gwtw_mammy.JPG

Film Stereotypes To Cringe By

An Afternoon Comment Diversion / Ranylt Richildis

Comment Diversions | February 20, 2008 | Comments (272)


A while back, in Stacey’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s retrospective, no amount of scorn was spared for Mickey Rooney’s Jap-face portrayal of Mr. Yunioshi, a stereotyping so heinous that it makes modern viewers like commentator Todd, in a word, cringe.

I had a similar reaction watching Luciano Ercoli’s Death Walks in High Heels the other day. I thought I’d seen some crazy-ass blackface in older films, but nothing beats Susan Scott in Afro wig and head-to-toe paint doing a go-go striptease. After the show, Scott’s lover steps into her dressing-room just as she’s about to cold-cream the bronze off her face; “I like you when you’re all black,” he whispers, and proceeds to ball a temporarily exoticized, but safely Caucasian-approved, fantasy jungle-bunny. It doesn’t matter if the filmmakers probably meant well (this may have been a clumsy 1970s push in the direction of interracial love acceptance); I still cringed.

It got me thinking — just how long a list can we make of “politically uncomfortable” film moments? How much racism, misogyny, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, homophobia and general othering has been churned out in our movies — not as overt attacks, necessarily, but in thoughtless, misguided or insidious ways that represented the unexamined assumptions of an era’s filmmakers and audiences?

And while we’re on it, any guesses what the Pajibans three generations from now will be taking our films to task for, philosophically?









I Could Never Be Your Woman | Pajiba Love 02/20/08













Comments

Oh, how I love Mamie. "Miz Scarlett, do you know a dyed haired woman." Best line ever.

Posted by: Nope at February 20, 2008 2:52 PM

Any female slave from GwtW -- just as high up there as Mickey Rooney's Nipponese, maybe worse because they had black women do it.

Three generations from now: Women designing everything they do career-wise, friend-wise, hobby-wise, entertainment-wise, and every-other-wise for the sole, noble purpose of finding a man. I need a man, baby, all that modern self-actualization be damned.

Note to Pajibans: You can have me as part of your hobby, career, etc., etc. I'm happy to be used as a sex-toy in the same way you would schedule a racquetball appointment.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 2:53 PM

Geeks are heinous, unsocialized, dark-room dwelling half-human creatures - unless they're girls who can be magically transformed into Abercrombie & Fitch visions with the use of contact lenses and hairstyling.

Also, holy shit, fat people are hilarious. Always sitting around eating whole buckets of ice cream or anything else that happens to wander by.

Posted by: twig at February 20, 2008 2:54 PM

[NOTE: Offer only valid for female Pajibans, John Hannah, Daniel Craig, Ewan McGregor, and Peter Sarsgaard]

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 2:54 PM

Do the SalesGenie ads from this year's Super Bowl count? They aren't movies, but they certainly made me cringe.

As for movies, what about the entire subgenre of Comedies Based on the Concept that Irish People are Just Adorable? I can't watch those.

Future: I'm hoping that future moviegoers and film historians will be aghast at the preponderance of torture porn, regardless of victim. I see an ad for Saw or any of its spawn and wonder what's wrong with us.

Posted by: Kate at February 20, 2008 2:59 PM

I'm just gonna call it now:

This thread is going to get outta hand.

And I submit for your consideration:

Big Mamma: obviously originating with the above photo reference, but spiced with that 'snake yo' neck and snap' attitude.

The Southern Redneck: because hell, there ain't no such thing as an UN-southern redneck, or an UN-redneck Southerner. Oh, and we're all racist bigots.

The made for TV woman on the edge: She was raped, brutalized, and now she's out for justice! But she might go to jail, because men hitting women is ok, but a woman taking vengeance is automatically categorized with Lorena Bobbit.

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 3:01 PM

All of the "new" Star Wars movies (which were horrible anyway, but whatever)... Jar Jar Binks and his fishy race were all sorts of Jamaican; when they had the party on Naboo at the end of the first film (me=nerd) all I could think was "Jamaican Day Parade!"... ALSO, those muthafookin' grey trade federation fools were completely Asian! I saw the movie with my fierce Asian friend, she was all sorts of offended...

And C-3PO was a homosexual. I speak from experience... igotpictures

Posted by: David at February 20, 2008 3:03 PM

Oh oh! And the teenage girl that "gets in with the wrong crowd" and overdoses two days later. Or gets pregnant. Or both. And then is "rescued" by a caring male figure that shows her all she really needs is a MAN, honey. Just get you a MAN and everything will work out fine.

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 3:03 PM

The hot girl's fat best friend.

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 3:07 PM

The nerd girl's gay best friend (see: Catwoman. Or actually, don't see. Don't ever, ever see.)

Posted by: twig at February 20, 2008 3:09 PM

There were so many cringe worthy moments in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. I don't remember all the details, I didn't want to watch it in the first place. But I do remember that in many parts throughout the movie I thought "GSA members everywhere are going to be pissed about that...".

Okay, and call me a nerd if you must, but in a lot of the "science" filled movies the science is B.S. or twisted to make it work for the film. It gets annoying when you actually know what should be happening when those 2 chemicals are mixed, etc...

Posted by: Kay at February 20, 2008 3:12 PM

I hate when all 20-something year old guys are portrayed as intensely homophobic neanderthals. My best friend is a gay man and his closest group of friends are his boys from high school who are the frattiest, jockiest, tits-lovingest bunch of guys I know and adore him exactly the way he is. Even when he pretends to hit on them.

Girls over a six 6 are fat. Fuck you Bridget Jones and Love Actually, I love my boobs and hips and the fact that my sternum won't cut a bitch.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 3:12 PM

So, I watched Shirley Temple's Littlest Rebel recently...expecting bunches of racist stuff...which was there...but that wasn't the most disturbing thing about it...all the creepy pedophilia...the creepy way they sexualized her was....shocking. There is a moment when she writes a letter to her father (a Confederate Officer off in the War)...and we see the letter...it is written in that fake scrawl that is supposed to look like it was written by a kid but was clearly written by a 45 year old production assistant. "Daddy cum home soon." Seriously. It is supposed to a mispelling...but cum was used in the meaning we understand back in the 30s too.

Other things? All the transphobia. There are lots and lots of transphobic moments...especially towards transwomen. One moment that stood out for me is in Ace Ventura, when he realized that the hot woman had been assigned male at birth and proceeded to completely wig out and vomit and pour toothpaste in his mouth. How cruel and transphobic. But transwomen still get to be the butt of seriously messed up treatment...and in a time period when they are murdered so frequently...it is really in poor taste.

Posted by: trooper6 at February 20, 2008 3:14 PM

I know it's obvious, but the Black Secondary Character As Comic Relief has got to be stopped.

Posted by: Mella at February 20, 2008 3:15 PM

I think I missed the point of the thread. Whatever.

Anyway, to add a serious point, I'm over the gay (male) best friend shtick. He makes clever comments, he's a snappy dresser and critiques clothes (he's great to shop with), he lusts after the main character's cute crush, and in general, he's just a queeny tag-along. Then, when two gay characters are actually the focus of the film (Brokeback Mountain), conservatives throw a shit fit, and gays are corrupting America; and all along they SHOULD have been flipping out about the style-centric "fag" friend in all of these other films that is dressing up their daughters and eyeing their poolboys 'cause who is that fool? Give a gay depth and you start a revolution; keep him in his pigeonhole and the world is safe for another day.

Blech.

Posted by: David at February 20, 2008 3:16 PM

"Flied Lice." Used in 25 percent of all comedies. Never funny. Always offensive.

Posted by: Dustin Rowles at February 20, 2008 3:19 PM

My cringe-worthy one is about the same as the one 3 generations from now: women's goal in life is to get married. How come there can't be a movie starring a woman with another goal than finding a man? Our media sucks. No wonder women need Oprah so much.

Worst offenders I've seen lately:
Three Coins in a Fountain (1954)--a woman is literally given a basket of kittens because she's apparently a spinster at age 30. Not to mention the poor man's Audrey Hepburn lying to get a man, totally called on it, and still gets the man because that's the point of the movie: marriage, not being a decent person.
27 Dresses--I felt horrible after this movie. It made me heartsick to think that this was the slop women are given to watch that's apparently "empowering." Gross.

Posted by: kelsy at February 20, 2008 3:26 PM

I hate the part in the movie John Tucker Must Die when they give him estrogen and suddenly he's a big whiny cry-baby who can't handle his life. I mean, seriously? This is your portrayal of becoming more 'womanly'?

Also, was anyone else pissed that they didn't actually kill him? Way to lead us on.

Posted by: Jenna at February 20, 2008 3:27 PM

Caucasians playing Indians (ahem, Native Americans).
F-Troop, any Western made before 1970...all the Indians were white people in tan makeup.
Hollywood did not know about actual Native Americans until Dances With Wolves. Then it was, "oh, they look so noble!" Assholes.

Posted by: numchuck at February 20, 2008 3:27 PM

David: oh my GOD I'm so with you on the gay best friend stereotype. My best friend doesn't act queeny, he acts like a 26 year-old guy who just so happens to have sex with men. He hates clothes shopping, he hates clubbing, and if I put on (throwing a cliche out there) Cher he'd probably beat me to death with his Pearl Jam cds.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 3:28 PM

Past Stereotype Cringe: The ethnic slurs all over Disney's Lady and the Tramp.

Future Stereotype Cringe (or at least I hope people will cringe): Mostly from TV, the infantile, schlubby husband who just wants to have fun and whose mean but hot and responsible wife is always trying to put a stop to it.

Posted by: Lilly at February 20, 2008 3:28 PM

Almost all homosexuals. I know plenty of gay people, and I've only ever known ONE gay man in real life who was like a walking Easter parade, and he was a drama major so it doesn't even count. All drama majors, regardless of sexuality, are total queens.

I also concur with Kate; my mother is from Dublin and I lived there in the summers growing up. I am small and I have reddish hair, and thanks to American cinema I've spent my entire life having people assume I'm some kind of goddamn leprechaun, and that my family lives in stone cottages with thatched roofs and we're all melancholy and subsist on potatoes and limericks. The next person who asks me about my lucky charms will pray for the mercy of death.

Posted by: Sarina at February 20, 2008 3:29 PM

The next person who asks me about my lucky charms will pray for the mercy of death.

In fairness, they are magically delicious. How do we know you're not a leprechaun?

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 3:32 PM

I fail to see how anything in "Gone With the Wind" is cringe-inducing -- unless you're cringing at history. The film's portrayal is likely pretty accurate to life in the South during that era, and it is actually much toned down from the book. I believe it was either Selznick or Fleming who was sensitive to the plight of Jews at the time and chose to not use the "N" word in the film, as it's in the book. If you're uncomfortable with the way slaves are depicted in the film, that's a good thing, but the film isn't an endorsement of slavery. I just don't think "GWTW" can be lumped in with other movies that exploit stereotypes. It's completely different.

Posted by: Sarah at February 20, 2008 3:32 PM

the "under the sea" segment from the little mermaid has always bothered me. sebastian declares "the blackfish she sings" and we are shown an image that makes you wonder how disney got away with it. it's not as bad as those crows from dumbo, but it's there!

Posted by: kelley at February 20, 2008 3:32 PM

The outwardly seeming gruff, tough, over-macho, complete asshole who secretly harbors a heart of gold and is really just a NiceGuy™.

I personally believe that this has caused more collective damage to the american male psyche and society as a whole than fraternities and organized religion combined.

* e.g. cop, pilot, space-marine, under sea miner etc.

Posted by: mapleMEAT at February 20, 2008 3:33 PM

The stereotype I find most glaring is that of any First Nations person in a movie. It is friggin' rare to find an aboriginal person playing anything other than the token "Injun". Why no aboriginal superheroes/romantic leads/etc (without being adorned by feather headdresses and tomahawks at the same time)?

Also - I love the movie Holiday Inn, but I always have to fast forward through the blackface "Abraham" sequence. It's seriously sickening.

Posted by: b at February 20, 2008 3:33 PM

I think that just about every single movie out there has this problem. I am sick to death of seeing the "hilarious" black side kick or the black guy who always gets killed first. And then when you see an African American movie there is the white stereotypes. That's pretty much what every movie is nowadays, a big stereotype. It is especially prevalent in teen movies. The aforementioned geeky girl (she wears glasses therefore she is a geek or she is not a cheerleader therefore she is a geek) gets a makeover and wins the quarterback's heart. It's just too much. Example "She's All That". And I agree with the woman over size 6 is a fat spinster (and she has to be over 30 too). What the heck is that all about? I love Bridget Jones, but man, she was like 120 pounds in the book. And 135 pounds in the movie. That is not fat.

Posted by: lyricalcatt at February 20, 2008 3:34 PM

Plain women are clueless and need their friends to help them figure out how to look good, and its corollary: Plain women are miserable and unable to accomplish their goals, and they just need a makeover in order to have everything they want in life.

Posted by: llism at February 20, 2008 3:35 PM

And yes, the marriage-as-ultimate-goal of female main characters. Seeing this ubiquitous shit day in and day out from birth onward has fucked up otherwise strong and healthy women for decades and continues to do so. Enough already!

Posted by: Lilly at February 20, 2008 3:35 PM

Mexicans are always villains in old movies. There are generally drunken and lascivious, much like black villains, but man, Old Hollywood (and New for that matter), DO NOT know what to do with Hispanics, especially our neighbors to the South.

I think that there's already some backlash against "Noble Suffering AIDS Patient" (or any kind of noble, suffering dying person), but that 20 years from now, it'll be widely recognized as an overdone stereotype.

Also, the "Token White Girl/Guy" in movies aimed at black folks. Not all white movies bother throwing in a single black friend (which is generally a stereotype in itself), so why bother with that one white dude in the background of a party scene. Were they just who showed up in the call for extras?

Posted by: courtney at February 20, 2008 3:36 PM

Sarina: If you aren't a leprecaun then you are a fiery red head with a "bad" temper...

Posted by: lyricalcatt at February 20, 2008 3:37 PM

Pretty much everyone in "The Birdcage". When it was originally released, I went to see it with one of my close friends, a gay male. We cackled through the whole film like a couple of old biddies, but upon a recent re-viewing, I realized just how over the top and broadly drawn nearly all the characters, but especially the gay ones, were. Nathan Lane was a hysterical, flitting, preening, screaming Queen, bolstering every "fag" stereotype out there.

I once heard a very impassioned speech given by a gay man about how Carson Kreeley's performances on "Queer Eye" also perpetuated the stereotype of the ass-grabby swish. He even said his grandmother called him after the show to ask him if gay men really groped straight men so much.

While everyone was crowing about the awesomeness of "Lost in Translation", I couldn't get past the movie's tired, lame jokes about Japanese accents: "rip my stocking" and "woger mow" and so forth. Seemed like nearly every Japanese character with any lines was made out to be kooky and spoke English with a mouth full of marbles. Coppola's idea of "fish out of water" humor was slapped on with such wide strokes (Seriously, she used a freakin' paint roller.) that I fully expected Mickey Rooney to come screeching through a scene in his bathrobe.

