Clive
Full Metal Jacket
Karma: 77 Posts: 4358
Offline
|
|
Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« on: June 24, 2009, 12:29:30 PM » |
|
LOS ANGELES – "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" introduces some 40 new mechanized characters of all shapes, sizes and even ****es — but it's a pair of jive-talking 'bots that critics are singling out as more than just harmless comic relief.
Skids and Mudflap, twin robots disguised as compact Chevys, constantly brawl and bicker in rap-inspired street slang. They're forced to acknowledge that they can't read. One has a gold tooth. As good guys, they fight alongside the Autobots and are intended to provide comic relief. But the traits they're ascribed raise the specter of stereotypes most notably seen when Jar Jar Binks, the clumsy, broken-English speaking alien from "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace," was criticized as a racial caricature....
American cinema also has a tendency to deal with race indirectly, said Allyson Nadia Field, an assistant professor of cinema and media studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.
"There's a persistent dehumanization of African-Americans throughout Hollywood that displaces issues of race onto non-human entities," said Field, who also hasn't seen the film. "It's not about skin color or robot color. It's about how their actions and language are coded racially." If these characters weren't animated and instead played by real black actors, "then you might have to admit that it's racist," Robinson said. "But stick it into a robot's mouth, and it's just a robot, it's OK." But if they're alien robots, she continued, "why do they talk like bad black stereotypes?"
Bay brushes off any whiff of controversy. "Listen, you're going to have your naysayers on anything," he said. "It's like is everything going to be melba toast? It takes all forms and shapes and sizes." LINK
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
gleek
Flak Jacket
Karma: 107 Posts: 9511
OfflineE chu ta!
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2009, 05:44:08 PM » |
|
"Transformers: The Minstrel Show" FTL
|
|
|
Logged
|
Woman, open the door, don't let it sting. I wanna breathe that fire again.
|
|
|
Uisce Beatha
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat From: In the Jar
Karma: 116 Posts: 7357
OfflineGet me the tank!
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2009, 06:43:14 PM » |
|
It has Megan Fox. 'Nuff said.
|
|
|
Logged
|
"If you're darker than a caramel, Reverend Al speaks for you." - Aasif Mandvi "Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a woman's man: no time to talk." - stroh
|
|
|
Gamma Pi
Mock-T
Karma: 3 Posts: 76
Offline
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2009, 07:48:01 PM » |
|
It has Megan Fox. 'Nuff said.
Alluring, but I predict she's a train wreck.
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
MFAWG
Rich Corinthian Leather Jacket
Karma: 31 Posts: 5720
Offline
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #4 on: June 24, 2009, 08:41:44 PM » |
|
Jar Jar Binks surrenders!
|
|
|
Logged
|
The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life. -- Teddy Roosevelt
|
|
|
stroh
Sleeveless Hoodie From: Impact Crater Springs, CA
Karma: 155 Posts: 16135
OfflineWe're doomed!
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2009, 05:17:10 AM » |
|
Aunt Jemima FTW! But if they're alien robots, she continued, "why do they talk like bad black stereotypes?" LMAO! pwn3d!
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Uisce Beatha
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat From: In the Jar
Karma: 116 Posts: 7357
OfflineGet me the tank!
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2009, 05:40:07 AM » |
|
What are the good black stereotypes? #1 - Big dongs? #2 - Signed, Drunken Irishman in a foul German temper
|
|
|
Logged
|
"If you're darker than a caramel, Reverend Al speaks for you." - Aasif Mandvi "Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a woman's man: no time to talk." - stroh
|
|
|
stroh
Sleeveless Hoodie From: Impact Crater Springs, CA
Karma: 155 Posts: 16135
OfflineWe're doomed!
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2009, 05:44:15 AM » |
|
The Cosbys.
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Uisce Beatha
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat From: In the Jar
Karma: 116 Posts: 7357
OfflineGet me the tank!
