For a paper that is due this week, I have decided to write about how minorities are often portrayed stereotypically in the media such as TV and films. I choose to write about this subject due to a case I heard about in class surrounding the movie Red Tails and how its creator, George Lucas, had to essentially fund his own movie. To be precise, $58 million of his own money. ("Red Tails") This was a result of Hollywood's refusal to fund a film featuring minorities (in this case, blacks) in a more befitting role than the usual background character slot or comedic side that is ultimately overshadowed by another more influential character. In some cases, minorities are depicted as the antagonist(s) of the story or, as the title suggests, either play yet another stereotypical role in yet another Tyler Perry skit or die from some unnatural cause before the story actually begins.
The fact that nearly every major movie corporation refused to support Red Tails due to its inclusion of an "all-black cast" is a major signal of society's trend of keeping certain ethnic groups in their place, and how far America has to go in order to truly provide "equal rights" for all.
Works Cited Page
This, Hide. "‘Red Tails’ Based on the Tuskegee Airmen Opens Friday - The Root DC Live - The Washington Post." Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis. Web. 05 Feb. 2012.
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Hey Maya, I see your argument. I wish I had done more research, but I believe that these funders that would not fund his movie may be basing their refusal off of the fact that there are not many movies like this in the media. Thus, they do not know how well the movie will do. To be frank, I probably would not have funded the movie either, but I think your argument is very well crafted! Good job!
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