What are the positive aspects and what
are the limitations or problems with representations of race, ethnicity, and
gender in in Marvel’s Black Panther? What
is the cultural significance of the movie and what impact, if any, will the
film’s success have on the film industry?
**Notes: First, ALL students must answer this question. Second, for this
week’s blog, your two course readings should come from the Film Industry week
(March 6th). Third, instead of including a third article of your
choice, you MUST refer to at least three specific scenes and/or characters from
the film in order to support your responses. The film references will count as
your third source for the week.
Lauren Tuckman
ReplyDeleteMarvel’s Black Panther consists of positive aspects along with limitations and problems with representations of race, ethnicity, and gender. There is cultural significance in the movie and the impact of the film will have success on the film industry. Black Panther is a movie creation like no other. This is a huge step for the film industry because it is the first movie where there is a black superhero; although it is a fictional film, it highlights the real-world racial struggles we face everyday.
Black Panther is a movie that will have an extreme impact on the film industry. It created commotion all over the world. At Comic-Con in July, a sneak peak of the movie was shown and the views were certainly something to talk about (McClintock). Disney had also debuted a trailer of Black Panther more than a month earlier, “during the NBA finals on sister network ABC” (McClintock). This preview generated a jaw-dropping amount of views in its first 24 hours (McClintock). This record breaking number of 89 million views even had Star Wars beat (McClintock).
Siegel states that, “like ‘Wonder Woman,’ Marvel’s African avenger may open doors to a new kind of hero (Siegel). ComScores Paul Dergarabedian states that the movie has been compared to Wonder Woman because of the cultural phenomenon that the movie became (Siegel). Now Black Panther is going to be the kind of movie that is also a very essential, “watershed moment” (Siegel).
In the scene where Erik Killmonger has taken the throne, he decides to create a Black revolution by using all of their vibranium to show their strength. He decided to make the entire population of Wakanda feel that they should use all of their powers for evil rather than for good. It appears that they have lost a sense of what was most important to them and their country Wakanda.
In the scene where Killmonger challenges T’Challa, problems of ethnicity are questioned because in the “Wakanda” tradition, any member who is blood of the previous king has equal opportunity at the throne. This is an issue culturally and ethically because even if it’s a family member, their motivations can be skewed and they may not be right for the role, as we saw in Killmongers case.
Additionally, the character, Okoye, had the power to lead the women’s army. This represents women’s empowerment. Okoye would do anything for Wakanda because she was loyal to the throne of Wakanda. When Killmonger took charge, even though she did not agree with his plans and tactics, she was faithful and stood by him and fought for her country.
Black Panther is a movie that touches upon cultural, ethical, race, and gender problems. This is truly a movie creation like no other. It will be interesting to see what Black Panther 2 has in store for the film industry.
Works Cited
McClintock, pAMELA. “Disney's 'Black Panther' Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon.” Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2018, 6:35 AM, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-how-disney-created-a-phenomenon-1086820?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s+Today+in+Entertainment_now_2018-02-21+10%3A11%3A07_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Siegel, Tatiana. “Will 'Black Panther' Be a ‘Watershed Moment’ for Black StudioFilms?” Hollywoodreporter , 15 Feb. 2018, 6:00 AM, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/will-black-panther-be-a-watershed-moment-black-studio-films-1084398.
One of the most popular movies recently released, Black Panther starring Chadwick Bozeman and Michael B. Jordan, represents minority groups, specifically in terms of race, gender, and ethnicity in a way no super hero/action movie, in recent memory has ever done before. Because of that, the movie should have a great level of cultural significance to these minority groups, which will directly affect it success and the film industry in general.
ReplyDeleteBlack Panther, has the pedigree and names to gain notoriety and success from the initial release. “Marvel's Black Panther, a $200 million movie co-written and directed by Ryan Coogler, an African-American man, starring an almost entirely black cast and featuring an Afrocentric plotline that eschews the prevailing tent-pole formula of aiming for the broadest sensibility possible” (Siegel). The money, significance, early success, hype and overall air around Black Panther seems to make it one of the first, along with Wonder Woman, of highly popular movies with a minority cast/main figure/plot line, of a new trend in Hollywood as well. “Still, the dam may be poised to break. A Black Panther sequel seems all but assured, says sources. The next wave of projects includes Sony's $20 million SuperFly coming June 15 and New Line's $30 million Shaft redo, with Samuel L. Jackson in the lead, set for June 14, 2019. A Girls Trip sequel is being discussed at Universal, which hopes to reteam Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish” (Siegel).
Now, specifically regarding the contents of the movie, the positive aspects of how race and gender are portrayed include, having an army of women warriors, thus showing that women can be more than their traditional role, especially in a ‘Third World’ country in Africa, such as how Wakanda is portrayed to the world. In addition, portraying Wakandian officials such as T’Challa and Nakia as world leaders, contributors, and key figures in the end of the movie, making efforts towards uniting the world, peacefully, thus showing that minorities, such as Africans and African Americans can play a significant role of world politics, which in the past had been dominated by Caucasian voices (Coogler). These positive portrayals give the film great cultural significance because it is one of the first movies with a minority superhero, main character, and one of the first majority black cast movies that has gained such great and widespread popularity across all demographics of fans and movie-goers.
However, the one, given small, problem with the representation of race in the film is that the antagonist, N’Jadaka or Erik Stevens, is also black and causes the infighting in Wakanda at the end of the movie (Coogler). Thus, in essence showing mirroring the black community violence amongst each other, such as gang violence, with N’Jadaka’s group fighting T’Challa’s group for supremacy. However, the result in the end is a good one as T’Challa learns for the fighting and makes great global strides, which in itself becomes a positive.
Overall, Black Panther carries great cultural significance as touched upon before and is a another great step in the right direction for minority themed movies in Hollywood. “Marvel’s blockbuster superhero movie has a virtually all-black cast, a Black director, a Black soundtrack and a Black African storyline. The film depicts the beauty, genius, courage and compassion of Africans and their diaspora, as well as the trauma with which so many continue to grapple. It answers the question what would Africa look like if it had escaped the ravages of colonialism, the slave trade and the plundering of its resources. It provocatively asks what should be done to set things right” (Jenkins)
Works Cited
ReplyDeleteCoogler, Ryan, director. Black Panther. Marvel, 2018.
Jenkins, Alan. “The Global Significance of 'Black Panther' (Guest Column).” The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2018, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-global-significance-1087878.
Siegel, Tatiana. “Will 'Black Panther' Be a ‘Watershed Moment’ for Black Studio Films?” The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2018, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/will-black-panther-be-a-watershed-moment-black-studio-films-1084398.
In a story of war, political unrest and discrimination, Black Panther accurately depicts present day societal issues in a far away land called Wakanda.
