Claudine – Love Object vs Sex Object

Consider the conversations we’ve had about romantic heroines/love object vs sexual deviants/sex objects and write about how it relates to Claudine. Which one is she more, or is she both? Claudine was portrayed as a Welfare Queen throughout the film, in your response to this post talk about how this stereotyped framed her as well. I would like you to read this article, “Six Annoying Women Character Tropes in Black Romantic Comedies,” there is a section that relates to Claudine. I also added an article about The Moynihan Report that created the concept of the Welfare Quees. As always, incorporate the readings from our class, plus our discussions about the above topic with the two articles into your post. Below is a link to the film for those of you who missed the first or second half.

 

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March 23, 2018March 23, 2018 by jjadjunct Categories: Uncategorized 7 Comments

We need to talk about Nola? She’s Gotta Have It and the Single Black Female in Film.

In both versions of She’s Gotta Have it, Nola Darling is presented as a sexually liberated, progressive and free-spirited single black women navigating her life in Brooklyn. In theory, she is the anti – stereotype of a black female lead. She’s not a baby mamma, a mammy, sapphire or an overt jezebel. So, what’s the problem? Many have written about Nola, what is your take?

After watching both the original film produced in 1986 and episode one of the new Netflix series that premiered in the Fall of 2017, some 30 years apart. Has Nola changed, stayed the same or gotten worse? And how does she compare to the current images of black women in film and television? Lastly, in the era of reboots, was it necessary for the reincarnation of SGHI and how should a show successful recreate a reboot?

In writing your response, please incorporate the questions in bold, as well as the readings and any articles that help build your argument. Use quotes from the readings and articles and note the source of the quote. Hint – write in a word document and review before posting.

Here are two articles on the new Netflix series;

Does She’s Gotta Have It Live Up to Its Promise?

Was the She’s Gotta Have It Remake Actually Good?

And one on the original film:

She’s Gotta Have It: how Spike Lee’s film revolutionised black sexuality onscreen

March 3, 2018 by jjadjunct Categories: Black FilmsTags: Black, black film, female, sexuality, She's got to have it, Spike Lee 11 Comments

20 Years Later, what does ‘Waiting to Exhale’ mean to Millennial women?

From Chapter 3 – Black Women as Cinematic “Other”

In the history of filmmaking, never has there been a period when the black female subject has enjoyed a prolonged spate of positive portrayals on screen. From the onset, black women’s cinematic representation has been an ambiguous one.

Waiting to Exhale

Taken from McMillan’s blockbuster novel, Waiting to Exhale tells the story of four women, each dealing with man troubles. Savannah Jackson (Whitney Houston), a TV producer who is having an affair with a married man; Bernadine Harris (Angela Bassett), a mother dealing with a messy divorce from a man who’s leaving her for a white woman; Robin Stokes (Lela Rochon) a young executive who is struggling with an aimless relationship; and Gloria Matthews (Loretta Devine), a single mother who pines for her ex-husband who has come out as gay. The women forge a friendship that carries them through their troubles.

There is a lot to admire about this story of four attractive and accomplished women. Their friendship and their celebration of black womanhood and sisterhood as well as their portrayal of professional women in contemporary film. As noted in the L.A. Times article,”Waiting to Exhale’ breathed life into films with ethnic casts and a woman’s point of view 20 years ago.” But, as we discussed in class, this film still subscribes to many of the traditional stereotypes that have plaqued black women throughout the history of film. 20 Years Later, what does ‘Waiting to Exhale’ mean to Millennial women?

Please incorporate the readings, any additional resources like articles and our class discussions. Make sure you review your response before posting, for grammar and spelling errors.

 

February 9, 2018 by jjadjunct Categories: Black FilmsTags: Black, Black women, sexuality, Waiting to Exhale 13 Comments

Claudine – Can the Welfare Queen be a Love Subject?

Consider the conversations we’ve had about romantic heroines and love objects vs sex objects and write about how it relates to Claudine. Which one is she more, or is she both? Claudine was portrayed as a Welfare Queen and a Jezebel throughout the film, in your response to this post talk about how this stereotyped framed her as well. I would like you to read this article, “Six Annoying Women Character Tropes in Black Romantic Comedies,” there is a section that relates to Claudine. I also added an article about The Moynihan Report that created the concept of the Welfare Quees. As always, incorporate the readings assigned, plus our discussions about the above topic with the two articles into your post. Below is a link to the film for those of you who missed the first or second half.

Warning: Before posting, write your thoughts in a word document. Please check for spelling and grammar and read it out loud to make sure your points make sense. If possible have someone read them as well, to make sure your argument/thoughts are clear. Make sure you are presenting your ideas to the best of your ability.

