In my first post, I briefly analyzed the racial discrimination made against Asians in Hollywood. Similar to how the industry is attempting to fix racism in its own system, many recent movies have contributed to the public’s conversations about culture. For example, Black Panther, a 2016 movie that earned a domestic lifetime gross of 1.3 billion dollars, was praised for its unusual cast. Upon the announcement that ninety percent of the actors and actresses in Black Panther were African American, the movie took social media by storm. I remember reading posts that emphasized the importance of this movie, many of which relayed the same message of social change as discussed with Crazy Rich Asians in the previous post. According to many of the posts that I have read, the casting of Black Panther meant that the entire public’s voice was “being heard” without regards to race. While the director, Ryan Coogler, could have done what other Hollywood directors have done in the past by choosing a white person to play a role that is not originally white (whitewashing, see here), he instead followed the story’s roots and cast African American actor Chadwick Boseman. Being the first Marvel movie to star a black protagonist, Black Panther was a hit among its fans. As stated by Boseman, the movie reflects both African heritage and the struggles of “Black America.” In my opinion, watching a movie that embraces culture is far more appreciable when it involves a cast that fits its roots.
Another recent movie to have caught the public’s attention on race is Get Out. A horror film set in present day America, Get Out follows the interracial relationship between the main protagonist, a black man, and a white woman. *Caution spoilers ahead* Chris, the lead role in the movie, plans to meet the family of his girlfriend, Rose, for the first time. However, they do not know that he is black. On the way to the house, the couple hits a deer on the road. After being approached by a police officer, the cop asks Chris for his ID even though he was not the one driving. Rose initially protests, claiming that the officer is racist, but this was only to mask her and her family’s true intentions. The theme of racism is continually conveyed throughout the movie. Moreover, upon reaching the town, Chris meets two African American people who work for the family, Walter and Georgina. Later at night, Chris notices their stranger behavior such as Walter running around the yard and Georgina brushing her hair in the window. The following day, Chris attends a party hosted by the family, and they invite citizens of the town, most of which are white. After being being asked about life as an African American, Chris approaches a black man and asks him to explain. As a photographer, Chris attempts to take a picture of the man. As soon as he noticed the flash, the man’s nose began to bleed, and he started to shout at Chris to “get out.”
As a neuroscientist with a hypnotist wife, Mr. Armitage has been able to transfer the minds of people into other bodies, particularly African Americans. There were many successful operations, and Rose brought Chris to her family so the town could auction off his body. The audience is given a hint to the family’s diabolical plan when Rose’s father, Mr. Armitage, tells Chris that his father lost in the Olympics to Jesse Owens. This could explain why he saw Walter running at night, and it also the famous scene that inspired the #GetOutChallenge. After being kidnapped by the family, Chris learns that the hosts are sent to the “sunken place,” where they have no control and can only see what is happening. According to Peele, the screenplay writer for Get Out, the “sunken place” is a metaphor “for the system that is suppressing the freedom of black people.” Even though the problem is clearly there, society is struggling to make change. Similarly, the same could be said about the main protagonist, Chris; moreover, he serves as the representation of being black and observing the injustice but not being able to do anything about it.
Both movies reflect the economical and social constructs of “Black America.” With the release of Black Panther, the discrimination and whitewashing has become a more prevalent issue in Hollywood. While Get Out depicts events that are purely fictional, it is a satire of a civic issue that is very real. Reflecting back on our history of racism and looking ahead to our potential future, I think that racism is a paradigm shift that will occur until the end of time. Naturally, all human beings are different and unique, and society will likely continue to separate people based on how they look and where they come from. But that’s what I think. What are your thoughts?
Sources:
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=marvel2017b.htm
https://www.indiewire.com/2017/11/get-out-jordan-peele-explains-sunken-place-meaning-1201902567/
I also think that racism is something that will persist throughout America, and the rest of the world, for a long time to come. However, with Hollywood making diverse movies that take on tough sociopolitical issues as you have mentioned, it can help shed a light on the problem and help people realize that they are part of the problem. Additionally, minorities being able to see themselves and their culture represented on the big screen in big block buster movies such as Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians allows them to feel more welcomed and normalize their culture so that they don’t feel the need to hide their own authentic culture to try and blend in with the typical American.
I definitely feel both of these films were unique ways of successfully recognizing the lack of rights for black people. I do feel the film “Get Out” was quite outdated for its symbolic references, however, still serving as a reminder that we have not managed to rid of racism since the time of its origin in this world. I do believe, however, it has become a social norm for people to associate with backgrounds similar to their own. I feel most people have a self-selected segregation, in where it is not out of hate, but simply the psychology of confiding in those who you most instantaneously sharing a bond with. It is definitely a touchy subject, but I feel it is a unique observation that can be seen of different, races, religions, sexes and backgrounds, especially of student interactions at PSU.