http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py5qAH7wELY
I chose a clip from the movie Hitch. In this clip Hitch, who is played by will smith is teaching, Albert how to dance before the party. I think hitch came out in early 2005. I think the release of the movie and how America portrays the white culture as not having rhythm is evident in this clip. The movie is a romantic comedy aimed at young couples and singles, trying to teach them at Love is not something that can be manipulated.
The clip shows Albert ( the uncoordinated white guy) doing all of these outrageous dances, while Hitch ( the cool calm and collected black guy) is trying to persuade him not to do all these crazy moves. It seems like the stereotype portrayed here is that blacks know ahow to be cool calm and collected, while whites do things they don’t need to. The clip, to me gave the message that white people could do things like become successful lawyers, but cannot handle simple things like dancing or talking to females. I think the clip also sends the message that all black people can dance, but I don’t think that is the case in every situation. I don’t think the movie is making these connections in a discriminatory way. But the idea that a black man, knows everything about finding love is not easy to believe. I think the idea that being yourself can go along way, is being promoted in this film. But the clip promotes kind of do what fits the mainstream so you don’t stand out.
This film promotes stereotypes, I think but not necessarily in a negative way. This film shows the black man knowing everything about females, how to be cool, how to go from nerd to mr. everything. Although it is possible but it is not very likely. In the clip Hitch is calmly dressed telling Albert how to dance. Every black man does not know how to dance and dress. I think it is a stereotype that black people can dance and white people cannot. Although in the clip Alberts moves were “different” they were him. The stereotypes in this clip or even the movie, are not very offensive at all. It is good humored fun, its funny to watch how hitch tried to teach him, but in the end he ended up doing his own thing. The idea of this clip is soley from the mans perspective. The clip and the movie has Hitch (will smith) in control throughout the entire movie. Mainly towards the end he loses control of everything, because Albert ends up leaving him and doing his own thing. In the clip Albert is doing everything Hitch tells him, with a twist of his own stuff as the clip moves forward. But through the clip Albert is disciplined when he does something hitch doesn’t like. But Albert gets his way in the end.
3 comments:
Yeah, it's pretty obvious that they didn't have much time (or effort) to develop character bonds (like why am I in this guy's house, comfortable with him talking down to me?) for this feast of romantic comedy. And that's where stereotypes swing in like a big racist circus show.
Another thing that struck me in the film but not the clip is that the black man can have everything going for him externally but fails at internal problems until her learns how to deal with his emotions (or brain) from the white people. And I only watched the end of this movie when it was on HBO.
I thought this clip was really funny. Unfortunately, I only saw part of the movie. There seems to be a lot going on in the movie, and it goes back and forth with varying themes. It seems that the man who thinks he knows everything (especially about women) turns out to know nothing. While he may be good at helping other people, he is not good at helping himself. Although, what he thinks is helping "the nerdy white guy" is actually hindering his ability to connect to the girl he likes as himself.
I agree with Jay--stereotypes make things quick and easy, especially when introducing characters and race. Everyone says "white men can't dance," and in order to add more humor to the movie, this scene was necessary, and of course played on the stereotype that everyone knows.
I love this movie and especially love this clip from it. I think they did a great job with this part and made it hilarious. This is a great example of stereotypes. They run rampant throughout the movie. This clip really illustrates a few of the stereotypes. One is the stereotype of the black man teaching the white man how to dance. The use of stereotypes makes it easier to tell a story given a certain amount of time. I don't think they were at all offensive and think they added colorful comedy to the movie.
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