew people would only see the shocking blackface instead of the show as a whole with purpose. At the near end of the program, Sarah and her other supporters all in blackface say,

"What do we want?"

"The freedom to explore issues of race in American culture through the use of postmodern irony!"

The Movie "White Chicks" is different because two black males dress up in whiteface as white females. In this movie, two black male cops trade lives with two white, rich, twenty year old females. While conducting their investigation, they paint themselves to look white, dress in women’s clothing and imitate white valley girl stereotypes.  This movie pokes fun with stereotypes about all different types of people, and I think the movie strives to show how inaccurate and nonsensical stereotypes can be. For example, one of the characters fills the stereotype of being the black male who is infatuated with white females. This character then falls in love with one of the male cops, who is at the time dressed up as a white woman. This is funny and ironic because the stereotypical black man who loves white women, falls in love with a black man dressed as a white woman.

Race is a very slippery slope in our society today, and even exploring the issues may be offensive to some people. It all depends on the maturity of the viewer. Growing up, my parents really wanted me to understand that stereotypes and judgments based on them have no validity. As an adult, I have enough understanding of the media and the real world and I understand that what I see in the media isn’t always relevant to real life.

The Mighty Boosh

          

Sarah Silverman's Twitter

Feilding, Noel, perf. The Mighty Boosh. Perf. Julian Barratt, Dir. , and . Film. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=5&ved=0CEUQtwIwBA&url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNuUNHlsPgI&ei=82IeT-SIOcjZiAKLmPzBCw&usg=AFQjCNHrpc2tfQYbVApW8BURJNkfZ0sc-A.

Padget, Ken. "Blackface!." Blackface!. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Jan 2012. http://black-face.com/.