ReplyDeleteAn aspect that is shown in the movie is when Nakia, sister of the Prince/King Black Panther, does not want to be Queen. Nakia and Black Panther are joking about how she would be too stubborn to be Queen. She replies back by saying that she would be a great queen because of her stubbornness. This is an aspect that is shown in everyday life in the workforce for women. Many people think that women leaders are bossy or stubborn; meanwhile those are just negative adjectives that are used for women of power when they do their jobs well.
An aspect of race was when the villain, Killmonger, was in the museum and was looking at the African artifacts with a tour guide. He makes a comment to the tour guide that the security guards have been following him since he entered the museum. This was interesting because he is a black character and everyone in the museum was white. This happens every day to people of color because people stereotype their race.
In the aspect of government, there is a war going on over who will lead the country – the son of the late king, Black Panther or the villain of the film, Killmonger. One of my favorite lines was during the challenge against Killmonger was when T’Challa says to him, “your heart is filled with hatred, you are not fit to be a king” and it made me think that it could be a jab at our current government and what our President now thinks of immigrants and diversity.
I loved seeing some of my favorite black actors and actresses in this film - from Michael B. Jordan to Sterling K. Brown to Lupita Nyong’o. I did not recognize many of the black actresses that were involved in this film. Lupita was the only black actress I recognized, which upsets me. Culturally our society clearly does not recognize black actresses. They get knocked further down the totem poll because they are a part of two minority groups. As Siegel writes for The Hollywood Reporter, “The success of Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman — with its $822 million global haul, it's the top-grossing film directed by a woman — certainly changed the way studios think about the potential of female superhero movies” (Siegel). I only see Black Panther doing the same for black cast movies.
I believe this film will provide a profound impact on the film industry. Black Panther shed a lot of light on diversity within Hollywood. I think this will continue, especially after seeing the numbers for how well Black Panther has done in the box-office. As Jenkins writes in the Hollywood Reporter, “Black Panther is a cultural response with global significance. Over its four-day opening weekend, the film made about $242 million domestically and $427 million worldwide, shattering box-office records” (Jenkins). These are amazing numbers for this film and the actors and actresses, but it is sad that it took this long to starting having a conversation surrounding diversity in Hollywood. However, this is a great thing going forward. Since we cannot change the past years of slavery, mistreatment and racism, we can move forward with this movie in mind for generations to come to learn from. I wish that this movie was released decades ago. As Killmonger said in the movie, “The world is going to find out exactly who we are.” That could not be more true for Black Panther.
Works Cited:
Coogler, Ryan. Black Panther. Marvel films. 2018.
Jenkins, Alan. "The Global Significance of 'Black Panther,'" The Hollywood Reporter 23 Feb. 2018. Web.
Siegel, Tatiana. "Will 'Black Panther' Be a 'Watershed Moment' for Black Studio Films?" The Hollywood Reporter 15 Feb. 2018. Web.
The release of Ryan Cooglers movie, Black Panther was a groundbreaking campaign that led to a record breaking 242 million open over the 16th-19th of February. The action movie brought an aspect to the table that the film industry had never seen before in superhero films. The film featured a nearly all black cast including Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira. The movie, feeling like a cultural event, super-served black moviegoers, “ Black panther drew the most diverse North American audience ever for a superhero film. African Americans made up the largest share of the audience, or 37 percent followed by Caucasians (35 percent), Hispanics (18 Percent), Asians (5 percent) and native American/ other (5 percent) according to comScore. Generally black consumers make up around 15 percent of the audience for such share”(Black Panther Playbook).
ReplyDeleteThe release of this movie plays a very positive impact to the younger generation of ethnicities that lack representation. For a long time, Disney movies often depict white protagonists. In most cases, the plot of the movie relates to a damsel in distress and a white hero saving her. Black Panther did not fit this stereotype. In fact, even Michelle Obama praised the film in a statement saying, “Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superhero’s that look like them on the big screen. I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories” (Hollywood cannot stop praising the groundbreaking marvel film).
Some negatives that could be pointed out in the film was the conflict amongst the tribes regarding who would be crowned king. That being said, the conflict did show that no matter if you are of the same ethnicity, tribe, or gender as another person, problems will arise but a common ground can be found.
In addition to the representations of black power and pride, the film also featured a vast amount of strong women characters. In one of the scenes of the movie, Nakia, sister of the prince/king of Black Panther is given the opportunity to fight for the crown. Though she rejects the offer claiming to be too stubborn of an individual to be a leader, it proves that in the film there is opportunity for women to play more than their previously traditional role.
The character of Shuri, Wakandan Princess plays way more than just royalty. In the beginning of the movie, we see that Shuri is responsible for inventing most of the advanced technology T’challa uses when he is fighting and she is also the inventor of the actual Black Panther suit. Shuris character represents the power of women when combing their skills and abilities within a field of strength.
Finally, one of the most intense moments of the movie is in light of the heroic women. When T’challa loses in the Wakandan ritual combat, Nakia, Shuri and T’Challas mother go against the new king and seek help for their country. They later find out that the Jabari Tribe has rescued T’Challa. Naki is able to use her innovation to restore the power of the Black Panther in T’Challa. This scene is monumental because it acknowledges that without the support of the women, T’challa would not have survived.
There is no doubt that this film will have an impact on the industry because of the outstanding revenue this movie created. Film companies will see how much of a success Black Panther was because it brought something new to the table. They will want to re create this to receive the same end result; money. While this reason may not be morally correct to keep the tradition going, it will definitely be the most successful.
Works Cited:
ReplyDeleteCoogler, Ryan. Black Panther. Marvel films. 2018.
McClintock, Pamela. “Disney's 'Black Panther' Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon.” The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2018, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-how-disney-created-a-phenomenon-1086820?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s%2BToday%2Bin%2BEntertainment_now_2018-02-21%2B10%3A11%3A07_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Ramos, Dino-Ray. “'Black Panther': Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 20 Feb. 2018, www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-panther-hollywood-cannot-stop-031848508.html.
Black Panther has taken the box office by a storm and has earned the praise from a variety of celebrities, including Oprah and even First Lady Michelle Obama who said the film will “inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.” (Ramos).
ReplyDeleteThe film wasn’t made just to appeal to the typical Marvel fan, but a much larger crowd in order to deliver an important message said Disney marketing executive VP Asad Ayaz, “The biggest thing for the campaign was really super-serving black moviegoers while also making it the broadest moviegoing event. This wasn’t just for our core Marvel fans. We went about making it feel like a cultural event." (McClintock).
The positive aspects of the movie are that women are not represented as repressed housewives who stay at home while their husbands are out fighting, the women of Wakanda are also warriors, therefore creating them as equals. The film focuses more on the women’s strength rather than their appearances and they aren’t made out to be objects solely on the screen for sex appeal. Another positive about the film is the pride the people of Wakanda have for their race and ethnicity. T’Challa is proud of who he is and the color of his skin, everyone in Wakanda is. They embrace who they are and all that they have overcome and use it as strength and determination to continue and live their lives the way they want to.
