‘We’re the only two black faces surrounded by a sea of over-caffeinated white people, patrolled by the trigger happy LAPD. So, you tell me, why aren't we scared?’[1]
What is the basis of stereotypes looking in particular at US society, stereotypes and texts, with particular reference to Crash.

For decades, ethnic minorities have suffered at the hands of the white majority in the United States. The media has added to their plight by perpetuating negative stereotypes, as a result of stereotyping, black people in many people’s minds are associated with crime or drugs. The fear of ethnic minorities that is created by the media only reinforces the white hegemonic hold that ruling classes may have over the population in the States which only adds to the moral panics that currently exist in out society. For example the rise in crimes that may have been committed by blacks, or the fear of the ‘other’ which is generated from the media and creates an ‘us and them’ situation where whites may feel a sense of superiority over ethnic minorities.
‘Here we have a country that is still emerging from a deeply racist history, a society in which white people have treated (and continue to treat) black people with contempt, suspicion and a profoundly ignorant sense of superiority’[2]. Although the era of segregation in America is over, the American media still perpetuates segregationist ideologies. Events such as 9/11 only entrench these ideologies and make people more ready to blame crimes such as murder and theft on the black population.
Crash overturns the idea that black people are something to be feared, suggesting that it is black people who should be afraid of white people in American society – partly because they may be outnumbered. This is used in Crash as the majority of the Los Angeles inhabitants appear to be white.
Over recent years black people have made fewer appearances on television, though this may be due to a number of reasons as it can also be down to damaged stereotypes as
However, black people are making fewer appearances on television – which in recent years has become dominated by ‘white actors’. For example, successful minority based shows such as The Cosby Show and Fresh Prince of Bel Air which are prime examples of shows that were popular with all audiences, showing the contrast in different lifestyles between families.
The Cosby Show focused on the everyday adventures of an upper-middle-class black family The Huxtables. Though the series revived a television genre (comedy), it also sparked controversy about race and class in America as the family were given a mix of qualities that creators thought would challenge common black stereotypes. ‘These qualities included: a strong father figure; a strong nuclear family; parents who were professionals; multiracial friends; and low-key racial pride.’[3] Although this may have been disapproved by the white community as they are shown to be wealthy, the family is portrayed without ‘any demeaning stereotypes’[4]as they were not associated with images of black people in popular culture. As the Huxtables ultimately sustain the idea that ‘anyone can make it’ – referring to the American Dream ‘a myth that sustains a conservative political ideology’[5]
Similarly Fresh Prince of Bel Air also features a wealthy black family; both parents are professionals but can be seen as ‘ascribed stereotypes that have historically been the domain of wealthy white characters’[6]. Like The Cosby Show the show does feature characters from different minorities and also the show helps audiences to understand the issues that blacks may face in reality.
These sitcoms’ portrayal of black issues no longer air, having been replaced by sitcoms such as Friends which reinforce the ‘all American lifestyle’, but it reinforces the same ideas into the audience – that whites are dominant figures over minorities which is one of the reasons why Friends is so compelling to the white American public. Notice how none of the characters are involved in mixed -race relationships and the group of friends are rarely seen interacting with ethnic minorities. What is being shown in Friends does not depict reality - New York is an ethnically diverse city – where some neighbourhoods are particularly dominated by blacks.
Gaye Tuchman (1978) talks of the “symbolic annihilation” of women by the media. What we appear to be witnessing in American Television today is the symbolic annihilation of ethnic minorities.
In Crash Anthony and Peter are black youths who are feared because they seem to match the stereotype of black males involved in criminal and drug activities. Just the colour of their skin prompts people to make misjudgements, like Officer Hansen who assumes that Peter is drawing a gun and mistakenly shoots him. The irony of the situation is that Peter and Officer Hansen are portrayed as those characters least suspected of racism and stereotypes. By using stereotypes in the narrative, the director, Paul Haggis tries to convey characters emotions and prejudice by placing them in different situations and how they are treated.
Bigotry and prejudice form themes in the film, and can be associated with the film’s characters. A person can be considered a bigot if they are ‘intolerant of opinions, lifestyles, or identities differing from his or her own’[7]. In addition to being prejudiced Officer Ryan is also considered to be a bigot, as he treats blacks as second class citizens hence reinforcing white supremacy. Whereas Rick Cabot (district attorney) is not depicted as a bigot as he tries to prove to his supporters that he is racially sensitive, as his key voters are Hispanics and African Americans; therefore his racial viewpoint is ambiguous.
Prejudice is judging another person or social group beforehand usually in a negative or stereotypical way. This may involve the targeting of minorities who do not conform to norms or expectations.
As mentioned before the district attorney’s wife is prejudiced as she makes assumptions regarding the Mexican locksmith beforehand.
Another prejudiced character is Officer Ryan because of his views towards black people, after stopping a black couple in their SUV, he asks them to step out of the car even though he has made the necessary security checks; however the couple do not argue back as he is white and they are black, which re enforces the dominance whites have over blacks.
