We have arrived at our final blog for this semester. I'd like you to take the time to reflect on an aspect(s) of our class which resonated with you. Furthermore, did the film projects present evidence of this (these)? If so, how? Please be specific and share your comments.
Due: Wed., 12/5/18 by the beginning of class.
Kelisha Trice
ReplyDeleteEnglish 318
Dr. Jackson
Not to be dramatic or anything, but I absolutely loved this class. I can agree that this class has not only ruined movies by changing my spectatorship, but it also opened my eyes to how important film is. The Birth of a Nation showed me not only how racist America was/is, but also where the stereotypes that Black people face come from. I honestly never knew that America’s first blockbuster was this racist of a movie. I wish I could say I am surprised, but I’m not. There was also Ida B. Wells’ Red Record which proved Race Riots were more like white people killing Black people and blaming them. She also disproved the hypersexuality of Black women which was also interesting and important because of how sexually deviant Black people are represented in the media. The second movie by Micheaux showed how sexually deviant and evil white people are, and I thought it was a good comeback to The Birth of a Nation even though it ended up banned in America. It was the first movie to show Black people in a positive light. There was Roxanne, Roxanne which explored the misogyny in Hip-Hop while also exploring issues that are sometimes buried in the Black community. This was good because the issues of misogyny in music, the issues of pedophilia and domestic violence, and othermothering at a young age all needs light shed on it. Moving onto Rodney King and Kalief Browder, we discussed the issue of police brutality and the injustices that the justice system serves. While I knew of Rodney King, I never knew the full story behind him, so finally learning his story was something I wish I had done years ago. I had never even heard of Kalief Browder and how the system failed him. Now Bell Hooks dropped so much knowledge on us that I did not fully comprehend it all until we discussed it in class. I had never even heard of Hottentot Venus before you introduced us to her in the classroom. I knew the surface of the habit of Black entertainers selling their sexuality, but I had not realized the effects of it. Overall, this class was enjoyable and I would take it over. There was great diversity between the movies, and every unit had interesting information. The film projects mostly proved evident. Specifically the project about misogyny and the disfiguring of the Black female body when it comes to expectations and ideologies of beauty.
Brandy Jones
ReplyDeleteENGL 318
Dr. Jackson
The biggest thing that resonated with me that was discussed in class was the Tina Turner and Beyonce comparison. I never looked at Beyonce the same after that class. It was interesting to learn how Ike basically shaped Tina Turner into the image that he wanted her to be and that he based that off of Tarzan. I would have never thought about how Jay Z did the same thing to Beyonce until now. Another thing that stuck with me is the Kalief Browder story. I have never heard his story before this class and to find that out was very devastating. It was sad to know that he ended his own life because after getting out he felt that he didn't fit in. He mentioned that "demons are walking with me" and I find that very very scary! What's even worst is to know that he is not the first nor last one that this is going to happen to.
The film projects definitely showed evidence of what we discussed about in class. In the film about misogyny, they incorporated aspects including the cake in the 2 chainz song, "Birthday." That related to when we discussed Sara Baartman and the boob cake and how people hyper sexualize the black female body, especially the butt. The same group also showed in their film how she wanted a big butt but she ended up hurting and in pain. This related to the conversation about K. Michelle and how she had butt implants just because she believed that no one will listen to you in the music industry if you don't have a big butt. K. Michelle ended up almost dying because of her implants which I know is something that she truly regrets doing to this day. People don't understand how the media and society plays into the minds of our young black women.
Although I had seen both “Get Out” and “Black Panther” before, as an amateur media consumer, never did I realize that there was respectability politics involved in both movies. It was not until the idea of Afrofuturism was brought up in the class that I came to understand how politically important these films for every black person. To begin with, “Get out” falls into the category of social thriller which was unconventional and nonconformity. The protagonist, being a black, was lured into a white family, and if he wants to fit into this environment, he was supposed to change who he was. For example, Chris had not given up on smoking when he visited his girlfriend’s house, and his so-called future-in laws were annoyed by this. He was persuaded by them that he might be able to stop smoking by being hypnotized. Similar experience happens day to day when someone of different race goes to a racist family, and he/she is looked down and unappreciated. King’s character also sheds light on how a black person has been forcibly shaped by other white people in the movie, and the word he said to Chris “Get Out” has social and political implications. As for Black Panther, technological advancement is at the heart of the film, and the role black women played goes against the set norms. The technological advancement of Wakanda and its Vibranium was so remarkable that the whole world could be destroyed in a snap of a finger. The role played by the antagonist also sheds light on the outcome of the diaspora. Finally, Black Panther is probably by far the only movie where black women are appreciated, respected, and treated equally, with their role elevated to as high as that of black men.
