MEST4 Coursework

Samsam Abdikadir

3278 words

“yo dre, I have something to say”[1]

How and why does the representation of black youths differ to the representation of the older black generation in contemporary historical dramas such as ‘The Butler’ and ‘Straight Outta Compton’?

African Americans have had a long and somewhat complex history in the film industry. The migration of African Americans from rural areas in the south to more urban regions between the 1910s and 1940s shifted the racial landscape, and mainstream Hollywood began to reflect this demographic change in its films[2]. In addition African Americans were thought of as a "race that generated terror"[3] causing the representation of African Americans in the media to become a major concern. It can be argued that black youths are represented as more violent and reckless whereas the older generations are presented as wise, which is particularly evident in the contemporary historical dramas ‘The Butler’ (2013)[4] and ‘Straight Outta Compton’(2015)[5]. ‘The Butler’ is a historical drama inspired by true events between 1940 to 2008 on real events and people during the 34-38th presidential reign[6]. The main ideology present in this film is the impact that all those social conflicts had on American culture at that time. Whereas, ‘Straight Outta Compton’ is a historical drama based on five youths in 1988, about the rise of a controversial California hip hop group[7], 'Niggars With Attitude'. The main ideology presented is the power of music in allowing the insignificant black youths voices to be heard. The film borrows its title from the name of their debut album and title track. There are some positive representations of the youths in this film being successful and independent, but the extent to which the negatives outweigh the positives is questionable.

The institution behind the distribution of The Butler is The Weinstein Company[8]; an independent American film studio[9] that is also the producer of 'The King’s Speech'(2013) and 'Silver Linings Play Book'(2012); suggesting that this institution is influenced in distributing films that make audiences create insight on the kind of society we lived in. Whether, it's from the eyes of mental patients, a king with a speech impediment or an average black household during a socially significant historical period in time. The Weinstein Company encourages audiences to formulate opinions and educate them on different aspects in society. However, ‘Straight Outta Compton’ is distributed by ‘Universal Pictures’ which are part of Hollywood's "Big Six"[10] film studios. Mostly being associated with successful films targeted at younger audiences such as the 'Fast and Furious' (2001-2015) franchise, 'Legend'(2015) and 'Pitch Perfect'(2012). According to Richard Dyer “audiences are the essence of representation”[11]. Suggesting that, universal picture films tend to be more stereotypical in order for their audiences to apprehend the text. They usually do this by utilising mis-en-scene. For example, the dominant stereotype of black youths being into drugs and gangs is made apparent in the first scene of 'Straight Outta Compton', automatically the audiences can expect violence, sex and other dominant stereotypes. Universal pictures create those representations widely associated with young African American males as: "representations often make use of stereotypes because they are shorthand, a quick and easy way of using information"[12] as suggested by Medhurst, so universal picture audiences understand the text without revealing too much.

Although the representation of black people are fairly negative, it can be argued that "Today dangerous classes include... young people who exhibit some degree of independence from their elders direction and values"[13]suggesting that the dominant views of young black individuals is far worse than the older black generation. Furthermore due to them showing “some degree of independence from their elders”[14] which means they are not following the traditional norms and values set by them, a binary opposition[15] between the older and young generation is created (wise VS reckless. Levi Strauss’s theory is evident in the opening of 'The Butler', due to the film being in chronological order the disregard of youth is emphasised as the film progresses. Similarly it is also shown throughout ‘Straight Outta Compton’, but there is some level of difference between their young and older-selves.

The beginning of this film is based on Cecil Gains past life. The opening is of his childhood years with bright and vibrant colours which can suggests the ignorance at such a young age, as the dramatic irony connotes he was being shielded from all the racism and the violence that was occurring away from his mother's arms. However as he approaches his teenage years the colour becomes darker, this low key lighting suggests how overwhelmed he is to the realisation of this new cruel world. With lighting below the face contrasting and distorting shadows are formed, making the subject appear sinister. This supports the idea of young people being a danger to society as they are presented as dangerous, further emphasising Alvarado’s theory for the theme in racial representation being to present black people as dangerous. As the constant close ups show his facial expressions of anger and loneliness of being a second class citizen where he believed the "law was us"[16]. The opening goes on to show the violence and recklessness associated with black youths, as he breaks into a bakery. Once again the cinematography is used to show the level of content. Longshots are used to display the fury in his body language as he breaks in with some much force and power. As a result the younger generation in ‘The Butler’ are presented as frantic and looking for trouble.

