What an insightful essay. Prior to reading Ms. Black's work, I had never thought of Star Wars in an "American" old fashioned western sense. Please excuse the pun, but it makes sense. George Lucas just took the Hollywood "B" movie spaghetti western and moved the plot line forward a hundred years or so. Brilliant!
Ms. Black also nailed the thought regarding American values, good versus evil, tyranny and oppression. Not too long ago, I had the opportunity to re-watch two of the original Star Wars movies. It's funny how you notice what now are considered "old school" special affects, but in retrospect we all oohed and aahed over the original productions. The music, like today's Pirates of the Caribbean was played everywhere. Lets not forget the action toys too. Now I know why we felt that way we did about the movie. American values of democracy and goodness versus the evil dictatorship of the Empire. Nice job Ms. Whitney Black!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
2/17 - Deciphering I, Robot
I really appreciate Jason Silverman's view of movies in general and I definitely related to his review of I, Robot. His assessment of the role of movie tricks and the use of style to seduce the movie goer into superimposing good artistic work over sub par movie making, to me, is right on. (see previous post) Appreciated also was his analogy of the role big business has on the film industry. Granted, 100 million dollars is a ton of money to outlay to produce and market one film, but as the author points out, what is sacrificed in thought provoking presentation or realistic story telling is replaced with slapstick comedy, sex, violence and chase scenes that sell the tickets and makes the money.
Case in point was Silverman's opine as to the departure from the original 1950 book by Isaac Asimov. Silverman makes the correlation that the book represents, as was the author's style, a mastery of clear, sharp logic. The movie then was it's antithesis by virtue of too many loose ends, plot-convenient moments and lack of rigorous thought.
That Silverman states that you have to "turn off your brain" to enjoy the movie is exactly what is wrong with popular genre movie making of today in my opinion. Almost all of the thought provoking issues are replaced by sex, violence and chase scenes. Chalk one up for the thoughtful insight of Mr. Silverman.
Case in point was Silverman's opine as to the departure from the original 1950 book by Isaac Asimov. Silverman makes the correlation that the book represents, as was the author's style, a mastery of clear, sharp logic. The movie then was it's antithesis by virtue of too many loose ends, plot-convenient moments and lack of rigorous thought.
That Silverman states that you have to "turn off your brain" to enjoy the movie is exactly what is wrong with popular genre movie making of today in my opinion. Almost all of the thought provoking issues are replaced by sex, violence and chase scenes. Chalk one up for the thoughtful insight of Mr. Silverman.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
2/17 - Reading And Writing About Movies
Reading movies. Never thought about it in that way. It is true that we are all movie critics in one way or another, but reading a movie? Had to think about that for a bit. After some thought, I agree, we do read movies in a way. But in what context. I think 30 some years ago, I probably drew more social and cultural content from movies than I do now. I definitely am more cynical when viewing movies today and certainly am less apt to pay money on a regular basis to go see one in a theater.
When I think back to the 70's, when I first can remember going to see movies, I remember vividly, Jaws and Saturday Night Fever. The former scared me to death as I viewed it with my parents as a 13 year old the night before we left for a weeks vacation at the Jersey Shore. It took me years before I could go in the ocean without a great deal of fear. To this day I still think about that movie every time I'm at the beach. Less fearful, but still looking out into the ocean for fins.
Saturday Night Fever was more culturally influential for me. I was a sophomore in high school when that movie came out. Puffy sleeves, leisure suits, bell bottoms and disco music were the rage. John Travolta became the "cool" kid we all wanted to be and yes, I even tried to learn how to dance the way he did. I can still embarrass me teenagers with some of those silly moves in a heartbeat.
Today, I know that Hollywood and film making in general is a business. Studio's, producers, directors and even the actors go with the flow to make the big bucks. More special effects, more hack and gore, more story lines that sell like produce in a supermarket rather then tell us a story. I know that the lifestyles, clothes and interactions in the movies influence our culture, but to me, not in a good way much. Even my daughter tells me they ruin books by making movies out of them. The plots and characters change to make the movie sell. Historical remakes like the Flight 97 9/11 movie I didn't watch because you know right up front it's mostly speculation and hype to sell the movie. Nobody will ever know what really happened on that plane.