While there always has to be a villain, especially in Marvel movies, the pinning of family against each other comes off especially harsh. Everyone wants to be in power of the throne and have the title of King and it pins friends and family against each other, even causing them to kill each other. I consider this to be a negative because instead of the tribe being united, they become violent over their desire for power.
While I do believe Black Panther will have an impact on the film industry, I don’t think it will be as large as we hope. Before the start of Spring Break we discussed whether or not we thought the movie would be nominated for an Oscar, and although it is more than deserving of a nomination, there is a high chance that it won’t because of the film critics in the industry. I can definitely see the movie getting nominations for costume, actor, and screenplay; it probably won’t be nominated for best film. Critics will probably say it’s because it is a Marvel film, but the reality is that majority of the people who have voting power are white, middle aged men who would rather see a “safe” indie film win rather than an action movie that covers a variety of racial and gender issues.
Works Issued:
McClintock, Pamela. “Disney's 'Black Panther' Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon.” Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2018, 6:35 AM, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-how-disney-created-a-phenomenon-1086820?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s+Today+in+Entertainment_now_2018-02-21+10%3A11%3A07_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Ramos, D. (2018, February 20). 'Black Panther': Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-panther-hollywood-cannot-stop-031848508.html
Marvel’s Black Panther film consisted of a very affluent city in Africa which is predominantly African American. In hindsight of our country’s past, Black Panther portrays African Americans having a higher social standing. The film also shows a large increase in technology, medically and destructively (weapons), in this African city that is unknown to the rest of the world. Marvel’s Black Panther film is truly unique and has portrayed many positive aspects concerning representations of race, ethnicity, and gender. Given that this isn’t the typical “super hero” film, this film will be able to give young African American youth someone and something to look up to and relate to. This film also Gives youth in America someone to look up to in a different light and something to identify with. “Young people will finally see super hero’s that look like them on the big screen.” (Ramos). Seeing an African American super hero film will truly change African American youth in so many positive ways starting with finally being able to be inspired by someone that looks like them physically. Another positive representation portrayed in the film is when the king’s sister, Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, gives back to communities with things such a scholarships and gives access to resources to the youth that they did not have in the past.
ReplyDeleteNot only was race and ethnicity portrayed as a positive entity throughout the film, gender was as well. Women specifically, were portrayed throughout the film as strong, smart, and protective which is interesting to see because traditionally women are not portrayed as the stronger sex rather, they are usually portrayed as weak. But in Black Panther, there is an all-Women’s army called Dora Mijale, this army protects the king which shows that men are not the dominating gender. Not only are women viewed as strong but they are also the smartest in the lab as well.
Though many can say that this film has raised so many important issues in such a positive light there are always some sort of limitations. I think that a major question to be raised would be, is this film enough to even start a change concerning views on race, ethnicity, and gender? Can this be a true starting point for change in the film industry as well? “Of course a single film, even a massive blockbuster like Black Panther, cannot alone reverse generations of negative imagery and distortion. But it’s an important step that will hopefully invite more, in part by indisputably demonstrating the global hunger for Black heroes and storylines.” (Jenkins). There will always be limitations on an argument as controversial as this but I believe that a film as successful as this can be a starting point for more new ideas in the film industry which will ultimately shift to more modernized ideas rather than traditional ones. If Black Panther continues its success it would make sense for the film industry to make some changes.
There was a huge cultural significance portrayed throughout the film, Black Panther, was the first super hero movie that is entirely stood on its own with an entire case of African American individuals. Although Black Panther portrays a positive light of the African American race it is also interesting to see how traditional they keep their ways while also being advanced and modernized. The way the tribes interact with one another when T’Challa played by Chadwick Boseman, becomes king, is evident that the ceremony of him becoming king went back for generations.
Black Panther touches upon so many controversial topics not only in society but in the film industry as well. Given that there has been so much positive attention from this film it will be interesting to see if there is some sort of a shift in the film industry in the years to come.
Works Cited:
Coogler, Ryan. Black Panther. Marvel films. 2018.
Ramos, Dino-Ray. "‘Black Panther’: Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster," Deadline 19 Feb. 2018. We
(continued works cited):
ReplyDeleteJenkins, Alan. "The Global Significance of 'Black Panther,'" The Hollywood Reporter 23 Feb. 2018. Web.
The positive aspects of Black Panther are obvious. First of all, the nearly entirely black cast is groundbreaking in and of itself. The movie has a black hero who goes to his secretly super technologically advanced African homeland, which poses as a third world country in order to isolate themselves from the rest of the world. There have been Tyler Perry movies with African-American casts but this is the first to be so successful and receive such rave reviews, even from the most prominent of audiences as reported by Deadline. “One of the most notable tweet review came from former First Lady Michelle Obama gave her review of the movie saying that she loved it and how it will “inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.”” It is only the second movie after the turn of the century to be number one at the box office for five consecutive weeks or more. Even going beyond race, the movie also has several strong black female leads like Nakia played by Lupita Nyong’o, Shuri played by Letitia Wright and Ramonda played by Angela Bassett. In the movie, Shuri is T’Challa’s brilliant younger sister who designs technology. Even if you ignore race for a second, she’s a woman doing something in the STEM field which is groundbreaking on its own. Nakia is an undercover spy who is sent on dangerous missions and Ramonda is the queen of this country. All three have strong, leading roles that portray women of color and women in general as strong and smart. The Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative reported that even when actresses are in the movies, about a quarter of them portray sexy stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteA strength of this movie is the culture aspect. A lot of the coverage of this movie is on race. As I have said before, much of the focus is on the color of the skin and the culture part is ignored. I love how this movie pulled in the culture even if part of it was fantasy and reminds me of the hit animated movie Coco. A limitation I’ve noticed is the lack of interaction between white people and African Americans. However, I think the movie overall was a necessary first step forward. Since the diversity exists now, the second step would be combining African American heroes with white heroes on the same team all in one movie.
Coogler, Ryan. Black Panther. Marvel films. 2018.
Smith, Stacy L., Choueiti, Marc, and Katherine Pieper. "Inequality in 900 Popular Films," Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative July 2017. Web.
Ramos, Dino-Ray. "‘Black Panther’: Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster," Deadline 19 Feb. 2018. Web.
In Marvel’s Black Panther, I noticed that they decided to make Michael B. Jordan, from a poor neighborhood (Oakland, California.) Oddly enough, I have a friend that lives in San Leandro, which is a couple of miles from Oakland. There, I met some people who were actually born and raised in Oakland. They told me that it is known as the “ghetto.” If we are relating it to a state in Connecticut, Oakland was compared to Bridgeport but bigger. There is already a preset mindset when it comes to the Oakland stereotype. They are known to not be messed with. In the movie, as Jordan grew up, he played this street smart modern American. In the opening scene of the movie, it showed Michael B. Jordan as a kid playing basketball with other black kids as well. I feel as though that was a typical scene that we see all over movies.
