I don't think that a lot of modern films portray the harsh reality of racism in the movies. For example in a not so recent movie, Remember the Titans. The acts of racism are portrayed as sporadic events, and amounts to nothing more than breaking up fights, and having a brick thrown towards the window. That and people conspiring against the team to remove them.. seems kinda trivial, no death threats, mob violence etc. In Mississipi (did I spell it right ?.), Burining the acts of racism are a lot more violent and apparent, But we only see 3 people killed, with others only being beaten up. In my view, Racism went a lot farther, than that. Granted, they only have about 2 hours in which to portray several decades, but they could do it more graphically.. Or maybe I'm not watching the right films, any recommendations ?
Since you already seem to understand what racism is then why do you want to have movies go into more details about it? How would that make you a better person? Just because a certain movie doesn't depict what YOU consider racism doesn't mean that the director of the film must meet your expectations but only wants to bring out what that director wants people to know. Each movie can convey a message in many different ways so just find the right movie to view that makes you feel that it "relates" better to your standards. You don't have to beat people over the head in order to convey a message just like in the movies "To Kill A Mockingbird" Plot Summery: Atticus is assigned to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a young white woman. Although many of Maycomb's citizens disapprove, Atticus agrees to defend Tom to the best of his ability. Other children taunt Jem and Scout for Atticus' actions, calling him a "nigger-lover". Scout is tempted to stand up for her father's honor by fighting, even though he has told her not to. For his part, Atticus faces a group of men intent on lynching Tom. This danger is averted when Scout, Jem, and Dill shame the mob into dispersing by forcing them to view the situation from Atticus's and Tom's points of view. or "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" Plot summary: The movie concerns Joanna "Joey" Drayton (Houghton), a young white American woman who has had a whirlwind romance with Dr. Prentice (Poitier), an African American she met while on a holiday in Hawaii. Prentice plans to fly to New York later that night then on to an assignment in Switzerland. Joanna plans to join him there soon to be married even though she has only known him for a very short period of time. The plot is centered on Joanna’s return to her liberal upper class American home in San Francisco, bringing her new fiancé to dinner to meet her parents (Tracy and Hepburn), and the reaction of family and friends. have done.] Ever see them?
Remember the titans is a disney movie, an exceptionally cheesey disney movie. I wish one of the big black guys would have raped that precocious little girl that had all of the coaching tips, seriously the most obnoxious character in film history. The whole movie was a fucking disgrace, I remember my friend got it out one night when me and another friend were at his house, about 5 minutes in he pretended to be asleep so he wouldn't have to bear the brunt out of our mockery. Me and my other friend sat there astounded at how lame it was for about 30 minutes and then left, they inexplicably broke into song about 5 times in that time, and it's not a musical, that's just supposedly what people did back then.
I hate Remember the Titans because its the only movie they play over and over again throughout the entire month of February. I think racism is portrayed best or at least hits me the most in the little things. Like in the Great Debaters (another Denzel Washington movie) how one of the character's couldn't sit on the bench at the bus stop. No one else was around, but she had to stand the whole time. It helps me realize just how much I take for granted nowadays. Stuff that I never even think about my grandparents weren't even allowed to do. Like order food from any restaurant they want or walk in the front door at the doctor's office. I think any accurate portrayal of it is a good thing at least for people my age who have little to no understanding of it.
What about the portrayal of Apartheid in movies ?, I know Steve Biko was portrayed in Cry Freedom. But are there any other movies depicting aparthied ? RIP, Biko