ReplyDeleteKenedi Williams
ReplyDeleteDr. Hope Jackson
African American Film & Culture
5 December 2018
Being a detail oriented person the aspects of class that really resonated with me lie within the little details. The first is our conversation revolving around the “Sellin Hot Pussy” reading by Bell Hooks where Dr. Hope Jackson stated that the modern day version of Ike and Tina is Beyonce and Jay-Z. It never occured to me that both artists such as Tina Turner and Beyonce consistently revealed their bodies in captivating costumes as a marketing technique and not as anything other than a trendy fashion choice. Also, both Tina and Beyonce owe some of their fame to men, Tina’s toxic relationship with Ike is still talked about today in 2018 and before Beyonce had a successful solo career her father managed her in Destiny’s Child she then began dating Jay-Z at the start of her solo career and has not left him since. While we should not allow these elements take away from the success of both women, it should be acknowledged and considered when Beyonce then tries to say she is a feminist. A feminist would not profit off of the sexual difference between men and women. The next conversation that holds significance was titled “The Reckoning”. This discussion centered around the noticeable differences between the characters of African prince T’Challa and African-American Erik Killmonger in Marvel’s Black Panther. T’Challa being in touch with his African roots by continuing the traditional African cultural normatives is respectful of women and is never seen in the film cursing or being violent unless it is in defense of someone else. Erik Killmonger was abandoned by the people of Wakanda, as a result he abandoned the African customs and had no other choice but to adapt the American normatives instead. Killmongers first scene in the movie portrays that he has no respect or regard for women and the majority of the scenes following portray his aggressive, militant mindset that we later learn is a result of his military training. It was during the class discussion where I was made aware that the director of the film Ryan Coogler intentionally had the characters of T’Challa and Killmonger opposing in order to show the difference of Africans maintaining the traditional customs and African-Americans making their own customs and normatives. After watching all the project presentations I believe my other classmates also have a lasting impression from this class. In one project the newest joint album from Beyonce and Jay-Z “Everything is Love” played in the background, so it is apparent the little details hold value to them as well. Overall, I loved this class because we were able to discuss our history, current events and develop a correlation between the two.
Aleciyah Johnson
ReplyDeleteEnglish 318
At the beginning of this class I did not understand how deep and insightful it was going to be. As we went through the semester going through many different aspects and ways to look at films and artist differently, I was really impacted when we talked about Sarah Baartman. When it was brought to my attention of this lady known for her big butt being build as a cake for people to “enjoy” I felt ashamed, in the sense of the world and how people did act towards her. Many times in the world women are now hyper sexualized because of their features. When we talked about Tiffany Haddish I have never seen the movie “Girls Trip”, and as we watched it in class I felt it was a little forced coming from her yet watching more of her movies I realize she acts how she does regularly. Which made me think of how roxanne roxanne was just a teenager trying to make it in the industry world to provide for her family and to be of some help to her mothwr, that protrayed to me as a sense of how the industry is today, women are always fighting to make it in the industry and even when they make it they have to continue to fight to keep their name and relevance in the world, they have to be sexualized and given a platform to stand on. Also throughout the class I reflect and think about the Rodney King video we watched for homework, I was taken back as I did not know as much about it until watching that video and it interested me very much. The relevance of police brutality back then and how it is protrayed is so similar to police violence today. It amazes me at how throughout time many things have still stayed the same, it seems as althought nothing has changed in the aspect of life in both senses of women and men.
