Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People

[my_daroga]

I've been intending to read Jack Shaheen's book for some time, and just haven't gotten around to it. So I was somewhat pleased that it had been made into a documentary, which gives the gist of the argument--that Hollywood films have created a bloodthirsty stereotype we're now exporting to the rest of the world--but doesn't really replace what I

Comments

[tinyholidays]

Yeah. I mean Edward Said, right? I also recall people noting that the Arab villainry really was upped as the Cold War stalled out... that a lot of villains used to be Russian, but that these have now been replaced by Arabs. It's definitely all about othering. If we're used to seeing these bad people on screen, then it must be okay to bomb them, y/y?

In a related topic, Sheridan Prasso's The Asian Mystique (which somehow I feel I've mentioned before??) deals with this othering issue, only all Asian-style. Although I think she mentions the Arab thing, also. Though how can you not, with Orientalism being the seminal work in the field?

[my_daroga]

I still haven't read Said's book, and I so so need to. I see it quoted everywhere. I think you're right about the Cold War--at least, I've heard that said, too. It makes sense.

Looks like I need to read The Asian Mystique, too. "AT A BAR CALLED SUPER PUSSY..."? I'm there.

[tinyholidays]

Yeah, actually, I think that the Prasso book might actually be the sort of style of discourse you might be going for with your POTO book. Ugh. Got to go talk to prof about Milton essay now.

[dangerousdame]

I've never read the book, though I'm told it's good. I did slightly object to the term 'humanizing' Israelis, since that implies a lack of humanity to start with.

[my_daroga]

I meant that from a Hollywood p.o.v., not my own, but you're right, it sounds bad. What I mean to say is that the films seem to set out to "prove" Israelis are like us but that Palestinians are not.

[my_daroga]

Could it be that if a director wants someone who will "look ethnic" (i.e. the audience can "see" his or her ethnicity), the director will pick someone "obviously" ethnic, i.e. darker - like Naveen Andrews?

That's what I'm thinking; as you said, Abraham or Shalhoub can and do play ethnic roles, but frequently just get cast as "Americans." We (white Americans?) need "something else" to differentiate "them" from "us."

[my_daroga]

Re: the state of the census

[seraphcelene]

The shift of villains from Russian to Arab is something that you can track as the Cold War was diffused and the U.S.S.R. broke up. I always think back to films and TV shows where the bad guys are Russian and the good guys are Anglo-Americans helping to save the world and Russian Gymnasts/ballet dancers from the corrupt KGB agents. Inevitably, in many of the TV shows, at least, there was a defector. Usually someone creative and a "national" treasure of some kind

[my_daroga]

The topic is huge, of course, and in my post I was trying to stick with that the film addressed. But you're right; this comes into play whenever race or ethnicity is depicted. I remember a class about 1920's film where we looked at the spectrum actors of color were forced to place themselves on: white actors could "stoop" to playing Native Americans or Asians (I'm talking about "serious" films not minstrelsy, which is related but a whole other topic) while black actors could attempt to "pass" as Native Americans to get jobs. The point is that everyone was allowed to try for the ethnicity that was "next to them" on some scale created for filmic representation. If that makes sense.

Then there's mixed race or films about passing, like in Pinky where god forbid we have an African American actress playing an African American who passes as white! Which on top of being racist (and uninspired) casting, adds something to the monologue Hollywood creates about What Race Is. What people look like. Are we training people not to tell the