Granted, every once and a while, I blurt out "Rip my stocking" to Mr. Pink for no good reason. So I guess I am a bit of a hypocrite.

Posted by: Alabamapink at February 20, 2008 3:37 PM

how about the clumsy, hopeless, silly fat friend?

Posted by: Rachel at February 20, 2008 3:37 PM

Plain-looking intelligent women that can't find a date. Cue makeover montage, and suddenly she's Cindy fucking Crawford.

Dirty old men that sexually harass young women and are played off as silly old farts.

My most hated: when characters don't speak the same language as another character, and they just repeat what they said, but only LOUDER. GAH!

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 3:38 PM

Thousands to choose from, I dare say, although I do try to place older films in context. Have I stopped watching older movies because they aren't politically correct by current standards? No, but I will never accept Birth of a Nation or other films that were egregious even in their day.

Past and current trends that have always bugged me just a bit (although they're more prevalent on TV):
- the stupid shlub who gets the the adoring brilliant wife (Kevin James, Knocked up)
--the noble alien warrior who usually bemoans the bad guys' lack of honor. I think it disturbs me that they are usually black actors: Warf, Teal'c, Ronon

Posted by: funtime42 at February 20, 2008 3:38 PM

David--it's because conservatives think that overtly feminine males and extremely butchy females are the ONLY gay people. Therefore, when they are exposed to what is considered very "masculine" men as gay they have a huge shit fit because it couldn't possibly be so and the gays are trying to infiltrate the media with their "gay agenda" whatever that is.

Well if GWTW were made today, Mamie would be livin' in the ghetto. Ghetto stereotypes make me cringe.

Posted by: wsapnin at February 20, 2008 3:38 PM

Wow funtime42, I never thought about the "noble Black actor" thing. And let's not forget they are always aliens.

Posted by: lyricalcatt at February 20, 2008 3:39 PM

Yeah, I just re-read that post, you already said that...sorry

Posted by: lyricalcatt at February 20, 2008 3:40 PM

Great point, funtime42. Come to think of it, hot alien women are like the "exotic" black women are yesteryear films. Do-able, but not marriable, etc. Embodiment of sexuality with no substance.

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 3:42 PM

Sarah, it seemed to me (I haven't watched the film in years) that GWTW depicted Mammy and especially Prissy essentially for laugh value. I think the closeness of the relationships was accurate, but the voice work seemed designed to encourage white audiences to laugh about (a) the stern black nannie character (who was about a step away from Buckwheat of the Little Rascals) and (b) the helpless ninnie Prissy, who shrinks aside while tough-as-nails-underneath-it-all Scarlett takes over as midwife.

Would it work today? Like I said, I haven't seen it in years.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 3:43 PM

I just thought of another one. Inter-racial couples always are shunned by both races. I don't get that because unless you live in the deep south it's really not that much of an issue today. But in those movies the guy's family (who is usually black)is like, what are you getting yourself into? And the girl's friends act like she is consigning herself to the ghetto. And when it's the black woman and white guy it's even more annoying. Who cares? I'm bi-racial and my parents were together during segregation, so top that!

Posted by: lyricalcatt at February 20, 2008 3:43 PM

The Eastern Bloc guy who wears nothing but his Adidas tracksuits. As a native Pole I love my Euro suit, but I do own real clothes.

Posted by: Agent Scully at February 20, 2008 3:44 PM

Oh and don't get me started on all the pregnant woman/labor and delivery stereotypes in movies.

Once you've been through it for real, all the stupid cinematic clichés like the ultra-weird cravings; the goofy waddling and struggling to stand up with that giant belly; the shrieking, cursing, sweating, huffing and puffing mad dash to the hospital make me roll my eyes in disgust.

Posted by: Alabamapink at February 20, 2008 3:45 PM

Agent Scully, I just watched Everything is Illuminated and thought that exact thing.

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 3:46 PM

As much as I hate 'girl-loses-glasses-becomes-beautiful' 'She's All That' is not a good example of the genre. The girl is not a super-smart nerd and the boy is not a dumb jock. They actually do a good job within the limited genre of reaching for a bigger plot.

I wouldn't mind seeing a movie with a sorority where the girls were something besides catty evil bitches. I mean, there's millions of people involved in them, and I knew one or two mean people in sororties but they can't ALL be Divalicious Von Bitchpants, can they?

Posted by: twig at February 20, 2008 3:46 PM

I know I have had many moments, but the most recent was the Persian king in 300. god, I hated that movie; just thinking about it incites an uncontrollable rage (racism, sexism, jingoism...you name it). Before I saw the film, I remember Persian groups being upset about it, and I thought, just maybe they are overreacting. But no.

Apocalypto for the same reasons (I still cannot believe I was dragged into that movie.) Pretty much any movie where ancient and/or native peoples are portrayed in historically inaccurate or offensive ways with it disguised as being simply "entertainment."

Posted by: kara at February 20, 2008 3:47 PM

Hey Agent Scully:

My maintenance man is an Eastern Bloc guy who ALWAYS wears a tracksuit. With a wife beater underneath. With his hair slicked back. And a gold chain. And he's got a barbwire tattoo.

His name is Boris and frankly, the accent-tracksuit combo has developed into a sexual fetish of mine. Maybe that's why the stereotype exists on film-female film executives panting over the hot, Eastern European studs that come once a month to check the pipes...

So where do you live?

Posted by: courtney at February 20, 2008 3:49 PM

My personal cringe-worthy stereotype is that most Mexicans are in gangs. Listen up gringos, just because my skin is brown, doesn't mean I'm in with a bunch of Cholos looking to keeck your ess, main. And also my Mexican sisters are not baby-factories and letting los ninos just run around in their diapers. We don't all wear wife-beaters, drink piss-poor beer, or listen to the oldies. And we don't all own low-riders, either. But if I did, I would be sure to place a naked lady on the front. Oh, we do speaka da Eenglish. Hay unas veces que no querido escucharte, vato!

Future generations will laugh at our attempt to put women "back in their place", through dreck like 27 Dresses, P.S. I Love You, and any Sex in the City bullshit. There is nothing more that I despise, as a weak-willed woman. Women are strong and the stronger and more independent they are, the hotter they become. My perfect woman would be someone who can stand up for herself and not let a man determine her worth. Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder and this beholder prefers strong women. Give me the Buffy's, the Faith's of the world and keep your Lipstick Jungle weaklings to yourself.

Posted by: ScarletKnight at February 20, 2008 3:49 PM

Divalicious Von Bitchpants

HA! Twig, if I ever become a porn star I'm stealing that name.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 3:49 PM

Twig: How can "she's all that" not be one of those movies? Freddie Prinze, Jr. doesn't even look at Rachel Lee Cook until she has her "makeover"? She looked perfectly fine before the "makeover" she had glasses on (=geek) and they took them off and put her in a dress (= hot girl)

Posted by: lyricalcatt at February 20, 2008 3:50 PM

To be honest, I'm a little sick of the Jewish kid/Jewish guy stereotype: the funny/whiny/nebbishy sidekick who wears glasses and has to use an inhaler every time he sees and/or thinks about 1) an animal, 2) an attractive woman, 3) anything even mildly disconcerting, 4) his mother. And just in case you weren't positive he was Jewish they'll throw in some comment about how disastrous his bar mitzvah was.

And I think (hope) people in the future will cringe when they see stuff about how gosh darn amusing and gross fat people are (Eddie Murphy, I am so looking at you, asshole!).

Posted by: docsmartypants at February 20, 2008 3:55 PM

Has anybody seen the Chinese people in "Thoroughly Modern Millie"? Good Lord. All they say is "shu sho" over and over again and run around acting all silly the whole movie. Every time I see it, I keep hearing "El Scorcho" by Weezer for some reason, which I guess is a stereotype in and of itself. Hmmmmm.

Posted by: Black Rhino at February 20, 2008 3:55 PM

Courtney: since I'm Polish, by law, I reside in Chicago.

Posted by: Agent Scully at February 20, 2008 3:55 PM

ScarletKnight, I'm not sure I see where you're coming from. How is Sex in the City and example of weak-willed women?

Posted by: llism at February 20, 2008 3:57 PM

*an* example, dagnabbit

Posted by: llism at February 20, 2008 3:58 PM

lyricalcatt, it had more substance than that, even for bubblegum fluff. She isn't just some vacuous pretty nothing - she rips into him for not doing anything with his life, and for not having any plans for the future. The movie gives a fair chunk of time to him as well as her (the hacky sack bit). Like I said, it's not Shakespeare-level gravitas, but they develop the characters enough that they're people, not just stock tropes.

Posted by: twig at February 20, 2008 3:58 PM

Socalled You mean your door wouldn't swing my way??!! :sigh:

Posted by: PissBoy at February 20, 2008 4:00 PM

Ugh, so many out there to choose from, sadly!

The one that gets under my skin the most is the "fat ladies who eat by the truckload and think of nothing but food." The portrayal of young Monica from Friends seriously made me want to throw things at the TV.

The fiery redhead stereotype makes me laugh; I'm the furthest thing from fiery (unless by "fiery," you mean "apathetic"...)

Posted by: MO at February 20, 2008 4:00 PM

Ooo, Scully; you're killing me here.

I just got back from an extended tour of Chicago, led by a native Pole. After we ate our own weight in encased meat one day, and he described Polish men as being blessed with "great girth". I asked if that applied to their entire bodies or just the midsection and he replied,

"Like a Coke can, baby."

I fucking love Chicago.

Posted by: courtney at February 20, 2008 4:01 PM

* as much as Freddie Prinze Jr is, in fact, a person.

Posted by: twig at February 20, 2008 4:01 PM

courtney: my dad is both Polish and from Chicago.

I will never sleep again.

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 4:02 PM

I believe I was caught up in perpetuating my own stereotype and I'm sorry. Or just perhaps, I just find the characters themselves a bit shallow and self-absorbed and that translates over in them being "weak-willed". My personal distaste for them seems to be coloring my vision here.

Posted by: ScarletKnight at February 20, 2008 4:03 PM

Wait a minute, Buffy is a stong woman because she kills vampires with a stick? I'm sure that Buffy and Carrie Bradshaw have more in common than their outfits.

Posted by: Agent Scully at February 20, 2008 4:03 PM

socalled: I must admit I have no way to conclusively prove I'm not a leprechaun. I suppose it doesn't help that when I'm drunk enough, the accent creeps back.

lyricalcatt: I don't think I got the red hair from my mother. Her hair is black. And while I do indeed have a bad temper, it's not because I'm Irish. It's because I'm a bitch.

Posted by: Sarina at February 20, 2008 4:04 PM

fathers can't handle children

Daddy day care, Steve Martin movies, any family comedy on CBS. The only time you see a competent father is when the mom is out of the picture and the dad has to step up after a series of zany mishaps. So overdone all they need is a fat suit.

Posted by: Jennifer at February 20, 2008 4:08 PM

PissBoy, I think you'd have to send a picture of yourself in teeny blue speedos to Socalled for him to give you any real chance.

courtney: my dad is both Polish and from Chicago.

I will never sleep again.

That made me crack up :)

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 4:09 PM

Nice/nerdy guys/girls always lose. So they turn them into mean, "hot" people with one of the "makeovers" described above. It's the worst with girls, but it happens with guys too.

Also the one-sided male high school characters. Jocks that only think about sex and how to make girls do stupid things for their entertainment. I knew plenty of athletes in high school who weren't like that.

The goodie-goodie choir girl. As a former choir girl I'm telling you it just isn't true! Especially if the choir people were also in theatre. I mean sure, you get the goodie-goodie ones, but you also get people who come to school hungover from that "totally awesome party last night".

Posted by: Kay at February 20, 2008 4:12 PM

Agent Scully, yeah--I think Carrie/Buffy aren't really "strong" (if we're using Faith in the sense of being strong. And if that's the case, then to be strong one would NEVER admit weakness and would fly into a bloody rage every time an emotion surfaced). I don't think they're really weak, either, just realistic. (I mean, yeah, they've got neuroses about men and get overly clingy sometimes, but show me a human who hasn't felt that way at one time or another about their romantic partner :-).

Posted by: llism at February 20, 2008 4:13 PM

Some really personal peeves from old movies:

1) The older James Bond films. Zombie Jesus on a pogostick. Not only do you have Sean Connery going Jap-face as a really lame disguise, but then the only black master villain in the series is a glorified drug dealer.

2) Dorks/geeks/nerds/whatever as sexually repressed shut-ins who have no idea what intercourse is. To paraphrase the great Louis Skolnick, nerds think about sex constantly. CONSTANTLY. And with our creativity, we can dream up positions and scenarios that would make Dan Fielding shart his pantaloons.

3) In all fairness, I should point out that the gay dude in Revenge of the Nerds? Not cool at all.

4) A subgenre of the dork/nerd/geek problem: the said nerd mooning over a popular girl while ignoring the perfectly hot geek girl next to him. I have yet to see that happen.

5) Men only caring about sex. This would be the male equivalent to the "spinster at 30" issue. Apparently, due to the fact that I have a penis, I must leave all reason and logic at the house and focus solely on whatever can get me into the most vaginas in the shortest amount of time with the fewest legal troubles.

6) The best friends of any black woman. Why would you surround yourself with such blatant passive-aggressive assholes?

7) Being successful and black means you sold your soul to the devil. Unless you are doing something 'approved' by the 'community' e.g. running a church, record label executive, athlete, etc.

8) And the one that really gets me, the one that REALLY MAKES ME HOMICIDAL: black guy with intelligence and class = white guy AND/OR white guy with oversized jeans and horrible grammar = black guy.

Posted by: Vermillion at February 20, 2008 4:14 PM

I mean sure, you get the goodie-goodie ones, but you also get people who come to school hungover from that "totally awesome party last night".

Um, I think both of these were old way before Britney got Hit One More Time.

Posted by: twig at February 20, 2008 4:18 PM

The goodie-goodie choir girl. As a former choir girl I'm telling you it just isn't true! Especially if the choir people were also in theatre.

Kay, as a former high school choir/drama club girl, I completely agree. I was a quiet, normal teenager who used to cringe at the phrase "pissed off" (seriously) until I met the wonderful warped minds whom I befriended while doing stage crew for Into the Woods. It was all downhill from there.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 4:19 PM

Apparently, due to the fact that I have a penis, I must leave all reason and logic at the house and focus solely on whatever can get me into the most vaginas in the shortest amount of time with the fewest legal troubles.

Well, that is the best use of your energy.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 4:20 PM

Excellent comments, everyone. I'm getting enraged just thinking about it.

My addition: The Sassy Black Woman. I don't know if this has decreased because of actual progress or the lack of Black women in films and TV these days. But I have grown to loathe the word "sassy."

Posted by: Brie at February 20, 2008 4:20 PM

boo:

Hook me up!

Posted by: courtney at February 20, 2008 4:21 PM

I second the "girl who gets in with the wrong crowd" one. I hate how girls "discovering their sexuality" in America is always demonized as well, and usually pairs with drugs or something.