Jada Saxon
ReplyDeleteENG 318
Overall, I believe this course was extremely informative and helped me to increase active viewership when digesting any form of media. In the first unit, we began learning some of the techniques directors utilize while filmmaking and it help me to realize just how important they were to my understanding as a viewer. An example of this is when we discussed how some films find it more effective to use spatial narration rather than a linear. La Negra benefitted from a spatial narrative whereas Harlem Nights got its point across just line in chronological order. In terms of the content delivered, I learned the importance of knowing the setting of a movie not just in terms of location but the time frame in which it was set and released as factors such as these weigh heavily on how things are portrayed in the work. An example of this is in Birth of a Nation where African Americans were shown in an extremely derogatory manner yet the film managed to become one of the first Hollywood “blockbusters”.
In the third unit, we studied issues that I disproportionately impact African American women and this unit sort of inspired my groups final project because I saw a lot of what was discussed in the research we conducted. “Selling Hot Pussy” and “Mentoring and Mothering Black Femininity in the Academy” covered the objectification of Black women by way of examples such as Sara Baartman and Tina Turner. The fascination of Baartman’s body due to the protrusion of her posterior still lives on today and is even being coveted by those who historically ridiculed it to begin with. The Kardashians of the world continue to appropriate what they feel it means to be Black while the Black community is left to suffer the constant burden brought upon them simply because of their genetics and culture. Our final presentation emphasized the blatant misogyny in our own community's music to hopefully wake listeners up and persuade them to only invest their time and money in more positive messages. In researching statistics and videos to support our position, we came across a theme of women subjecting themselves to painful and often dangerous surgeries to achieve an unrealistic body that would better meet the standard of beauty currently held in media. Women of all backgrounds were shown partially naked showcasing their bodies for entertainment but instead of this treatment being a product of force like Sara Baartman endured, this was done at their own will. We also noticed things like cakes in the shape of women’s breasts and buttocks displayed in one of rapper 2 Chainz most popular songs. These are things I had not noticed before as a viewer but this course made me much more cautious and cognizant of what I watch.
Below is a link to an article from our research that I found interesting:
http://www.thefader.com/2017/05/09/rap-culture-respect-black-women-roundtable
Honestly this class has made me into an advocate against a lot of media that I used to promote. Meaning I can't even listen to music the same way because I constantly find myself listening for undertones and hidden meanings. Another thing this class has taught me is just how political and influential media can be in the lives of humans. The concepts presented to me in this class have been challenging and also enjoyable for my experience at this fine institution. However, although this class was challenging and enjoyable for me I believe that this class is a necessity for all college educated black students because it allows us to examine our own culture and media. It also allows us to control how we are viewed in society if the young bright minds step up and put a mandate of representing us in a better light. I never really understood media before this class but now I see it for what it is and that is not solely entertainment but instead a vehicle for a perpetuation of social hierarchy within society. Media holds a mirror to society and for the longest time I never really looked at the mirror critically, I instead looked at the mirror as just entertainment and these people are just having fun. The historical bases of media was centered around race here in America and since I never knew that I never knew the mold of Hollywood but since I now know that I have a hard time watching things that should be just funny for example Big Mama's House with Martin Lawrence was playing at thanksgiving and I started to pay attention to the mannerisms and verbiage of the character and I saw aspects of mothering and mammy tendencies and I couldn't even laugh because 400 years after slavery we still have to shuck n jive with these white people to get success. This class has mad me laugh, cry, and hate but most of all this class has taught me to be above it all and understand that this is just the ugly world that we live in and nothing will every truly change unless something changes drastically and I think that if we keep producing more and more of these concius films like "Black Panther" and "Get Out" we will see even more change and the discussion of our place in the world will change for the better. Thank You for a great experience and have a good break.
ReplyDeleteLiane Freshwater
ReplyDeleteENGL 318
Dr. Jackson
This class for me was a turning point of moving from student, to working professional to advocate. Watching movies that I had seen before and then unpacking them takes you to a place of just enjoyment to enjoying with a different lens in which I am looking through. I now have a true appreciation for how we view and not just what we view. As I move on to this next journey, I am intentional in how I want to bring my future students in the the vision of self and what they need to do to get there. The films that we saw not only gave me a new view but they gave me the chance to reflect on what I have seen all my life and how sometimes we can be wrong in our perception only because of lack of knowledge. I absolute enjoyed this class and how that it will continue. It needs to reach the less informed and give them a platform in which to learn, reflect and stand upon when they show the creative sides of knowledge.
