[ACC24062]

What do people think are the worst movies in terms of promoting stereotypes against their particular group, or giving a false view of history? Please be specific about why. My own nominees for my backgrounds: The Alamo and Pocahontas, both for sanitizing history for an empty (and patently insincere) feel-good message.

User Detail :  

Name : ACC24062, Gender : M, Race : Mexican and American Indian, City : San Antonio, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Grad student, Education level : 4 Years of College, 

[Matthew]

Shakespeare in Love is a movie with minimal factual comment on the Bard's sexual orientation. Historians have concluded quite confidently that at the very least, Shakespeare was bisexual if not gay. (I know he was married, but then so are a lot of men who partake in homosexual acts.) The underlying message is A) Homosexual love affairs are not worthy of the big screen and B) Gays are denied more visibility/acceptance by having their historical icons denied. The shear success of the movie will obliterate the actual facts of this gentleman and his diverse sexual orientation.

User Detail :  

Name : Matthew, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 45, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, 

[Lucy H]

I agree with you 100 percent that both The Alamo and Pocahontas are prime examples of Hollywood sanitizing history so Americans can feel good about it. This is one of my biggest pet-peeves. How The West Was Won (or "stolen" as I like to refer to the movie) is another example of Hollywood vs. Reality. Just about anything with John Wayne in it, for that matter.

Still, one thing to remember is that they are movies, not documentaries. So if we expect historical accuracy, we will be disappointed. What really makes me upset are the historical inaccuracies promoted in the schools and history books. The version of The Alamo I learned in school was almost the same as the movie. And according to my fourth-grade California history teacher, California history started in 1849, when Sutter found gold.

User Detail :  

Name : Lucy H, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Age : 24, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Steve27656]

Every made-for-TV "Save My Baby" movie shown in the last 10 years. Most males are portrayed as no-good, wife-beating, children-scaring, money-grubbing, good old boy rapists, or some combination thereof.

User Detail :  

Name : Steve27656, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 38, City : Houston, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Rhiannon]

It frustrates me very much that many Americans believe movies are "just entertainment" with no political or ideological implications. (In fact, the "it's just entertainment" phenomenon is the subject of my dissertation). Look at how people freaked out when Latino groups criticized the Taco Bell dog, or when critics have discussed racial implications of films like The Seige and Star Wars. I hope Y? Forum will print more questions about the media.

User Detail :  

Name : Rhiannon, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 28, City : Minneapolis, State : MN Country : United States, Occupation : Media studies graduate student, 

[Ben S.]

One of the worst films that alleges to portray a gay lifestyle is La Cage Aux Folles, remade even more awfully as The Birdcage. The dated, twittering insincerity and effeminacy of the characters alone should have relegated this hackneyed vehicle to the dustbin. Perhaps it's a more offensive film for the things it doesn't say, with Hollywood choosing a trite and sentimental remake in preference to a film that faced up to real gay issues. I know Robin Williams says he likes gay people and gets involved in their issues, but this? It would have been better not to bother.

User Detail :  

Name : Ben S., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 31, City : sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : Public servant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[JD21124]

The John Wayne movie The Alamo was filmed 40 years ago. Back then, non-whites were not highly regarded. Based upon this, you could pretty much hate every western from that period. As for Pocahontas, it is a child's cartoon, not a documentary. Hercules did not exactly follow classic mythology. Nobody found that too offensive. Personally, my nominees would be the intellectually bankrupt Adam Sandler movies.

User Detail :  

Name : JD21124, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 30, City : Arlington, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Data management, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[James21086]

I'm actually a Spike Lee fan, but look at his portrayal of Jews, Italians and other non-black groups: Loud, obnoxious Italians in Do the Right Thing; violent, racist Italians in Jungle Fever; greedy, money-hungry Jews in Mo Better Blues.

I could go on, but you get the picture. I agree with you on The Alamo, but as for Pocahontas, I feel it was a children's movie, and reality isn't that huge an issue. You want they should show vicious white troops scalping Injuns or passing them pox-ridden blankets? How about a forced death march or two? That's great family fun.

User Detail :  

Name : James21086, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, City : Allentown, State : PA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Emily and Keren]

I'd say a lot of those 007 movies were pretty sexist and racist and the like, and certain current movies (more often action movies) still have the black bad guy and good white guy, etc. On the other hand, it's interesting to look at, say, The Matrix, and how the bad guys are very square white guys, and the good guys are strong women, black men and then a few white guys. So are things reversing?

User Detail :  

Name : Emily and Keren, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pagan, Age : 14, City : New Haven, State : CT Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Upper class, 

[A.C.C.]

You missed my point James. Pocahontas triviliazed a tragedy in order to makes whites feel better about their past. The true story of an 11 year old girl kidnapped and forced to marry a middle aged man was turned into Romeo and Juliet. Should such a story even be made for children at all, at least by anyone with a conscience? But it is posssible to show kids the tragic side of history. The Diary of Anne Frank deals with a horrifying tragedy and does it well. But should someone turn Anne Frank into a musical with cutesy talking animals (maybe the concentration camp rats or lice)? Should the story be rewritten so Anne is a sexpot with a miniskirt who falls in love with an SS man? That is pretty much what Disney did, to its shame. I would sooner let my kids see porno than expose them to this ugly racist lie which masquerades as an anti-racist movie.

User Detail :  

Name : A.C.C., Race : Mexican and American Indian, City : W Lafayette, State : IN Country : United States, Occupation : Grad student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, 

[Author]

Posts