Alvarado - looks at four key themes in racial representations: exotic, dangerous, humorous and pitied.
Fanon - typical black stereotypes which infantilize, primitivize, decivilize and essentialize
Said - Edward Said looks at Orientialism - the west are more superior to the exotic/dangerous east
2) Watch the opening of Yasmin (2004) again. Does it offer a positive or negative view of British Muslims? To what extent does it reinforce or challenge Edward Said's theory of Orientalism - that the west is superior to the exotic or uncivilised east?
In the opening of Yasmin, there are both positive and negative stereotypes presented. For instance, the positive aspect comes from the prayers the young boy recites which shows how he's carrying out traditional Islam values. Furthermore, in the beginning the old man washing off graffiti on a shutter which has racist words on it is shown in a positive way as the old man calmly washes it away and doesn't have a violent reaction to it. The negative aspect comes from the main protagonist Yasmin who goes against her own culture. In the clip, Yasmin undresses herself out of her hijab and traditional clothing into jeans and a jumper. This shows how Yasmin is hiding her culture.
From Edward Said theory, it is evident that Yasmin prefers western culture and values. Her job is on the other western side and this could impact the way she feels about her own culture as she feels much free when at work in comparison to where she lives. Overall, Said's theory is reinforced in showing that the west culture is superior.
3) Finally, choose THREE clips for EACH of the theorists and explain how you could apply that theory to the clip. Pick a selection of clips on YouTube from TV, film, music video or advertising and embed them in your blog before writing your analysis under each clip. Note: this means you need NINE clips in total on this blogpost.
Alvarado
Topboy: this clip shows how gang culture is a big issue in the UK. It represents black britishgangs in particular. This analysis also reinforces Alvarado’s Theory of dangerous/pitied (1987). The characters are victims of their environment. In “Top Boy (2011)”, Dushane and Sully represent black people to be ’dangerous’ as they are associated with gangs, violence and drug-use. But, Ra’nell represents the ‘pity’ category as he is left to provide for himself as his mother is taken into a mental hospital.
Kidulthood: The use of gangs and the mise en scene (dressing up like gangsters) represents young teenagers as not being able to fit into the proper society therefore they commit crimes, this generates the dangerous element. Another example of how teenagers in London are represented in the opening of Kidulthood is being kind and caring. This is shown when the young girl dies due to the result of bullying, and after she dies the other characters in the film feel pitied.
Anuvahood: this movie contains the humorous element consistently throughout and is used mainly with the main character Adam Deacon, The banter amongst the group is funny and relatable and as a result gives the movie a quirky edge as well as the street image it intentionally portrays.
Fanon
Adulthood: this movie is the sequel to Kidulthood and looks more in depth into drugs and crime therefore making the theme of Fanon's decivilize more apparent by showing the characters as gangsters and pimps.
Skepta - Shutdown: this music video links to Fanon's essentialize factor apparent as the people in the video all look similar. Especially through the concept of the black and white costume colour scheme to show that the people are all united.
Ill Manors: the film uses Fanon's theory through the props, the use of guns signify drug and gang culture which links to the key factor of decivilizing by showing the representation of gangsters and pimps in the UK.
Said
East is East: this movie is accurate is showing the difference of western and eastern cultures. In the movie, the father (who is pakistani) marries a british white woman. This is a major culture difference and the kids show this as they are brought up around strict pakistani family values, one of the sons is about to have an arranged marriage but escapes to be with a british woman evidently following in his fathers footsteps.
Bend it like Beckham: this movie is shows culture clash humorously as an Indian family in London tries to raise their soccer-playing daughter in a traditional way. Unlike modernised elder sister Pinky, who is preparing for an Indian wedding and a lifetime of cooking the perfect chapatti, Jess' dream is to play soccer professionally like her hero David Beckham. Wholeheartedly against Jess' unorthodox ambition, her parents eventually reveal that their reservations have more to do with protecting her than with holding her back. When Jess is forced to make a choice between tradition and her beloved sport, her family must decide whether to let her chase her dream.
Anita and Me: Meena Kumar, a 12-year-old Sikh girl, lives with her family in the predominantly white, working-class, fictional mining village of Tollington in the Black Country in 1972. Meena meets Anita, a white, 14-year-old girl whom Meena comes to idolise. However, Meena finds it harder and harder to fit in as her Indian heritage keeps on resurfacing, and Anita's new boyfriend proves to hold strong racist attitudes toward those he regards as "darkies". This movie is good in presenting the differences between eastern and western culture.
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