Miesha Glenn
ReplyDeleteDecember 5, 2018
This class really opened my eyes to a lot of these movies that I have already seen before. At first, I thought this class was going to be pointless, but the more we discussed the more I learned. I loved the way Dr. Jackson made us break these movies down to look at it in a different perspective. One of the movies that we discussed that was an eye opener to me was “Harlem Nights.” I was very excited when I realized we were going to watch this movie because I had never seen it before. After watching this film, we were asked to compare it to the article “Mentoring and Mothering.” At first, I didn’t understand the correlation that was being made, but the more Dr. Jackson explained it, the more I started to understand. For example, when Vera took up for her girls and told the men that she was not leaving the club until all her girls were finished with their customers. This made me realize that there is more to just watching a movie just to watch it, but to watch it and make a connection to real life situations make it so much better. Another thing that stood out to me was the comparison between Tina Turner and Beyonce. This is one comparison that I would have never made, but now that we discussed it in class, I can see why this comparison was made. It shows how Ike and Jay Z have control over their women to portray a certain image. Overall, this was a great class and it made me have a different outlook on many different things in life.
Angel Cox
ReplyDeleteENGL 318 - 02
I can honestly say the way I view movies has forever been altered. Before I would watch movies and would only look at what presented, now I analyze everything and pay attention to the little details. As I go back and look at my favorite movies, I don’t see what I used to see and my perception of them has changed. My spectatorship is evolving and changing, and it began in your class. Taking African American Film & Culture has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I resonated most with Unit II, the Biopic and Black Documentary, learning the term intersectionality. Seeing intersectionality presented in “Roxanne, Roxanne” as the single mom, socio-economic status, and ultimately the black woman brought it to life. Learning about something and then seeing it in the world around you is life changing and will change the lens you see everything through.
While I did not see any film projects detailing intersectionality, one I vividly remember was a silent film. A student used his own poems as the base to illustrate love, anxiety, and peace. He incorporated music, videos, and images to achieve each feeling, making a blooming rose the main character (video linked below). The movie was inspired by our first unit, Origins and Perceptions: “Images, Film, and Black Film”, which was centered around silent films. I believe this student beautifully executed a silent film.
Link: https://youtu.be/HnbMYzdjuBs
After taking this class I feel as though I have grown more as a journalist. Dr. Jackson has opened my eyes even more and taught me how to really analyze movies and text. I never knew the " white savior" excited in almost every movie or how black actors are always type casted. So, whenever I'm watching a new movie or an old movie I always try and look out for those two elements. Last night I saw Tyler Perry's new movie " Nobody's Fool" from the moment the movie started I automatically started viewing it as if I had to watch it for class. I can't count on my fingers how many times Tiffany Haddish was OVERLY sexualized in that movie and overly may be an understatement at this point. I also noticed majority of the actors were typed casted and I honestly expected more from the movie given who the writer & director was. With that being said I'm glad I took this class because I feel I can really use what I was taught in my everyday life and in my career field.
ReplyDeleteThis class inspired me even more to take my talents and create content where black actors and actors of color can expand their range with movies. So, I just want to say Dr. Jackson you're an excellent professor and I'm glad you pushed us to really analyze movies and look at them more in depth.
Chris Whittaker
ReplyDeleteEnglish 318
Dr. Jackson
What I've realized after taking this course is that most of the time when watching movies, we as people do not pick up on subliminal messages and undertones when watching these films. This class taught me to examine stuff that may go over people's heads and to dissect the themes that may not be so blatant. One of the themes that I enjoyed learning about is the 'Mentoring & Mothering' theme. We see it so much in movies and TV shows but we don't really grasp what image is being put out into the media when seeing this. I also learned that when we think of these themes we don't notice the actors/actresses that are type casted and are associated with these themes. Another theme that I appreciated learning about is the sexualization of the Black woman. Thanks to this class, I will look at films through a different lens with more insight and knowledge.
It's been a pleasure to be a part of this class. Throughout my time in college, I've always enjoyed a course that allowed open discourse amongst topics I truly care about. Specifically with this class, it was black film. Being passionate about film myself, I found it very easy to catch subliminal messages or deeper meanings. One thing this class has made me recognize is that within film, things are done for a reason; by that I mean there is always more than meets the eye and ear. Going into doing the film project, I wanted to carry this message onto my groupmates. I wanted them to know that no matter what story we're telling, everything that is said and shown has to be for a reason --- which should ultimately allow the viewer to grasp the message.
