Identities: Post-colonial theory & blog tasks

Post-colonialism: blog task

1) Read the excellent article exploring the different representations of black people in British film and TV from Media Magazine 42 (MM42 from our Media Magazine archive - page 51)

2) List FIVE films, FIVE TV programmes and FIVE online-only productions that are discussed in the article.

Films-
Anuvahood
Kidulthood
Shank
Attack on the block
The mirror boy

TV programmes-
Fresh prince of bell-air
The real mcoy
3 Non-Blonde
Hackney Empire’s 291 Club
Casualty

Online-
Brothers With No Game
Venus vs Mars
The Ryan Sisters
All About The McKenzies
Meet The Adebanjos

3) Watch Destiny Ekaragha's clips above (more of her work is available on her website, including the short film The Park). To what extent can we apply Alvarado's and Fanon's theories to these films? Do they reinforce or subvert typical black stereotypes in British film and TV? Refer to specific scenes and events in the clips in answering this question and aim for at least 350 words.

From the short film called Tight jeans uses Alvarado's theory of being humorous as to the three boys sitting talking in a comedic way about white people penis's and black peoples. This is by using the stereotype which is always said by people in a comedic way. They also represent themselves in a very Dangerous way as well as for example when the man is walking passed them in the video is slightly given by that fear that he walks faster and looks away. This would give the representation of danger that the man is giving when walking. From this theory Alavarado works as to the representation of humour as to the way they are laughing at each other and also danger by the stereotype still given. For Fanon's theories work as to 'putting on the white mask' as to giving the representation of not the culture. Primitivize is one of the methods that is used when they are talking about heritage and not correct information but information about slavery. This would be primitivize is when they give the stereotype of the genitals of black men and also what the white people at those times would do. This would be typical humour used in TV series or movies. Another piece would be Gone too far which is a trailer representing the theory of Alvarado of Humour such as the brother coming in and singing in the end and also the humour of the family. There is also the sense of Danger as to the girls boyfriend who was threatens the main character. For Fanon there is the 'Putting the white mask on' As his family is very cultured but he picks to be different and would like to represented differently to them. This would also be primitivize as his family very cultured for example his mother being the way she is dressed. This represents the stereotype to be true as culture does stay but is different with the main character which presents it as it can change. The stereotypes overall can be shown to be reinforced and alternative as to the main character not being cultured in Gone too far or the three character in Tight jeans. However it can be shown as it being reinforced in Gone too far as to the accent and the way they are represented in costume in Gone too far and in Tight jeans it is represented by ideology of black men stereotype that they have bigger penises then white men creating different representations.