Not to shill or anything, but:

http://nightwindows.net/2008/02/11/understanding-the-difference/

The above link, from my blog, is a snippet from Saul and Patsy by Charles Baxter where a character explains the difference between a french and american novel. I love it.


Also, This is less in movies than it is in every sitcom and commercial these days. Girl or wife knows everything, smart, funny--Guy or husband is bumbling idiot, can't figure anything out, causes problems.

Posted by: Kevin Longrie at February 20, 2008 4:23 PM

Hell, Bing F-ing Crosby has a black face number in Holiday Inn for fucksake. No amount of crooning with David Bowie can remove it from my mind.

Posted by: Pro_Luv at February 20, 2008 4:25 PM

Sixteen Candles -

Long Duck Dong, for starters. Nerd stereotypes throughout.
And then the part where Sam is talking about wanting a black car and a guy, and her friend is like "what? a black guy?" And Sam says, "NO!! A black car! A pink guy!"

That always makes me shudder.

Posted by: ewg at February 20, 2008 4:25 PM

The most cringe-worthy stereotype is also one we'll be looked down upon in the future: the Latino as a barrio/ghetto/slum dwelling, gangbanger with a heart of gold who only needs a teacher (preferrably from another under-represented ethnic group, usually played by Sam Jackson, Morgan Freeman or Edward James Olmos) or, worse, a dancing white person to set him/her straight and other variations like the Latino as immigrant (legal or not) without much culture because, well, there's no culture in Latin America because it's not like there were huge, culturally impressive empires in the Americas before the white man arrived.

Posted by: Armando at February 20, 2008 4:26 PM

Dammit, ewg, now I feel guilty for every time I laughed when Long Duck Dong yelled "Oh sexy girlfriend!" and fell out of the tree.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 4:27 PM

Kevin Longrie, yep, that seems to be the maxim that guides pretty much all television premises: Men are stupid; women are shrill.

Posted by: llism at February 20, 2008 4:28 PM

llism: men are afraid of their wives' tempers, women only have sex to placate their husbands, and wives are killjoys with no sense of fun. Cough Everybody Loves Raymond cough.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 4:30 PM

I too must throw in my vote with the abused-empowered-wife-who-gets-back-at-her-husband crap. Seriously...what the hell?

Posted by: bonnie at February 20, 2008 4:31 PM

Men are stupid; women are shrill.

But heaven forfend they try to live without each other! He'll become an unemployed pothead who masturbates to cartoons and video games, and she'll have eight cats and listen to Joni Mitchell and cry while eating a pan of brownies for dinner.

Posted by: Sarina at February 20, 2008 4:33 PM

umm. are we not stating the obvious because everyone knows it exists and it's not worth it? I mean the mexican unejumicated persons in movies. I mean it's like they all follow that old horrible joke...(a mexican and a black man are in car, who's driving? the cop). seriously, white people are not the only ones who are smart.

and the one that gets me and makes me laugh is when people who look foreign all have to speak a foreign language. i.e. people who look asian speak japanese or chinese (I know a lot of asians who can't say more than kawasaki in japanese, and their parent ARE japanese). Or people who look hispanic HAVE to talk spanish. When was the last time you saw a hispanic person speaking anything other than "hey esse..." or some such spanglish.

and fat people in general... why are we different simply because we choose (or some of us anyway) to maintain an adequate supply of storage nutrients in our body in case of a nuclear disaster?

Posted by: Nico at February 20, 2008 4:34 PM

3) In all fairness, I should point out that the gay dude in Revenge of the Nerds? Not cool at all.

Lamar. His name was Lamar. I was at a New Years Ever party last year and some guy was bemoaning the fact that he'd never seen a gay black guy in a movie. I mentioned "Lamar" from Revenge of the Nerds and the guy gave me a blank stare. He had never heard of Revenge of the Nerds. I felt very old all of a sudden. (I didn't even bother mentioning Hollywood from Mannequin).

After that amusing anecdote, I have to disagree here. You see, sure, Lamar was a stereotype. So were Louis, Gilbert, Booger, Takashi, Wormser, Poindexter, Betty Childs, Stan Gable, Ogre (until he was later given "depth" in the sequel), Coach Harris, etc.

Revenge of the Nerds was a movie about stereotypes. That was the lesson of the film. These dudes looked and acted like stereotypical nerds, but they were, in fact, good people who were able to accomplish great things - often using their Nerd powers.

Some of this reminds me of a comment some kid made in one of my creative writing classes in undergrad. I forget how it got brought up, but in the course of some discussion he said something along the lines of "I hated The Breakfast Club, everyone in that movie was a stereotype." It was at that stage of the conversation that I had to interject, "That was the POINT of the movie. They were all stereotypes coming into detention, but then over the course of the day realized they each had their own issues."

So, while many of these stereotypes in films are just the result of lazy writing and overall lameness, every once and while there's a reason behind it. Are those reasons justified? I don't know...

As for Xerses in 300, he, like the rest of that movie, was so over-the-top ridiculous and so far removed from any reality that I found it hard to be offended.

Posted by: Ajax19 at February 20, 2008 4:35 PM

Julie, they play Everybody Loves Raymond every fucking night when I'm at the gym, and even though the sound is off, the sight of their smarmy, smirking faces makes me want to claw my eyes out. Or theirs. Whichever is more efficient, really.

Posted by: llism at February 20, 2008 4:35 PM

Luckily examples of this are few and far between, but I find it so offensive when movies try to make it seem like fat people are just like everybody else and worthy of anything more than scorn.

Posted by: Paco at February 20, 2008 4:38 PM

And I'm not talking about chubby people, I mean orca fat. If you have no respect for yourself and your body, why should I?

Posted by: Paco at February 20, 2008 4:39 PM

As for Xerses in 300, he, like the rest of that movie, was so over-the-top ridiculous and so far removed from any reality that I found it hard to be offended.

I, frankly, am impressed with any man who packs his own orgy along for the war.

Posted by: twig at February 20, 2008 4:41 PM

Sarina, or, Option B: He'll become a vile, misogynistic scythe of a human intent on destroying everything good in his path (think Aaron Eckhart in In the Company of Men), and she'll become preposterously paranoid and defensive, like a Miranda version 15.

Posted by: llism at February 20, 2008 4:41 PM

1. The Magical Negro

2. The fiesty, over-sexualized Latina

3. The idea that any girl with big boobs is a slut. Hint: we aren't.

4. Fat people are hilarious and disgusting at the same time.

5. All a modern and independent woman needs is a man, baby.

Posted by: telesilla at February 20, 2008 4:43 PM

Also? Any movie in the Nice White Lady genre. (link goes to You Tube)

Posted by: telesilla at February 20, 2008 4:45 PM

The idea of having women discover all they really need is a pretty dress and a man is not really something new. I like the old Doris Day movies (Calamity Jane for example, or the one where she's a widowed sheep farmer) but while she starts out as tough woman getting by on her own, she always puts on a dress and finds a man to tell her what to do and is just SO MUCH HAPPIER! It's infuriating.

I wish I could complain about the stereotypes of Italians in film, but half my family is Philadelphia Italian, and by the shininess of their chains and tracksuits you shall know them.

Posted by: Siege at February 20, 2008 4:46 PM

The idea that any girl with big boobs is a slut. Hint: we aren't.

True, damn the luck, but you are fun on roller coasters.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 4:46 PM

socalled, and trampolines ;-).

Posted by: llism at February 20, 2008 4:50 PM

I, frankly, am impressed with any man who packs his own orgy along for the war.

And that wasn't just your typical, every day, run-of-the-mill orgy either. That was a freak orgy with all sorts of mutilated people, animal people, Siamese, oops, I mean, conjoined twins. That was some crazy shit.

Posted by: Ajax19 at February 20, 2008 4:52 PM

socalled and llism

Also on cold days when we can stand in for earmuffs.

Posted by: telesilla at February 20, 2008 4:55 PM

And that wasn't just your typical, every day, run-of-the-mill orgy either. That was a freak orgy with all sorts of mutilated people, animal people, Siamese, oops, I mean, conjoined twins. That was some crazy shit.

They should totally feature that on Engineering Marvels of the Ancient World -- "Xerxes' travelling orgy couldn't just show up and start sucking and fucking; no, Xerxes relied on a series of pumps and pullies that continue to mystify Sucking and Fucking Scholars to this day ...."

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 4:59 PM

Here's another: the idea that you can determine a person's character--kindness, generosity, honesty, etc.--from their waist size. Instead, it's one of the few acceptable prejudices left, and at best we try to hide that by calling it concern for someone's health. At worst, Eddie Murphy makes "Norbit." Paco, I'm looking at you. And before you make some snap judgment about my appearance, please factor in that I'm a triathlete. Are you?

Posted by: Kate at February 20, 2008 5:00 PM

Being born and raised and still living in South Louisiana, it always makes me cringe the way people in New Orleans and the city itself are portrayed.

Here's a few things that bother me:

1. Everyone speaks with a cajun accent (usually a very bad one).

2. Everyone has a French last name (usually something along the lines of Boudreaux or Thibodeaux).

3. Apparently the only kind of music you will hear in bars and clubs is Jazz.

4. You need to take a ride on a shrimp boat in order to get to certain areas of the city (watch the movie Blue Chips).

Posted by: RAT at February 20, 2008 5:00 PM

the eastern european 6 feet tall-unibrow-speaking in single syllables-evil doer stereotype bothers me a lot. i thought the cold war ended.

Posted by: willa at February 20, 2008 5:02 PM

In fairness, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" also helped to debunk a long-established Straight People Myth About Gay Men: at the end of one episode, when they're all in their tastefully decorated flat sipping martinis, they spontaneously began dancing...

...except for Ted Allen, who began flailing as though someone was attempting to defibrillate him with the alternator from a '64 Buick.

God bless you, Ted Allen, for conclusively disproving the notion that all gays dance well.

As for The Birdcage, the plot relied on Nathan Lane's character's inability to "pass" for straight. If Robin and Nathan had been a couple of uptight suburban Log Cabins, then I doubt their son and his beloved would have been so concerned about getting them all together. (Still a lot of other broad stereotypes in that movie, though.)

Good call on the transphobia, trooper6... we have a long, long way to go on that front.

Posted by: jeem at February 20, 2008 5:02 PM

The white Southerner depicted as an inbred, knuckle-dragging illiterate racist. And they always have the most over-the-top southern drawls. This is worse in older movies, but still perpetuated in recent offerings such as "Dukes of Hazzard."

Posted by: rlr260 at February 20, 2008 5:03 PM

Right on, Sarina:
But heaven forfend they try to live without each other! He'll become an unemployed pothead who masturbates to cartoons and video games, and she'll have eight cats and listen to Joni Mitchell and cry while eating a pan of brownies for dinner.

But wait: Why can't it be the WOMAN who smokes pot and masturbates?

Posted by: numchuck at February 20, 2008 5:05 PM

3. Apparently the only kind of music you will hear in bars and clubs is Jazz.

I actually wish this was true.

Posted by: Kay at February 20, 2008 5:06 PM

1. The Magical Negro

Hmmm...

As far as I can recall, there is a distinct lack of magical black people in film.

All magical people I know of are white (some very much so): David Copperfiled, Houdini, Dough Henning, Criss Angel, David Blaine, Penn and Teller, Merlin, Gandalf, Sarumon, Dumbledore, all the Harry Potter kids, Raistlin, Dr. Strange, Scarlet Witch, Dr. Fate, etc., etc., etc...

The list goes on and on with a magical black man in sight. (And, no, Shquille O'Neal was not a magician in Kazaam, he was a genie. There's a difference.) Still, even including Shaq's Kazaam, if anything, magical black men have been under represented.

Posted by: Ajax19 at February 20, 2008 5:06 PM

But wait: Why can't it be the WOMAN who smokes pot and masturbates?

Hear hear! And MAN who sits in the closet with the door cracked, watching intently?

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 5:08 PM

Ajax19 The Magical Negro isn't a magician or wizard in the traditional magical sense; he's more a stock character who dispenses wisdom and platitudes that help the white main characters find enlightenment.

Think Baggar Vance or Whoppi's character in Ghost.

Posted by: telesilla at February 20, 2008 5:12 PM

Hear hear! And MAN who sits in the closet with the door cracked, watching intently?

And they say romance is dead.

Posted by: Sarina at February 20, 2008 5:13 PM

For all of those people who are mentioning "Holiday Inn" with it's offensive blackface routine, I got an even better one. "Babes on Broadway" with Mickey Rooney (again!) and Judy Garland. At the end of the movie they put on a huge, extravagant show...all done in blackface. That just ruined the movie for me. I know it was in style at the time, but I just can't watch it.

I am getting so sick of fat people as the punch line. I'm not sure if anyone's ever seen the movie "Avanti!" with Jack Lemmon and Juliet Miles, but it infuriates me to no end that she's supposed to be this gigantic cow and Jack Lemmon still falls in love with her! She's not even fat and yet, there are fat jokes left and right at her expense. Even her name is a joke Pamela Piggot. Pig. Get it? Ha ha ha. Yeah, not funny. That was from 1972. All these years later and fatties are still used as the punchline. I'm getting highly offended when my size 10 ass is now considered obese. Thanks, Hollywood.

Posted by: Rebecca at February 20, 2008 5:21 PM

Some I haven't seen mentioned (don't know if one is a stereotype, per se):

1. Movies where the only answer, the best answer, to a conflict is to beat the shit outta somebody, either literally or figuratively (like out-dancing them) to show that you're better (or just as good). I realize a lot of movies would end after just 5 minutes if the picked-on girl/dude would just say to somebody challenging him/her to some sort of pointless contest: "Eh, not worth it. I got better things to do. Later, losers." The "ultimate contest as proof that you are as worthy as anyone else" theme is overdone. Popular, but overdone.

2. Poor and/or rural people are always better, nicer, more down-to-earth than city folk. They're not. They're not worse, but they're not better, either. Lots of poor people are stupid assholes, too.

Posted by: Slash at February 20, 2008 5:25 PM

Telesilla, you could have also referred him to any of the M.N.s in Stephen King's novels/films. Easiest one is Michael Clarke Duncan's character in The Green Mile, but there's also the cook in The Shining and the Mother Somethingorother character in The Stand.

Alternately, Mace Windu, that bad-ass motherfucker played by Samuel L. Jackson in the Star Wars prequels.

Posted by: jeem at February 20, 2008 5:26 PM

Telesilla

Yeah, I was just kind of joking with the whole Kazaam, Raistlin (by the way, when are we going to get our review of the straight-to-DVD Dragonlance cartoon, you?), and Dr. Strange stuff thrown in there.

Though, to be on point, I think that wikipedia page (thanks for the link, by the way) is a bit confused. I mean, Uncle Remus, Bagger Vance, and the like are one thing.

But characters like John Coffey and Oda Mae Brown are quite another. I mean, they had honest-to-goodness magical powers. John Coffey could heal folks and Oda Mae could hear dead Patrick Swayze.

Speaking of Oda Mae Brown, Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost is really one of my guilty pleasures. I find her absolutely hi-larious in that role. It never ceases to amuse...