ReplyDeleteTalik Lassiter
ReplyDeleteThis class has been a very unique class because when we look at movies we dissect so many different things in movie then we have a huge discussion about it. This class also speaks there mind when comes down to a discussion about the movie because everybody is willing to speak there peace on how they feel about the movies we watch what certain parts stood out to them the most. It was wonderful working with my group members on the film project because it was not only my first doing one but it felt kind of cool doing the editing and writing the script and help out with the interviews for it.
Being in this class I’ve had my third eye to the world of movies opened, from the class objectives to semester long film project. This film and culture class wasn’t just about movies, it was about the black cinema. Supplying us with history of movies and build new language to speak from about films. While the film project widen our views, having the opportunity to see how our peers minds worked. Laying foundation for team building skills, conversation respect, and deeper thought. After going through the group process and being the only one left in the end, is what resonated with me the most. Having that experience pushed my mind creatively, because it was all on my shoulders. It turned out to be a film that I’m proud of, because it wasn’t just something thrown together to get a grade. I wanted to use it to connect with the class through what we learned and giving my own perspective on it. Started over 3 times before making it to the last portion of peace. I’ve learned to think past the image being shown, and to grasp what’s really being said. Thank you for the experience!
ReplyDeleteLink to film project:
https://drive.google.com/a/aggies.ncat.edu/file/d/191Y8RSgqKaGKPpLBocrSTeDQ-kY3oeO4/view?usp=drivesdk
This course has dramatically shaped the way I view movies and sheds light on the political, social, and cultural implications, often overlooked by naïve and average consumers of media. For example, the Birth of a Nation opened my eyes on how unfairly black people were treated back in the days and the trivial roles played by black characters in the then movies, such as house maid, field workers, drunks, trouble-makers, and so on. The mainstream media intentionally portrayed this negative image of black people in their movies. This course also enlightened me in the area of black women’s lives. Being a black and a woman complicates the matter widening the social gap, and black women in general are more prone to social injustice, physical, sexual, and psychological abuse. The Roxanne Roxanne movie was an eye-opening piece for me as it showed me how black women strive and endeavor to overcome challenges imposed by the society. To me, the idea of objectifying women as something to be consumed is a deliberate and political action jeopardize women and not appreciate their values. Finally, taking part in short film making was a new adventure since we were able to come up with the idea we were all passionate about. I personally love and play blues, and having the privilege to learn about the origins of the blues and its rich history, I was satisfied with the progress and the knowledge I obtained from this course.
ReplyDeleteKeshawn Stanback
ReplyDeleteProfessor Jackson
English 318
I really enjoyed this class semester because this class really changed my view of movies forever. Stuff that I would usually look over in a film can really be brought to life because now my spectatorship has become advanced. I have learned the difference between independent movies and mainstream movies. Mainstream movies are usually "Watered-down" finished products that fit the liking of everyone. Independent movies are usually more raw and they show you more emotion. I also learned hoe to pay attention to the political and social events in movies. Movies are more than just pieces of films for your entertainment.Films can teach you a lot about the world in general.This class in a way challenged me to be better. Even though I already have a love for films, it enhanced just a little more.
`One thing that resonated with me was Birth of a nation, this movie really stood out to me because it is a silent film and the message it portrays about African Americans. 1915, the period of reconstruction. Radical Republicans asserted a domination over the Southern whites. The movie depicts intermarriage, violence and not to mention racism. It shows Southern whites forming a group called the Ku Klux KLAN. In BOAN, these men would ride around town in white hooded cloaks at night and essentially “ served justice” to African Americans by not letting them vote and keeping them generally apart and subordinate. The KKK can be compared to the white savoir. Griffith’s pro-confederacy feelings are very obvious. In the beginning scene of the movie we see Africans being brought to the United States and quote on quote planting the seed of disunion. The very notion of racial purity is at the core of the film. Whites feared the power of blacks in political office, whites feared the mixing of races, whites feared the domination of blacks. The idealist and altered reality of the racist world was depicting black legislators as slob as ridiculous and cartoonish. Makeup was used on whites to embrasse and degrade black men. However, Griffith’s cinematic manner is still popular to this day.