The hegemonic model is when dominant groups in society (the ruling class), maintain their dominance by passing down ideas and cultural influences to subordinate groups, as it emphasizes ‘the importance of culture and ideology’[8]. In recent years ‘television and cinema have become central to popular culture, and many of the clearly racist images of past television and cinema that are now fading from western screens can be explained in relation to colonialism and white supremacy’.[9]
The hegemonic model can also be linked to the hypodermic needle model, where passive audiences are ‘injected’ with ideologies, who will accept what is being said to be right. An ideology being ‘injected’ into audiences is that blacks are a problem, and many people, Americans in particular will believe this even though it may not necessarily be true. But the ruling class want the audience to think this as it fits with their cultural ideologies.
This can also be associated with Althusser, who identified ideological state apparatuses alongside repressive state apparatuses to maintain bourgeois (ruling class) ideologies. These ideologies include the legal and political system and cultural and communications system. By having these ideologies audiences will presume that these are correct. I.e. in Crash the district attorney reinforces the importance of the legal and political system, as he worries about the impact the car jacking has on his career.
In 21st century society, there may have been positive developments for ethnic minorities but the ‘white hegemonic hold over the television and film industries’[10] appears to have created racial representations which are more accepted in a liberalist society.
‘Race and racist imagery has been a constant theme pervading and persuading the film narrative’[11], producers and directors are still relying on racial stereotypes when bringing race issues to the screen, but the ideas still support white dominance as these racial stereotypes that they have incorporated are of white people living in a racist society.
A film genre that emerged in the early 1970s was Blaxploitation where ‘exploitative films were targeted primarily at urban black audiences’[12], and were the first to feature black actors as the protagonists – in addition they were the first films to feature funk and soul music. This was part of the changing attitude towards black culture and the genre also highlighted inner city poverty.
Shaft (1971) directed by Gordon Parks was one of the first Blaxploitation films that went mainstream in America and more likely to have begun the genre. It was the’ first time a black actor was seen as a James Bond-like figure fighting inner-city oppression’[13].
Do the right Thing (1989) directed by Spike Lee, is another Blaxploitation film which focused on black urban life whilst still addressing inner city poverty. In this film the protagonist is Mookie (Spike Lee).
Blaxploitation is seen as an important movement as it was the first time that blacks were given the main roles in films, and Crash can be seen as a modern development of this genre as like the historical texts listed above there are five black characters in lead roles, all portrayed differently in situations where they may have been the subject of stereotyping or prejudice. But the film does draw attention to the attitude towards black culture; the black couple are portrayed as wealthy, whereas the black youths steal cars for their boss to make a living. Crash proves that ‘Hollywood cinema now struggles to define the meanings of such terms as diversity and multiculturalism.’[14] .The different minorities do not have respect for one another as Anthony believes that society is unfairly biased against blacks and is constantly paranoid about racism whilst Peter humorously mocks him.
Like Crash, the events in Do the Right Thing (1989) build up to a crescendo which results in serious consequences. Though the majority of the cast are black the only white characters are the pizza parlour owner and his two sons.
‘Fight the power, break free’[15] is part of a song which is played through out the film, this can be seen as a reoccurring motif as the line refers to breaking free from ‘white supremacy’ so that black people are free, as like most films during this period this film did feature white stereotypical cops who despise the black community. Another comparison to Crash be the use of inter -connecting storylines or story arcs - characters intersect indirectly and subtly. Events in one story arc affect other story lines or characters, numerous situations will involve the same or different characters and will result in a consequence, where one of the characters is murdered by the cops who were meant to be controlling the riot. Love and Hate is a theme that forms part of the film, as most characters have a love hate relationship. I.e. the Spanish group despise Radio Raheem partly because of their different tastes in music; the policemen think that the black community are a waste and in one scene the policeman is mouthing an insult even though the black men are sitting on the sidewalk minding their own business. Mookie (Spike Lee) has a loving relationship with his girlfriend, but is despised by his boss’ son as his brother trusts Mookie more.
Truth and Justice are other themes that develop throughout the film. The truth is something that is encouraged by one of older characters ‘Mayer’ who says that we should always ‘do the right thing’. All of Radio Raheem’s friends want justice after his is killed; most partially blame Sal after he smashed his stereo.Buggin’ out also wants justice after realising that all the people on Sal’s wall of fame are all famous white people, and no black people considering that the pizzeria is situated in a black community and the majority of customers are black.
This theme is also evident in Crash as the black cop seeks the truth and justice for his dead brother. Another character seeking truth is Anthony who seeks a better understanding as to why blacks are treated in an inferior way to whites.