Posted by: Ajax19 at February 20, 2008 5:30 PM

Wow, no one called out John Wayne? There is a lot to dislike about his movies but I'm thinking of one where he's a Mongolian warrior which was painful, all 15 minutes I saw of it.

Classic Disney movies are pretty bad but especially The Jungle Book where The Monkey King sings "I wanna be like you, I wanna walk like you, talk like you" to the white boy. Also the crows singing "I ain't never seen an elephant fly" in Dumbo. Both songs are obviously Negro (as they used to say) performers. All the more insidious because the songs are catchy.

Posted by: Amanda47 at February 20, 2008 5:31 PM

twig-- As much as I love "Divalicious Von Bitchpants," you're right--I swear, not all sorority girls wear the bitch pants. And not all fraternity guys are complete idiots (some are, but not much higher a percentage than the general population).

I absolutely hate the way that geeks/nerds/dorks/whatevers are in movies. Hate. Honestly, with the exception of Mean Girls ("sexually active band geeks"), every movie and tv show assumes they never bathe, talk, or do anything but spend time on the computer. And while there's always that one kid who is like that, the majority of geeks just aren't.

And I hate the "Inner-City Kids Just Need to Learn to Write/Ballroom Dance/Share Their Feelings" plotline. Seriously? Ballroom dancing? I'm sure most of them are Based on a True Story, but seriously. Ballroom dancing competition?

Posted by: Lizbeth at February 20, 2008 5:32 PM

The treatment of Natives / First Nations / Indians. I was watching the Simpsons Movie - The Simpsons Movie, folks! - and cringing. All the cowboy revival of the 90s did was remove the scalping aspect. They're all incredibly poor with 18 kids, no education and addicted to alcohol, at best. Adam Beach on SVU and Lorne Cardinal on Corner Gas are finally starting to turn this trend around, thank GOD.

Don't even get me started on Peter Pan.

Posted by: Sarah at February 20, 2008 5:33 PM

Put me down as sick of the fat chick stereotype (and I'm not overweight). How did "Norbit" get made? Seriously. I'm gonna throw down the race card, kinda: if a white guy made a movie today where a black character smokes Kool cigarettes, eats nothing but fried chicken and watermelon, sits at home with no job and collects a welfare check, robs liquor stores and sells crack, all played for laughs at the expense of the black character, the NAACP would have no trouble getting that shit shut down. But Eddie Murphy makes a giant insult to not only overweight women, but black overweight women, and nothing? I seriously don't get it. He must really hate women, and especially overweight women.

Mind you, I haven't seen Norbit, so if it concludes with some really touching message of support for overweight women, well then, nevermind, but I'm guessing that it doesn't.

Posted by: Slash at February 20, 2008 5:33 PM

Besides Mickey Rooney:
The black faun in Fantasia.(Which now has been edited out.)
Anyone in Song of the South(I haven't seen it)
Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer(I think they dealt with this best in the film The Savages for senior movie night)
Any Gay Stereotype in a movie(Chuck and Larry for instance)
I hate how Jews are Vicious and evil creatures in the Middle East. Not close to funny.

Posted by: Kamakaze Feminist at February 20, 2008 5:35 PM

RAT-I never thought about the "city" stereotype. NYC always has to have some smart mouthed guy from Brooklyn in a wifebeater with sweat marks and huge gold chains. And usually he's balding with a beer belly. Of course having lived in Brooklyn they are on every corner...ha ha.

Twig-I see where you are coming from. I suppose that it just floors me that glasses make you invisibile (i.e. Clark Kent/Superman). Funny. I love guys with glasses. It's a turn on.

Posted by: lyricalcatt at February 20, 2008 5:36 PM

I'm teaching Blade Runner right now, and the "love scene" still makes me cringe even though I've seen it dozens of times. It makes my students cringe too (praise Jebus).

Posted by: HG at February 20, 2008 5:38 PM

Mind you, I haven't seen Norbit, so if it concludes with some really touching message of support for overweight women, well then, nevermind, but I'm guessing that it doesn't.

Still not okay, and probably even worse because of the cowardice and hypocrisy -- the I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry "get out of jail free" card. We'll make fun of a stereotype fo 90 minutes, then reveal that we understand we're actually all the same on the inside . . . so it's totally okay to rip on someone for said stereotype.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 5:39 PM

1) Fat guy friends are funny and idiotic or constantly high - haha, laugh at the fat guy doing cartwheels or being incredibly loud (Chris Farley started this trend, I think, but some other examples: Jack Black in EVERYTHING, the Poor Man's Jack Black in Catch and Release (can't remember that guy's name> He sucked.)

2) Most attractive girls who care about their appearance are dumb. There is always at least one of these in every teen flick. Examples: Bring It On, Mean Girls (Karen, I think), and Clueless. Some of these are just so over the top. I've known some dumb people in my life, but never so dumb that they can barely function. Although I guess I know OF Jessica Simpson.

3) Girls always stab their friends in the back - Mean Girls, 13 Going on 30, etc. Sometimes there are functional female friendships. Even in high school.

4) Educated and/or successful black men are nerdy and "act white"

5) Southerners are stupid and racist

Posted by: tt_marie at February 20, 2008 5:41 PM

Jeem What is it with King anyway? If it's not the Magical Negro, it's the Magical Native American.

As for Mace Windu...yeah, Lucas has his own skeevy race issues, witness Jar-Jar. Or you know, don't, if you value your sanity.

Posted by: telesilla at February 20, 2008 5:42 PM

He must really hate women, and especially overweight women.

Slash, I don't think he hates overweight women so much as there's absolutely NOTHING relevant about him anymore, so he's foraging in the last "acceptable" (as others have pointed out) place he can find.

What I find so interesting is that these kinds of movies always make fun of fat women, and never fat men. Or if there is a fat man, he's characterized as being so effeminate that he might as well be a woman.

Posted by: llism at February 20, 2008 5:43 PM

the Poor Man's Jack Black in Catch and Release

I actually did LOL when I read that, tt; Kevin Smith will be devastated to know that he went from a world where Jack Black was the homeless man's Kevin Smith to one where he's "that Jack Black knock-off in Catch and Release."

Don't look now, but the Clerks contingent is coming for your head.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 5:44 PM

"Twig-I see where you are coming from. I suppose that it just floors me that glasses make you invisibile (i.e. Clark Kent/Superman). Funny. I love guys with glasses. It's a turn on."

Lyricalcatt: same here, I've always preferred guys with glasses. And (as an adult) I've never had a bad experience when occasionaly wearing my glasses instead of my contacts, I've found that guys think they're pretty cute. I'll never understand the glasses=nerd mentality. Hell, one of my first childhood crushes was on Egon Spengler.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 5:44 PM

One of the most offensive stereotypes I have ever seen was in the cinematic masterpiece that is "Firestorm". The escaped-convicts-posing-as-firefighters eluded the police by saying they were "Albertans tryin' to get back to Alberta" with a drawl - a drawl people! It's YOU that have the drawl.

Anyway, as for the future, I really hope the stereotype of the stuffy-looking bourgeois man with his labcoat and beekers being the only type of person that can make any kind of scientific discovery (Rosalyn Franklin was robbed, ahem) is put to moot. I bet all those people running around in lamé jumpsuits will look at our archaic science equipment and call us amateurs!

Posted by: Agente Provocatrice at February 20, 2008 5:51 PM

You do admit he was awful in C&R and very Jack Black-esque, right? I mean, I like Silent Bob as much as the next gal, but come on. That was bad.

Posted by: tt_marie at February 20, 2008 5:53 PM

Well, he was a lot gentler and sweeter than most of Jack Black's characters . . . excuse me, than Jack Black's character. Was he awful? I thought the whole movie, him included, was just kind of "meh," except that Timothy Olyphant was great and Juliette Lewis was terrible.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 5:59 PM

I WANT A LAMÉ JUMPSUIT, DAMMIT.

Thought of another two: In American movies, all British characters are effete know-it-all snobs. In British movies, all American characters are loud boorish pricks.

Posted by: jeem at February 20, 2008 6:06 PM

except that Timothy Olyphant was great

God damn I love him, if only for Sheriff Bullock and Todd the drug dealer from Go.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 6:06 PM

For something to be 'cringe inducing' because it's been done one too many times is one thing, but to look at a Gone With The Wind or a movie that 'inappropriately' portays homosexuals and say you cringe at the references is another.

I still say the end of A Christmas Story when the Chinese people come out and sing 'Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra' to Jingle Bells is one of the funniest moments of that movie. It's not because I'm racist.... Hell, I'm half asian. But sometimes you can't deny when something's funny.

Trooper, I would recommend NOT looking to Ace Ventura for a politically correct response to a man (being JIM CARREY) finding out he made out with a transgender male. I mean, come on....

I think people need to stop being so sensitive. I'm not racist, I'm not a bigot, I'm not homophobic, but get serious... Yes, there are certain things are quite offensive, but if you take the context in which they were created in mind, a lot of times it explains itself. Where it doesn't, why do you bother yourself with watching hateful things anyway?

Posted by: Beckie at February 20, 2008 6:10 PM

Ajax19>> Don't forget Hooper X from Chasing Amy.

Kay>> Regarding jazz in bars and clubs...do you have the other half of this amulet? :- )

Posted by: Darth Corleon at February 20, 2008 6:11 PM

CARS CARS CARS CARS CARS

What stereotype DIDN'T that movie have? Ramone? Luigi? Guido? Flo? I swear, when Larry the Freaking Cable Guy voices the LEAST stereotypical character in the film, you've got a problem.

Also, the Chinese restaurant scene in A Christmas Story. I know that movie is darn near unassailable in our collective culture, but I remember as a wee tyke asking my mom to explain the Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra joke to me, and I just couldn't understand it, and I could tell that she was uncomfortable explaining it, and finally gave up, and I knew right then it must be awfully wrong......

Posted by: Jen at February 20, 2008 6:13 PM

In American movies, all British characters are effete know-it-all snobs. In British movies, all American characters are loud boorish pricks.

But these ones are true by and large, like the clovers and leprechauns flying out of Sarina's ass.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 6:14 PM

Also, Mammy was my favorite character in Gone With The Wind. She loved Scarlett and everyone around her. She was so effing sweet, but tough as nails. When she pulled up her skirt to show Mr. Rhett her red petticoat was just the funniest thing......

Posted by: Beckie at February 20, 2008 6:14 PM

Mmmm yes, first of all Kevin Smith is god, he's like, an idea machine. All ya' hatazzz need to step-off.
My most hated stereotype is: the "crack FBI investigative squad" composed of the hottie, the not so hottie brunette or "latina," the ugly dyke/hardened veteran senior agent, the nerd "he can hack into anything riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, and the stud. All these people were the top of their class at "Quantico" riiiiiiiiiiiiight.
I especially despise it on account on refusing to believe there is anything "crack" or "elite" about an organization built up by a transvestite homo that practices legalized thuggery.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at February 20, 2008 6:15 PM

Socalled, Sarina is going to douse you in Bushmills, set you on fire, and Irish jig on your ashes for that remark.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 6:17 PM

How about the entire cast of The Quiet Man (with the possible exception of Maureen O'Hara).

Or absolutely everything about Darby O'Gill and The Little People

Or Leprachaun.

Yes, there's a theme emerging here.

Posted by: PaddyDog at February 20, 2008 6:17 PM

telesilla: As for Mace Windu...yeah, Lucas has his own skeevy race issues, witness Jar-Jar. Or you know, don't, if you value your sanity.

What's less known is the hardship and systemic racism Admiral Ackbar had to endure while climbing the ranks of the human-dominated Imperial Navy. I don't think any of us fully appreciate just how much Ackbar did to advance the cause of Mon Calamari rights throughout the galaxy.

No wonder he turned rebel.

Posted by: Oh Henry at February 20, 2008 6:18 PM

Every russian in any movie is always named Yuri, Sergei, Nikolai

Posted by: Lisa at February 20, 2008 6:22 PM

Ackbar did to advance the cause of Mon Calamari rights throughout the galaxy.

No wonder he turned rebel.

Posted by: Oh Henry at February 20, 2008 6:18 PM

-----------------------------------------------
Amen brother, A FUCKING MEN! I say that EVERY TIME someone brings up the many Bothan lives lost to smuggle the Death Star plans. But that was just a one time thing and they were being USED by Palpatine anyway.
Ackbar and the Mon Cals laid it ALL on the line for YEARS.

May the Force be with you.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at February 20, 2008 6:23 PM

Revenge of the Nerds was a movie about stereotypes. That was the lesson of the film. These dudes looked and acted like stereotypical nerds, but they were, in fact, good people who were able to accomplish great things - often using their Nerd powers.

See, Ajax19, there is the problem. The movie, in title and premise, is about nerds. Nerds having to overcome obstacles put in their way simply because they are nerds. And all of the Tri-Lamb characters filled that stereotype.

All except Lamar. There was never any instance of note where he showed any nerdiness. The whole point of his character was that he was gay. For example, the javelin gag. The javelin was specifically designed (by the other nerds, mind you) to make up for his limp-wristed physicality. He wasn't a nerd who happened to be gay, he was a flaming queen who was stuck in the nerd frat because no one else would have him. And that is what pissed me off.

It didn't help that he was supposed to be one of the few examples of a black nerd, only to be outshone (unfortunately) by that abomination named Urkel.

Posted by: Vermillion at February 20, 2008 6:24 PM

I hate the part in the movie John Tucker Must Die when they give him estrogen and suddenly he's a big whiny cry-baby who can't handle his life. I mean, seriously? This is your portrayal of becoming more 'womanly'?




Yes.

Posted by: Joey at February 20, 2008 6:24 PM

Lisa, have you ever seen the Russian film, Italianetz ('The Italian')? It's an absolutely amazing movie, AND the main character's name is Vanya. You might enjoy it... :)

Posted by: Beckie at February 20, 2008 6:26 PM

Of all the offensive stereotypes mentioned in this thread, nothing is more offensive than referring to Kevin Smith as the poor man's Jack Black. That hurt my soul. Deeply. tt, please tell me you didn't discover movie theaters until 2005.

Posted by: Dustin Rowles at February 20, 2008 6:29 PM

kisses Dustin's soul and makes it better.

What about religious stereotypes? Not Christian mind you, 'cause I know all those bastards LOVE to say they are persecuted, but lesser known religions like Wicca or Buddhism? Not all witches are crazy new agers.

Posted by: Theresa at February 20, 2008 6:34 PM

Awww, don't kiss his soul Theresa, let it burn, burn straight to heck. He was talking smack about Johnny Dangerously just hour ago.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at February 20, 2008 6:39 PM

Theresa: good one. Who are the bad guys in 85% of the big-budget action movies made since the end of the Cold War?

Hint: not the Taoists.

Posted by: jeem at February 20, 2008 6:46 PM

What about the "menstrual crazy woman" shit?

Lemme tell ya sumptin: crazy ain't limited to those who bleed from their 'jay.

Re: big titty gals---

they also make excellent radio tuning knobs. obviously.