This is further highlighted when Ceicles child joins extremist groups such 'The Black Panther', a civil rights group which thought the only way to be heard is through violent acts. These actions are shown as extreme due to the constant visit to a jail house. Furthermore "unlike mature adults, young people are in the process of discovering the world as they negotiate it"[17] these representations of thoughtless decisions are associated with the younger generation, as this film shows only young people acting violently, therefore negatively representing the younger generation.

Similarly 'Straight Outta compton' also in chronological order, the films progression also shows character progression. The denotation shown is five young black individuals acting violently and causing much rebellion and controversy with their music. However the deeper meaning is having their voices heard as "popular culture has become a crucial location for expressing their ideas and viewpoint about the contradictory world they live in"[18] as a result the reason for black youths representations being impulsive in ‘Straight Otta Compton’ is to create social change and to create awareness for the young people in Compton who are abused by the police as they automatically assume drugs and illegal activity, when they see a young black individual. The most significant connotation for straight Outta Compton is this idea of social change, therefore they need to rebel in order to have their issues addressed for the young individuals who have no choice but to live in a risky drug and gang infested areas.

However accuracy of both ‘The Butler’ and ‘Straight Otta Compton’ is questioned, as there is evidence to show the civil rights movements were not mostly concentrated by the younger generation[19]. In addition research by psychologists suggests that the younger generation are more likely to have impulsive actions than the older generation[20]. The negative representation of black youths in ‘The Butler’ can be justified as a way to show the level of social change and America getting wiser along with its people.

Their bold and explicit gestures especially when they are performing 'F*** the police' connotes the dominant stereotypes associated with African American youths. A song to show the level of anger they have for the police. This is because the level of police brutality they faced as young black individuals. Although this film shows some level of change of the attitudes of the police, there still issues today. A recent article by the guardian suggested that 102 young individuals were wrongfully killed by police in the US so far this year. Local news reports and Guardian reporting found that 32% of black people killed by police in the US were unarmed[21]. Suggesting that although straight outta Compton is a historical drama and people may think that America has changed its attitudes this is evident that it hasn’t, ice cubes character said "our art is a reflection of our reality" making it still relevant to today's society, and their film indirectly is supposed to create awareness in addressing the this issue.

However some may argue that police brutality in recent times may just be a moral panic, created by an unjust accidental death of Eric Garner in 2014. Quickly an ‘I Can’t Breath’ campaign[22] was developed and more stories about police brutality started emerging. Similar to the ‘I Can’t Breath’ campaign ‘Black Lives Matter’[23] discusses violence against African Americans on a wider context, but recently organize protests due to violence made by law enforcement officers.

N.W.A's facial expressions look intimidating/ dangerous. This is further emphasised by the low key lighting throughout their performance. This suggests some of the reason the police are acting this way is due to the way they present themselves "in the process creating problems for the authorities that is supposed to keep them in check"[24]. This highlightsit is the youths lack of fear that is causing them to continuously get in trouble by the authorities that are supposed to discipline them. The mise-en-scene is also used to create suspicion from the audiences perspective also, as the clothing they wear makes them look dodgy due to them wearing nice clean expensive clothes despite coming from derived poverty areas. As expected from a movie based on young black males there are allot of references made to guns drugs and violence suggesting that although these younger generation don't want to be associated with these things, they are still involved in it.

The language used in ‘Straight Outta Compton’ is mostly slang and explicit we would associate with young black individuals so reinforcing their stereotype, this can further represents them as aggressive. The younger generations are being represented as the turning point to social change, through their acts of aggressiveness/ rebellion. This supports Perkins theory of not all stereotypes being negative, but some stereotypes being used to create change. This can in turn creating the representation of young people acting violently in order to get what they think they deserve. These representations of violence drugs and sex are mainly present in the black youths in America and these perceptions remain permanent and automatically associate those actions with those youths. This is emphasis by a recent article by the Guardian[25]; where a middle-age women though she was getting attacked when she saw a group of black boys, showing that these fears of black people still exist.

