When I watched the highly- acclaimed movie “12 Years a Slave” featuring Kenyan born Lupita Nyong’o actress overall, my view, analyzes, and criticism is centered on the depiction of slavery in commercial Hollywood films as well the portrayal of black actors and actresses play racialized stereotypes. The movie although is very insightful and emotional as an African.
I reflected on why black actors and actresses seem to only receive awards when they play dehumanizing roles or characters that have no redemption. I believe that, Lupita plays a sexualized and brutalized black female who, by the end of the film, has no hope of redemption. This is not to take anything away from Lupita’s acting; she is a highly-talented actress who, in my view, plays the part very well.
However, what is problematic is that Hollywood only awards black actors and actresses when they play racialized stereotypes: hyper-masculine roles for black actors and hyper-sexualized roles for black actresses.
Denzel Washington, for instance, has only won one Best Actor Academy Award for his role in Training Day, where he plays a violent and aggressive rogue cop. This is although he has given excellent performances in movies where he is playing more positive characters, including Book of Eli, Malcolm X, The Hurricane and many others.
Therefore, Lupita’s numerous awards from 12 Years a Slave must be critically assessed within Hollywood’s long history of racist representations of Africans.
In comparison to a movie, there’s a scene in the movie on “Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise” that Mshai Mwangola pointed me to Angelou tells the story of being on the set of “Poetic Justice,” and this young black man on the set was cursing like no tomorrow. She pulled him aside, and told him: do you know how great our people were? Do you know our people withstood slavery so that you could live today? He calmed down and cried. Later, Janet Jackson came to her and said: “I can’t believe you actually spoke to Tupac Shakur. No one has the guts to speak to him when he’s like that.
Maya Angelou once said that when she finally departs from this world, at least someone should know that she was here because she loved life and lived it to the fullest, never allowing the events in her life to control her nor allowing herself to be reduced by them. Indeed, many know that you were here! You have left a great legacy for many phenomenal women and through your life, taught many great lessons.
The depiction of the American indigenous tribes “the Indians” {not to say “Red “} as dehumanised killers of white settlers, gradually changed through the 1960’s as civil rights and “sympathy” changed how the Indian was and is portrayed. The first movie to lean towards this trend was “The Searchers” starring John Wayne. As a Movie buff since the age of 6 I think Movies tend to reflect modern day fashion and social change when telling stories….and not in particular the reality of the period they are commenting on.
I thought 12 Years a slave….gave the impression that the slave master was an isolated grotesque, offering of a “master” at the end of slavery. Hence the movie offered Brad Pitt as the new social and emerging modernism sweeping the Southern states at that time. However the recent protests do reveal that White supremacists and far right factions still exist and always will. As democracy has become the more recent fashion and social mobiliser… we must always hold in view that the overwhelming majority of people….far outway…these highly publicised ignorants. There publicity which they crave far outways…there significance or relevance.
I am sorry to see Alagi constantly trying to bring imbalance to his anti western views and critic of us white folks. Most of us…are actually quite friendly and don’t see colour, race, tribe or physical superiority or inferiority. Just a smile or a frown.
I think the term racist is over rated. Though I am definitely a ladies man. The only men I ever played with were in a soccer team. Sweaty, dirty, smelly mates they were too. Glad to say I scored the two goals that won us the league and the challenge cup. lol
Is that racist ? or is it sexist ? No doubt someone will say some kind of “ist” is contentious. More smiles….Mr Bourne.
I think we should call that ” The Bourne Redemption”.
My redeemer; That’s why I have always adored Gambian women and envied Gambian men.
I guess that makes me a Gambianist ////
I don’t have a Rubik’s cube to work that one out Mr Bourne,,,??? But I guess we are both respectist’s and humanists.