So with that I will tell you that I still enjoy sitting and "vegetating out" watching a movie. And I'll probably tell you that I still see movies that I'll say are good. But I'll say it knowing that I took a lot of the plot or story line tongue in cheek because I know its done to best capitalize on the almighty dollar, not necessarily because it's good art form or telling a real story.
When I think back to the 70's, when I first can remember going to see movies, I remember vividly, Jaws and Saturday Night Fever. The former scared me to death as I viewed it with my parents as a 13 year old the night before we left for a weeks vacation at the Jersey Shore. It took me years before I could go in the ocean without a great deal of fear. To this day I still think about that movie every time I'm at the beach. Less fearful, but still looking out into the ocean for fins.
Saturday Night Fever was more culturally influential for me. I was a sophomore in high school when that movie came out. Puffy sleeves, leisure suits, bell bottoms and disco music were the rage. John Travolta became the "cool" kid we all wanted to be and yes, I even tried to learn how to dance the way he did. I can still embarrass me teenagers with some of those silly moves in a heartbeat.
Today, I know that Hollywood and film making in general is a business. Studio's, producers, directors and even the actors go with the flow to make the big bucks. More special effects, more hack and gore, more story lines that sell like produce in a supermarket rather then tell us a story. I know that the lifestyles, clothes and interactions in the movies influence our culture, but to me, not in a good way much. Even my daughter tells me they ruin books by making movies out of them. The plots and characters change to make the movie sell. Historical remakes like the Flight 97 9/11 movie I didn't watch because you know right up front it's mostly speculation and hype to sell the movie. Nobody will ever know what really happened on that plane.
So with that I will tell you that I still enjoy sitting and "vegetating out" watching a movie. And I'll probably tell you that I still see movies that I'll say are good. But I'll say it knowing that I took a lot of the plot or story line tongue in cheek because I know its done to best capitalize on the almighty dollar, not necessarily because it's good art form or telling a real story.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Manor House Update
If anybody had been reading my blog about the Manor House, I apologize for not updating progress lately. Once all of this weather passes, I should have an update by the end of the week.
2/8 Reading Assignment: Tatum, "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?
This was an interesting essay. The author talks about the reasons why students of middle and high school age tend to group with kids of their own race. She discusses the importance Racial Identity Development may have in this process.
Basically she noted a shift from interracial elementary school days where kids of different races seem to socialize without regard to race. At around the 5th or 6th grade, children start to develop role models, lifestyles and images that are more closely aligned to their own culture group. Unfortunately, its also about this time that the child is likely to experience an event or events that forces the child to become aware of the impact racism may have upon them. In fact the grouping of children withing their own race may just be a reaction to the impact of racism. That being in a group of their "peers" may be a conscious effort to increase the child's comfort level or coping mechanism against perceived racism. .
I thought the essay was very well stated. It made me more aware of what children might be subject to in addition to all of the other social, moral and pubescent thinks kids are bombarded with daily.
Basically she noted a shift from interracial elementary school days where kids of different races seem to socialize without regard to race. At around the 5th or 6th grade, children start to develop role models, lifestyles and images that are more closely aligned to their own culture group. Unfortunately, its also about this time that the child is likely to experience an event or events that forces the child to become aware of the impact racism may have upon them. In fact the grouping of children withing their own race may just be a reaction to the impact of racism. That being in a group of their "peers" may be a conscious effort to increase the child's comfort level or coping mechanism against perceived racism. .
I thought the essay was very well stated. It made me more aware of what children might be subject to in addition to all of the other social, moral and pubescent thinks kids are bombarded with daily.
2-8 Reading Assignment; Shamieh, Censoring Myself
This essay is written by an Arab-American author who was born in the United States and is christian. Her essay takes post 9/11 look at how Americans view Arabs. Her experience is a unique one in which she finds herself writing a play about an Arab girl with a terrorist brother. It was a monologue in which the Arab girl is sympathetic to those whom her brother may harm. In the process, she is invited to present her work at a festival marking the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York City.