In addition the representations tend to be accurate although the aim of this film was to justify those reasons for those representations in order to relax the harsh representation of the black youth, due to the desire to show social change they need to show corruption as a result showing a significant change when it does occur. The main reason for the negative representation of those youth, was a way of showing social change and America getting more successful with age. However this representation is created as research suggests that the younger generation are more likely to have impulsive actions than the older generation. The aim of this film was to show how successful individuals can be if they had a true aim.

The views and ideologies of the dominant representation of young black men has become "slightly more visible than perhaps they had at an earlier stage"[26]Antonio Gramsci idea , of hegemony, which means that one's viewpoint becomes accepted by the public opinions common sense, making it difficult for opposition groups to make an effective challenge. This can be applied to the representations of black youths, because the media views them negatively therefore the public accepted those viewpoints making it difficult for them to be seen in a different light. Many of the clearly racist images of past television and cinema that are now being stressed in western screens can be easily explained in hegemonic terms particularly in relation to colonialism and white supremacy. The over representation of black individuals exist, but more on youths rather than the older black individuals. Evidently in films about black youths, being gang related, and hip hop rap music being dominated by black youths, suggesting “they are creating new cultures, strategy of resistance..."[27] making them “more visible”[28]. This hegemonic society influences some parts of the community to be afraid, as the opinions formulated are of those African American youths being dangerous and a threat to society. The extent to which the increasing violence of black youths described in the newspaper being a moral panic can be questioned however. As some research shows that crimes committed by young individuals as fallen in the last year[29] suggesting that the obsession with black youths being violent may just be a moral panic.

It can be questioned whether black male filmmakers represent black women more positively than their white male counterparts[30]. 'Straight Outta Compton' which was produced by black film makers depicted women as sexual objects, as most of the women were shown hovering over one guy at clubs or walking around hotel rooms naked as rewards for a man’s good performance, suggesting that women are just sex objects to men. This can be explained by the idea of the male gaze, as presented by Laura Mulvey, is the idea that the sexualisation of women is to please the male audiences and to give them a sense of pleasure. Meanwhile McRobbie[31] would argue that this is a way of women showing they are in control and they are an empowerment. However as the film progresses to the protagonists adult years, the black women start appearing more intelligent and less of sexual objects[32], as the women who appear in the second part of the film are lawyers or wives of the protagonists, presenting them more positively; modest in attire and more than a one night stand. Nevertheless Judus Butler[33] would argue that these gender roles are just a performance people feel like carrying out. Furthermore it can be concluded from this that there is a difference between young women and older women or this abrupt change can show the differences in the change in attitude towards women. Meanwhile the dominant positive representation of women[34] is still implemented; them being nurturing caring towards their children and homemakers for their husband (providing a good environment for their husband to come home to), this is emphasised in both these contemporary dramas.

This traditional view of women is more stressed in ‘The Butler’ than the ‘straight Outta Compton’. Oprah Winfrey who plays the protagonists wife, shows allot of traditional representation of women. She is shown mostly in the kitchen or sewing clothes for her family. Although she’s a strong activist for women’s right and changing the perception of women as she believes ‘that excellence is the best deterrent to racism or sexism. And that's how I operate my life[35] suggesting that she’s is a role model and if women want things to change for them they need to go out and seek it, which is completely different to the representation of her character. Furthermore the binary opposition of males and females are particularly highlighted in ‘The Butler’ this is evident in a scene where a male character questions the political knowledge of a women character and she replies “I aint up there sewing for you, all day”[36] suggesting that women work from such binary opposition constructed by western society where there is a difference to the knowledge and intellect a women is allowed to know in comparison to a man.

In the early years African Americans were confined to a certain stereotypical images, during the first decade of the 20^th century “many films depicted a nostalgic and idealized vision of life in the antebellum South”[37]. With memories of the civil war still fresh, films such as ‘Birth Of A Nation’ (1915)[38] was a way to reunite the north and the south “by glorifying the image of the Old South”[39] and African American characters were portrayed as “incompetent, child-like, hyper-sexualized, and criminal[s]”[40]. This suggests that at these historical period films were used to create segregation, and a way of white people of the south expressing their “fear of miscegenation”[41]. ‘Birth of a nation’ has popularised and reproduced predominant stereotypes as it was the first film that references to black people. It can be argued that ‘Birth Of A Nation’ was the turning point for black people in American cinema and the reason for stereotypes of black people being corrupt today. This film demonstrates how the southerners perceived black people with power, because as soon as they were given freedom the “Negro congresses were pictured drinking … bare feet against their desks, lustfully ogling at white women in the balcony”[42], supporting Alvarado’s theory of black people in cinema being dangerous and reckless. As a result the white people had a right to act aggressively towards black individuals in order to protect their women and land from becoming ruined, so joining the KKK was thought of as a heroic deed to save the nation. Lastly ‘Birth Of ANation’ demonstrated a clear view of the treatment of black people at that time, and is important in the clarity it demonstrates as it merely a mirrors the values of America at that time and the level of racism is further emphasised as it was honoured by having a screening at the white house[43]. These perceptions that were held by society created the zeitgeist at that time on how racist America was in 1915 without realising they were racist at all.