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 6:46 PM

Not exactly a racial stereotype, but an example of perceptions of domestic violence. I was watching an old episode of "I Love Lucy" in the break room last week, and Lucy was running around and hoping that Ricky wouldn't figure out one of her hair-brained schemes because he'd hit her (her words). I sat there in slack-jawed wonderment as I realized that beating the crap out of your wife to get laughs was socially acceptable in the 1950's.

Posted by: longcoat000 at February 20, 2008 6:47 PM

Oh crap - I'm just going to say it - here goes..retards.
Franks and beans anyone?

Posted by: jp at February 20, 2008 6:47 PM

Not all witches are crazy new agers

No, only the Wiccans.

let it burn, burn straight to heck

Nice one, Butters.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 6:48 PM

longcoat000: did you ever hear of the "Rule of Thumb"?

Yeah.

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 6:48 PM

longcoat000>> You just touched on the reason - and I know I risk unleashing hell with this remark - that I can't stand The Philadelphia Story.

Posted by: Darth Corleone at February 20, 2008 6:54 PM

Some more:

The lovable (and highly adoptable) orphan.

The trainwreck terrible twos toddler. (oooh, alliteration! squee!)

Hooker with a heart of gold. And on the other side of that coin, the evil nun.

Devil worshipers also get a pretty bad rap.

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 6:54 PM

May the Force be with you.

And also with you, BarbadoSlim. Your midichlorian count is the envy of the internets.

Posted by: Oh Henry at February 20, 2008 6:55 PM

Napoleon Dynamite. The movie spends 99% of it's running time mocking Napoleon, Pedro etc., then you're supposed to feel warm and fuzzy about their triumph. Oh, and it's okay to mock them, because they're oblivious to the mockery, just like in real life. Listen to people quote this movie, and it's obvious they're not laughing with the geeks, they're laughing at them.

Posted by: MrC at February 20, 2008 6:58 PM

Amen to seeing the following go the way of the :

1) The Magical Negro/Brown People Are So Spiritual and Simply LIVE to Bestow Wisdom Upon a Lost White Person.

2) All a woman needs is to get married.

3) Over the top labor/delivery scenes.

And here's my own addition:

4) Ginormous needles being shoved into necks in order to administer medicine. It's so technically wrong I just lose it every time.

And PS:
Accents are hilarious. Always. (Also, they are often sexy.) If a character is from China, Japan, Italy, Germany, or Daneland, their pronunciation is just funny. Nothing wrong with that.

Posted by: susquehana at February 20, 2008 7:11 PM

"So, I watched Shirley Temple's Littlest Rebel recently...expecting bunches of racist stuff...which was there...but that wasn't the most disturbing thing about it...all the creepy pedophilia...the creepy way they sexualized her was....shocking."

All of Shirley Temple's movies were basically women's films with tap numbers and she was usually the smartest person in them so it's only natural that the leading man would fall in love with her. Jeanine Basinger wrote a lot about that aspect of her films.

In that BABES ON BROADWAY number with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, some of the lyrics go something like, 'We're Blacking it up! We're Blacking up Broadway!' It's pretty horrifying.

I hope this stereotype goes away in the next few week but it's kind of been around forever so...the (usually) white person going into the black (usually) community and amusing everyone with their attempts to fit in. Awkward race relations are funny! And interesting how it's rarely played for laughs when the situation is reversed.

Posted by: Andrew at February 20, 2008 7:12 PM

Well, this is just the perfect place to launch into this. As a writer, I love the urban patois. I love street slang. I think it sounds musical when done right. But would I be racist for having my character speak that way? Is it racist to have characters from the street speak street?

There always seems to be a double standard on these things. If you write a character who speaks street, you're giving into racist stereotypes. If you write a character who doesn't speak slang, you aren't writing realistically. If you write a movie or play with jocks who happen to be jerks or bitchy cheerleaders or virgin nerds, you're giving into cliches. But you if write all your characters the reverse of that, then you're muddying the waters.

So my question is, is it wrong or lazy to do that? Is there a better way to do that? Since this tends to be a savvy crowd, I'm all ears.

Posted by: insertclevernamehere at February 20, 2008 7:13 PM

to insertclevernamehere, I ask you, is your character from the street organically, or is your character some jive talking cardboard smack dealing tap dancer who is saving money to send his sister to Denmark because shes dying of cancer and laughing at foreign people in person is her life's dream?

All I am saying is serve no master other than the story. If that is your character, and that is how he (or she) speaks, then flesh it out and go with it. Just don't play it for laughs/ratings.

Posted by: Theresa at February 20, 2008 7:19 PM

hmm, I think I'm missing a coma or ten in my last comment. Sorry about that.

Posted by: Theresa at February 20, 2008 7:22 PM

So my question is, is it wrong or lazy to do that? Is there a better way to do that?

Just look at "The Wire" and how ghetto the language is -- and this is from a largely-white group of writers. They're honest about the nature and origin of the characters, and no one would even think twice about the "urban" patois. Artistic credibility goes a long, long way, but like the lady says, follow the story and be honest.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 7:34 PM

Amanda47: The orangutan King of the Jungle in Disney's Jungle Book was voiced by Louis Prima, who was Italian-American. He sang "I Wanna Be Like You" in his own style (listen to his version of "Just a Gigolo" for instance.

Posted by: ccb at February 20, 2008 8:05 PM

Wow, not that this is going to matter at all, but the last time I saw a conversation about Disney stereotypes and somebody mentioned King Louie as being a negative black portrayal - I think he was based on a popular Italian entertainer at the time.

The rest still stand. Especially the jaw-dropping insult they edited out of Fantasia.

Posted by: twig at February 20, 2008 8:17 PM

... how'd you do that, ccb?

Posted by: twig at February 20, 2008 8:18 PM

Emotionally-stunted adults that must be taught how to live/laugh/love by precocious children.

Posted by: LB at February 20, 2008 8:21 PM

Amanda47 - Not only was King Louie in Jungle Book voiced by the famously Italian and decidedly white Louis Prima, but the part was actually created for him specifically.

Posted by: Simon B at February 20, 2008 8:29 PM

Personally speaking, I'm a little fed up with the whole "British teeth" thing. (Austin Powers, Shanghai Knights, etc). Teeth are no worse here than anywhere else in the Western world - excluding Hollywood obviously.

I know the British are hardly an oppressed culture (in fact we used to do much of the oppressing ourselves 150 years ago), but it still hurts our feelings!

Posted by: Simon B at February 20, 2008 8:40 PM

Damn, all the heavy hitters are coming to get me (I can't say that you didn't warn me, socalled). I've seen, I think, all of Smith's films except for Clerks II (Some in the theatres. Prior to 2005, Dustin.), and I liked them well enough (actually didn't like Dogma so much if I'm being honest), I guess.

But I'm going to stand my ground here. I'm sticking by my opinion that he was douchy in Catch and Release. He was the Poor Man's Jack Black. IN THAT MOVIE, is all I'm saying, not in life generally.

Don't be blinded by love, people! Don't forget about Jersey Girl!

Posted by: tt_marie at February 20, 2008 8:54 PM

The trainwreck terrible twos toddler. (oooh, alliteration! squee!)

Posted by: boo at February 20, 2008 6:54 PM

Come live at my house for a few days.

There are moments here now lately that I feel like putting a sign around my son's neck that reads "Lovable (and highly adoptable) orphan" and dropping him off at a corner.

Good times, good times.

Posted by: Alabamapink at February 20, 2008 9:13 PM

Indians (dot, not feather) who speak with a goofy-ass fake rajput accent and are always good at math/computers, and are desperate to get laid.

Fuck you very much, Van Wilder.

Posted by: TK at February 20, 2008 9:14 PM

Is it me... or did this comment section veer off course? It was suggested to list the most "politically uncomfortable" film moments. Not entire hollywood-typical stereotypes.

ANYWAY...The most "politically uncomfortable" moment I ever watched in a movie was in "The Accused". The rape scene in the bar. ugh. just thinking about it makes my stomach hurt.

Posted by: Melissa at February 20, 2008 9:23 PM

Darth Corleon, I may. I'm just a swing dancer so if I could swing in clubs and bars...well maybe that wouldn't be a good idea drunk, I've hurt myself enough doing aerials sober... But yes, jazz is wonderful.

Posted by: Kay at February 20, 2008 9:25 PM

In an action/adventure movie: The hero/protagonist is always a WASP-y man.

and "Chuck and Larry" left me speechless.

Posted by: TIFSAHOY at February 20, 2008 9:25 PM

Go to cracked.com and search for the Top Racist Characters in Disney Movies. You will DIE. Some favorites are the crows from Dumbo, Tiger Lily from Peter Pan, Jaffar from Aladdin, the list goes on and on.

Posted by: Leanne at February 20, 2008 9:38 PM

OK, I haven't seen this one mentioned yet.

I'm really tired of female aliens with weird face makeup but Barbie bodies / gigumbo boobies. Why don't the Klingon women have udders? NO, they gotta have Dolly Partons in a painted on leotard.

There's only two female aliens I can think of who didn't have big boobies. That ottoman that ate through rock on one of the early Star Trek episodes ("Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer.") And of course, THE Alien from Alien.

Posted by: BWeaves at February 20, 2008 9:41 PM

I'm sure someone mentioned this already, but Star Wars has always bothered me. From the fact that no one ever needs to use the toilet, (not a big issue but when scenes take place in a bar, don't people have to go at least once in while. I image their toilet facilities being very complex and humorous to see), to the different alien species that seem to be cruel stereotypes.
Trade Federation= Chinese Business men with thick accents.
Jar-jar= No need to further explain that one.
R2D2= He is short, hard to understand his chirps and whistles, and falls down a lot: Anyone else think of the stereotypical drunk Irish person?
Yoda= Wise Jewish figure talking in half English/half Yiddish. Hell, Space Balls was based on that...
C3P0= Every rich white girl's gay friend. Add some "snaps" and a catch phrase and he would be a character on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: Space Edition".
Wookies= The noble native American exploited by the evil white man.
Jabba the Hutt= Evil Italian Mobster, grossly fat and behind all the crime, all the while issuing orders in Italian.
Jawa= Little tricksters that sell garbage, questionable hygiene, hard to understand...Sounds like a Gypsy to me...
Tusken= Live in the desert, fanatically fights against the encroachment of technology into their society. For Christ's sake he calls them "Sand People"...me thinks Lucas don't like Arabs.

Then again, maybe I'm the terrible person for making these connections. I think its just lazy characters to be honest.

Posted by: Diablo at February 20, 2008 9:48 PM

But these ones are true by and large, like the clovers and leprechauns flying out of Sarina's ass.

Posted by: socalledonlycousins at February 20, 2008 6:14 PM

Some days it hurts to sit. Do you think I could file for disability?

Socalled, Sarina is going to douse you in Bushmills, set you on fire, and Irish jig on your ashes for that remark.

Posted by: Julie at February 20, 2008 6:17 PM

Nah. I don't drink whiskey unless I'm already too wasted to know better. I'm way more of a tequila girl. It's equally flammable though, so watch your back, socalled.

Wait, how tall are you? I may require an assistant to reach the top of your head for the dousing.

Posted by: Sarina at February 20, 2008 10:01 PM

I was watching "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey" the other day, and the boys' favorite insult seems to be "fag." I hadn't seen the movie since my early teenage years, but now that I'm an adult and have several dear gay friends, I was very offended at the unabashed use of an ugly word as a commonplace insult, especially in what I'd considered to be a pretty innocuous movie.

Posted by: Cady at February 20, 2008 10:02 PM

HAHA! Diablo you just made me have another coffee-on-the-computer-screen moment. I guess it's my fault for drinking coffee at 7 pm.

Posted by: Kay at February 20, 2008 10:03 PM

R2D2= He is short, hard to understand his chirps and whistles, and falls down a lot: Anyone else think of the stereotypical drunk Irish person?

Well, he didn't have red hair, but aside from that we're exactly alike! Wait, what month was Star Wars released? Was it in the middle of November? Because I was born in 1977...I think R2D2 is my long-lost, separated-at-birth robo-twin!

I can only conclude from this that I am entitled to a portion of George Lucas' estate.

Posted by: Sarina at February 20, 2008 10:27 PM

Fat Bastard from the Austin Powers movies. Oh God. Makes me want to hurl. I can't even watch it. Nasty, nasty, nasty!

I have never wanted to hurt a character real or imagined as much as I wanted to injure Jar Jar Binks.

Dear, dear Courtney. My mother's family is Polish and from Chicago. Being only half Polish, I've been banished to the Chicago suburbs. I fucking love this town too.

Has anyone actually read some slave literature? Like To be a Slave, or Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas? Read some, then watch Gone with the Wind and then you will understand that GWTW's slave characters are actually well done, and really do not belong in this catagory. Mammy is an amazing character.

Posted by: Lori at February 20, 2008 10:27 PM

The, uh, let's say "tech-savvy" Japanese racers in Cannonball Run (one of whom was Jackie Chan) were pretty fargin' embarassing.

Posted by: Todd at February 20, 2008 10:39 PM

If you are going to get married and be happy forever, you must have a single best friend who is snarky and bitchy and preferably looks like/is Judy Greer. Seriously, how many times has that woman played the bitchy/snarky single best friend?? My problem is that I probably am the bitchy/snarky single best friend...which means I'm pretty much doomed in the man department...

Posted by: rach at February 20, 2008 11:12 PM

How about the fact that the first movie we ever got, the Birth of a Nation, not only glorified the Klu Klux Klan and provided the enduring image of a black man with a white woman over his shoulder ready to rape her, but brought the Klu Klux Klan back from the brink of death? I had to watch it in film class and we went through the typical "Well, you have to put these beliefs in the context of our times" thing. Man, I fucking hate that argument to death. By that token honor killings are completely acceptable within their context.

Posted by: Me at February 20, 2008 11:16 PM

I apologize. I was too lazy to look it up. My bad on Louis Prima singing "I wanna be like youooo" but I still think the song/scene is racist.

So. *cough shuffle* How about tonight's lunar eclipse? Boy that was beautiful, huh?

Posted by: Amanda47 at February 20, 2008 11:40 PM

1. buddy movies, white guy and black guy become friends because a)they work together, b) one is a cop, the other the criminal, or c) they're thrown together under certain circumstances.
2. fratty white boys calling each other fag in movies
3. girls fighting over a boy (in reality it's pathetic, imagine watching it in a movie, it makes me want to run away!)

Posted by: ph at February 21, 2008 12:01 AM

Here's my take on the problems people have with GWtW, but I think it applies to a lot of what people have been saying here:

I don't think anyone is up in arms about the fact that slavery is depicted. In a story about the Civil War, it would be stupid and insulting NOT to include it. The slave characters are some of the most, if not the most sympathetic characters in the story. But isn't that part of the problem. They aren't dissenting, they aren't causing trouble, they aren't forcing themselves into view--quite the opposite. Why would this be? I'm guessing there are two reasons:

One, the powers that be put them there, and there will be hell to pay if they don't stay put.

Two, people who aren't persecuted don't tend to make waves. I think the portrayal in this film is suggesting that they are comfortable and cared for in their current situation, so there's no need to worry. The Yankees are a threat to EVERYTHING and EVERYONE: maurading rapists and despoils who live to destroy the peace!

