Race And Social Inequality In Horror Films

Racism is portrayed as a pervasive and deeply rooted problem in the movie. Specific examples of racism include the police officer's assumption that Khalil was dangerous solely based on his race, the media's biased portrayal of the incident, and the systemic racism within the criminal justice system. These instances highlight the unequal treatment and stereotypes faced by people of color. For teaching and learning, the film provides a platform for discussions on racial bias, prejudice, and the need for societal change.

In his essay, “In Living Color: Race and American Culture,” Michael Omi examines how racism is still a prevalent issue ingrained in American tradition. Omi uses examples of overt racism in sports and jobs to show how racism can be very clear. He also includes examples of inferential racism like stereotypes that appear in pop culture such as books, movies, and television shows. While the overt racism is more obvious, Omi argues that many instances of racism in America are inferential. Omi claims this is not only because racism has become part of “common sense,” but has also been a large part of our history as a nation.

Walker chooses to depict black figures using racist minstrel era characteristics as a tongue in cheek critique intended to shock (Cameron 11). Hamza Walker’s journal Kara Walker: Cut It Out implies that not only does Kara Walker intend to shock as Cameron suggested, but that she also wants to remind viewers of the “...dark picture of human nature by calling into question the idea of moral progress” (109). Hamza Walker begins her journal with a quote by James Baldwin that notes that “the horror is also the past”, indicating that dark pasts and natures cannot and should not be forgotten (108). American society as a whole, but specifically white American culture is built on this notion that we live in a post-racial America, and would claim that Kara Walker’s work is unhelpful, that bringing up discussion about race is inherently racist. Those made uncomfortable by Walker’s work that aren’t people of color, are being forced to acknowledge their history; that it was extremely likely that even if their ancestors did not actively participate in the enslavement of and lack of rights for black people, they benefited from this system.

In this essay, I will be discussing the debate and conversation surrounding the topic of Blackface, and what does that mean in media and to the black people, and how they are being misrepresented by whiteness. Through the analysis of Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, what is understood about Lee’s exploration of Hollywood’s representational politics, double consciousness and racial interpellation. And also, with support from the film and readings, how does Lee frame characters from a gendered perspective. Blackface, as known in today’s context and one from when it was conceptualized, is understood to white people’s construction of blackness, in the same breath trying to paint out and mould what the black experience could be. When dealing with the concept

This film critiques the Hollywood system for its limited representation of people of color as well as the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes. In the dubbing sequence, Dash calls to attention the technique of dubbing where a white woman is dubbed by a black woman. This stylistic choice uses dubbing as a metaphor to represent black invisibility. Furthermore, the film shows how Mignon’s experiences are shaped by both her race and gender. Even though she is forced to hide her true identity and pass as a white woman in order to succeed in the film industry, illustrates the complexity of navigating her racial identity in a society that values whiteness above everything else.

It is also easier to deny the reality when one is fixated on a popular myth that unequal treatments and racism ended. The so-called freedom society talks of in America does not apply to everyone. With the stereotypes formed, portrayed, and passed down, oppression continues in obvious and subtle ways. This film showed the affects the stereotypes have on people. Even with an understanding of history, the audience might find themselves rethinking American history and modern

Chris, the protagonist of the movie, is forced to deal with these problems head-on and struggle to survive. The movie shows racism's ability to hide in plain sight and how it may take on a variety of manifestations, from the subtle and sneaky to the obviously violent. Psychoanalytic theory provides a framework for understanding these themes in the film, particularly the concepts of repression and the uncanny. The film's use of hypnosis as a means of controlling Chris's mind is a clear example of how the repressed desires of the white characters are projected onto the black characters, making them both the object of desire and the object of fear. The movie's use of the uncanny, particularly through the imagery of the "sunken area," also emphasizes the unease and apprehension that lie just beyond the surface of behavior that appears to be normal and acceptable.

These articles and film explore the race and racism in United States along with critical race theory. In this paper, I will be critiquing these articles and films in order to evaluate the purpose for these readings and how they have helped

The disturbing truth emerges that our history is so filled with racism, that it has caused Disney to have a lack of emphasis on racial issues in films such as

What would accurately be seen as a hate crime, instead becomes “random” violence. The racially motivated lobotomies being performed solely on black people becomes merely an effort to save a dying mind. A refusal to acknowledge race is intrinsically accompanied by a failure to see racism. The most disturbing symbology occurs in the climax of the film, where it is revealed that white minds are being “transplanted” into Black bodies.

During the film, the director includes clips and photos of violent events to show the torture African Americans went through. Raw footage of lynchings and abuse were shown to connect to viewers’ emotions. These graphics successfully portray the suffering people went through rather than only hearing about it. The pain and heartache viewers feel supports the argument because it creates a sense of sorrow for how horrifically these people were treated compared to the privileges we have now. Although Americans have more freedom now than years prior, racial discrimination is ongoing.

Ethnicity and Hollywood Racism is always issues which take a huge part of American history. Until the twenty-first century, although people tried to make the country becomes the freedom and equality nation, these issues are still happening everywhere. According to "In Living Color: Race and American Culture," Stuart Hall argues that racism is still widespread in the society and "it is widely invisible even to those who formulate the world in its terms" (qtd. in Omi 683). Indeed, situations about race quietly exist in the movie industry, which "has led to the perpetuation of racial caricatures" to the majority audiences and even minority audiences (Omi 629).

The film Girl’s Trip has been applauded for being a celebration of blackness in the primarily white film industry. The majority of the cast and the writers for Girl’s Trip are people of color. The film was much more successful than its “white counterpart” Rough Night in box office revenue and reviews. However, most of the black characters in Girl’s Trip shift through various controlling images throughout the movie. The reason these stereotypes are less obvious than they are in some other films is because each characters portrays multiple stereotypes and different times throughout the film.

Moreover, demonstrate consequences are taken to oppress racial and ethnic minorities to keep them in a subservient position. Overall, this film has provided me with a visual depiction of how stereotypes are a mental tool that enforces racial segregation and self-hate. The label of “White” became a necessity for Sarah Jane to achieve in society. To attain it she needed to move to a new city, change her name and deny her mother.

These three theories will be further discussed in detail in this movie analysis. Firstly, racism is portrayed strongly in the movie. Racism occurs due to stereotypes related to racial issues. Stereotyping is the process “involving the expression of an exaggerated belief about a group that serves to qualify or justify the conduct towards that group of those who hold and express that belief” (Long, Wall 107).