Seeing the montage of so many classic movies, that have in their way formed American cinema, do such detriment to an entire ethnic group is awful. Especially Disney movies, which are watched by millions of children, forming those thought-lines so young. These stereotypes encompass so many rich cultures, that in reality are so different from each other they barely seem like countries that neighbor one another. "Rules of Engagement" stood out to me the most--me never having seen the movie itself--as a truly ludicrous depiction. The mere idea that U.S. Marines were victimized by a nine-year-old girl is laughable, but the idea that the nine-year-old in question would be represented as something evil and worth doing violence upon is disgusting.
I really enjoyed the documentary and the way it was made using all types of movies ranging from old westerns to disney movies. What I did not like was how true the information was and how it has evolved and continued to this day. No group of human beings should be portrayed in such a mannner everytime the appear in a movie or on television. I believe wars and such have to do with that and if more people say the documantary they would stop filming people in such a manner.
This was a very informative documentary. We watch all these movies and shows and don't even think twice when there are racial stereotypes and slurs. It has become the norm for movies to have this nonsense in it, even in children's movies. I think we as a people need to reject these kinds of movies and let Hollywood know that what they are doing is not right. Elizabeth Gunnels Arabic 1001
This documentary opened my eyes to how often the media portrays Arabs as bad people instead of as regular people. After seeing it I will be more conscientious of how Arabs are portrayed in movies, television and other various media. The affect I think this perpetual bad image has had on anyone who isn't of Arab descent is a distancing from these people as well as a wrongfully developed fear of what they believe to be true of an entire people. Surely Hollywood, authors, journalists, and directors know the impact they are making when they shallowly choose repeated depict a culture with the same stereotypes and caricatured emotions, values, and way of life. After seeing this, I have become much more interested in seeing films that portray Arab people as people, and not a typical place-filler villain.
"Real Bad Arabs" is a very interesting documentary. Dr. Jack Shaheen's goal is to make the continuous pattern of hateful Arab stereotypes in Hollywood more visible to the public. The term "Arab" was used by Nazis to vilify Gypsies and Jews. The Aladdin example was eye-opening. The movie consists of every degrading Arab stereotype. Arabs are often used as comic relief and are usually incompetent on the silver screen. I learned that politics and Hollywood are linked and that they reinforce each other. I really enjoyed the comedic portion of the documentary. I think it is great that Arab comedians attempt to diminish stereotypes through their acts.
This film highlights the bigger picture which is that most Americans have a hard time distinguishing between extremist Arabs and everyday Arabs. The majority of Americans have probably only had very minimal, if any, contact with Arabs so their only knowledge comes from what they see on the news and of course the news thives on sensationalism. Historically, almost all minorities have been discriminated against by Hollywood. It will be up to Arab actors to demand better portrayals of their people and to reject the roles that show them in a negative light.
This documentary gives people a closer look at how Hollywood’s portrayal of groups of people in a bad light can influence a society. I have watched “Aladdin” and “Father of the Bride 2” multiple times and this documentary helped me to see the prejudice and stereotypes that exist in these movies. I never really paid attention to Aladdin’s opening song, but I now I see how offensive it is. No group of people should ever be portrayed in such a negative light in the media. Sadly, this has happened throughout history to multiple minorities in America. It is truly a sad sight, but there is hope that through awareness people will be able to change their negative mind frame when it comes to the Arab people.
I actually watched this in my English class in High School when I lived in Abu Dhabi. I think this documentary sheds light on not only the media stereotypes of Arabs but of all racial groups and how easily they are overlooked. Stereotypes are so often used in all media that it has become a norm. Some of my best friends are Arab and from living experience I know that the majority of Arabs are nothing compared to the portrayal of their people in the media. "Aladdin" is one of my favorite Disney movies and even I did not realize until this documentary the lyrics opening song. These judgements and stereotypes are pushed on kids that do not know any better to believe other wise. More people need to be aware of the hurtful stereotypes that exist in the media.
This documentary sheds light on the constant attack on the Arab people through Hollywood cinema. As I watched the documentary, I began to realize I could not think of five movies that had positively portrayed people of Arab descent. This documentary goes to show us that Hollywood could very well have an agenda and vilifying Arabic people is very well on it if they do in fact set out to try to persuade the masses. It is up to us to change this narrative by speaking out against movies and other types of media that vilify not only Arab people but any group of people who don't deserve to be vilified. It's that type of ignorance that fuels the hatred we see spewed on television channels such as Fox News by Bill O'Reilly and others or by some of those so-called Evangelists on television who claim to love God but spend so much of their time spreading hate in the name of Christianity. It's sickening. We can change it, and it's time we start immediately.