ReplyDeleteIn the The Global Significance of 'Black Panther' article from Hollywood Reporter, Alan Jenkins says, “Other research has additionally documented the distorted depictions of Black women, including disproportionate hyper-sexuality, anger, greed and subservient roles. Given those trends over many years, it is unsurprising that so many international consumers of American entertainment have internalized fear and disdain for Black people whom they do not know. Enter Black Panther.” A positive aspect I liked was really incorporating Lupita Nyong’o in a lot of scenes and as a big character (Black Panther’s sister.) She was the one that was really smart and tech savvy. There is one scene in which Nyong’o told Black Panther to just get on top of the car when they were chasing Klaw. Nyong’o’s character controlled. This breaks the general stereotype as mentioned from the quote above. In general, this was a big move for the movie industry because there is not typically a black superhero. This movie has done really well to bring light and awareness to this. The film industry has always lacked representation in diversity.
The Will 'Black Panther' Be a "Watershed Moment" for Black Studio Films? Article by Tatiana Siegel says, “Marvel's Black Panther gamble already is inspiring a new generation of filmmakers who hope to be the next F. Gary Gray, perhaps the most courted black director in the wake of Compton and then The Fate of the Furious, which grossed $1.236 billion. "This film is a great example for young people of color that they can do anything — and that they won't just be the only person of color doing it," says Emerson College professor Miranda Banks, who teaches a class on race, gender and contemporary Hollywood. "In the past, Hollywood studios would commonly enlist an actor of color or a director of color, but they were often surrounded by an enormous number of established white cast- and crewmembers. What's interesting here is that there are so many people of color in front of and behind the camera who worked together and created something that is specifically a black story. That's what is exciting about it for my students and the way they talk about it." This quote explains the benefits and positivity for movies like Black Panther. This movie was the start of a new movement for the film industry.
Jenkins, Alan. “The Global Significance of 'Black Panther' (Guest Column).” The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2018, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-global-significance-1087878.
Siegel, Tatiana. “Will 'Black Panther' Be a ‘Watershed Moment’ for Black Studio Films?” The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2018, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/will-black-panther-be-a-watershed-moment-black-studio-films-1084398.
Coogler, Ryan, director. Black Panther. Marvel, 2018.
Black Panther has dominated the box office, pulling in $427 million worldwide opening weekend, and still holds the number one spot over a month later (Jenkins). It has held this spot for many reasons, the largest being the praise it is receiving for its strong representations of race, gender, and ethnicity.
ReplyDeleteThe movie depicts the fictional African nation of Wakanda and the people of Wakanda, fighting to keep their beloved home safe and secure. The main roles are filled by black actors, even some African actors/actresses, and it is directed also directed by Ryan Coogler, an African American. Coogler uses his creativity and intelligence to represent the African tribe and its people in a way that black people want to be seen on screen. There are countless powerful, intelligent, and dynamic characters in the film, especially T’Challa and Okoye. Both of these characters have powerful and respectful roles in this film, something that, sadly, isn’t normally given to black actors in most Hollywood movies. Black Panther broke this rule and embraced African culture with full force. Not only did it portray the characters in a respected light, but it also showed the values and morals of the fictional African tribe. It took African culture and put it front and center in the film, which was pretty groundbreaking for a Hollywood blockbuster.
Beyond race and culture, the film also did an excellent job of breaking the mold for women. They are typically objectified, especially in superhero/action films. Instead of having them be sexualized, the women of Wakanda are powerful and intelligent. Okoye is head of the Dora Milaje, an all women special forces team for Wakanda. Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, is extremely intelligent, a technological genius. These women aren’t in the movie for the benefit of having something for men to look at, instead, they serve purpose and show strength and power. The Dora Milaje steps forward, especially towards the end of the film, helping and fighting for T’Challa and the Wakanda tribe. This film was a huge step forward for women, but feels long overdue.
However, one minor limitation I perceived was the fighting and violence within the tribe. Since the movie revolved around T’Challa, the protagonist, and Killmonger, the antagonist but also blood of the tribe. The fighting between them contributes to the stereotype of black violence and in turn, resembles gang violence.
I think this film is groundbreaking for the film industry in terms of gender and race. It opens the door for African Americans to be seen in a way that they actually want to be depicted. It gives women the powerful roles that are well deserved and rarely seen in Hollywood films. Miranda Banks, an Emerson College professor, says, “This film is a great example for young people of color that they can do anything — and that they won't just be the only person of color doing it,” (Siegel). However, I don’t believe that this movie alone is enough to rid Hollywood of all its stereotypes and distortions, but it definitely is a large step in the right direction.
Works Cited
Jenkins, Alan. "The Global Significance of 'Black Panther,'" The Hollywood Reporter 23 Feb. 2018. Web.
Siegel, Tatiana. "Will 'Black Panther' Be a 'Watershed Moment' for Black Studio Films?" The Hollywood Reporter 15 Feb. 2018. Web.
Marvel’s Black Panther has been a huge global phenomenon the last month. The buzz that it has generated has been quite unlike any other movie of recent memory. Black Panther has an aspect that separates it from every other successful marvel film to date. It is much more than just your typical superhero movie. It is a cultural movement involving race and ethnicity that brings everybody together unlike anything I’ve seen in recent years. The marketing director of the movie explained how the movie was being publicized. "We went about making it feel like a cultural event," says marketing executive vp Asad Ayaz of the stunts that included sports tie-ins, a Kendrick concert and a fashion show that helped deliver a record-breaking debut. (McClintock.) The meaning of this movie as a whole was much more significant than the movie itself at face value. With all the injustice and violence towards the black community today, this movie meant so much more than just another superhero adventure. To people from all over, T’Challa isn’t just the Black Panther. He is a symbol of hope for people where there may have not been before. When you see it in the theater you really understand its impact and just how powerful it truly is. The Hollywood Reporter article goes on to detail how in North America it had a huge impact on African Americans, but also had by far the most diverse audience that any superhero movie has ever seen. “Black Panther drew the most diverse North American audience ever for a superhero film. African Americans made up the largest share of the audience, or 37 percent, followed by Caucasians (35 percent), Hispanics (18 percent), Asians (5 percent) and Native American/Other (5 percent), according to comScore. Generally, black consumers make up around 15 percent of the audience for such fare” (McClintock.) This goes to show how the movie had a message that truly affected people of all races and ethnicities. A quote taken from Michele Obama in the article we read from yahoo really embodied how we as a civilization feel about this movie. “One of the most notable tweet review came from former First Lady Michelle Obama gave her review of the movie saying that she loved it and how it will “inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.”” (Ramos.) Black Panther just doesn’t send a message to the black community. It sends a message to people from all walks of life and shows them that there is a hero in all of us. The plot of the movie itself relates to real issues that we as humans are faced with everyday. You have Erik Killmonger and Ulysses Klaue who are stealing vibranium and want to arm the rest of the world with it so that countries can stand up for themselves. You have the opposing view from King T’Challa, Nakia, and everybody else who only do what is needed for the world and no more. Killmonger of course was the villain and his methods were way to extreme and could most definitely have started a huge war and potentially end life, as we know it. In the end T’Challa realized that his predecessors were wrong and that Wakanda needed to safely share its resources with the rest of the world to make it a better place. Black Panther is the most culturally powerful movie that is jam-packed with just about everything in a way that the world has ever seen.