ReplyDeleteBria Clark
ReplyDeleteENGL 318
Dr. Jackson
Taking this course opened my eyes to so many things. I learned how to view movies in a detailed way and really dive into the movie, before I was just watching it just because it was a movie but now I'm actually learning how to analyze and look deeper into movies. I learned a lot about the importance of film. Especially in the African American culture. I think that art is a superior way to tell stories and watching these movies and learning about every director it really opened my eyes to see how important film is in our culture. My experience with this course allowed me to watch movies I've never watched and that I really enjoyed. One aspect in class that we discuss, was when we watched the movie "Girls Trip". We talked about how African American women are seen and portrayed as in the comedy world. Prior to that lesson and the film, it didn't cross my mind that these were women who are being labeled because of their sexuality and their comedic abilities and watching "Girls Trip" it really introduced a new view. The film projects were definitely an effective way to express our art. It was great working within a group. There were some challenges here and there but it was awesome just to be able to create a film and to be involved with creating a body of work. Having respect for directors and actors is one thing that I will always give props to because it's not easy to make films, but they do it to tell stories and to express themselves and I respect that.
Alexis Wray
ReplyDeleteEnglish 318 was favorite course this semester; every time I arrived I knew I would get feed with new information and every time I left I knew I had more knowledge I could spread to the rest of the world. Although, my particular class never talked much I could look around the room and witness as ideas, theories, and opinions were being discovered and changed. One instance that I seen inquisitive minds so attentive in our class was when we were taught about Afrofuturism. We watched "Get Out" and "Black Panther" to relate back to the film category of Afrofuturism; we began breaking down what we thought the word meant and how it related to the two movies that we had seen and witnessed as each person left the class curious and longing for more. Another time in class where I felt the lesson was very beneficial for me was when we read an exert from bell hooks book, "Selling Hot Pussy" this chapter analyzed the hypersexualization of Black women and gave such valid points on how we continue to perpetuate people over sexualizing us that I purchased her book "black looks race and representation" I would have never thought of buying this book without this class. I have really enjoyed taking this class and I have encourage so many of my friends to take this course as well, explaining to them the ways in which it has educated me and my fellow classmates.
Benjamin Clement
ReplyDeleteEng 318
Dr.Jackson
The aspect that resonated with me the most was the level of exploitation of African-American females in film and music. I was unaware that they are the most disrespected group in America and had so much trouble in the entertainment industry. Having to be just feminine enough in comedy and having to sell out their bodies, in a sense, to attain international fame in music. When we discussed Tina Turner and Ike's relationship and how he influenced a young impressionable girl in order to create his own fantasy, I was shocked. Then when you made the comment that Jay-Z could be seen as doing the same thing I didn't want to associate the two, but after seeing your evidence I agree. I recall from our film projects that one of the groups showed how the influence of music can result in young women taking drastic steps to "improve" their own self image. Going so far as to get black-market plastic surgery and permanently disfigure their own bodies to attain a certain body type. Also how those interviewed were so absentminded to the clear disrespect and exploitation of African-American women in the songs that they play everyday. That truly resonated with me and made me take a second look at music and film as it is associated to African-American women.
Brenda Caldwell
ReplyDeleteENGL 318
Dr. Jackson
4 December 2018
The aspect of this class that resonated with me the most was spectatorship. Over the 3 months or so that we were in this class, I literally watched my own personal spectatorship change. From watching Birth of a Nation to re watching Get Out, the things that I looked for in the movies I watched evolved drastically. Prior to this class I just watched movies for enjoyment without thinking any deeper than that. After we discussed spectatorship in terms of race and socioeconomic status, I thought about how most people who look like us will never get a chance to understand the importance of the films we consume. Most Black people probably watched Harlem Nights just as a comedy and it never dawned on them to inspect the deeper constructs within the movie and what those mean. We saw stereotypes of Black women, displayed through Vera, Sunshine, and Dominique, that are still attached to Black women today. In watching and discussing Sweet Sweetback’s Badass Song, we dissected the impact of Melvin Van Peebles writing, directing, editing, scoring, producing, and starring in his own films and just what that meant with regard to spectatorship. We also learned that he only rented out the rights to his movie rather than selling them, which gave him a certain type of control over his work that move filmmakers don’t have.