Of course, 2008 viewers know better than to posit our values and mores on an old film based on an older book.

Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

The story isn't really about the slaves, so we assume that it is for this reason that we can't talk too much about how they lack complexity, because that's looking for a fight where none exists. I don't really buy that notion. Stories can be just as much about what is left out, or not addressed (for whatever reasons) as they are about actual content.

I mean heck, if we want to look at the whitest literature to ever white out of Whitetown, take the example of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. We hear all about the dashing soldiers in their dishy red uniforms, but the savagery of the Napoleonic Wars, which is what they would've been fighting, isn't mentioned. I'm not saying Jane Austen didn't know what she was doing--I'd never say that-- and she's free to write about whatever she pleases. It's just something interesting to think about, and it could colour your interpretation. Why was something so HUGE just left out?

Another argument I could myself grinding up against, would be the one about authenticity. Our author friend upthread brought up something really interesting, important and thought-provoking when asking for advice. I'm not a writer of fiction, so I don't know how to answer the question, but how does a writer compose in the voice of a character convincingly and believingly?

I don't have this skill, so I just don't know.
But I know all about anxiety.

Being outside of a cultural/racial/whatever group means that we gnash and grouse about whether we can or can't speak for/or in the voice of that group. Is it presumptuous, when it's done right, how it that acheived? And so on.

Though no one has this to me explicitly, what I intuit is the problem that people have with the slave character (I hesitate to pluralize, it's pretty much a singular unified voice), that it acts as a mouthpiece for the values of the fellas in charge. Everything about them, from their childlike behaviour, to their mental incapabilities, to their bonhomous, but deferential relationships with the whites acts as a ringing endorsement for slavery.

Not once is the backbreaking labour, the demoralizing, dehumanizing nature of the history, or the contribution that they made to the country ever made. GRANTED, no one would've expected this, seeing as how the film came out in 1939.

It's a system in working order, people who otherwise couldn't do so for themselves have caretakers, and the owners get them to provide a service in return for their charity.

And well, that's just not something I can really cotton to, pun absolutely intended.

The status quo? Ay Caramba!

So, I'd argue that the fact that the slaves lack this complexity isn't because they're secondary characters, it's because they are slaves. And as such, popular belief dictated that they HAD to be marginalized and infantalized. And in this story, often they're so fucking annoying, you want to beat your head against a wall until is is raw and bloddy. The characters aren't products of the story, they're stock-characters who've been created by an ignorant of unsympathetic master narrative, individuality or circumstances be damned.

This holds true with any marginalized group, and if this isn't the case, may the ghost of Edward Said strike me down!

A lot of times, many of them included on this list, good intentions can look like a bunch of hot wind in the sobering light of day. And this intent doesn't match up with product, because we are just too ingrained with the values of our times, backwards though they may be. Was this the case here? Maybe.

And I'm sure that when Hattie McDaniel got her Academy Award for her role as Mammie, it was seen as very progressive and embracing by the film community. Now, historic though it was, we find it hard see no acid in the sugar sandwich that was the first Oscar win for a black woman--in a film that waxed nostalgic on the glory days of slavery.

'If's' and 'But's', right?

The 'happy worker' trope was also one that was stock-in-trade long before this film came about. I've actually read some scholarship that suggests that perhaps the watermelon was chosen as being emblematic of this stereotype, is because of the way a slice of it seems to be smiling at you. Ergo, happy workers. I don't know, it's an idea.

Truth be told, a sassy black head-wagger nowadays gets much more ire from me than an old movie, we should know better, clearly we don't. Now THAT SHIT IS WACK.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at February 21, 2008 12:07 AM

Me, that whole "context of their times" argument is bullshit, and irrelevant anyway. There is nothing redeemable about the story of Birth of a Nation. Even Griffiths knew that; he named one of his next movies Intolerance, for fuck's sake. You watch that movie in film classes because it pretty much invented things like editing and epic storytelling methods, nothing else. The story is total, unadulturated, ebola-ridden monkeyshit.

Rach, I don't think you have to worry about finding a man, because I know a number of guys (myself included) who find themselves much more attracted to the snarky Judy Greer character than to the bland, flat, stereotyped posterboard cutouts that pass for female protagonists these days.

Posted by: fringecamp at February 21, 2008 12:15 AM

Late to the party...yada, yada, yada.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it but I have to go with the Magical Negro. I believe Chris Rock may have coined the phrase. You know the type, Will Smith in "Bagger Vance", Whoppi Goldberg in "Clara's Heart", Morgan Freeman in almost anything (I do like Morgan though - Electric Company; nuff said) and any black actor of substance whose main goal is to aid white people.

Official definition (according to me anyway) as follows:

The Magical Negro comes from a special place to help troubled white folks solve their problems with their signature brand of dignity, grace, and wisdom.

The Magical Negro's purpose is to show white people the true meaning of life (either as a ghost, figment of the imagination, or as the ultimate act of self-denial so that said white person(s) can live a more fulfilling life while the Magical Negro ignores his/her own life).

Yeah, that happens all the time. That's how we black people do.

Shit, I want some "Magical" presence in my own damn life. I will now be accepting applications for my own "Magical" person. Equal Opportunity Employer, bitches! I don't discriminate.

Posted by: jen310 at February 21, 2008 12:22 AM

As a big Kevin Smith fan, the "poor man's Jack Black" comment made me laugh. Not in a "HAHAHAHA, YOU'RE SO CLUELESS AND ONLY I UNDERSTAND HIS TRUE GENIUS" way. It just tickled me for some reason.

As for culturally cringy...well, I love me some Jackie Brown. But the overuse of "nigger" is just insane. Yes, you can say that a character like Ordell really would talk like that, and I'm not so PC as to think that ONLY black writers are allowed to deploy the word. I just have visions of Tarantino sitting at his typewriter (always a typewriter in my visions) proclaiming to himself "You've done it again, Q! Wait...maybe that line needs one more 'nigger'."

I mean: "I hates to be the kind of nigger that does a nigger a favour and then asks a nigger a favour in return...but I gots to be that kind of nigger." Fucking hell.

Posted by: Arran at February 21, 2008 12:39 AM

Ok I'm just going to thank whoever clarified King Louie on here. Louis Prima is the shit, go listen to him. (David Lee Roth's cover of Just A Gigolo is almost note for note of the original, entertainingly enough).

Posted by: Anne (in Reno) at February 21, 2008 1:10 AM

All priests are pedophiles.
All preachers are lechers.
All conservatives are idiots.
All businessmen are greedy.
All politicians are corrupt (except Mr. Smith).
Oh wait, scratch that last one. All politicians ARE corrupt.

Posted by: bucdaddy at February 21, 2008 1:36 AM

The bad guys are out to destroy our noble vision of freedom. The bad guys are just bad guys, not humans or anything quite so complicated. The bad guys hate us and everything we stand for. The bad guys exist solely to be bad.

But on the other hand, there are the films that treat the bad guys as martyrs for their Noble but Misguided Cause. Saccharine and stupid. Don't make it out like some asshat blowing up other people is honourable - whatever patch of land he grew up on. This stereotype is possibly more annoying than the first.

There's no pleasing me.

Posted by: Lola at February 21, 2008 2:28 AM

Very very late - so late everyone has already covered all the stereotypes that bother me. So good for you guys.

Another thing, though, on the Jungle Book question. Not only was King Louie voiced by and created for Louis Prima - Mowgli? WHITE? Not ... exactly. If we really boil it down, it's a white Italian character telling a brown Indian character that he "wants to be like you". Please don't hurt my Jungle Book. I know Disney ain't perfect, but let's at least be fair.

Posted by: Claire at February 21, 2008 2:58 AM

All Black african's speak Zulu and live in huts, no matter what part of africa they're from. and all listen to South African music from the 80's.

Posted by: avalanche at February 21, 2008 3:07 AM

I hate to add something trivial to so many truly interesting and smart comments above, but I hate unattractive characters that don't know they're not freaking Brad/Angelina and keep hitting on ridiculously hot people. It hit me while watching "The Jane Austen Book Club" when Kevin Zegers' character shows Elimy Blunt's character the girl he's supposed to kiss during a highschool play, saying she got the part in hope they'll hook up for real. Because fat pimply teenagers don't own FUCKING MIRRORS and don't realize that the hottest guy in school is an arrogant spoiled prick who'll humiliate them in front of the entire school. It's either that, or Mr Superstar is supposed to be such a sweetheart for making out with a whale in public. Either way, it's bad. Sorry for the rant, no one will read till the end of the comments anyway :P

Posted by: Irina at February 21, 2008 3:14 AM

Emily Blunt* sigh

Posted by: Irina at February 21, 2008 3:20 AM

Soz, me again, forgot to mention that they laugh at the fat girl's expectations. She is too pathetic to be laughed at, seriously. Like Jack Black trying to get into Susan Ward's panties in "Shallow Hal" wasn't funny either. It's sad.

Posted by: Irina at February 21, 2008 3:35 AM

I'll probably be last - but I think the people of the future (who will thankfully have figured out how to make a proper crotch for the Lame jumpsuits by then) will wonder not so much as to the movie plots - but why we place so much time, energy and effort into the minutia of 'celebrity'. They will wonder - why is Marilyn Monroe like unto Anna Nicole? Why is there umpteen-bazillion 'news' items filed for Paris Hilton - what on earth did she actually do to deserve it? That file is missing. What was the point of this drive towards public penance called 'rehab'?

Hopefully by then they will have some new ideas about proper media and content and chalk it all up to the sugar-rush of technological breakthrough.

Also:
clap your hands everybody,
and everybody clap your hands
we're lambdalambdalambda and, omega mu
and we've come here onstage tonight to do our show for you.

......breeeeeeaaaaaaak.

Posted by: Rebeccah at February 21, 2008 4:12 AM

-Europeans portrayed as over the top, (euro-)trash, leading extremely hedonistic lives
-all people from former Eastern block countries having Russian names and speaking with Russian accents; most are also portrayed as having some sort of connection to the mob and the women as being easy and very trashy
-the slutty exchange students

Now picture my life as an Eastern European exchange student in the States(btw, I also come from a country with famous gymnasts so even though I'm 5.8 whenever I went to parties guys would ask me "what amazing things I could do with my body". Grrr!!! )

Posted by: Zarbi at February 21, 2008 5:07 AM

R2D2= He is short, hard to understand his chirps and whistles, and falls down a lot: Anyone else think of the stereotypical drunk Irish person?

------------------------------------------------

Yes! yes I see it, and like all Irish he wants to destroy the English (civilized) way of life and to kill the queen.

*thank you Garth Marengui

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at February 21, 2008 6:22 AM

zarbi i'm totally with you on basically everything you said. i'm an american exchange student living in an eastern block country. i had the worst stereotype in my mind coming here. they'd all be angry and no fun, they'd be unfriendly, i wouldn't be able to pronounce their names (actually, i do struggle with some of them), blahblahblah.
oh, but it would be nice to not get asked if i'm a slut. or a cheerleader. c'mon people use your eyes! i'm 5'3", chubby, and wear skinny jeans and converse.

Posted by: willa at February 21, 2008 6:32 AM

I was watching Day at the Races the other night (the Marx brothers film). And there is some "great" (not) poor blacks (looks like a slave shack town with cars...its weird). It was odd to say the least...granted expected for the time sooo

Posted by: Luke at February 21, 2008 6:46 AM

My Biggest issue with movies:

Fucked up casting of ethnics.

From Natalie Wood in West Side Story ( I know Rita Moreno got awarded but she should have had the lead and you know it too) to every fake "red Injun" in the Westerns. From Italians as Cubans in the horrible Perez Family and Mambo Kings to no Asians at all in Serenity.

WTF ???

Posted by: mamitabrujita at February 21, 2008 7:06 AM

to no Asians at all in Serenity.

So it's necessary for every cast to always look like the United Colors of Benetton or else it's evilbadwrong.

Whatever.

Posted by: twig at February 21, 2008 7:26 AM

Nice one twig :D

Posted by: Irina at February 21, 2008 7:31 AM

" no Asians at all in Serenity.

WTF ???

Posted by: mamitabrujita "

Good point. Since the crew is constantly spouting off in Chinese (I assume it's Chinese) you'd think there'd be a lot of Asians around, since the implication was that China eventually took over Earth just from shear numbers. Or maybe I got that bit wrong.

Posted by: BWeaves at February 21, 2008 9:23 AM

Good point. Since the crew is constantly spouting off in Chinese (I assume it's Chinese) you'd think there'd be a lot of Asians around, since the implication was that China eventually took over Earth just from shear numbers. Or maybe I got that bit wrong.

From what I understood from Whedon's answers, it was more that China and the U.S. were pretty much the only superpowers left, and when Earth-That-Was began to fail, they were the only countries that had the resources to ship folks out. Somehow Chinese culture became slightly more dominant.

But if you look at it, if the universe of Serenity is indicative of post-Civil War Western U.S., then China fills the Spanish/Mexico role. While they had great influence over the culture, it didn't automatically mean their people were the dominant race.

Besides, there were Asians in the series, and both it and the movie had too narrow a focus for such a judgment to be accurate.

Posted by: Vermillion at February 21, 2008 10:18 AM

In the future, movie fans will wonder why every hooker had a heart of gold instead of stealing your wallet to buy the drugs she needs to get high, looking ravaged from her crystal meth habit, or being uncomfortably close to the legal age limit (if not below), instead of looking like Julia Roberts, Kim Basinger or Rebecca De Mornay (Carve out for Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver).

Posted by: nipsy at February 21, 2008 10:31 AM

in this pc-obsessed generation, you all seem to ignore or reject the thought that stereotypes have some basis in fact.if in doubt, check out the female population in milwaukee and you will get a sense of why our midwestern brethren are portrayed on the portly side.

Posted by: snake at February 21, 2008 10:36 AM

I don't know if this one has been done already, and I actually don't know if it really counts (probably not ...), but the only allowable accent is British/Australian. You can have a room full of Asians, Africans, Norwegians, you name it, but they either speak perfect English or have a British accent. ER is the only example that's coming to mind right now. It would be refreshing to see physicians or other professionals speaking with a Lebanese or Kenyan accent, as some people happen to in real life.

Posted by: Bronte at February 21, 2008 10:39 AM

Just let it be known that I despise Jar-Jar. There would be nothing better than taking those big ass floppy ears and choking him with them. Although I do get a modicum of revenge. Lego Star Wars allows me to team up with the bastard and proceed to yell out whilst slicing him with my lightsaber: "Yousa gonna fuckin' die!!!" Thank you, Morgan Webb!

Posted by: ScarletKnight at February 21, 2008 10:42 AM

Lord of the Rings, anyone???

Good guys = white. Bad guys = every other colour.

Posted by: SPra at February 21, 2008 11:10 AM

SPra, refresh my memory here, but the main bad guys I remember in LOTR weren't human. More like orcs and whatnot. And Saruman was definitely white. Am I forgetting the multiethnic bad guys or are you extrapolating this based on the skin color of the Uruk-hai?