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2009, 07:05:16 AM » |
|
That show successfully established the "anti-stereotype". I think stereotypes are predominantly negative. Sure, we all buy that Brazilian girls have smokin' hot asses and short people are great lovers but often stereotypes are demeaning or perceived as demeaning. The Irish drink too much Black people like fried chicken (I always thought that was beyond bull*feces* 'til I lived in Alabama for four years) The English are effeminate, pasty white wankers with bad teeth Asians are slow at golf (okay, I have no clue about this one but it fires people up so what the hell) Are there many "good" stereotypes? If so, what's the ratio of bad to good?
|
|
|
Logged
|
"If you're darker than a caramel, Reverend Al speaks for you." - Aasif Mandvi "Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a woman's man: no time to talk." - stroh
|
|
|
stroh
Sleeveless Hoodie From: Impact Crater Springs, CA
Karma: 155 Posts: 16135
OfflineWe're doomed!
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #9 on: June 25, 2009, 07:23:29 AM » |
|
That show successfully established the "anti-stereotype". I think stereotypes are predominantly negative. Sure, we all buy that Brazilian girls have smokin' hot asses and short people are great lovers but often stereotypes are demeaning or perceived as demeaning. The Irish drink too much Black people like fried chicken (I always thought that was beyond bull*feces* 'til I lived in Alabama for four years) The English are effeminate, pasty white wankers with bad teeth Asians are slow at golf (okay, I have no clue about this one but it fires people up so what the hell) Are there many "good" stereotypes? If so, what's the ratio of bad to good? Excellent points. I agree. I'm not sure there is much of a good stereotype. You're post however, reinforces just how global and multi-cultural I am. I love to be drunk, and eat fried chicken, after playing a slow round of golf with guys who call me white pasty and effeminate.
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Clive
Full Metal Jacket
Karma: 77 Posts: 4358
Offline
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #10 on: June 25, 2009, 07:34:41 AM » |
|
I'm wondering how a movie-maker could give alien robots any character if they all had to talk like Ned Gerblansky. Is no one up in arms that a robot has a British accent? Maybe if it were a pasty-white wanker robot with bad teeth.
(Stroh, don't get hung up on the wanking robot aspect. Stay with us.)
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Fuzzy
Full Metal Jacket From: Island of Misfit Toys
Karma: 61 Posts: 4836
Offline
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #11 on: June 25, 2009, 07:50:38 AM » |
|
Are there many "good" stereotypes? If so, what's the ratio of bad to good?
And "good" ones are sometimes turned around. Like "asians are good at math and wreck the curve". That's good, right? Blonds have more fun. Very good. Blacks are better athletes. Slippery slope..... Minnesotans are nice. Overblown. Bad to good ratio. 9:1 ?? Short people
|
|
|
Logged
|
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose." From Oh the Places You'll Go, by Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel)
|
|
|
birdymaker
Straitjacket From: a third world country in the making
Karma: 18 Posts: 2923
Offline
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #12 on: June 25, 2009, 08:35:34 AM » |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
women are like tornados. In the beginning there's a lot of sucking and blowing. In the end, the car's gone, the house is gone..
|
|
|
spacey
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat From: Group W Bench
Karma: 98 Posts: 7733
Offline
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #13 on: June 25, 2009, 09:28:21 AM » |
|
My ex-brother-in-law is from Pocatello, ID, is white as they come, and speaks and acts in much the same manner as these robots are described. I'm also pretty certain he can't read. How do we know these robots aren't just dumb suburban white kids who believe "talking the talk," as it were, lends them street cred? For that matter, how do we know Optimus Prime isn't black?
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
stroh
Sleeveless Hoodie From: Impact Crater Springs, CA
Karma: 155 Posts: 16135
OfflineWe're doomed!
|
|
Re: Transformers, Starring Al Jolson
« Reply #14 on: June 25, 2009, 09:31:54 AM » |
|
LOL Suburban Slim Shady! We used to have a young man exactly as you described as our neighbor. Ah, I miss him. Word up.
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|