ReplyDeleteSources
DeleteMcClintock, P. (2018, February 21). Disney's 'Black Panther' Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-how-disney-created-a-phenomenon-1086820?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR's Today in Entertainment_now_2018-02-21 10:11:07_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie
Ramos, D. (2018, February 20). 'Black Panther': Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-panther-hollywood-cannot-stop-031848508.html
Black Panther is a huge success for Marvel Studios in many ways. The movie has broken down a lot of barriers within the first few weeks of being released. In fact, before it was even in theatres, Disney showed a trailer, which generated 89 million views in the first 24 hours- and that was just a sneak peak. There are many positive aspects encompassing the film, and it is certainly something to talk about.
ReplyDeleteThe film has almost an entirely black cast, which is not something you normally see in many movies today. The lead character, Chadwick Bosemen, is a black superhero, but he is also a well-respected and beloved son, brother, friend and leader. People are happy to see this change and are in support of minority groups rising up. In an article titled “Disney’s ‘Black Panther’ Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon,” we learn just how big the movie’s impact has made. It reads, “…Black Panther drew up the most diverse North American audience ever for a superhero film (McClintock).
I was expecting to see an abundance of black main characters, however, this movie also breaks the mold for females as well. Lupita Nyong'o (Nakia) and Danai Gurira (Okoye) play the role of two powerful and strong women. They are not at the service of men, but instead they certainly pave their own way in terms of what they provide for their country. When Black Panther originally asks Nakia to stay home with him, she makes it clear that she has a duty to help and serve others around the world; she cannot stay home while other people suffer. This shows that she has a bigger purpose than just staying by his side and playing the role of his wife and queen. Shuri, Black Panther’s sister, runs a technology lab and is incredibly brilliant. She plays a very crucial role, which I believe would usually be played by a man. While preparing her brother for a mission and showing him his suit, he tells her she’d be too stubborn to be queen and she agrees. This is definitely a stereotype against women in power today.
The film does a lot of positive things, some of which include the diversity in cast, importance of women characters and their strong duties to their country, and recognition of the troubles people face around the world and the need to help. Culturally, we see how one nation strives to protect their homeland, but also wishes to help the less fortunate. However, one limitation is the violence between different characters, which could be mistaken for two gangs going against one another. When Erik tries to take over, one side of Wakanda sides with him and the other sides with Black Panther. Erik grows up in the ghetto and comes to Wakanda to take the throne, which he believes is rightfully his. However, when he does this, it is in an extremely violent manner, which he blames on the things he has dealt with as a child.
Besides for this one limitation, the movie is wildly successful and deserves full recognition. I think it has the power to change the film industry because it shows that black characters and women could hold high positions of power without dragging along their stereotypical roles. The fact that it is receiving praise from people in power shows the impact it has had on people. In an article titled “‘Black Panther’: Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster,” we see that Michele Obama tweeted, “Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen. I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.” This movie has changed the film industry for the better, and we just may see more of them in the future.
People cannot stop buzzing about Black Panther and for good reason. The story mirrors current social issues we are facing and allows for viewers to relate to the actors and characters featured in the film.
ReplyDeleteThere are many positive aspects to this film such as black female empowerment. We have not really seen a film that encompases two major groups of people in a positive light. One scene that stands out to me when thinking about women representation in the film is toward the end when the fight broke out and the warriors of Wakanda (all women) begin to fight with Killmonger. When I was watching the scene unfold I remember getting chills seeing women take charge against the “villain” of the story with no hesitation. It is important that women are depicted as something other than a damsel in distress.
Along with female empowerment, it was incredible to see T’challa’s sister (technically a princess), Shuri, not only fight in the battle at the end but also be one of the smartest characters in the film. She created the Black Panther suit that T’Challa wore as well as other items for Wakanda to use for defense. In the scene where she shows T’Challa the suit, she is incredibly proud of herself and her brother is sort of shocked but also knew she would pull out all the stops for the suit. I thought it was amazing to see a female character who would usually be portrayed as a “nerd” and uncool be presented as a strong woman who's work is vital to the survival of Wakanda's people and warriors. What I loved most about her character was that even though she was a princess, she could hold her own and fight her own battles. She did not need anyone to save her like we have seen in most other films with a princess.
Another scene that stood out to me was toward the end after T’Challa defeats Killmonger he still brings Killmonger to see the sunset of Wakanda. I took that to be a symbol of understanding people who are different than you and despite their actions still having empathy for them. I think it could also be a dig at the lack of empathy our current administration has shown to minorities and immigrants in America.
As I said before, I believe this film, while still telling a Marvel story, is a way to show what our government and society is lacking. The film’s inclusion of women and race is what is making it such a huge success. In its opening weekend, it grossed over 240 million dollars, the second highest opening weekend in history behind Force Awakens (McClintock). That is a huge deal and it is also important to note that the film has also seen the most diverse North American audience (McClintock) which proves that people want to see more diversity and representation in the film industry. I remember seeing a tweet that in theatres across the country, women were crying during the film because of the representation women received in the film. Also, the film even caught the attention of Michelle Obama and she tweeted about it saying, “Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen” (Ramos). I’ve seen so many stories of young people crying because they finally see a character that represents them in a positive light.
I think this film is just the beginning for more diversity in the film industry. It blew other films out of the water and has ignited a fire in the next generation to make sure that people of all races and backgrounds are represented in Hollywood. Good things take time but this film is just the beginning of much needed positive change.
Works Cited:
DeleteCoogler, Ryan. Black Panther. Marvel Films. 2018.
McClintock, Pamela. “Disney's 'Black Panther' Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon.” The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2018, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-how-disney-created-a-phenomenon-1086820?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s%2BToday%2Bin%2BEntertainment_now_2018-02-21%2B10%3A11%3A07_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Ramos, Dino-Ray. “'Black Panther': Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 20 Feb. 2018, www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-panther-hollywood-cannot-stop-031848508.html.