The older black generation in theory are presented less violent and aggressive in comparison to the younger generation. Fanon would argue that this is a way of black people wearing the ‘white mask’[44]. This is mostly evident in the dinner table scene[45] in ‘The Butler’. Black people in Morden media are seen to be dysfunctional with dysfunctional families as suggested by Alvarado[46], and the fact that they are all sitting around the table and having dinner contradicts that, and supports Fanons[47] idea of the black people wearing the ‘white mask’. Furthermore a lot of contemporary historical dramas on black people would support Alverado’s theory of black people being on TV to be pitied, as most historical dramas show the mistreatment and racism many African Americans went through in America.

This ‘Butler’ scene makes references to Sydney Poitier [48] which is the first black man to enter the Hollywood entertainment industry, which was highly white concentrated. However it could be argued that “Sydney Poitier is a white man’s fantasy of what they [white people] want us [black people] to be”[49] emphasising Fanons idea of black people only being allowed on TV if they meet the requirements of white people. However in some aspects Sydney Poitiere was idolised by many black individual in 1960’s America, as he symbolised change and integration between white and black individuals. During 1920 America, black people had the “race genre”[50] dedicated to black cinema, and shown in “few ‘colour only’ movie theatres across the country at the time”[51]. This genre was defined as the ‘race genre’ by Oscar Micheaux[52] a film director from the early 20^th century who produced movie which challenged racial segregation, and offered an alternative representation for the races. As a result positive stereotypes were used in order to make the film relatable to their black audiences, supporting Perkins[53] idea of not all stereotypes being negative.

To conclude the representation of black people in general is, first is the slave figure which could take the form of, either the 'dependable loving, devoted "Mammy" with the rolling eyes, or the faithful field hand… attached and devoted to "his" master[54]. Connoting though out history and in film the dominate stereotype of attitude and being the second class citizen still remains. However "black youths have been the target of a fiercely determined social and political backlash"[55] suggesting the impacts these films are having on the way they are viewed upon by society. Furthermore these negative representations have escalated and transformed authoritative figures such as people with political power’s thought on these African Americans having an effect on today’s social norm, and according to the Marxist theory they control the norms. Although these dominate stereotypes associated with these individuals are negative, in most contemporary drams such as ‘Straight Outta Compton’; “most of America to want to wear their shoes". So it can be argued, that these dominate ideologies created are a way of introducing innovation and new ideas to society. As a result the extent that these negative stereotypes actually having negative impacts is questionable. As a result this essay expressed the extent to which the representations differ, however not as explicitly as expected as they both had stereotypes associated with them.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

WORK CITED

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WORK CONSULTED

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Shirley Moody-Turner (2013) Black Folklore and the Politics of Racial Representation

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Von Tunzelmann, Alex. "Straight Outta Compton: Hit Biopic Raps up NWA Story Cleanly." The Guardian. 2 Sept. 2015. Web.

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[1] Straight Outta Compton 1:12:03

[2]"The Postwar Period Through the1950s." U.S History InContex. Encyclopedia of American Social History, 1993.

[3]Watkins, S. Craig. Representing: Hip Hop Culture and the Production of Black Cinema. Chicago: U of Chicago, 1998. Print.

[4]The Butler.Dir. Lee Daniels. The Weinstein Company, 2013. DVD.

[5]Straight Outta Compton. Dir. F. Gary Gray. Universal Pictures, 2015.DVD.

[6] Roberts, Roxanne; Amy Argetsinger (May 8, 2013). "Trailer for 'The Butler,' based on life of the White House's Eugene Allen". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 10, 2013.