In completing the film project, I found myself thinking about the messages we were portraying in our film. Yes, we wanted the film to have comedic relief, but we had to be careful not to distract from the main message of single motherhood and the impact of the message. One specific example within our film was the scene when Janell and Dasia’h confronted Tyrone to tell him that Janell was pregnant. We wanted to have a bit of comedy while also portraying the seriousness of Janell being pregnant.
This class opened my eyes to many different aspects of African American film and culture and I’m glad I took it.
Below I have attached a picture of Vera from Harlem Nights:
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQixEVi4ZbhhdvNCZcsFOqEoNFVwqr0FFW61shZoZB5aQF6lHBhWA
ENG 318 wasn’t really what I initially thought it would be. Back when I was still considering the course, I remember thinking that it had the potential to be very monotonous depending on the material that was to be covered as well as the teacher who was to teach the course. However, upon completing the course I’m thankful to say I was wrong. I really enjoyed the class from the insightful discussions to the engaging films. One discussion that I especially liked was the one about the article “Selling Hot Pussy”. We talked about the significance of the black female body overall but especially in the entertainment industry. This lead us to talk about how women must “sell feminine sexuality” and the impact that it has had on women in the industry and society. During this piece of the discussion, we conquered that the “butt” symbolized beauty and empowerment. Using K. Michelle’s butt implant story as an example, it was easy to understand the impact that the society’s beauty standards can have on women.
ReplyDeleteMy group’s film project provided evidence of our discussion throughout our film. Our film featured a skit that touched on what it can be like for a woman chasing other people’s views of “beauty”. This is showcased throughout the story as our main character dreams of getting butt implants thinking that it would make all the boys want her. In the end, the implants hurt her, and she wakes up from the dream thankful that it wasn’t reality. This can be related to our discussion about K. Michelle getting implants because she thought it would make her more beautiful. Only to later have to remove them for health reasons.
Zila Sanchez
ReplyDeleteEnglish 318
I truly enjoyed this class. From Birth of a Nation to Get Out, every material we discussed was an eye-opener in some way. Jezebels and Mammys are I’m almost all popular films and it’s incredible and to me that it began with one racist film in the early 1900s. Most recently, Afrofuturism has resonated with me the most. After discussing the implications of afrofuturism in one class period, I’ve seen the word everywhere. I even heard about an afrofuturistic podcast while listening to my favorite podcast. I think that’s huge, and I’m looking forward to seeing the entertainment industry expand on that market. Another thing that has resonated with me is the comparison of Tina Turner and Beyoncé. I haven’t been able to see videos of Bey performing the same way anymore. Although I appreciate having a better insight on the mechanics of entertainment, it’s frustrating to see popular artists like Beyoncé being subtly exploited and racist narratives being made the norm. I think we were all aware that Black women have been hypersexualized but after discussing the implications I’m Selling Hot Pussy, I can’t stop seeing it. I’m not Black, yet I considered myself to be pretty aware of the “culture.” But this class. Wow. It made me realize that my knowledge was only the surface of what it means to be Black in America. I would definitely recommend this class. Thanks, Dr. Jackson!
Aaliah Bogin
ReplyDeleteENG 318
Professor jackson
Reflection
Throughout this class, I learned about concepts of African American film and culture that I had not analyzed previously. For example, I learned about the power of images. Images convey messages, initiate conversations, influence or sway an audience and provoke actions. This is evident in the rise of KKK membership after the film The Birth of a Nation came out in 1915, that we learned about in class. Media and images can impact a population. Thus, it is the responsibility of the spectator to evaluate what the messages that films put out to the audience. I also appreciated learning about black filmmakers, such as Oscar Micheaux, that have been left of history books. Often, black filmmakers are not highlighted or given the credit that they deserve. This class helped me recognize that I could recognize prominent Hollywood filmmakers, but I hadn't even heard of any black filmmakers. The concepts that we learned about such as the whiteness paradigm also resonated with me. My favorite thing about the course is the course is the emphasis on the struggle and works of black women. We discussed colorism, hair, sexuality, and respectability politics and how it relates to black women. Overall, I believe the class has been thought-provoking, and I have a new perspectives on a lot of the topics we discussed, as a result.
