2. The Politics of Difference in Films
Race
Gender
Sexual Preference
Religion
The issue here is whether Hollywood-made or
other types of films can directly confront these
types of issues -- and, if so, under what conditions.
3. Race Relations in Films
How are the different races portrayed on film?
Roles played by actors of different races
Types of scripts selected for films about race relations
(or seemingly unrelated topics)
Directors and producers of different races?
How has Hollywood tried to make amends for its
history of reinforcing racism?
4. Examples of Films about African-
Americans
Roots (1977)
Contrast
The Color Purple (1985) these films
Driving Miss Daisy (1989) with earlier
films that
Do the Right Thing (1989)
contained
Boyz N the Hood (1991) basically racist
New Jack City (1991) ideas:
Malcolm X (1992) e.g. Step ‘n Fetchit
or Amos and Andy
Amistad (1997) characters
5. Films about Racism
Gentlemen’s
Agreement
Chocolat
World of Suzie Wong
The Hurricane
Men of Honor
Jungle Fever
Mississippi Masala
American History X
Crash
6. Major African-American Actors/Actresses
Paul Robeson
Dorothy Dandridge
Sidney Poitier
Denzel Washington
Lawrence Fishburn
Halle Berry
Morgan Freeman
Jamie Foxx
Forest Whitaker
7. African-American Directors
Spike Lee
Melvin Van Peebles
Mario Van Peebles
Gordon Parks
John Singleton
Robert Townsend
Reginald Hudlin
Oz Scott
8. Gender Issues
How are women portrayed (as opposed to men)?
Types of roles played by actresses
Types of scripts selected which deal with gender-related
issues
How has Hollywood tried to atone for past misdeeds in
this area?
9. Key Ideas of Liberal Feminism in
Film Studies
Symbolic annihilation through the under-
representation of women in films and other popular
culture media.
Use of content analysis techniques to demonstrate the
above.
In particular, under-representation of working and
professional women in TV shows and movies.
10. Female Directors
Leni Riefenstahl
So far, there are no
Elaine May
female directors with
Lina Wertmuller
a record of multiple
Kathryn Bigelow blockbuster films --
Diane Kurys mainly because most
Jodie Foster female directors have
Barbara Streisand not been allowed to
Nora Ephron direct more than a
Kathryn Bigelow few films.
11. Definition of Patriarchy
“…a set of social relations between
men, which have a material base,
and which, though hierarchical,
establish or create interdependence
and solidarity among men that
enable them to dominate women…”
Source: H. Baehr as quoted in Strinati, p. 198
12. Feminist Films?
Woman of the Year (1942)
Nine to Five (1980)
The World According to Garp (1982)
Fatal Attraction (1987)
Blue Steel (1990)
Thelma and Louise (1991)
G.I. Jane (1997)
13. Happy Hooker Movies
Never on Sunday
Klute
Risky Business
Private Lessons
The Gift
Pretty Woman
One of the last bastions of patriarchy: the idea that
prostitutes like their jobs and are happy individuals.
14. Female Envy and Role Reversal
Films
Some Like It Hot
Tootsie
Mrs. Doubtfire
Mr. Mom
The Bird Cage (La Cage aux Folles)
What these films have in common is the representation
of males in traditional female roles and (in some of them)
males masquerading as females.
15. Selfish Mother Movies
Kramer vs. Kramer
Ordinary People
The World According to Garp
One True Thing
Here the main question is how films portray motherhood
in an age of increased visibility of feminism.
16. Families: Functional or Dysfunctional?
Prevalence of divorce in U.S. society
Changing gender roles
Dealing with mental illness and disability inside the
family
Teenage rebellion
Child abuse
How do Hollywood films deal with these issues?