The Persian shop owner seeks justice after the locks are not fixed in his shop, but he takes irresponsible actions and attempts to shoot the Mexican locksmith.
‘Violence as a way of achieving racial injustice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all.’[16]
The quote emphasizes that injustice can be impractical and it can result in disastrous consequences such as death (which happened in both texts).
Character roles enable the audience to understand a specific character’s purpose and their affect on others. Do the Right Thing highlights the struggle that black Americans face on a daily basis and also ‘trivializes any understanding of contemporary black political struggle’[17] as this would have been a period of time where there would have been ongoing movements for civil rights.
In Crash the villain would be Officer John Ryan as he molested a black woman during a routine stop, but he can later be seen as a hero as he saves her from a car crash. The helper would be Officer Tom Hansen as he helps to stop a confrontation that may have resulted in a death.
In Do the Right thing, Sal the pizza parlour owner would be the villain as he is cause of the riot that resulted in the destruction of his shop, whereas Mookie would be the hero as he tries to stop confrontations between friends and fellow employees.
The use of binary oppositions help to structure a story, black and white is used in both texts; another opposition that is used in both films is victim and aggressor which are similar to good vs. evil.
Shaft (1971) is an action film and is part of the Blaxploitation genre. The narrative consists of Shaft travelling to Harlem to rescue a black mobster’s daughter. Money is regarded as an important issue (partly because they live in a capitalist society) as Shaft demands a high price for his detective work in addition to bribing potential witnesses with cash, along with Ben who is apart of a political party and has agreed to help get the mobsters daughter back – but also demands money to help release political prisoners.
In the film, Shaft comes across as man who is on a 'one man mission' – which is an element of film noir (detective role). When talking to the captain of the local police Shaft tells him that he is always 'concerned about minority folks' - this highlights that the captain may not want to be directly involved with minority folks and would want Shaft to deal with them – this may have been the viewpoint of many white cops at the time, as most would not want to deal with situations involving blacks but still remain dominant. During the 1970s political groups such as the Black Nationalists and the Panthers existed, therefore there would frequently be political unrest particularly in areas such as Harlem, where the majority of the population is black. The Black Nationalist’s emphasised the need for the ‘cultural, political and economical separation from white society’[18], but the Black Panthers were a progressive political organization that had a reputation for violence. The element of politics is a direct comparison to Crash, as both recognise the importance this would have on society. In Crash there only seems to be one political party whose only interest at this point is winning the vote of minorities but in Shaft there are two political organisations that have opposite viewpoints.
Harlem mob vs. Mafia is another opposition that is used as it can be described as hood against hood, both the Harlem mob and the Mafia where established crime organisations during this period. Almost like competition, as the mafia wanted in on the drug trade which Bumpy Jonas was controlling.
By using stereotypes, it is easier for the audience to understand the purpose of different characters but then we can also be accused of manipulating, using stereotypes as a way of invoking a characteristic which may not be an accurate representation.
‘Our contemporary society has recently been overcome by the moral panic and the public and media reaction to them...and folk devils will be created’[19],
Moral panic refers to stories which are published in the media and make the majority of the public panic. This relates to Post 9/11 LA, where moral panics have been created involving certain minorities. For example when some Americans switch on the news, and the reporter is reporting on another incident which many assume that a black person would be involved. This view is created by the moral panics that are within our society. In relation to the way in which our society is presently structured, the problem will continue to generate if solutions are condemned.
Gunnar Myrdal (economist) looked at modern democracy and the Negro problem. ‘There is no doubt that the overwhelming majority of white Americans desire that there be as few Negroes as possible in America’[20]. This is a statement that still remains true till today. There is still a certain amount of the American population who despise the black community and are not in favour of black progress. So when blacks do make progress in society it seems that the hegemonic ideology has pushed it back down.
However the book did have a positive outlook on the future of race relations.
This concept links to the District Attorney who is more worried about his political career (Modern Democracy) as he is car jacked by two black males, though he does not come across as racist, he does try to resolve this 'issue' with his aides.
In conclusion stereotypes still remain common in today’s society, most commonly used to ‘label’ a group even though they may have no real basis in reality. Politics and media culture still influence audiences (and will continue to do so) with ideologies that have been manipulated to fit out capitalist society but the representation of blacks has changed very little. Most are still being referred to a stereotype, as many film producers assume that this stereotype counts for the vast population of ethnic minorities but this also leads to the influencing of white attitudes towards ethnic minorities which is encouraged by the mass media. Also the ruling classes in society that seek more power, indoctrinating audiences with their ideologies which reinforces hegemonic ideas. But will society’s perception of the black community change or will it be the same as it has been for many decades.