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ReplyDeleteAs a young black person in America, watching the success of Marvel’s “The Black Panther” was amazing. As a young person of African descent, watching bits and pieces of the culture that I have grown up in was even more enlightening. “Black Panther” Director, Ryan Coogler was able to pull from the African Diaspora even with using classic content that made the film’s plot much more believable which created positive feedback from a different array of audiences. The positive aspect of this film’s success is that cast and crew involved were people who were of color, which is ultimately not seen as much in the film industry. And if they are, they are involved in movie projects that reiterates the media’s perception of people of color, especially black people.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie, there was motifs that drew from the theory of Pan-Africanism. The characters used various african dialects like Xhosa and Hausa, which added depth and a sense of belief in the movie because they used real characteristics of African culture and placed it into the film instead of erasing that aspect and creating their own. In an article written for Deadline by Dino-Ray Ramos, the head of Disney, Bob Iger is quoted saying that this movie “touches hearts, bridges cultures, and open minds”. With the reigning success of this film, hopefully the film industry will learn to invest more in writers and actors of color. They will learn to invest more in stories that tell more than the tale of strife that they have been accustomed to and tell stories that are more than that, just like they do with stories that include white counterparts. Even though there has always been a call for this, the success of this movie will strengthen that belief. Disney already has made that first step in how they promoted this movie “by staging a premiere in South Africa and helping to coordinate screenings in Kenya, where Nyong'o is from, and Nigeria.” (Hollywood Reporter)
One concern I do have about this film is that will it erase parts of the ever so present African Culture that already struggles to be pronounced in today’s global media. It seems like now the term “Wakanda” is associated with anything African, but it may become overkill. African Culture was already rich before “Black Panther”, the movie just brought it more onto the American mainstream map. Even though, the film explored the diaspora within it, audiences may make those things mutually exclusive, when in fact African culture and themes in the film explore so many things about the global black experience. In addition to that, Africa already has a movie industry which is third behind Bollywood and Hollywood. It is called Nollywood. I think if the American film industry was able to invest into that industry, they would be able to get more talent and original movie projects.
McClintock, Pamela. "Disney's 'Black Panther' Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon," The Hollywood Reporter 21 Feb. 2018. Web.
DeleteRamos, Dino-Ray. "‘Black Panther’: Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster," Deadline 19 Feb. 2018. Web.
Black Panther has undoubtedly set records, and shattered glass ceilings in the film industry. I personally loved the film. Right off the bat I thought that the messaging in the film was very incredible and alien to Hollywood on multiple levels.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea that Wakanda, an African nation, was secretly the most powerful country on earth was very moving and revolutionary. I also thought that the film was able to tackle so many issues in today’s society and find ways to relate to all audiences of all backgrounds. As Michelle Obama said, “I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories” (Ramos). In particular, when Nakia was arguing with the Black Panther about using Wakanda’s resources and power to help repressed and discriminated against black people throughout the world. Also, when Erik Killmonger decided when he was king of Wakanda, that he would reveal Wakanda’s true power to help people around the world.
Something that I personally found very empowering in the film, was how powerful the female characters were in the film. Nakia, Okoye, Ramonda, and Shuri were all the backbones behind the men in power. Without characters like them, the men in the film would have no power. I particularly noticed this with Nakia, the Princess of Wakanda and The Black Panther’s younger sister. She developed all the technology in Wakanda, which is what gave the country so much power, and made The Black Panther so powerful. Nakia was specifically powerful when she was driving the car for The Black Panther after the encounter at the casino.
Overall I am confident that this film will make a lasting impression on the film industry because of how revolutionary it was on a diversity standpoint, not just with race, but with content, and sex. As Alan Jenkins says, “The film depicts the beauty, genius, courage and compassion of Africans and their diaspora, as well as the trauma with which so many continue to grapple. It answers the question what would Africa look like if it had escaped the ravages of colonialism, the slave trade and the plundering of its resources. It provocatively asks what should be done to set things right”(Jenkins).
However, within this amazing film, there is one main problem that I identified. Wakanda is a powerful country, but the people and leaders of the country are against sharing the wealth and helping underdeveloped countries. One of the villains in the film is actually a revolutionary, and a progressive. The fact that his ideas were not accepted could be seen as elitism, and anti-internationalism, which is a controversial topic.
works cited
Ramos, Dino-Ray. "‘Black Panther’: Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster," Deadline 19 Feb. 2018. Web.
Jenkins, Alan. "The Global Significance of 'Black Panther,'" The Hollywood Reporter 23 Feb. 2018. Web.
Black Panther has been one of the most hyped/talked about movies the film industry has seen in a long. But why? Marvel has produced massive Super-hero movies in the past, so why does Black Panther have so much hype around it? Was it because the 200 million dollar budget the crew was given? Was it because it was the first African American super-hero? Or was it because this movie gained a ton of racial hype once the movie was released. For me personally, I found the movie to be all hyped around the rituals and traditions of Africa. While they maintained normal traditions in the movie, for example when the Prince was challenged for this thrown, they had a one on one fight till submission. However, this 21st century movie took the traditions of Africa and threw twist that there was this hidden area in Africa that is more technically savvy than any other part of the world. Now, I don’t’ want to sound like a debby downer as I loved watching part of the African traditions, but I felt the movie focused way too much on racial identity and tradition. Marvel studios have produced superhero movies for along as I can remember, and not one movie got away from the idea/concept that maintaining a good versus bad guy. This movie came off as a man coming back to claim his heir to the thrown and in my opinion wasn’t really a villain. Yes, Eric Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) was extremely hard to root against even though he was portrayed as the villain. And on top of that, what were the black panthers “super powers”? His access to high-end technology? Doesn’t that sound extremely familiar to Ironman? Now, don’t get me wrong, I loved the movie and really loved watching the tradition and rituals unfold in front of my eyes and really believe they had the perfect cast and director for this movie. Apparently Oprah Winfrey agreed when she tweeted, “Disney head honcho Bob Iger was so pleased with Black Panther‘s performance, recognizing that it is not only raking in the numbers at the box office, but is a powerful piece of storytelling that “touches hearts, bridges cultures” and “opens minds””. But with that said, was this movie really hyped because of the superhero himself, or because of what the superhero represents? Again, I have nothing but great things to say about the movie and this movie even proved and all African American cast and crew can carry a box office movie, but was this superhero movie really your typical superhero movie, or was it more of movie that told the stories and rituals of a country that has been viewed as second world for too long.
ReplyDeleteWork Cited
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-panther-hollywood-cannot-stop-031848508.html
https://quinnipiac.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-2447730-dt-content-rid-19318143_1/courses/MSS49502_18SP/Inequality%20in%20900%20Popular%20Films.pdf
Black Panther has been a monumental source of representation in film. Shuri, Princess of Wakanda, shows King T’Challa all of her incredible technological advancements and updates in one of the first scenes of T’Challa back in Wakanda. Shuri is sixteen and the leader of the technology field in Wakanda. She, alone, showcases one of the many possibilities for black female youth. The intelligence and strength that she has has the potential to motivate others who identify with her to pursue similar fields.
