Films are a reflection of American culture and that has been especially true of how the culture has dealt with race. This week we will see how American films for many years perpetuated the racism of the society at large, from the ground-breaking film techniques but extremely negative racial stereotypes in Birth of A Nation, to the demonization of our country’s enemies. We will also discuss how filmmakers have tried to address racism and the racial disparity in the film industry, providing new images and role models for our diverse society.
Week Five Tasks
Read/watch course resources for Week Five.
Watch two American feature films that explore race, with lead characters of different races, one made between 1945 and 1980, and one made in the last 20 years.
Participate in Discussion Week Five Topic.
Submit your topic for your final project by the end of the week.
Weekly Learning Objectives
This week, you will be able to:
Recall how film can be used to shape national identity.
Describe how race has been portrayed in American film and how this has changed since the early 20th century.Watch two feature-length fiction movies that explore race, has lead characters who are of different races, or has main characters who are not from a race from which you self-identify. If you need help choosing movies, contact the professor early in the week or before Week Six begins. One film should be from the last 20 years and the other film should be from between 1945 and 1980.
After reading this week’s material and watching the two movies, write a few paragraphs about what you have learned or what was confirmed for you. Be sure to:
Identify the main characters and their race, or the race they are portraying (for example if a white actor is playing a Native American).
Discuss how race, racial relations, stereotypes, and/or racism plays a part in the film.
Remember to include something about how the class material informed your response to this Topic.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061735/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235187/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PYICZnWpt4
