The Jazz Singer

The Jazz Singer, indicating the decline of the silent film era and the birth of what would come to be known as "talkies", was the first full length motion picture that featured synchronized dialogue excerpts. The story revolves around the young son of an elderly Jewish couple, who has chosen to defy and disobey the religious traditions of his reverent Jewish family by singing popular songs in a bar rather than the sacred ceremonial songs sung in the synagogue. Jakie's father, a cantor, punishes him for committing such an act of blasphemy as singing secular songs in a bar for recreation, so Jakie runs away home. Many years later, after changing his name to Jack Robin in hopes of separating himself from his Jewish lineage, he has become a famous and talented jazz singer. In his attempts to build a career in the entertainment industry, he finds himself torn between his culture and success. Realizing that his family's life is more important than the success of his own, he is finally able to make peace with his father and his god, and in turn spark a successful career.

Being the first full-length motion picture with synchronized sound I feel like this film was very well organized and produced fluidly, given the primitive technology at the time. The synchronization of the lips and the dialogue was executed quite well, and the movements of the characters are also synchronized with the ever changing background music which serves to accent, emphasize and dramatize the actions of the characters. 

In this film the Jewish culture is portrayed very differently than how Jews in contemporary films are portrayed. Jew's in this film are portrayed as extremely devout to their culture, religion and traditions, and extremely anti-secular. As well they are depicted as very much oriented around ideas of traditional values, ethics and morals. In "passing" as white, or trying to assimilate, the main character loses his home, family, traditions, culture, and heritage though he gains success, wealth, fame, friends and a job. It seems much of what is lost through assimilation is idealistic in nature and much of what is gained is materialistic in nature, this idea might be one reason minorities living in poverty assimilate into white culture. What i did not understand about this film, and had somewhat of a problem with, was the fact that the main character adorned himself with black face-paint, striving to imitate an African American, before his first Broadway performance. In my opinion the practice of "Blackface" in early cinema was, is, and never will be acceptable due to the fact that it's presentation is an overt act of racism, based on evolving ancient stereotypes. In this particular film i did not understand why the main character wore "Blackface" because it was completely unnecessary and irrelevant to the content of the film. If an African American man was not allowed to perform on Broadway, why would Broadway hire a Jewish man to impersonate one if not only to exercise white privilege.

Boyz 'N' Girlz 'N' Tha Hood

There is no lack of derogatorily sexist language directed at, or relating to women throughout the film Boyz 'N' The Hood. In many instances of communication between a male and a female, the male comfortably and nonchalantly addresses the female as a "bitch", "ho" or "hootchie." On the rare occasion that the female then defends and stands up for herself, she is instantly bombarded with demeaning degradation. Scarcely throughout the film is there scene set in the context of a female perspective or ideology. It is odd to me that negative interaction between male and female were not scrutinized or examined anywhere near the depth that negative, violent interaction between males was inspected. Because there was no physical violence exchanged between sexes does that make it any less harmful or unhealthy than violence amongst males?

Though this film did not promote an inspiration of negative ideologies, it did make it easy for the audience to identify with the characters which in turn makes it easy for the audience to imitate the behaviors of the characters, and mistreat women. Many viewers would find scenes featuring discrimination on the basis of sex, portrayed in funny, less-serious ways than the scene was intended to be exhibited. This unbalanced examination of violence between sexes, and violence between the same sex might leave the audience believing that the film is trying to relay the idea that women are less important than men because violence between men and women was unacknowledged while violence between men was emphasized. Though the basis of all of this violence between men and women in this film, it is inferred by the audience, stems from African American experience. If this film featured a group of white friends it would be the exact opposite. The audience is supposed to have an ingrained predetermined idea that all African Americans have since childhood been exposed to violence, drugs, alcohol and discriminating treatments from whites and blacks of which will be represented and reflected through themselves in the future.

Disney Deconstructed: Toy Story

When assigned the task of watching a childhood disney film for class a couple weeks ago I did not really think much of it. Due to the limited selection of Disney movies in my possession I was forced to watch Toy Story. It had been quite some time since I had last watched this film or any Disney film for that matter and given the context of the film's examination i really did not know what to expect. Within the first ten minutes of the film the audience is informed that the story revolves around the belongings(toys) of a Caucasian boy named Andy. All of the toys Andy possesses that are made in the image of a humans are white, and not one person of ethnicity, neither toy nor human, is portrayed in the film. I found it very "typical" of Disney to make the both protagonists, Woody and Buzz, in this film personify dominant figures of American society and culture. A few of the obvious traits possessed by these characters overlap such as gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity. They are both heterosexual, white males but they individually epitomize two fundamentally ingrained ideologies of American culture. As a cowboy Woody embodies the traditional, conservative American ideology devoted to a strong work ethic and a sense of self and dignity stemming from maintained domesticity. In contrast, as an astronaut Buzz represents an ideology of advancement and interminable innovation stemming from a want to better oneself and others. As well the only two women that were portrayed in the film were white and single, Andy's single mother and a shepherdess doll named "Bo Peep." The film revolves around the increasing jealousy felt by Woody toward Buzz and is heightened in one scene through the sexual connotations of "Bo Peep" when she replaces Woody with Buzz as a moving partner. In a way I feel that this film reinforces an idea patriarchy through the characterization of its protagonists, as well as the lack of female involvement.