"yo dre, I have something to say"
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. In addition African
Americans were thought of as a "race that generated terror"
causing the representation of African Americans in the media to become a major
concern. It can be argued that black youths are presented more violent and
reckless whereas the older generations are presented as wise, which is
particularly evident in the contemporary historical dramas ‘The Butler’ (2013)
and ‘Straight Outta Compton’(2015). 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. The main iconography 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 5 youths in
1988 about the rise of a controversial California hip hop group 'Niggars With
Attitude'. The main iconography 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 questioned.
The institution behind
the distribution of The Butler is 'The Weinstein Company'. Which is an
independent American film studio
that is also the producer of 'The King Speech' and 'Silver Lining Play Book',
suggesting that this institution is influenced in distributing films that make
audiences create insight on the kind of society we live in. Whether it's from
the eyes of mental patients, a king with the 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. Whereas straight outta Compton is distributed
by universal pictures which are part of Hollywood's "big Six"
film studios. Mostly being associated with successful films targeted at younger
audiences such as the 'fast and furious' franchise, 'Legened' and 'Pitch
Perfect'. According to Richard Dyer audiences are the essence of
representation, 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"
so their audiences understand the film or text without exposing 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"
suggesting that the dominant views of young black individuals is far worse than
the older black generation. This 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.
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. 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 against"
them. 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.
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"
these representations are associated with the younger generation, as this film
shows only young people acting violently, therefore negatively representing the
younger generation. However accuracy of this representation can be questioned,
as there is evidence to show the civil rights movements were not mostly
concentrated by the younger generation
.
In addition these representations are created as further research suggests that
the younger generation are more likely to have impulsive actions than the older
generation
.
The main reason for the negative representation of those youth in the film was
to show the level of social change and America getting wiser along with its
people.
Similarly 'Straight outta
compton' also in chronological order, the films progression also shows
character progression. The denotation shown is 5 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"
suggesting that their music is trying 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
significant most 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.
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 2015 were
unarmed
.
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. N.W.A's facial
expressions look intimidating/ dangerous this is further emphasised by the low
key lighting throughout their performance. Suggesting 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"
. Highlighting
that it 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 a harsh 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 is
mostly slang and explicit, word 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 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. 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"
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..."
making them “more visible”
. 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
suggesting that the obsession with black youths being violent may just be a
moral panic.
Although these dominate stereotypes associated with these individuals
are negative, “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.
‘Birth of a nation’ is 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W.
Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. It
is well known for its controversial content, and based on explicitly racist
text by Thomas Dixons the ‘Underclassman’
.
Birth of a nation has popularised and reproduced predominant stereotypes as it
was the first film to represent or make a reference to black people, so the turning point to
black people in cinema. These perceptions that are held by society created the
zeitgeist at that time on how racist America was in 1915 without realising they
were racist at all. This film
demonstrates how the southerners were right about black people, 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”
.
Suggesting that 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. This film
articulates some of the fears of the white society at that time, the fear of
being invaded by black people and overpowered by their views and ideologies. Lastly ‘birth of a nation’ demonstrated a clear view the treatment of
black people, and the importance of the film includes the clarity of its
demonstration, as it merely a mirror of the values of America at that time. Which
is further emphasised as it was honoured
by having a screening at the white house
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
.
Suggesting that though out history and in film the dominate stereotype of
attitude and being the second class citizen still remains. But, "black youths have been the target of a fiercely determined social
and political backlash"
suggesting the impacts these films are having on the way they are viewed upon
by society. Furthermore these negative representations have escalated and
transformed to some authoritative figures such as people with political power.