ReplyDeleteThis class has been very impactful boiling down to my spectatorship in viewing films. Before taking this class, I really didn’t pay close attention to all of the subliminal messages within movies as I do now. This class has opened my eyes to some of the historical aspects that occurred back in time that still goes on today. I honestly enjoyed all of the movies that we watched in the class and the ones from within the unit that we had to watch alone. African American film and culture has a lot of power within it. The concepts that I was able to grasp and learn something from was the notion of the workings of a black woman and how her image, body, and voice played a role in film. I enjoyed learning about the history of Sarah Baartman and the reading of “selling hot pussy”, as it was a representation of the black female body in sexuality. Also, with mothering and mentoring, I was able to see that no matter what, as black women we will always uplift and encourage ourselves. The film project also opened my eyes to realize what the overwhelming presence of misogyny in the lyrics and videos of music genres dominated by African American artists. Also, in the last unit, the concept of Afrofuturism really opened my eyes to see the culture of the black culture. I loved the movie the Black Panther as it told a story with the notion of respectability politics in it relating to race, gender and age.
Clarke Osborne
ReplyDeleteENG 318
I came into this class not knowing what to expect. I assumed it would be your typical film class, you watch a movie and write a paper on it. This was not the case in ENG 318 with Dr. Jackson. I looked forward to coming to this class even on my bad days. I learned something new everyday. In the beginning of the semester i was told this class would change the way I looked at movies forever and I can successfully say IT HAS. I find myself critiquing even the simplest TV shows. Looking for the underlying theme, i observe how they decided to portray female and male characters, white and black. A movie that really struck me was the silent film Birth of a Nation. From the overall cinematic production, to the captions, outfits and overall silentness of the film, I was struck by how captivating and moving the film actually was. I mean, the film alone inspired the reconstruction of the KKK. Another aspect that will forever stick with me is the Selling Hot Pussy/ Mothering and Mentoring/ Shaking That Thang also Black Humor. Sarah Baartman also known as Hot n Tot Venus left a mark on me. Not only is this where the fascination with the black female body began but it opened my eyes incredibly to the origin of certain stereotypes. The black female body is either made fun of or taken advantage off. There is no inbetween. We are looked at as wild, and treated as circus animals. But thats what society likes/d. Ifwe dull down our features we would get no attention and no one would pay us no mind. We can never be ourselves without others saying were trying to be someone else. Our hair is naturally big, lips naturally full and body naturally filled out. It is no act. The black woman is sexualized like no other. When we dont live up to the expectations of how we should look no one listens, but when we do have the wild hair and the bright lips and show off a nice figure, we are only doing what it takes for men and society to look at us.
As for the film project, I was very pleased to see that the theme did not go over mosts head as they were able to proccess the deeper meaning. Our video on women and body image dealt with ideals on Sarah Baartman and what it meant to be pretty. The misogyny in song lyrics and just everyday conversations is overwhelming but no one really pays close attention. Our video addressed that
Samuel Wilson III
ReplyDeleteENG318
This class has taught me to look at films with a different perspective. I typically look at movies for entertainment purposes, but this class has shown me that there are so many messages that come from the undertones displayed throughout productions. From imagery, to historical reference and even the hyper sexuality of women, ENG318 really expanded my viewpoints and ways to analyze and break down not only what was shown in class, but the films that i watch from here on out. I’m very grateful for this experience and for Dr. Jackson for challenging us to dig deeper than the surface!
Kameron J. Hyman
ReplyDeleteEng 318
This was definitely my favorite class this semester if not the best class that I’ve ever had. The course itself centers around everything that I love and want to pursue in life such as film and the in depth analysis of African American history. I learned so much about my culture in an industry and that I actively want to be involved in. The readings were some of my favorite parts of the class. Learning the ins and outs of the film making process that some black innovators had to go through was eye opening. The analysis of sweet back was especially entertaining as the relations of the themes in the film required so much more of a complex analysis than the surface, especially impressive for a film of the time. Having developed our own small movie for the final project I’ve also gained an even greater realization of the time and planning required to develop such a masterpiece which was even more impressive. Scheduling and story writing, making sure that every piece is cohesive and understandable not just to you, the filmmaker, but the audience as well.