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Blacks In Film Essay

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Film is one of the most influential means of communication and a powerful medium of propaganda. Race and representation is central to the study of the black film actor, since the major studios continue to reflect and reinforce the stereotyps of our times. The depiction of blacks in Hollywood movies reinforce many of the misconceptions of the white majority rather than objective reality, limiting black actors to stereotypical roles. The movie "Soul Food" proved to be the inspiration for African-Americans hungry for balanced, realistic depictions of blacks in America The film is about a Chicago family who airs out its tribulations over Sunday dinner. It depicts well educated African Americans in lavish suburban homes and high …show more content…

     The black ghetto of television has opened up lately, and shows featuring African Americans in a variety of roles may be viewed any night of the week. This shift is primarily the result of challenges made by the NAACP, and the resulting general shifts in public attitudes about race. But the new representations of blacks are also shaped by the historical stereotypes which plagued African Americans.            In 1971 actor and director Melvin Van Peebles wrote, produced, starred in, and composed the soundtrack for the film “Sweet Sweetback's Badasssss Song”. An entirely black production, it broke the mold of black characterization in feature films. The story revolves around a pimp suddenly radicalized by aiding a young black revolutionary who is beaten by white cops. His resulting disgust with the white establishment struck a cord with black audiences everywhere. The films ending, with it's proclamation that "a badasssss nigger is coming back to collect some dues," heralded the arrival of a new era in Hollywood and for blacks in film. “Blaxploitation” was born.      “Blaxploitation” refered to a series of films in which African-American

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