[1] ‘Crash’ (2004)
[2] O’Sullivan and Jewkes, (1999) ‘The Media Studies reader’ pg. 92
[3] http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/C/htmlC/cosbyshowt/cosbyshowt.htm
[4] O’Sullivan and Jewkes, (1999) ‘The Media Studies reader’ pg. 92
[5] O’Sullivan and Jewkes, (1999)’The Media Studies reader’ pg.94
[6] http://flowtv.org/?p=63

[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigot
[8] http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-gram.htm#hege
[9] http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol6.htm
[10] http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol6.htm
[11] Ross, Karen (1996) ‘ Black and white media: black images in popular film and television’
[12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaxploitation

[13] http://www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/disability/further/challenge.html
[14] K Denzin, Norman (2002) ‘Reading Race: Hollywood and the cinema of racial violence’ pg.2
[15] ‘Do the Right thing’ (1989)

[16] Martin Luther King, Jr.

[17] Guerrero, Ed (1993) ‘The African American image in film: Framing Blackness’ pg.149

[18] http://www.theblacknationalist.com/

[19] Stanley Cohen(2002): Folk Devils and moral panics: The creation of Mod’s and Rocker’s
[20] Gunnar Myrdal)- An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy (1944) pg.167

Historical Text

Shaft is a 1971 award winning film directed by Gordon Parks.

Shaft is an action film that has elements of film noir*, it tells the story of a black private detective, John Shaft, who travels through Harlem and to the Italian mob in order to find the missing daughter of a black mobster. The movie is widely considered a prime example of the blaxploitation genre.