I was appalled to learn that for years I went about watching movies, such as Aladdin, and never thought twice about the stereotypes the media portrays Arabs and Muslims. I have a few friends back home of Jordan decent and I never looked at them in such a way, but I now realize that, unfortunately, many people do. As wrong and ignorant those views are, it doesn’t change the fact that it exists. I hope and pray that one day these stereotypes will disappear because they twist an entire culture and way of life into something completely different and degrading.
I found this documentary about how Hollywood portrays the Arab people to be vary eye opening. I had no idea that the range of movies where Arabs were portrayed badly was so large. I remember the Disney movie Aladdin and can now see how the portrayal of the Arab characters was very wrong and that is in a children’s movie. I think that it is sad to see how ignorant Hollywood is to take a group of people and give them a false image and yet continue to allow it to happen. I thought this was a very interesting documentary.
This documentary covered a sensitive area for those of Arab descent as they are often, but not always, negatively portrayed in Hollywood films. The main speaker was very passionate about the subject, and every time he spoke of an example, the example was payed on the screen as he spoke. That was very good presentation skill, and his point was made very effectively. The part I thought was funny is when the comedians were shown, as the one made a reference to being "the kind of Arab that Aladdin is" because of being worried that his answer would be wrong oherwise. It showed me that there is a lot more negativity regarding the American general view towards Arabs, that never even caught my eye before in movies.
This film truly showed me how Arabs have been portrayed countless times in films as heathens and barbarians. I was surprised that I had never noticed the stereotypes that were being made in movie after movie in regards to Arabs. As I watched the documentary, I tried to remember if there were any other groups of people that I could think of who have been as wrongly portrayed as Arabs in Hollywood films and I honestly could not. It seems that these misrepresentations have gone unnoticed for some time now, at least by me. I hope that these stereotypes of Arabs change soon and that they begin to be portrayed for who they really are.
Seeing the montage of so many classic movies, that have in their way formed American cinema, do such detriment to an entire ethnic group is awful. Especially Disney movies, which are watched by millions of children, forming those thought-lines so young. These stereotypes encompass so many rich cultures, that in reality are so different from each other they barely seem like countries that neighbor one another. "Rules of Engagement" stood out to me the most--me never having seen the movie itself--as a truly ludicrous depiction. The mere idea that U.S. Marines were victimized by a nine-year-old girl is laughable, but the idea that the nine-year-old in question would be represented as something evil and worth doing violence upon is disgusting.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the documentary and the way it was made using all types of movies ranging from old westerns to disney movies. What I did not like was how true the information was and how it has evolved and continued to this day. No group of human beings should be portrayed in such a mannner everytime the appear in a movie or on television. I believe wars and such have to do with that and if more people say the documantary they would stop filming people in such a manner.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very informative documentary. We watch all these movies and shows and don't even think twice when there are racial stereotypes and slurs. It has become the norm for movies to have this nonsense in it, even in children's movies. I think we as a people need to reject these kinds of movies and let Hollywood know that what they are doing is not right.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Gunnels
Arabic 1001
This documentary opened my eyes to how often the media portrays Arabs as bad people instead of as regular people. After seeing it I will be more conscientious of how Arabs are portrayed in movies, television and other various media. The affect I think this perpetual bad image has had on anyone who isn't of Arab descent is a distancing from these people as well as a wrongfully developed fear of what they believe to be true of an entire people. Surely Hollywood, authors, journalists, and directors know the impact they are making when they shallowly choose repeated depict a culture with the same stereotypes and caricatured emotions, values, and way of life.
ReplyDeleteAfter seeing this, I have become much more interested in seeing films that portray Arab people as people, and not a typical place-filler villain.
"Real Bad Arabs" is a very interesting documentary. Dr. Jack Shaheen's goal is to make the continuous pattern of hateful Arab stereotypes in Hollywood more visible to the public. The term "Arab" was used by Nazis to vilify Gypsies and Jews. The Aladdin example was eye-opening. The movie consists of every degrading Arab stereotype. Arabs are often used as comic relief and are usually incompetent on the silver screen. I learned that politics and Hollywood are linked and that they reinforce each other. I really enjoyed the comedic portion of the documentary. I think it is great that Arab comedians attempt to diminish stereotypes through their acts.