After she was invited to present, she actually had second thoughts and reservations about how she would be perceived. This led to her asking the promoters to have another actress perform her work so she didn't have to shoulder any criticism by herself. Subsequently she decided to write another work that was less sensitive but tells the story of a Palestinian girl on a plane hijacked by Arab terrorists. Upon the author's arrival at the festival, she finds that her work was rewritten without her knowledge. The event organizer's tell her it is because of time issues, but she notes that most of what has been omitted involves the direct discussions between the girl and the terrorists.
In retrospect the author relates how not only has the American society censored Palestinian views from the theater, that she participated as well by not producing any works of the Palestinian experience during her graduate studies at the Yale School of Drama. Additionally, she again censored herself by not doing her original work as asked for the 9/11 anniversary festival. By altering her work early on, did she sabotage herself with the event organizer's later? The author wonders if theatrical works involving the Palestinian experience, in essence, by seeing them more as human beings, would reshape the American thoughts and political policies toward Palestinians.
After she was invited to present, she actually had second thoughts and reservations about how she would be perceived. This led to her asking the promoters to have another actress perform her work so she didn't have to shoulder any criticism by herself. Subsequently she decided to write another work that was less sensitive but tells the story of a Palestinian girl on a plane hijacked by Arab terrorists. Upon the author's arrival at the festival, she finds that her work was rewritten without her knowledge. The event organizer's tell her it is because of time issues, but she notes that most of what has been omitted involves the direct discussions between the girl and the terrorists.
In retrospect the author relates how not only has the American society censored Palestinian views from the theater, that she participated as well by not producing any works of the Palestinian experience during her graduate studies at the Yale School of Drama. Additionally, she again censored herself by not doing her original work as asked for the 9/11 anniversary festival. By altering her work early on, did she sabotage herself with the event organizer's later? The author wonders if theatrical works involving the Palestinian experience, in essence, by seeing them more as human beings, would reshape the American thoughts and political policies toward Palestinians.
2-8 Reading Assignment; Gladwell, The Sports Taboo
The author utilizes this work to share with the reader his inside perspective of the association of Race and Ethnicity and sports. He specifically discusses the impact of stereotyping on athletes and sports from a first hand view. By comparing his experience in Canadian track and field with mathematics and marathon running he asks the question if race and ethnicity determines the runner's success or is it more a product of person's culture that sets the tone.
While Gladwell concedes genetics of a specific race or ethnicity factor into a person's ability to be a good sprinter, miler or distance runner, he also notes that the athletes were steered into specific sub-specialties by coaches early in life by stereotyping. For instance, he noted that on his Canadian National team , West Indies (Caribbean)-Canadians were the ones chosen to run the short sprint races. The example he used was a white runner who ran the quarter-mile race. Gladwell notes he "expected" the white athlete to eventually fail just because he was white.
Another point Gladwell makes is that sometimes athletes are shaped and defined by their culture and where they live. African men claimed 13 out of the top 20 finishes in the Boston Marathon, black men make up 80 percent of NBA players, Tiger Woods is one of the few black golfers and in a track and field world rankings the highest ranked white athlete is 23 on the list. It this because of genetics of race or ethnicity or is it because the athletes have been groomed from an early age by way of stereotyping?
Gladwell seems to think that maybe its both. That while genetics do play a part in the athlete's success, he suggests that culture and society plays an even larger role. His examples of the latter include a comparison of white and black NBA players Kerr and Jordan, mathematical test scores and male vs female rankings and the impact of Dominican and Latin American baseball players and Major League Baseball.
In the end the author concedes that the success or failure of any particular athlete is a result of stereotyping the affect that has on a person's perceived ability. If the white athlete does not believe he or she can be successful, they won't try thereby fulfilling the stereotype myth. He closes by relating personal story in which his two white running mates prepare to run backwards up a particularly steep hill. His response was to turn around and run back home. Why? Because the white athletes were willing to go to greater lengths than he to develop their talent not because of their race or ethnicity.