ReplyDeleteThis film does not just create new visualizations for people of color, it also breaks all of the molds that Hollywood has created for the entire world. Alan Jenkins’ research found that Hollywood’s mold of black men “overrepresent Black males in depictions of violence, crime and poverty; fail to depict the systemic barriers facing members of this group” and its representation of black women as “disproportionate hyper-sexuality, anger, greed and subservient roles.” Killmonger is obviously violent in Black Panther but, his anger is obviously directed at the people who wronged him and allowed him to be brought up in a world where black people are stereotyped as Jenkins wrote. His anger is directed at the people who have everything and offer almost none of it to the rest of the hurting world. This becomes especially evident when he is finally simply talking with T’Challa in his final scene. He informs T’Challa of how his father told him how wonderful Wakanda is and he wanted the rest of the world to know it. Killmonger had terrible methods but, it was what he knew and he thought it was the best thing that he could have done.
When other works that focus on people of color are thrown into the mix like Get Out or Moonlight, it becomes apparent that all of these works “challenge viewers’ assumptions about their respective milieus, drawing much of their power from confounding expectations” (Ebiri). Okoye is first shown to the audience as this obviously physically strong woman sitting as though she is meditating to pilot an aircraft while speaking calmly to T’Challa. Her accent contains qualityes that make it sound like a melody that doe not lull the viewer to sleep but perks their ears and makes them listen harder for each inflection. Okoye is full of wit, confidence and girl power. She is a dynamic character that does not fit under a single lens, assumption or expectation. Okoye, just like the majority of characters in this film, exists to continually break molds.
Ebiri, Bilge. “Critic's Notebook: Why 'Get Out' and 'Moonlight' Are Breakthroughs in Black Filmmaking.” The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2017, www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/why-get-moonlight-are-breakthroughs-black-filmmaking-critics-notebook-984129.
Jenkins, Alan. “The Global Significance of 'Black Panther' (Guest Column).” The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2018, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-global-significance-1087878.
Black Panther functioned as a significant milestone in the movie making industry, for it was one of the first box office hits with a huge budget that features an African American as its leading actor. Not only this, But Marvel showed its desire to change up the traditional style of their superhero movies by creating something fresh and relatable. Before Black Panther, few mainstream American movies had been made that shed light on and pay tribute to a complex and rich African culture. The history of the African continent is very interesting, and Black Panther does a good job of paying tribute to this. Alan Jenkins in his article “The Global significance of Black Panther (Guest Column)”, he discusses how the movie also shatters the traditional roles black men and women are used to playing in movies. He explains the movie making industry often over represents “black males in depictions of violence, crime and poverty: fail to depict the systemic barriers facing members of this group”. This is an interesting point highlighted by Jenkins, for he is right that too often do movies depict certain ethnic groups in certain ways without describing their backgrounds or history with struggle. Furthermore, Jenkins says something similar for black women, they too often they are represented in “disproportionate hyper sexuality, anger, greed and subservient roles.” Black Panther, on the other hand, does a good job of explaining the background of their prominent characters which gives the audience a better understanding of the African culture they are trying to portray. It also has a number of significant female roles that will help to progress Hollywood’s use of strong black female characters.
ReplyDeleteDue to the success of Black Panthers representation of black men and women, as well as the rich portrayal of the history of the African continent, a number of prominent black women in America have reached out to praise the movie, as highlighted in Dino-Ray Ramos’ article. He describes the raving reviews as “a non-stop flood of tweets giving high marks” (Ramos). Tweets from Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and many other celebrities have catapulted Black Panther into a significant cultural movie. Specifically, Michelle Obama said that “it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories” (Ramos).
While I truly appreciate and admire the progression the Black Panther will help ignite in Hollywood in terms of box office movies with leading African American roles, I found some moments in the movie felt forced in an attempt to relate to their audience, an example of this was a clear reference in the movie to a modern joke featuring the line “what are those?” when referencing someone’s new pair of shoes. This was clearly done in the movie when the Black Panther received new cool shoes for his suit. While I admire the attempt to relate to the younger audience, moments like this broke my immersion and felt somewhat corny. Nonetheless, as marketing executive for the movie Asad Ayaz says in Pamela McClintocks article, Black Panther is culturally significant, Specifically, Ayaz said that “we went about making it feel like a cultural event” (McClintock). While at items this can feel forced, there is no doubt that Black Panther was a cultural significant movie that will help to snowball prominent black men and women into more and more roles in Hollywood. With little movies from the past to reference, Black Panther does a great job of portraying black men and women, as well as the African continent, in ways that few Hollywood movies have successfully done.
ReplyDeleteJenkins, Alan. “The Global Significance of 'Black Panther' (Guest Column).” The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2018, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-global-significance-1087878.
McClintock, Pamela. “Disney's 'Black Panther' Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon.” Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2018, 6:35 AM, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-how-disney-created-a-phenomenon-1086820?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s+Today+in+Entertainment_now_2018-02-21+10%3A11%3A07_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Ramos, D. (2018, February 20). 'Black Panther': Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-panther-hollywood-cannot-stop-031848508.html
After viewing the film Black Panther, it was clear that there were many positive aspects as well as limitations in regard to race, ethnicity and gender. Although these aspects are present, there is a cultural significance that the movie holds as it continues to determine the future success of the film industry.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, the movie represents a large number of people who belong to minority groups and portrays them as strong characters throughout the entire film. In an article written by Dino-Ray Ramos, he explains that “Black Panther proves to be a big step in inclusion for Hollywood and beyond, putting the spotlight on marginalized communities in a way that has never been done before.” (Ramos.) A perfect example of one of these characters is Shuri, the Black Panther’s sister. While she is one of the strongest characters of the movie, always jumping in to solve a problem and possibly the smartest with the way she cultivates ways to use vibranium, she belongs to two groups who we tend to see lack of coverage in, in the media - diversity in race and gender. Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri in the movie is a black woman. While the film is about the Black Panther, Wright shows up in most scenes and can be considered one of the lead co-stars throughout the film. Not only Letitia Wright, but the cast consisted of many black women, as well as black men, which contributes to the positive aspects with regard to race, ethnicity and gender. Alongside her is her mother who shows true compassion and we can tell that she yearns for unity within their community but always puts her family first. In an article written by Alan Jenkins, “It’s not just that the Black Panther is a superhero, or that he is surrounded in this film by heroic men and — especially —women, but the film counters and overwhelms each of the media distortions identified by our research. The people of Marvel’s mythical Wakanda are loving fathers, mothers and siblings. They are creators and users of technology. They are financially responsible and secure. They are peace-loving and ethical, notwithstanding their penchant for patriarchal monarchy.” (Jenkins.) This depiction is perfectly executed by actress Angela Bassett.
Specifically focusing more closely on the women in the movie, it was very clear throughout the entire film that these men were very powerful, but it was even clearer that the men’s power would be nothing without the strong army of women behind them keeping everything in order! An example of this could be seen in the very last part of the film during the huge fight. When The Black Panther and was fighting Erik for the throne, The Black Panther could not have won the battle without the help of his sister Shuri and her intense knowledge of vibranium.
With any positive aspects, negative aspects are sure to follow and as much as this film was action-packed, there was a lot of violence between some of the characters. This not only shows violence portrayed by characters who identify with minority groups, but it also does not depict the unity that each character used to identify Wakanda.