ReplyDeleteThis film highlights the bigger picture which is that most Americans have a hard time distinguishing between extremist Arabs and everyday Arabs. The majority of Americans have probably only had very minimal, if any, contact with Arabs so their only knowledge comes from what they see on the news and of course the news thives on sensationalism. Historically, almost all minorities have been discriminated against by Hollywood. It will be up to Arab actors to demand better portrayals of their people and to reject the roles that show them in a negative light.
ReplyDeleteThis documentary gives people a closer look at how Hollywood’s portrayal of groups of people in a bad light can influence a society. I have watched “Aladdin” and “Father of the Bride 2” multiple times and this documentary helped me to see the prejudice and stereotypes that exist in these movies. I never really paid attention to Aladdin’s opening song, but I now I see how offensive it is. No group of people should ever be portrayed in such a negative light in the media. Sadly, this has happened throughout history to multiple minorities in America. It is truly a sad sight, but there is hope that through awareness people will be able to change their negative mind frame when it comes to the Arab people.
ReplyDeleteYavaria Ryan
ARAB 1001
I actually watched this in my English class in High School when I lived in Abu Dhabi. I think this documentary sheds light on not only the media stereotypes of Arabs but of all racial groups and how easily they are overlooked. Stereotypes are so often used in all media that it has become a norm. Some of my best friends are Arab and from living experience I know that the majority of Arabs are nothing compared to the portrayal of their people in the media. "Aladdin" is one of my favorite Disney movies and even I did not realize until this documentary the lyrics opening song. These judgements and stereotypes are pushed on kids that do not know any better to believe other wise. More people need to be aware of the hurtful stereotypes that exist in the media.
ReplyDeleteAustin Lowe
Arabic 1001
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis documentary sheds light on the constant attack on the Arab people through Hollywood cinema. As I watched the documentary, I began to realize I could not think of five movies that had positively portrayed people of Arab descent. This documentary goes to show us that Hollywood could very well have an agenda and vilifying Arabic people is very well on it if they do in fact set out to try to persuade the masses. It is up to us to change this narrative by speaking out against movies and other types of media that vilify not only Arab people but any group of people who don't deserve to be vilified. It's that type of ignorance that fuels the hatred we see spewed on television channels such as Fox News by Bill O'Reilly and others or by some of those so-called Evangelists on television who claim to love God but spend so much of their time spreading hate in the name of Christianity. It's sickening. We can change it, and it's time we start immediately.
ReplyDeleteChris Ware
Arabic 1001
I was appalled to learn that for years I went about watching movies, such as Aladdin, and never thought twice about the stereotypes the media portrays Arabs and Muslims. I have a few friends back home of Jordan decent and I never looked at them in such a way, but I now realize that, unfortunately, many people do. As wrong and ignorant those views are, it doesn’t change the fact that it exists. I hope and pray that one day these stereotypes will disappear because they twist an entire culture and way of life into something completely different and degrading.
ReplyDeleteKelly Pope
Arabic 1001
I found this documentary about how Hollywood portrays the Arab people to be vary eye opening. I had no idea that the range of movies where Arabs were portrayed badly was so large. I remember the Disney movie Aladdin and can now see how the portrayal of the Arab characters was very wrong and that is in a children’s movie. I think that it is sad to see how ignorant Hollywood is to take a group of people and give them a false image and yet continue to allow it to happen. I thought this was a very interesting documentary.
ReplyDeleteBrennan Patrick
Arabic 1001
This documentary covered a sensitive area for those of Arab descent as they are often, but not always, negatively portrayed in Hollywood films. The main speaker was very passionate about the subject, and every time he spoke of an example, the example was payed on the screen as he spoke. That was very good presentation skill, and his point was made very effectively. The part I thought was funny is when the comedians were shown, as the one made a reference to being "the kind of Arab that Aladdin is" because of being worried that his answer would be wrong oherwise. It showed me that there is a lot more negativity regarding the American general view towards Arabs, that never even caught my eye before in movies.
ReplyDeleteJeremy Busbee
Arabic 1001
This film truly showed me how Arabs have been portrayed countless times in films as heathens and barbarians. I was surprised that I had never noticed the stereotypes that were being made in movie after movie in regards to Arabs. As I watched the documentary, I tried to remember if there were any other groups of people that I could think of who have been as wrongly portrayed as Arabs in Hollywood films and I honestly could not. It seems that these misrepresentations have gone unnoticed for some time now, at least by me. I hope that these stereotypes of Arabs change soon and that they begin to be portrayed for who they really are.
ReplyDeleteAbdullah Horne
Arabic 1001