[7] "STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON (15)". British Board of Film Classification. August 11, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2015

[8] "Distributor report cards". Film Journal. Retrieved 28 July 2014.

[9] Hephaestus Books (2011) pg. 12 Articles on the Weinstein Company Films,

[10]Mukundan.T.(2014) http://www.maacindia.com/blog/index.php/big-six/

[11]Dyer, Richard; McDonald, Paul (1998) [1979]. Stars (2nd ed.). London: British Film Institute.

[12]Nelmes.J.(1996) pg.237 An Introduction to Film Studies

[13]GordanD , visualise the underclass representing danger

[14] ibid

[15] Smith, G. (1996). "Binary opposition and sexual power in Paradise Lost". Midwest Quarterly 27 (4): 383.

[16]The Butler film8:06

[17]Robin.D.G Kelly (2002) p.g 64

[18] Watkins, S. Craig. Representing: Hip Hop Culture and the Production of Black Cinema. Chicago: U of Chicago, 1998. Print.

[19]Freitas.C.D (2011)http://www.socialistalternative.org/panther-black-rebellion/the-civil-rights-movement/

[20]Raymond R. Swisher (2013)http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3833716/

[21]Swaine.J. (2015) http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/01/black-americans-killed-by-police-analysis

[22] Kelly, Dominic. "Michigan Cop Sells Shirt To Counter Eric Garner 'I Can't Breathe' Campaign." 16 Dec. 2014. Web.

[23] Elizabeth Day. "#BlackLivesMatter: the birth of a new civil rights movement". the Guardian. Retrieved November 19, 2015.

[24] Bullstone and Harrision (1998) pg.54

[25] FARBEROV, SNEJANA. "Police Claim Mother of Two Who Was Attacked by 'dozens of Black Youths'

[26] Hall S (2010) Pg122

[27] Bullstone and Harrision (1998) pg.54

[28] Ibid

[29]INIMAI M. CHETTIAR FEB 11, 2015

[30] African American Women and Sexuality in the Cinema, Norma Manatu/ pg.28

[31] McRobbie, Angela. The Aftermath of Feminism: Gender, Culture and Social Change. 2009. Print.

[32]Mallan, K. (2003). Youth cultures: Texts, images, and identities. Westport, Conn.: Praeger

[33] Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 1990. Print.

[34] Media culture and society 1981 (pg 105) http://mcs.sagepub.com/content/3/2/105.extract

[35]Ramsdale, Suzannah. "28 Empowering Quotes from Women Who Kick Ass." Web. .

[36] The butler film 1:15:16

[37]"From Blackface to Blaxploitation." Duke University Libraries. 30 July 2012. Web.

[38]The Birth of a Nation. D.W. Griffith, 1915. DVD

[39] ibid

[40] Ibid2

[41]Brook, Tom. "The Birth Of A Nation: The Most Racist Film Ever Made?" Web. 6 Feb. 2016.

[42]Anderson, J. (2009). Pg97

[43]Richard Wormser. "BithOf A Nation." Jim Crow Stories. Educational Broadcasting Corporation., 2002.

[44]Fanon, F. (1969). Toward the African Revolution, (H. Chevalier, Trans.). New York: Grove Press.

[45] The Butler Film 1:30:03 – 1:45: 31

[46]Hsaunders6969. "Alvarado Racial Stereotype Theory."Slideshare, 24 Apr. 2014. Web.<http://www.slideshare.net/hsaunders6969/alvarado-racial-stereotypes-theory>.

[47] ibid 41

[48]Beaver, Jim. "Sidney Poitier Biography."IMDB. 2007. Web.

[49] The Butler Film 1:45:03

[50]"From Blackface to Blaxploitation." Duke University Libraries. 30 July 2012. Web.

[51] ibid 46

[52]Biography.com Editors. "Oscar Micheaux." Bio.com. Web. 14 Apr. 2016.

[53]Bennett, Peter, Jerry Slater, and Peter Wall. A2 Media Studies: The Essential Introduction. London: Routledge, 2006. Print.

[54]Hall S (1995) pg. 21http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol6.htm

[55] Wattkins s.g Craig (1998) pg. 52 representing hip hop culture

MEST4 Coursework

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Correction (2)

Wednesday 27 April 2016

Corrections (1)

Friday 15 April 2016