Identities: Post-colonial theory & blog tasks

1) Read the excellent article exploring the different representations of black people in British film and TV from Media Magazine 42 (MM42 fromour Media Magazine archive - page 51)

2) List FIVE films, FIVE TV programmes and FIVE online-only productions that are discussed in the article.

Films:

Anuvahood
Kidulthood
The Mirror Boy

Attack The Block

Shank

 

TV:

TopBoy

Casualty

Luther

Line of Duty

Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Online:

Brothers With No Game

Venus vs Mars

The Ryan Sisters

All About The McKenzies

Meet The Adebanjos

3) Watch Destiny Ekaragha's clips above (more of her work is available on her website, including the short film The Park). To what extent can we apply Alvarado's and Fanon's theories to these films? Do they reinforce or subvert typical black stereotypes in British film and TV? Refer to specific scenes and events in the clips in answering this question and aim for at least 350 words.

The first clip ‘Gone Too Far’ presents Alvarado’s theory by representing the black youth as what can be seen as dangerous (gangs, crime). This is through the mise-en-scene, in further detail the clothing of the characters wearing what would be seen as stereotypical gangster clothes, such as tracksuits which automatically gives the characters a street image. Also, the female character who is named Armani is given the role to decivilize as ultimately it’s the male characters trying to get her attention. Another example of the typical stereotype being subverted is when the main character meets his brother. This brother, who has just arrived from Africa, has a typical African accent and this subverts the exotic and primitivize theories as the main character himself who’s a black British teenager doesn’t have an accent. Furthermore, a difference between the African brother and main character is seen through the choice of clothing: the African one wears suits and the main character wears a tracksuit. This creates humour for the African brother as he doesn’t adapt to British culture. Also, in another one of Destiny Ekaragha short film ‘Tight Jeans’ Alvarado’s theory of humour is embedded through the use of the three main characters who sit on the wall. This is humorous through their banter and colloquialism which the target audience understand. From my perspective, the type of clothing the characters are wearing is comical as it’s not typical gangster attire and uses bright colours such as blue and orange compared to typically the all black Adidas tracksuits teenagers in Britain usually tend to wear. Fanons decivilized theory factor links to this also because the first thing we see when we see the three main characters is them in hoodies, which typically reinforces the 'gangster' stereotype. However the characters subvert this stereotype as they are in brightly coloured clothes which differentiates them. Also, when a character wearing skinny jeans walks by the gangster character questions curiously “how can man wear jeans that tight?” and this shock factor evokes laughter because the gangster-type character is shocked. Typically, the audience would think that the three gangster-type characters sitting on the wall would threaten the man wearing skinny jeans, but this short film subverts that stereotype which makes it less serious and more comical.