Hollywoods Asians Essay - 1016 Words

Hollywood’s Asians Asian Americans have been part of America for almost as long as its existence. From the Chinese laborers building the transcontinental railway, inner cities laundry services, to Asian farmers who have helped build the agriculture communities around the country, Asian American have contributed to the industries and economy of America. Despite their loyalty and contributions to this country, Asian Americans have been discriminated and considered as â€Å"unassimilable† by many Americans. Racism toward Asian is further extended by Hollywood’s use of â€Å"yellow face,† where Caucasian actors applied make up and prosthetics to pose as Asians, stereotypes such â€Å"yellow peril† and â€Å"orientalism.† (Garcia, 13) From the beginning of motion†¦show more content†¦As the popularity of Fu Manchu increased, Hollywood was quick to take advantage and portray this character as a threat to white supremacy. According to Eugene Franklin Wong’s The Early Years: Asians in the American Films Prior to World War II, Rohmer, the creator of Fu Manchu stated â€Å"I MADE MY MANE ON FU MANCHU BECAUSE I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT the Chinese... I know something about Chinatown. But that is a different matter.† (Wong, 57) This presented a problem as the whole perception of Dr. Fu Manchu was based on generalization and ignorance. Unfortunately, ignorance of Asian culture became the root of Asian characters in motion pictures. The ambiguity and general facelessness of Asian characters and communities lead to the creation of a low-budget film called Chan is Missing (1981) by Wayne Wang. As two amateur detective cab drivers search the San Francisco’s Chinatown for the mysterious Chan, but never do find him or even reach any conclusion about why he is missing. (Marchetti, 53) Kyaw 3 On the other hand, Hollywood’s depictions of different ethnic Asian are not always negative or evoke racism. As the news Japan’s military growth and reaches the shores of America, characters such as Fu Manchu and General Yen which portrayed dangerous Chinese warlords disappear from the screen. The Japanese Imperialist troops became the replace for the stereotypical evil Asian characters. (Marchetti, 41) Scene of Japanese troopsShow MoreRelatedThe Film And Tv And Dark Side Of American Cities946 Words   |  4 Pagesof some people mostly Asian. Among these darker aspects is the discrimination and racial oppression that some people faces in these cities. Most of the Hollywood films continuously feature discrimination of some people mostly Asian. while the people from Asians represent a significant proportion of the entire U.S. it is still really hard to understand how they are yet to be regarded as fully Americans citizens. for example in 2013 the caricatured portrayals of the Asians were on the rise WithRead MoreThe Misrepresentation Of Minorities For The Mainstream Film Industry1459 Words   |  6 Pagesthe recent expansion of Asian-American roles on television has paradoxically ushered in a new generation of actors with just enough star power and job security to speak more freely about Hollywood’s larger failures†(Hess). Unfortunately, the mainstream film industry seems to continually work against the sense of positioning minorities into leading roles, or much of any role in the big blockbusters Hollywood, and other mainstream productions, bank upon each year. The Asian male has long been the victimRead MoreAsian Americans And Asian American Actors3112 Words   |  13 Pagesthe 19th century, Asian Americans have been involved in the media industry when the original â€Å"Siamese Twins† Chang and Eng Bunker became naturalized citizens of America. Roles in television and other media were scarce for Asian Americans, only available roles were very stereotypic al. Early Asian American actors such as Bruce Lee and Sessue Hayakawa could only land stereotypical supporting roles in prime time television. While minority actors have progress through the years, Asian Americans in theRead MoreHollywood Films And The Civil Rights Movement Essay1631 Words   |  7 Pagescharacters are portrayed in Hollywood films and ideas conveyed by the latter suggest that Hollywood’s approach to racism is ultimately negative. However, Hollywood films shot in more recent times and Hollywood’s attitude to non-white actors speak about the film studios’ hypocritical approach to racism, as Hollywood’s activities indirectly promote racist ideologies spreading in the US film industry. Hollywood’s hypocritical approach to racism is proved by movie characters’ whitening, the white defaultRead MoreMovie Analysis : The Movie Aloha 1191 Words   |  5 Pagessociety. There is a system set in place that favors white people and itâ €™s been this way since the founding of America. Racism in Hollywood is no different, since its conception Hollywood’s preference for white faces has been clear and continuous. From the 1915 film Birth of a Nation to Cameron Crowe’s 2015 film Aloha, Hollywood’s has proven time and time again that we are not living in a post racial society. Racism within Hollywood can be seen in different forms, from its lack of diversity, negativeRead MoreThe American Film Industry : The Asian Community983 Words   |  4 PagesAmerica’s changing demographics, Hollywood’s most powerful leaders still lack behind in responding to the demands for movies that reflect cultural and racial shifts. The demand for more culturally diverse movies has been increasing over time. There are many great actors and actresses who are struggling to survive in the film industry due to the fact that they are categorized as a minority. One community in particular who is struggling th e most today is the Asian Community. There has been an increaseRead MoreRace As A Social Construct1057 Words   |  5 Pagesaudience’s and fans of the manga found out that the protagonist was to be played by American actress Scarlett Johansson. Asian-American actress Constance Wu believed that the casting of a white woman is deep-rooted within Hollywood’s racism â€Å"many people s vision of who they see as a hero is rooted in systemic racism†. The film has also been accused of ‘whitewashing’ an originally asian story. Whitewashing is a term which refers to the film industry’s attempt at making originally ethnic characters moreRead MoreMovie Analysis : Korean Horror Films1785 Words   |  8 Pagesyears. Even more importantly is the success of these films abroad due to the increased interest in Japanese and East Asian horror. The success of East Asian horror films at a global and cross-cultural stage challenge known aspects of what is deemed as â€Å"conventional cinema.† However, in order to truly understand the success of these films and the challenges they face, Hollywood’s role needs to be acknowledged. Any analysis that seeks to depart Korean national cinema from Hollywood standards is incompleteRead MoreLilly Fuller. 8 March, 2017. English 11. Gabbert. My Favorite1255 Words   |  6 Pagesso the producers can say, â€Å"We’re not whitewashing! Look, there s one black guy in the background!†. There is no reason to skew our own history, but Chris Rock put it bluntly in his essay on race in Hollywood, â€Å"it s a white industry† (â€Å"Essay on Hollywood’s Race Problem†, Rock). In â€Å"The Conqueror† (1956), white actor John Wayne (archetyped as a cowboy) played Mongol warlord, Genghis Khan. Obviously this is an offensive casting because Genghi s Khan is Mongolian. Not white. Yes that was in 1956, butRead MoreHistorical Events Portrayed During War Films1380 Words   |  6 PagesHistorians do not agree with historical events portrayed in war films because films don’t always portray the facts. For this reason, historians might discredit the film but it’s not Hollywood’s job to inform or tell the truth. Hollywood is the business of entertainment that fulfills the fantasies that people want to see. Through films the audience gets the feelings and understanding of a historical time period, plus satisfaction of entertainment. The director’s give their point of view mixed with