Posted by: Anne (in Reno) at February 21, 2008 11:17 AM

Inspirational,mythicial,soul saving Black man- The Shawhshank Redemption, The Family Man, Baggar Vance, etc. Vomit inducing stuff.

Posted by: Sarah at February 21, 2008 11:28 AM

The Shawshank Redemption?!

Seriously?!

Posted by: twig at February 21, 2008 11:30 AM

In the movie "African Queen" when Humphry Bogart throws the stub of his cigar onto the ground and a group of people actually dive onto it, fighting each other to grab it. The most cringe-inducing thing about it is the huge smile on Humphry's face when he turns to the camera.

The future will take us to task for eroticising rape in movies. HG already touched on it a little in the "'love' scene from Blade Runner" comment.

Posted by: phquaryn at February 21, 2008 11:31 AM

Am I forgetting the multiethnic bad guys or are you extrapolating this based on the skin color of the Uruk-hai?

Ha ha ha!

That is all.

Posted by: Julie at February 21, 2008 11:40 AM

"Of course, 2008 viewers know better than to posit our values and mores on an old film based on an older book."

Well, not that much older. GWTW was published in 1936, three years before the movie was released. Reconstruction is also standing in for the Depression.

Every time one of the "new" Star Wars movies comes on, my husband and I have a running commentary about all of the hideous stereotypes. What about the flying Jewish bug that owned Anakin and his mother? I'm almost impressed that George Lucas managed to ruin what he started, make an epic saga with no artistic quality, AND propagate so many offensive stereotypes. I wonder if he used a spreadsheet.

Posted by: Kate at February 21, 2008 11:55 AM

Nerds living in their parent's basement.
Any race being placed on a pedestal for their purity of belief and ethics, especially the Noble Savage concept.

Posted by: Adam C at February 21, 2008 12:05 PM

I'm late to the party, as always, but:

Agent Scully: "The Eastern Bloc guy who wears nothing but his Adidas tracksuits. As a native Pole I love my Euro suit, but I do own real clothes."

Y'know, I'm Eastern Bloc too and I have to say, I've seen my fair share of it in real life. But, that was before the wall fell. These days, most of my cousin's friends all dress more like models than Everything is Illuminated. Nothing like going to Palac Kultury for New Year's Eve and being the most under-dressed person there.

That said, if I get asked if we owned cows back in the motherland one more time, I'm going to have a meltdown.

Posted by: Stella at February 21, 2008 12:16 PM

And ScarletKnight, it's piss-warm CHANGO.

sorry. It's like the only thing I remember from that movie.

Posted by: Stella at February 21, 2008 12:19 PM

"Am I forgetting the multiethnic bad guys"....

I didn't watch the films obsessively, or whatever - but I do recall oriental pirates; the very asian looking foot soldiers; and those guys on the 3-trunked-elephant creatures... they weren't white. There were more villainous characters than just the orcs and urukai. And yes Saruman was white... one white guy in a GGI army of millions of multi-ethnic villains of eastern extraction.

but it is just a movie....

Posted by: SPra at February 21, 2008 12:21 PM

Hey, my first post here!
If I have to see one more idiotic action movie with the main character as some noble former cop/firefighter/special ops guy still traumatized by that one mission gone horribly, horribly wrong I swear to god I'm going to start cutting people.

Also, go watch a few animated kiddie flicks and note- good guys=American accents, bad guys=British accents.

Posted by: amontpla at February 21, 2008 12:28 PM

TK, "Indians (dot, not feather)" you made me milkshake come out my nose!

Posted by: Stella at February 21, 2008 12:39 PM

TK, "Indians (dot, not feather)" you made me milkshake come out my nose!

Posted by: Stella at February 21, 2008 12:39 PM

As soon as I read this, that effing milkshake song got stuck in my head.

Are all the boys in your yard, Stella?

Posted by: Sarina at February 21, 2008 1:00 PM

My milkshake is better than yours. I could teach you, but I'd have to charge.

I'm very late to this and no one is still reading I'm sure. My pet peeve is that all successful, smart black people in American films have identity crises. I get it...pressure from the cultures around them, but oy, figure it out, already.

Oh and I'm sure it's been mentioned, but the dumb unattractive guy - smart attractive woman marriages in sitcoms....AARGH! What?! Why would that happen?!

Posted by: joker at February 21, 2008 1:14 PM

I wish.

Posted by: Stella at February 21, 2008 1:15 PM

Young, attractive, successful black women = long hair, big butt with teenie wittle waist, and pass the paper bag test.

When Camille Winbush appeared on television for the first time as the too-cute teen girl, I thought I'd faint from shock.

Posted by: that bees chick at February 21, 2008 1:40 PM

Im a late comer to this thread, didnt realise how funny it was but having skimmed through i've thought of some of my own;

the wise cracking, basketball playing former street thug reformed italian or irish priest.

I was raised a catholic and all the priests i knew where mild, pale and not wisecracking dudes at all.
damn films!you lied to me!!

In terms of films WITH stereotypes, the most obvious one of all is of course, Birth Of a Nation.
we watched it recently for a film class and i spent the whole time laughing in sort of half genuine amusement at the stupidty of the people who made it and half abject horror and disbelief, i mean the very implication of the 'creation' of the Klan uniform, that them black folks?yeah they're scared of ghosts!


one i hate is the 'meta' horror movie stereotype of the black guy who self aware that the 'black folks always die first in these situations', then CLEVER CLEVER WRITERS he survives and continues to crack wise while they wait for rescue despite what where only minutes before near fatal, still bleeding injuries, what has to be some deep shock and trauma and the anvilicious irony of his survival.

Oh and one, the american view of us brits, we all have names like Cecilia or Neville or Giles or Elizabeth and we're all stuffy and rich and posh and all either scheming and devious, or despite our outer stuffyness, secret rebels who just need a spunky free spirited teen to bring us out of our shells in a well choreographed dance number where she teaches us all how to dance.
fuck you Amanda Bynes. fuck you to HELL.

Or, adversley, our stereotype of you that you're big fat loud irritating stupid people who find everything we do super adorable.
I know you're not like that, just like, i'm sure, you know we dont all either come from London or Manchester yet some how seem to have the EXACT SAME ACCENT(hint, we really, REALLY dont, think Upstate New York mega rich Old Money vs...like, Yokellville USA)(I'm from liverpool. our main rival...manchester...damn them to hell...then again our prominent accent[scouse]is the same level of strong, oft unintelligable and unique)
There are other places in England. Please, feel free to show that.

Or the Old People are either super wise and secretly randy old fuckers, or the Simpsons Variety which i personally find incredibly sad and offensive and to be honest, a base level of comedy that shocks me, that they're these 'hilarious' rotting old walking corpses who just embarass themselves on a regular occasion.
in shows that make a big deal out of the tragedy this really is, what ever, but the simpsons makes this huge joke out of Abe Simpson who to me is one of the most tragic characters in television.
and the problem is i cant tell if they're doing it callously and ignorantly, or they're aware of it and are just awful, awful bastards.
Oh and god DAMN im sick of the Cute Geek one thats just forced its way into the world at large, there are few true cute geeks in the world, stop it already!

Posted by: nadine at February 21, 2008 2:01 PM

I've just realised my justification for my Cute Geek bash which i realised might be kinda bitchy, sorry, its the way films use it, like all nerds are secretly drop dead gorgeous model looking types who just need the friendly sassy shallow types to reveal the inner them-this stereotype that all any geek wants is to be made over and crafted into a clone of their direct rivals.
Most geeks i know are pretty proud of how they are, they're comfortably in their geekery and would cringe at the thought of a make over.
that might be more cliche than stereotype though...

Posted by: nadine at February 21, 2008 2:29 PM

A hearty disagreement on Shawshank as well. Red in this movie was not "inspirational, mythicial or soul saving." He was just black, and Andy's friend. Red didn't change Andy very much, in fact, I'd argue that it was the other way around. Red spent his entire run in the prison resigned to dying there. He was "institutionalized." It was Andy who changed him, not the other way around. Red played a part, but helped Andy get through it, but it had nothing to do with his being black.

Posted by: Matches at February 21, 2008 2:54 PM

Ok, It's a Wonderful Life... Mary, in the world without George Baily, is a mousy, skittish, spinster *librarian*.

But maybe I'm sensitive because I'm a mousy, skittish, spinster librarian too.

Posted by: Nisi at February 21, 2008 4:13 PM

FWIW, in the novel on which "Shawshank" is based, Red is Irish. When Freeman got the role, they left the name alone, without explaining it in the movie. I like that.

Posted by: bucdaddy at February 21, 2008 4:37 PM

Depressing side note: Both the man who played Uncle Remus in Disney's Song of the South and Hattie McDaniel who played Mammy in Gone With the Wind were not allowed to attend their Oscar ceremonies WHERE THEY WON!!!!

Posted by: scorzi at February 21, 2008 4:49 PM

For the love of God. The character from "Gone with the Wind" is named "Mammy." "Mamie" is an actual name and pronounced differently.

And as for the ghost of Edward Said, I fucking wish.

Posted by: Chris at February 21, 2008 5:44 PM

Along with women needing men to be fulfilled in romantic comedies, why do all the women have to suffer from these stupid pratfalls? Falling, tripping, singing awful karaoke, falling into a body of water and/or dropping things on themselves apparently qualify women to be worthy of the love of a man?

Another reason to like Definitely, Maybe. All the women were intelligent, independent, and didn't trip over their own feet.

And this one is probably rare enough so I'm the only person on earth who cares, but why is it that when any ethnic person living in their poor, ethnic neighborhood can only become successful by going to the rich white school a 90-minute bus-ride from their own home? Success is only achieved through the path taken by the rich white people? Please.

Posted by: leuce7 at February 21, 2008 6:32 PM

"Ok, It's a Wonderful Life... Mary, in the world without George Baily, is a mousy, skittish, spinster *librarian*."

And clearly it's the absolute worst thing that could have happened to her. (Plus it doesn't even make sense--surely if George Bailey had never been born, Mary would have married Sam Wainwright, not become borderline agoraphobic.)

"Hattie McDaniel who played Mammy in Gone With the Wind were not allowed to attend their Oscar ceremonies WHERE THEY WON!!!!"

And yet Hattie McDaniel managed to deliver an acceptance speech on site. There were far too many restrictions on her and other African Americans, no doubt. No need to make up more.

Posted by: Kate at February 21, 2008 6:49 PM

We might not see blackface (except when it is used to make a point, ala Bamboozled) any longer, but Hollywood hasn't missed a step. My biggest complaint lies with the "White man as clever savior to ignorant people who are not White".
Blood Diamond.
The Last Samurai (which disgusted me so much I wanted to walk out of the premiere). There's two excellent, recent examples of popular movies that few had any issue with. Why? Because it is so insidious. Appallingly few people who saw either of those two examples of racially motivated writing, ever got it. I STILL get in arguments with people about it.

We have not learned a thing, though I suppose the fact that many people at least try to one degree or another, is a distinct improvement over the gleefully cruel depictions and mores of the past. I wouldn't say there are fewer racists - they've just learned to be sneakier about their biases for the most part. I don't worry about the hooded klansmen or the White Supremacists who trumpet their hatred to the skies, thus rendering themselves known to all - worry about the quiet ones; the ones with the real power pulling the strings, who know how to conceal virulent hatred behind a facade of patriotism and sharky grins.

Posted by: Marcia at February 21, 2008 7:15 PM

The Last Samurai (which disgusted me so much I wanted to walk out of the premiere).

Yep, count me as part of the appalling masses. I went into that movie expecting to hate it, but instead I watched Tom Cruise get the shit kicked out of him for two hours while trying to cobble together what was left of his soul. At no point did I think he was any kind of clever savior to anyone - he spent half the movie as a bitter, drunken wreck and mostly bumbled around like an idiot while Ken Watanabe got to be badass and heroic.

Posted by: twig at February 21, 2008 7:31 PM

Interesting. So, the fact that within a space of 6 months, he became a better Samurai warrior than the Samurai themselves - due no doubt to his superior genetics - and that there was NO White dude who led the historical battles (and even delivered the final coup de grace to Watanabi's historical character) depicted, no White dude who talked the emperor into closing trade with the West...none of that made you go "hmmm?" Cruise's character only got his arse handed to him for a tiny bit, then suddenly he was Super-Samurai - smarter, faster, sharper eyed than anyone else.
Please.

If you are going to make a movie about factual Japanese events, don't interject Tom Friggin' Cruise into it as the supposed cause of how history came out. His character wasn't based upon anything except selling what the American public is accustomed to: a Caucasian hero.

Posted by: Marcia at February 21, 2008 7:51 PM

Wait, when did he become uber-warrior? All I remember him doing is keeping a few people from dying faster when ninjas attacked, which was luck more than anything.

And most of what I remember with him and the emperor was him going "let me tell you how awesome Ken Watanabe's character was, because he was pretty badass."

Tom Cruise's guy didn't actually do anything that heroic except stand around and bear witness, not get himself killed, and sober up.

Posted by: twig at February 21, 2008 9:06 PM

Well, one of my least favorite cliches in movies is that most of them seemingly must be set in New York or L.A., as though there's nothing in between. Even if the story doesn't specifically require either of those locations.

And, being from Texas, it irks me how Texas and Texans are portrayed in movies.

1. We all wear cowboy hats and/or boots, and drive battered pickup trucks.

2. There are no big cities in Texas, if you rely on the movies. Everything is set out in the middle of nowhere. Preferably desert.

3. The racist redneck stereotype goes with anything from the South.

4. Everyone has a hambone accent, exaggeratedly Southern, not necessarily Texan.

5. We all can ride horses if the occasion requires it.

Posted by: Noelegy at February 21, 2008 9:24 PM

" The next person who asks me about my lucky charms will pray for the mercy of death.

Posted by: Sarina at February 20, 2008 3:29 PM"

Quote of the Week!

I've recently been listening to various episodes of old-time-radio shows from the WWII era and today heard an episode of Command Performance from March 1942 that had Dinah Shore & Bing Crosby singing Stephen Foster songs. It was a pretty cool artifact until they actually sang a line about 'darkies' which literally made me cringe. This was going out live to millions of servicemen at the time; had to have made a few eyes roll, even then.

Posted by: Matt at February 21, 2008 11:31 PM

No confusion between the slave name and the Van Doren, just a typo. And what an, ahem, overenthusiatic response to one, hmm?

I know that the novel GWtW was only three years older than the movie, it hardly could've been written in the antebellum period. Outside of general knowledge, I got roped by a former co-worker into reading that Ya-Ya book, and they just fall into raptures about that book.

As for STAR WARS, I haven't any of them. I've heard the complaints, so that didn't exactly drive me the theatres. Still, I know not whereof I speak on that subject, so I'll leave it you guys.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at February 22, 2008 1:38 AM

Wow, I'm late and y'all have done a damn fine job of covering my biggest peeves. I hate the magical Negroes, the buck-toothed Chinamen, the white guy as saviour to the savages, the unhappy manless career woman, and the swishy queen. But no one mentioned the slutty girl who's really just insecure.

Because, no. Sometimes, we're just slutty cause it's fun.