(continued)
DeleteThe amount of cultural significance ties with global significance. In the same article written by Dino-Ray Ramos he explains that “one of the most notable tweet review came from former First Lady Michelle Obama gave her review of the movie saying that she loved it and how it will ‘inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.’” (Ramos.) It gives strength and power to people who identify with minority groups and give them an opportunity that Hollywood rarely ever gives, the sense of relatability to the characters of their favorite movies. In an article written by Alan Jenkins, he states that “Marvel’s blockbuster superhero movie has a virtually all-black cast, a Black director, a Black soundtrack and a Black African storyline.” (Jenkins.) It is rare in the film industry that a blockbuster film consists of an entirely black cast, and it is a step in the right direction for the industry, and Jenkins agrees! In the same article, Jenkins explains that “of course a single film, even a massive blockbuster like Black Panther, cannot alone reverse generations of negative imagery and distortion. But it’s an important step that will hopefully invite more, in part by indisputably demonstrating the global hunger for Black heroes and storylines.” (Jenkins.)
Jenkins, Alan. “The Global Significance of 'Black Panther' (Guest Column).” The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Feb. 2018, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-global-significance-1087878.
Ramos, Dino-Ray. “'Black Panther': Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 20 Feb. 2018, www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-panther-hollywood-cannot-stop-031848508.html.
(1/2) Marvel’s film Black Panther is a film that has pushed the boundaries in a traditional Hollywood film industry. With a nearly all-black cast, it changes the way we see film in a progressing light. It challenges the representations including race, ethnicity, and gender from what society has become accustomed to seeing in theaters. Black Panther talks about traditional African roots while also touching on present day societal issues. It also challenges the gender standards in today’s world. The film wasn’t made to target one demographic, but instead to include all demographics and audiences with the messages they are portraying while also being an entertaining action movie. Though the film drew in majority African-American audiences, it reached out to a larger audience as well. According to Pamela McClintock’s article in The Hollywood Reporter, the film’s demographic audience included “African Americans [that] made up the largest share of the audience, or 37 percent, followed by Caucasians (35 percent), Hispanics (18 percent), Asians (5 percent) and Native American/Other (5 percent) according to comScore” (McClintock).
ReplyDeleteSomething in the film that stood out to me was the all-female warriors that defended the country of Wakanda. The perception of the female warriors is that they are strong, loyal, and powerful, which is not how women have been portrayed in films often before. Though the stigma is changing for females in the industry, it wasn’t always this way. I felt that the film did a really great job of fulfilling that strong, female role of the Wakanda warriors. Along with this, because the cast was a dominant black cast, the film also suggests the message about black females standing up and being empowering figures within the Wakanda warriors.
One scene, that was subtle but also a strong message in the film, was when Michael B. Jordan’s character, Erick Killmonger, was in a museum in London looking at ancient West African artifacts. The room was clearly shown with all-white extras looking in the museum as well, including the museum curator. The curator particular takes interest in Killmonger and targets him out of the whole room, questioning his motives for being in the museum. This was an obvious statement about the racial profiling in today’s society against black people in public places.
(2/2) Finally, the role of female characters throughout the movie has contributed to the low statistics of female speaking roles in films. In a report done by the University of Southern California Annenberg in 2016, the film industry has been lacking in predominant female roles when they examined 900 popular films. Between 2007 and 2016 they found that the percentage of prevalence of female speaking characters across these 900 films only ranged between 29.9% and 32.8% (Smith et al). Black Panther incorporates strong female roles from Lupita Nyong’o’s character Nakia, Angela Bassett’s character, queen Ramonda, Danai Gurira as Okoye, and Letitia Wright as Shuri, the Black Panther’s sister. Each of these characters become vital in the storyline. Especially Shuri, who is the smartest in Wakanda and invents the technology the Black Panther uses to defeat his enemies.
DeleteThe film Black Panther was released in a time where society is shifting it’s views on political issues, and this film was one of the first major steps towards talking about these issues and bringing them up in pop culture. It is limited in the fact that it is still in a blockbuster platform and is tied to the Disney name. Though filmmakers and writers were limited by these societal standards, they still found ways to put messages into the film that related to the issues that we’re all facing in today’s world.
Works Cited
McClintock, Pamela. "Disney's 'Black Panther' Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon," The Hollywood Reporter 21 Feb. 2018. Web.
Smith, Stacy L., Choueiti, Marc, and Katherine Pieper. "Inequality in 900 Popular Films," Media, Diversity & Social Change Initiative July 2017. Web.
The film The Black Panther had such a positive influence on people who have seen it. From hearing and seeing people talk about the movie, it is seen that the movie is more than just a movie to people. The movie shows the diversity through superheroes. With all the diversity, the people show a bond between all of them while fighting evil. This movie represents race and gender which highlights the struggle we are having in the real world. There are many people, especially the younger generations, which they see superheroes as role models. In this movie, that is what this cast is trying to show. “Black Panther drew the most diverse North American audience ever for a superhero film. African Americans made up the largest share of the audience, or 37 percent, followed by Caucasians (35 percent), Hispanics (18 percent), Asians (5 percent) and Native American/Other (5 percent), according to comScore” (McClintock). This movie brought in so many different viewers which is what the movie producers wanted to do.
ReplyDeleteThere are many people in the film industry who will see this movie as a positive or negative impact on future films. People will say that the film shouldn’t of shown diversity because that is a big struggle our world is facing right now. But, the film is able to show diversity in a positive way. In the movie, King T’Challa faces threats to his rule. This scene showed how his people came together to face the challenges. “Marvel stayed true to the character and the storyline and didn’t try to whitewash anything,” says Eric Handler of MKM Partners. “I like that they didn’t even think of it as a risky proposition and spent just as much on this film as they have previously” (McClintock). They wanted the storyline to show how they work through diversity. They show through all the racial issues, you can work through anything. “Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen. I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories” (Ramos). Michelle Obama saw the influence the movie brought to people. She explains how you can find courage in anyone no matter there background and that anyone can be seen as a hero.
In my opinion, Hollywood’s film industry will change because of this movie. The amount of positive reviews the movie got will change what people think of other movies. There are people that will want to see more of the diversity that the Black Panther showed. People want to see more of the inspiration the movie brought to people. The younger generations look up to superheroes which will have an impact on what they want future movies to be.
Work Cited:
McClintock, Pamela. “Disney's 'Black Panther' Playbook: A Peek at the Marketing of a Phenomenon.” Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2018, 6:35 AM, www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/black-panther-how-disney-created-a-phenomenon-1086820?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%27s+Today+in+Entertainment_now_2018-02-21+10%3A11%3A07_rrahman&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_tie.
Ramos, D. (2018, February 20). 'Black Panther': Hollywood Cannot Stop Praising The Groundbreaking Marvel Blockbuster. Retrieved March 20, 2018, from https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-panther-hollywood-cannot-stop-031848508.html