Contemporary cinema is frequently noted for being a hotbed of liberalism, which of course occasionally veers into overt political correctness, owing to shoehorned “token” characters and what not. However, you needn’t travel far back in time to see how different things have been in the past, with the political spectrum swinging almost entirely the other way, indulging in either spiteful or thoroughly ridiculous racial stereotypes which serve to humiliate the sub-set they are depicting. It’s disturbing how some of them have managed to unfurl themselves in popular, even good films, as you’re about to see. A lot of them, of course, are complete tripe (as you’re also about to see).
10. Falling Down
While there’s little questioning that Falling Down is an excellent film – though perhaps in light of this topic, that says more about us – and arguably Joel Schumacher’s best, that doesn’t acquit it from accusations of racism during several questionable moments. Take one of the opening scenes, as D-Fens (Michael Douglas) leaves a traffic jam on a scorching hot day, and ends up accosting a Korean store owner who a) charges too much for a Coke and, more disconcertingly b) can’t speak fantastic English. While it’s easy to understand the man’s frustration, his violent outburst afterwards not so much, and this is just the beginning; he then battles with Latino gang-bangers – resulting in their gory death – and essentially fights back against anyone who encroaches upon the white, middle-class way of life.
It’s the only notable feature that screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith has penned – unless you count this bizarre, Dr. Cox-starring cop comedy – and while it is a hoot, the underlying “angry white male” tangent definitely seems a little suspect, even if there might be times we as the viewer – especially if you live in a big city – might be compelled to sympathise with it.
We are currently seeking Film contributors on WhatCulture. To find out more about the perks of being a Film contributor, click here.
10 Comments
White Chicks is not racist towards white people, no movie is racist towards white people.
…except White Chicks.
Actually, in Mandingo, it’s Perry King, the son, who is the one cheating on his wife with a slave. And the titular Mandingo isn’t hung – he’s boiled alive once the woman has a baby that’s CLEARLY his. She’s also killed. While very exploitational, it’s actually supposed to be the anti-Gone With the Wind, as per the novel it came from. Showing the “real side” of the South during Civil War times. The novel itself was fairly shocking, too.
the lion king? Scar was the only black Lion and was the “Bad Guy” also tyhe hyenas were black and the also “Bad Guys”. infact every “Bad Guy” was black in the film!
agreed Falling Down is a bit odd with that bit, but then he goes ape on the nazi bloke. evens out?
i prefer ‘god bless america’ anyway for a mental rampage movie :)
People consistently miss the point of Falling Down and are quick to throw accusations of racism despite the fact that aside from the convenience store proprietor and the gang members, every other person D-Fens assaults is white, including the neo-nazi, the rich golfers, the jerk in the phone booth, the clerks at the fast food, the people house-sitting for the plastic surgeon (and likely the plastic surgeon himself.
Robert Duvall even gives him crap about not having any special right to go off the way he did that day, undercutting whatever empathy we’re supposed to feel for him.
It’s meant to get under your skin. You’re meant to feel for him until you realize how uncomfortable that empathy is.
WHITE DOG isn’t trained to kill white people, and the characters don’t disregard the dog’s killing of black people. In fact, the white woman who adopts the dog insists that he be killed after a black man is killed. The ending shows the dog not attacking a white woman, but a man who is the spitting image of the crazy man who first trained it. Hate redirected from one target to another. Fuller’s film is a direct commentary on the endless cycle of hatred and punishment. All of that commentary is in the film itself, you just need to pay attention.
Just because a character in a movie speaks English poorly doesn’t make the movie racist, are you that pretentious and ignorant? Get off your high seat and get the broom out of your ass.
When poor english is played for laughs and to remind “normal people” how different other cultures are in a disrespectful way, that’s racist.
Reverse racism doesn’t exist. In the US, people of colour continue to be oppressed, and do not have the institutional power to be ‘racist’ towards white people. Look it up.