Ethnic Notions

1986

Action / Documentary

4
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 79%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 79% · 50 ratings
IMDb Rating 8.0/10 10 609 609

ethnic stereotype media racism black people media manipulation stereotype

Plot summary

This documentary traces the deep-rooted stereotypes which have fueled anti-black prejudice.

Director

Marlon Riggs Photo
Marlon Riggs

Top cast

Esther Rolle Photo
Esther Rolle as Narrator
Pat Turner Photo
Pat Turner as Cast UMass Boston
Leni Sloan Photo
Leni Sloan as Cast: Choreographer
Larry C. Levine Photo
Larry C. Levine as Cast: UC Berkeley
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
535.94 MB
968*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
59.94 fps
12 hr 58 min
Seeds ...
992.61 MB
1440*1072
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
59.94 fps
12 hr 58 min
Seeds 2

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by mythic_raven 7 / 10

This may be.....somewhat interesting.

I was greatly disturbed by the images in this documentary, es specially being an Afro-Latino. The fact that all of White America see's the blacks as the horrid images they show...angers and saddens me. This may prove to some great information to those who know nothing about the history of minstrel shows and things of that sort, but it may scare those of African descent. Watch with caution.Also, the narrator say's something along the lines of minstrel shows being the ascendant of todays blacks shows.....this is my opinion, is not true. Minstrel shows were made by Whites, to laugh at their view of blacks. Todays blacks shows were made by blacks who show what they think and so forth.
Reviewed by adam3000 7 / 10

Fascinating look at the nuances of harmful stereotypes

A nicely subtle parsing of the stereotypes of African-Americans that have dominated popular culture in America since the early days of slavery. The commentary on the evolution of types, and the cultural motivations for the creation of caricatures like the laughing Sambo or the asexual Mammy, is particularly interesting. Both an invaluable historical documentary and an insightful commentary on the larger impact of racist, harmful depictions in popular culture on the people they're intended to ridicule and belittle. Derisory caricatures of blacks have both inspired and justified (and helped to make legal) racism and racial violence.
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