Buddies and Bad Guys -- African American Men in the Movies

Abstract: This 15 page report discusses ten contemporary films and compares how African American men are portrayed with various aspects of how film historians and media scholars have described the historical presentation of African American men in the movies, the popular press, even images presented in and by society in general such as advertising and news reporting. The easiest and most succinct statement about African Americans in the early days of the movies is simply that there were none. Society, at least cinematic society, has accepted that the world has radically changed since the days when a successful black actor was one who regularly had parts as a servant, a sharecropper, or a faithful soldier. As the world moves into the 21st century, it has become clear that actors such as Denzel Washington, Will Smith, and Eddie Murphy truly have star power and can almost guarantee a blockbuster. Bibliography lists 11 sources.

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Catagory: Film & Television

Subcatagory: Music, Film, Television, Theater & Photography

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