March 25, 2017March 25, 2017 by jjadjunct Categories: UncategorizedTags: black film, Black women, Claudine, female, sexuality, Welfare Queen 8 Comments

The Beauty Model, Colorism and the Images of Women of Color

For Extra Credit:

Pick 2-3 three articles that address Colorism and the Beauty Model and discuss as it related to either the short film Yellow Fewer, a tv show or film that favors or refers colorism. As always incorporate the readings, our discussions and refer to the content in this blog posts in your comments. Also see, the short film Yellow Fever which we viewed in class

Empire’s Grace Gealey Says She Didn’t Experience Colorism Until She Came to the US

Viola Davis as You’ve Never Seen Her Before: Leading Lady!

This Latina Is Calling Out Telenovelas For Being ‘Overtly White’

Why are there so few black female stars with darker skin?

What You Need To Know About Colorism, As Told By A Light Skinned Black Woman

Yellow Fever

March 19, 2017March 19, 2017 by jjadjunct Categories: Black Films 2 Comments

She’s Gotta Have It – NOLA AND THE SOCIAL DEVIANT

Welcome to our 2nd class blog. After every film screening and/or with certain topics, you will be asked to comment on the blog. Please incorporate the readings and refer to scenes from the class screening. Feel free to add articles, quotes from other books or blogs (please credit your source) as well as film clips that relate to the topic.

Please connect the assigned reading on Black women as the “Other” and the “Social Deviant” to She’s Got To Have It. We talked briefly about the concept of the “symbolic whore” and the “good girl vs the bad girl”. How does that relate to his female protagonist, Nola Darling? Please review the article below on She’s Got To Have It and incorporate scenes from the film in your comments/arguments.

http://forgottenrain.tumblr.com/post/51385324528/female-agency-within-the-societies-of-shes-gotta

February 25, 2017March 2, 2018 by jjadjunct Categories: Black Films, UncategorizedTags: Black, female, sexuality, Spike Lee 10 Comments

Extra Credit – Colorism and the Beauty Model in Mainstream Media

Extra credit blog posting. Incorporate the discussion and readings in an analysis of colorism and the Beauty Model in any movie we’ve seen in class, any other movie or TV show that you are familiar with. Pick 2-3 three articles that address Colorism and the Beauty Model and discuss as it related to the tv show or film that favors or refers to colorism and/or the Beauty Model. There are a few articles that address colorism in shows like Grownish or with actresses like Viola Davis in HTGAWM or Empire’s Grace Gealey, feel free to use those as well. As always incorporate the readings and our discussions into your comments.

Empire’s Grace Gealey Says She Didn’t Experience Colorism Until She Came to the US

What Is Colorism? As Told By A Light-Skinned Black Woman

Viola Davis as You’ve Never Seen Her Before: Leading Lady!

This Latina Is Calling Out Telenovelas For Being ‘Overtly White’

March 30, 2018March 30, 2018 by jjadjunct Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

Good Girl vs Bad Girl in Coffy. Being a Superwoman ain’t easy!

In the film Coffy, we met our main character as a junkie prostitute but then realize she is a nurse and is using that persona to pursue the dealers who got her baby sister hooked on drugs. We talked about Coffy being the good girl and the bad girl. How do these opposing persona’s play out in the film? We also talked about Coffy is more than one sterotype, please discuss and explain why? How does it relate to the good girl vs bad girl persona. Also, give examples of where this stereotype exist in current films/tv shows. How do the men view/treat her in the film, give exmaples. In preparing your comments, think about some of the things we talked about in class as well as the non-verbal sexual behaviors overview I sent you. As always, please refer to the readings from previous classes and scenes from the film.

March 10, 2018March 10, 2018 by jjadjunct Categories: Black FilmsTags: Black Female Sexuality, black film, Black women, Pam Grier, Superwoman 8 Comments

Dear White People and the new Black Cinematic Heroine

Dear White People, the new comedy of race and identity in the Obama-era US, is “a nonstop parade of barbed epigrams, cuttingly literate social observations”, writes Owen Gleiberman. Justin Simien, an African America filmmaker examines race and culture in a predominately white fictional college campus.

In Dear White People, we see re-imagined stereotypes of the Tragic Mulatto, Sapphire and Superwoman. Using quotes from Manatu and other resources examine how the filmmaker changes these stereotypes and what was his imagined goal in reinvisioning them. What does this say about how we are to look at black women in contemporary films, especially by African American filmmakers. Feel free to connect black female leads from other films and tv shows as an exmaple, including ones that we have already seen in class.

 

 

May 7, 2017May 8, 2017 by jjadjunct Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

Zebrahead – Nikki, Love or Sex Object

In the film Zebrahead, Zach a white Jewish teenager in Detroit falls for Nikki, a young Black woman from Brooklyn. Nikki is an average teenager, “the girl next door,” but she is coded differently depending on who is looking at her. Incorporate the readings and our discussion about the film. What verbal and non-verbal messages/codes are used to define Nikki? Is she a love object or a sex object and how or when does it change? And how is hip hop music used in this film?

April 1, 2017April 30, 2017 by jjadjunct Categories: Uncategorized 8 Comments