Posted by: isabelle at February 22, 2008 2:31 AM

"to no Asians at all in Serenity."

[i]So it's necessary for every cast to always look like the United Colors of Benetton or else it's evilbadwrong.

Whatever.
twig[/i]

I didnt even imply that.
I am simply saying, if you are going to use a specific ethnicity as part of your story, at least try and cast the damn thing with some actors of that ethnicity.
What, are there no asian actors to play any of those parts?
yeah...whatever.

[i]But if you look at it, if the universe of Serenity is indicative of post-Civil War Western U.S., then China fills the Spanish/Mexico role. While they had great influence over the culture, it didn't automatically mean their people were the dominant race.

Besides, there were Asians in the series, and both it and the movie had too narrow a focus for such a judgment to be accurate.
vermillion[/i]

except that Spaniards are white Europeans so .....

I have only seen the series once on DVD and the movie once, so perhaps I missed the Asian character, but when the marathon aired last Monday I caught a few of the episodes and saw a bunch of white folks in space ( sorry Zoe, Preacher) and one very wierd black bounty hunter. Oh,thats right, there was an asian whore....that makes it all better....

It was just an example anyway of what many other posters have alluded to far more eloquently than I. There is a anglocentric bigotry in many productions that should make any thinking person wonder.

Posted by: mamitabrujita at February 22, 2008 8:37 AM

aw a bunch of white folks in space (sorry Zoe, Preacher)

Wait, so Zoe doesn't count somehow because...

Also, holy hell, Companions are whores now?

Wow. No time for this.

Posted by: twig at February 22, 2008 8:52 AM

"I know that the novel GWtW was only three years older than the movie, it hardly could've been written in the antebellum period. "

Sorry--I must have misunderstood your post. The use of "older" in that context didn't seem to reflect "amount of time it would take to produce an epic movie based on a current best-seller."

Posted by: Kate at February 22, 2008 10:58 AM

To all those who dont think GwtW belongs in this category: If you like GwtW then just go ahead and say you like GwtW, but dont try to justfy the stereotypical image it portrays of enslaved black people as fine with their lot in life. Furthermore the character of Mammy is a fabrication. The house maids and nannies during slavery would most likely have been a young black women who could keep up with the chores and children and were on hand for the masters whims. Older black women like Mammy would have been worked to death in the fields!

There are so many stereotypes I can't stand in films today, mainly from films like blood diamond who always have the following;
1. The white female saviour, there to embrace all the 3rd world kiddies (cf. Rachel Weiz, Constant Gardener).
2. The Noble Savage; In fact Im sick of all black characters who are either complete saints ready to risk their lives for the white man or completely demonic despots ready to kill/enslave their own - how about some human grey folks! It is possible to be selfish at one point and selfless at another.

And this isn't a stereotpe but I hate the 1980's invetion of 'the princess prostitute' a la Pretty woman and Risky business. Cos turning tricks is just another way of finding a prince charming! WTF!!

Posted by: Anonandoff at February 22, 2008 11:25 AM

I read most of the comments - I admit I skimmed through some, but I'm really surprised no one has brought up movies like "Sam I Am" or "The Other Sister" where regular actors pretend to be developmentally disabled. The movie with Cuba Gooding Jr., "Radio", was on the other day and I just wanted to throw something at the TV after watching for two minutes! It's just another version of white people being painted to play different ethnicities, it's downright gross, and to top it off - the point of these movies seems to be (I am guessing because I haven't been able to watch any of them) that people with such disabilities only exist for us "normal" folk to learn compassion, patience, insert other important life lesson here. It astounds me that people are STILL taking these roles and are nominated for AWARDS for them.

Posted by: JanetFaust at February 22, 2008 12:16 PM

"It astounds me that people are STILL taking these roles and are nominated for AWARDS for them."

I see what you're saying--but at the same point, the pool of Geri Jewells is pretty small. Wouldn't portrayals be even more rare?

Much as I didn't like Notting Hill--I just found it boring--I did like the fact that Gina McKee's character was in a wheel chair, and when Julia Roberts's character asks why, Hugh Grant's response is, basically, "I don't know, none of my business." It was nice that her character was supposed to be a person, and not an icon.

Posted by: Kate at February 22, 2008 12:39 PM

Mace Windu is a JEDI, not a magical person.

Posted by: mex at February 22, 2008 12:42 PM

I really don't get your argument Mamitabrujita. Are you saying that by making a universe where China is a large cultural influence he's obliged to include a chinese character?
That's like saying that if I'm writing a script now i'd be obliged to include an american character because America's a superpower or if writing a story set in say Europe of the 1500's I'd be oblided to include a spaniard, a frenchman and an english person among the core characters. Rot.
There are certainly chinese people in scenes but why shouldn't Mr Wheedon write the characters he wants without including a token character of a certain ethnic group? Surely that'd be pretty patronising anyway?

Twig, I don't remember for sure but I expect the whore reference was in relation to the brothel episode as the companion was not only not a whore but pretty clearly not chinese either (she just dressed well).

My own gripe is jolly gosh Brits being saved by the americans as in Independance Day. As it was an american film primarily set in and aimed at america and americans, offended is an over statement.

Oh and I loved 'the last seduction' not only for itself but because it showed an utter Bitch who wasn't punished by fate or saved by the love of a good man. hurrah

Posted by: Tatsu at February 22, 2008 12:56 PM

Re: Asians in Firefly - how about River Tam? Although Simon sure doesn't look Asian (or like her brother, but oh well).

Also, SPra, clearly I was forgetting the movie, having recently only reread the first two books, I will have to take a look for your eastern-type bad guys when I get to the third one. I do remember some elaborately costumed elephant riders but I don't actually recall what they looked like, other than the fancy outfits. I always remember the human bad guys as being more Eastern European than anything else. Must be just me.

Posted by: Anne (in Reno) at February 22, 2008 6:26 PM

Kate, it's cool. I probably wasn't clear.

I also hate that 'I'm A Noble L'il Handicapped' character too. I have nothing to add there.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at February 22, 2008 7:30 PM

Anne, River Tam and Simon Tam is kinda the point I am trying to make. The creators went to the trouble to even use Asian surnames and yet there was a lack of Asian ethnicity in the series/movie as a whole. And nobody else has to agree with me, it is just a thing that irritates me in all kinda movies.

Qin wode pigu,enough about this gorram sacred cow, Sha gua.


Finally, I would like to say the best overthetop stereotype movie ever has got to be Blazing Saddles.
Still relevant and that is just too bad for us.
Thank you Mel Brooks!

Posted by: mamitabrujita at February 22, 2008 7:45 PM

Will there come a day when we get wise to The Chick With Daddy Issues?

Isla Fisher in Definitely, Maybe. The movie makes her out to be True Love grown organically, like Tuscan sunflowers, the girl who travels the world and returns to throw Ryan Reynolds/Will Hayes a birthday party and reunite him with his estranged friend. Saviour!

The other two woman are useful flowers, produced in a greenhouse where they grow boring wives and scheming girlfriends.

Hey, liked the flick. Isla Fisher was my favorite part of the movie, but it doesn't ring true. The part she played in the Wedding Crashers
was also The Chick With Daddy Issues and more on the mark: men are a lock to be picked.

Not that I speak from experience. I just see movies.

And she was funnier in Wedding Crashers-- but that's another story for another day and thread.

Posted by: gsherber at February 22, 2008 10:38 PM

Marlon Brando as a Japanese man in a Musical. I can't remember the name of the film, but I found it incredibly insulting.

Anyone know what the name of the film is?

Posted by: carrie at February 23, 2008 12:34 PM

I'm 21, and black, and female, and Gone With The Wind is one of my favorite movies. I remember watching some special on TCM about the making of GWTW and how Clark Gable wanted better living conditions for the black actors on the movie set or he wouldnt do it. If I'm not mistaken this was told by Butterfly McQueen. That little fact made me not hate this movie as much as I probably should.

Also, I was watching The Great Ziegfield the other day on TCM and a couple of things bothered me. First of all, there was this guy in blackface singing some stupid song about a slut named Suzie. This scene would have been perfectly fine if this ass wasn't in blackface, it made no damn sense. In fact every old movie that I have ever watched where there was a character in blackface, made no damn sense. Would it really have been too much to hire a black dancer/actor? One of the dancers in Florenz Ziegfeld's Follies had a black maid who actually said "well scratch my back child". Jesus H Christ! I guess what is even sadder is that these were the only roles available to black actors.

2 other things about The Great Ziegfeld was that Myrna Loy (who I actually like as an actress) played Billie Burke (Glinda The Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz) who was Florenz Ziegfeld's real life wife, in the movie. At the time, Billie Burke was fully capable of playing herself, but I guess they thought she was too old. Frank Morgan (The Wizard of Oz) and Ray Bolger (the Scarecrow) are also in the movie. Plus the fact that this is like the 80th movie that Myrna Loy and William Powell had done together made me think that they were seriously knocking boots way back then.

Posted by: B at February 24, 2008 1:31 AM

1. Three words: Rob. Schneider. Cameo. "Yoo ken doo eet!" And his "Asian" guy in Chuck and Larry.

2. Does anyone else think it's weird and a little creepy that the majority of female homicide victims on CSI are young, hot, skinny girls? Who we get to see 98% nude in the inevitable autopsy scene? And don't get me started on torture porn (e.g., I Know Who Killed Me)...

3. Sarina, you are a very funny person.

Posted by: Julianna at February 24, 2008 4:56 PM

The fact that virtually all asians are experts of the martial arts and all asian women are merely sexual fetish fare. And can the "love you long time", "sucky sucky" claptrap please come to an end. In general asians maybe don't always get negative stereotypes as much as just ignored or neutral stereotypes that are not offensive enough to end.

Posted by: Thety at February 24, 2008 10:23 PM

Way late to catch this train, and this is sort of a minor concern compared to some of the biggies on this list, but the universal equation of American Southern accent = ignorant hick is pretty annoying. Most of my family is from the Gulf Coast, which is as deep south as you can get without getting your feet wet, and by and large they have Southern accents. Having moved from Mobile, Alabama to Minneapolis, Minnesota in high school, I learned to lose mine pretty quickly, but that leads me to my "cringe" moment.

This is in TV, not movies, so forgive me if it's a little outside the topic, but I caught an episode of that show Supernatural on TV once and it was about a family of inbred, cannibalistic hicks who kidnapped people and then hunted them for sport. The entire family had absurdly strong Southern accent, but the episode was supposed to take place in Minnesota.

Now, there are definitely hicks in Minnesota, just as there are hicks pretty much everywhere you go, but Minnesotan hicks have Minnesotan accents. This whole Southern accent as shorthand for stupid, inbred (and cannibalistic?) people is just lazy writing.

Posted by: Gallagher at February 25, 2008 12:07 AM

I am over the neck-rollin', sassy black woman stereotype. You know, 'cause that's what we do - we loves to give advice and mammify everything. Oh, and we're usually crazy. The darker and fatter, the crazier or "funnier." It explains why white people think they have to speak jive whenever they're around me - I mean, that's how we all speak, girlfriend!

Posted by: strongblackandstereotyped at February 26, 2008 3:48 PM

"And while we're on it, any guesses what the Pajibans three generations from now will be taking our films to task for, philosophically?"

Two words: The Birdcage.

Posted by: Darth at February 29, 2008 2:09 PM

Any film where the white hero is killing large numbers of yellow people. (I am so looking forward to the new Rambo film.) This can be extended as well to films where large numbers of brown people are being killed - in the case of Black Hawk Down, countless hundreds. God I hate that film.

Posted by: csb at March 1, 2008 12:06 AM

take the example of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. We hear all about the dashing soldiers in their dishy red uniforms, but the savagery of the Napoleonic Wars, which is what they would've been fighting, isn't mentioned. [...] Why was something so HUGE just left out?

Well, the book is about women's lives, and the social injustice central to the characters is women's necessity to marry well. War just was not relevant to their lives. Whether or not the men they fancied along the way had killed people in faraway lands just didn't come in to it, not to mention the fact that the women just would not have necessarily known what war was like. No war porn in the evening news back then.

***

Late additions, but what the heck:

Specific cringe-moment:

40 days and 40 nights. All of it, but especially the repercussions of the rape scene.

Picture this: woman's ex boyfriend sneaks into her apartment and rapes her in her sleep. New boyfriend finds out about this, and dumps said woman because of what has just happened - after all, she was supposed to have been abstaining from sex!

But somehow it's all okay when the person forcing themselves on an ex is a sexy woman, and the man really should apologise to new girlfriend because, being a man, even sex he didn't want must have been sex he liked.

Generic cringe events:

*Even when mixed-ethnic groups of friends come together, any falling in love happens between members of the same ethnic group. If you're black and you aways hang out with your two white BFFs, and meet a group of the opposite sex with similar ethnic representations, if you have any action coming your way in the film, it will be with the other black character.

*Foreign characters are marked by their preposterous accents, and tendency to sprinkle their speech with native words like Da, Merci and Nein. Because the English equivalents of those words would not at all have been the first they learnt in their very first ever English class...

*No-one is average. You have an ugly friend? Lucky they can hack into CIA computers! Are you a scientific genius? Well, so is your kid! I mean, these things are soooo hereditary! You live either in a two-story white picket dream in suburbia, or the projects! No-one has jobs they have to have (unless they're high-school kids) but dream jobs like sports writer or fashion editor, glamour jobs like hot-shot lawyer (is there any other kind?), or ambiguous well-paid jobs where all we know is you have a mobile phone and are busy! The underdog will always overcome the odds to win, spectacularly so - because it would just be uninspiring to show that the guy who's been training in [insert sport here] five years longer than you could - gasp! - actually be better at it that you, even if they are nasty to their girlfriend.

Please, how about a movie where a quantity surveyor and a human resources officer work normal hours to pay the mortgage on their two-bedroom house (or apartment in a non-ritzy building) in need of renovation. They read newspapers, eat hummus and watch occasional foreign films, but neither is outlandishly smart, sophisticated or snobby. Their child does not learn to read faster than everyone else, has not been booked into an elite school since birth, and does not make adults change their ways with pertinent comments. The child eats crayons sometimes, but is not autistic. Their friends include grad students, truck drivers and middle-aged people - not as shrieking stereotypes or as vessels to show how very eclectic and 'tolerant' our main characters are, but because that's just how people are.

Posted by: Spongie at April 6, 2008 12:49 AM

how about the stereotype from all the "healthy" girls that anyone who is smaller than a size six is a miserable, starving, angry bitch?

I, for one am a zero and guess what? i love it. I love that my clavicle CAN poke people.

HA

Posted by: faith at April 11, 2008 2:02 PM


















Viral Hits

>> Pajiba Movie Posters

>> Pop Culture's 20 Greatest Dancing GIFs

>> Mindhole Blowers

>> The 100 Greatest Insults of All Time

>> The "Other" 100 Greatest Movie Quotes

>> The 100 Greatest Movie Threats of All Time

>> The Sean Bean Death Reel

>> Chicks Dig Beards: It's Science

>> The Coolest TV Show Title Sequences

>> The Most Rewatchable Movies

>> The Most Expensive Movies of All Time