While Gladwell concedes genetics of a specific race or ethnicity factor into a person's ability to be a good sprinter, miler or distance runner, he also notes that the athletes were steered into specific sub-specialties by coaches early in life by stereotyping. For instance, he noted that on his Canadian National team , West Indies (Caribbean)-Canadians were the ones chosen to run the short sprint races. The example he used was a white runner who ran the quarter-mile race. Gladwell notes he "expected" the white athlete to eventually fail just because he was white.
Another point Gladwell makes is that sometimes athletes are shaped and defined by their culture and where they live. African men claimed 13 out of the top 20 finishes in the Boston Marathon, black men make up 80 percent of NBA players, Tiger Woods is one of the few black golfers and in a track and field world rankings the highest ranked white athlete is 23 on the list. It this because of genetics of race or ethnicity or is it because the athletes have been groomed from an early age by way of stereotyping?
Gladwell seems to think that maybe its both. That while genetics do play a part in the athlete's success, he suggests that culture and society plays an even larger role. His examples of the latter include a comparison of white and black NBA players Kerr and Jordan, mathematical test scores and male vs female rankings and the impact of Dominican and Latin American baseball players and Major League Baseball.
In the end the author concedes that the success or failure of any particular athlete is a result of stereotyping the affect that has on a person's perceived ability. If the white athlete does not believe he or she can be successful, they won't try thereby fulfilling the stereotype myth. He closes by relating personal story in which his two white running mates prepare to run backwards up a particularly steep hill. His response was to turn around and run back home. Why? Because the white athletes were willing to go to greater lengths than he to develop their talent not because of their race or ethnicity.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Reading And Writing About Race And Ethnicity
This particular section deals with how uncomfortable race and ethnicity makes us feel, whether we read or write about it. For me it is uncomfortable more to write about race or ethnicity. Mostly out of fear that what I say will be misquoted or misunderstood. Reading about ethnicity makes me uncomfortable if it's negative or grossly slanted. The authors of the text used this section to discuss race and ethnicity in a social versus biological setting as well as giving the reader information on the history of race and ethnicity in America.
I agree that our perception of race and ethnicity is shaped by social values we learn throughout our life. While the visual appearance of people may lead us to believe that person may have a certain set of values and cultural standards, do we really know what that person really believes or feels? The authors, I feel, want the reader to understand that you must not judge a person by outward appearance. How we feel about the subject is based upon our perspective or our self-perception of our race or ethnicity.
The other important issue discussed is how past discriminatory practices have and continue to shape the present social, economic, political and cultures of our country. In our country's past we have placed "labels" on and done great disservice to various races and ethnic social groups such as Native Americans, African-Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Irish, Italian, Catholic, Islamic and Hispanic just to name a few. These digressions have in whole or part led us as a nation to engage in war, enjoin in civil rights movements, place entire ethnic groups in detention, enact laws to end segregation and establish affirmative action programs. All of which affects everyone of us in some fashion daily in our lives.
Unfortunately, politics have also shaped our view on race and ethnicity by campaigning specifically to different social groups or even coming up with new group classifications in the interest of getting the votes. Race especially is still in the forefront of our news even with all the progress we've made in our society to date. Even our social class shapes our view on the subject as well.
I agree that our perception of race and ethnicity is shaped by social values we learn throughout our life. While the visual appearance of people may lead us to believe that person may have a certain set of values and cultural standards, do we really know what that person really believes or feels? The authors, I feel, want the reader to understand that you must not judge a person by outward appearance. How we feel about the subject is based upon our perspective or our self-perception of our race or ethnicity.
The other important issue discussed is how past discriminatory practices have and continue to shape the present social, economic, political and cultures of our country. In our country's past we have placed "labels" on and done great disservice to various races and ethnic social groups such as Native Americans, African-Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Irish, Italian, Catholic, Islamic and Hispanic just to name a few. These digressions have in whole or part led us as a nation to engage in war, enjoin in civil rights movements, place entire ethnic groups in detention, enact laws to end segregation and establish affirmative action programs. All of which affects everyone of us in some fashion daily in our lives.
Unfortunately, politics have also shaped our view on race and ethnicity by campaigning specifically to different social groups or even coming up with new group classifications in the interest of getting the votes. Race especially is still in the forefront of our news even with all the progress we've made in our society to date. Even our social class shapes our view on the subject as well.
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