Seeking for the reality about African American lives was never an easy task. It was never found in history books and certainly not in Hollywood. Racism in movies always resounds the culture at large and reveals a nation that troubled for centuries by its history of slavery and segragation. Hollywood never forgets what culture is all about and potrays it in movies, songs etc. If we take a closer look, we too shall see that as time goes on it becomes more obvious how far popular culture has moved benefiting the confessions of the past, while seeking to run across to findind closure and reconciliation.
It is well known that racism still exists today, and people might go through it every single day. But how do most of them deal with it? Well in Hollywood, racism is expressed in many films. These movies are exposed to us for many reasons, to teach us a lesson, it gives us a chance to have a glance of the past. For example in "Gone With the Wind" (1939).
In this film, Margaret Mitchell's Civil War epic attempt to disguise its herent racism by simulating that Scarlett and others regarded their slaves as part of family.
Another example is, "Birth of a Nation" (1915)
D.W. Griffith's classic saga of two families trying to survive the horrible events of the Civil War and Reconstruction. "Sounder" (1972)
. Paul Winfield and Cicely Tyson play Louisiana sharecroppers in 1933 in this very engaging family film. It's about a self-respective woman who raises her children alone while her husband has been sent to work on a prison chain gang.
All these movies are a great example of Hollywoods way to expressing its thoughts and beliefs towards racism. The movies do teach us a lesson, but sometimes Hollywoods way of expressing becomes a threat when it's beliefs are taken the wrong way. Certain people come to think that when Hollywood releases movies that has something to do with racism it might be an intimidation and most of the times it is not. Most of the times Hollywood is trying to educate us in a positive way.
Movies is not the only way Hollywood might express racism or even inlighten us. Singers and rappers have their own way of verbalizing their beliefs towards songs. Certain lyrics might conatin great amount of anger and violence while others just want to be heard. These lyrics might have a great meaning and a lesson to teach us, about the past. This will be a way of expressing, pain and sorrow. Other rappers might come up with songs like "Kill Bush", by Gatans Parliment
( who were later reported to the police, acusing them of threating the president).
There are hundreds of bands in America who produce hate music, concerning racism and some of the do get arrested ro explicet and violent lyrics that my be life threatening to some catagory of people, or a perticular someone.
There are some racism situations in Hollywood that make no sence, they are cruel and unfiar. When certain actors audition for a certain role in a movie and dont get the part it might because they are no black enough. For example Thandie Newton, who has never expirience racism expect once when going for a role, she got a comment like, "'Yeah, Thandie, but are you black enough for this role? Is it believable that this character has a degree?'". Other actors who are white, might create racial contreversy in Hollywood when taking a role of a black men. For example, actor Robert Downey Jr plays a role of a rather convincing black man in the latest comedy movie.
Alot of questions have been asked, for example "'I'm not black and I find it offensive; are there not any talented enough black actors out in the world that they feel the need to hire a white guy to do a black guy?'. "They are infering that there are no good enough black actors to play a black person.What is the significance of hiring a white guy to play a black part? What are they trying to prove? I bet its to get more publicity'. "
All theses issues in Hollywood creat a great amount of argument,clash, and attention. Is this really necesary? In Hollywood, the answer you might find would be "Yes" this is what Hollywood craves for, contreversies and attention. The subject on racism will nver be left alone, and it is both a negative and a positive aspect of Hollywood. This is what makes it interesting and grabs a large amount of attention.
In my humble opinion. Hollywood does this only to cacth the attention of the media, all these racial movies, and rappers, and such things as Robert Downey Jr. playing a black acter and then commenting, "I'm not black and I find it offensive; are there not any talented enough black actors out in the world that they feel the need to hire a white guy to do a black guy?." Ofcourse this will create many arguments and the new media will be rite on it. Hollywood is making a great amount of money this way!