Blog #2

Anna May Wong, Still, Picadilly (1929)

Very briefly address the following questions based on the Takaki and Benshoff and Griffin readings:

What is Orientalism? What purpose does it serve? What are the images associated with this idea/ideology? Dr. Fu Manchu and Charlie Chan were two recurring characters in Hollywood film. How would you describe these characters? What was unusual about the casting of the characters? Describe the “Dragon Lady” of Hollywood cinema? What actress was typically associated with these sorts of roles?

What economic, political and social circumstances led to the "Great Migration" of African-Americans to U.S. northern urban centers in the early 20th century? What impact did the Production Code of 1934 have on the use of African-American stereotypes and actors in Hollywood films? What were the economic and social challenges faced by African-American independent filmmakers emerging in the 1970s and 1980s? How is Spike Lee's career an example of the negotiation of critical and socially relevant filmmaking and the Hollywood industry?

Blog Post #1

Briefly respond to the following questions based on Richard Dyer's "On the Matter of Whiteness." Post your response in the "Comments" section directly below this post. Remember to write your name in your response post.

According to Richard Dyer, why is it important to study race and images of race?

How are whites typically seen or spoken about?

What are the problems associated with examining whiteness?

What role does non-white have in defining white? Why is it difficult to make a criticism of this role?

What are the paradoxes of whiteness?