Narrative: At the police precinct, Shaft is interviewed by Victor Androzzi a long-suffering white cop. Androzzi believes something big is about to erupt in the underworld [Harlem] and gives Shaft twenty four hours to investigate, threatening to revoke his license if he doesn't comply.
Bumpy Jonas[black crime kingpin] surprises Shaft by calling to ask for his help in finding his daughter, Marcy, who has disappeared. Jonas claims that Ben Buford, the leader of a black militant organisation[Black Nationalists], is behind Marcy's kidnapping.


Shaft travels uptown to meet his old friend Ben at his hideout. Gunmen burst in, and although Shaft and Ben manage to escape, the other militants are massacred. Jonas is the obvious suspect, but he insists that he was using Shaft to enlist Ben and his army to rescue his daughter. Shaft convinces Ben to help with this mission, at a price. Jonas is convinced that the Mafia are behind Marcy's disappearance - as they want in on the Harlem drug trade that he controls.

Shaft traces the kidnappers to an Uptown hotel, then he and Ben's men plot their assault. One team work up from the kitchens, another down from the roof, until they have cornered the kidnappers. A fierce gun battle ensues and the Mafia guards are killed. Marcy is freed and her father pays the agreed price per head of $1000, funds which Ben will use to release political prisoners.

* Film Noir - Crime, usually murder, is an element of almost all film noirs; in addition to standard-issue greed, A crime investigation—by a private eye, a police detective (sometimes acting alone)

In the film, Shaft comes across as man who is on a 'one man mission'.
When talking to the captain of the local police Shaft tells him that he is always 'concerned about minority folks' - this highlights that the captain may not want to be directly involved with minority folks and would want Shaft to deal with them. As with groups such as the Black Nationalists and the Panthers around during this time, there would be political unrest frequently.

Black nationalist's emphasised the need for the cultural, political and economical separation from white society.
The Black Panthers were a progressive political organization who had a reputation for violence

Though there are not specific references to racism, some characters or issues may involve people being prejudice. i.e. when Shaft puts his arm out for a taxi, the driver immediately sees that he is black and stops for the white man ahead of Shaft. This shows that attitudes towards ethnic minorities may still be the same as there is still the 'fear of the black man'.
-At one point in the film, the police captain asks Shaft to 'think like a white man'.

This film also uses Binary Oppositions(Strauss)
- black vs. white
- Harlem mob vs. mafia
It can be described as hood against hood. As both the Harlem mob and the mafia where established crime organisations during this period..almost like competition, as the mafia wanted in the the drug trade which bumpy Jonas was controlling.

The film also re enforces the importance for money, as Shaft demands a large sum of money for getting back kidnapped daughter, and also bribes' potential sources' with money.

The first time a Blaxploitation film (exploiting the existence of a large black audience among the general popularity of black music and culture) went mainstream in the US, creating the first black ghetto super-sleuth. Although it featured sexism and reliance on stereotypical ideologies of black male sexuality, it was positive for the black community all over the world, since it was the first representation of a James Bond-like figure fighting inner-city oppression

other stuff..

Black Nationalism http://afgen.com/black_nationalist_theory.html
Classical Black Nationalist theory holds that blacks must unite, gain power, and liberate themselves. As these goals were being articulated by free blacks in antebellum America, blacks held in slavery were generating their own culture. But most free blacks did not understand that the development of an autonomous slave culture was a force that challenged white dominance, and the few who did failed to relate this development to liberation theory.

Stan Cohen (sociologist)
Stanley Cohen (2002): Folk Devils and moral panics: The creation of Mod’s and Rocker’s
- society's 'folk devils' - and the public and media reaction to them, More moral panics will be generated and other, as yet nameless, folk devils will be created...our society as presently structured will continue to generate problems for some if its members... and then condemn whatever solution these groups find.'
Moral panic refers to stories which are published in the media and make the majority of the public panic. This relates to Post 9/11 LA, where moral panics have been created involving certain minorities. i.e. when some americans switch on the news, and the reporter is reporting on another incident which many assume that a black person would be involved. This veiw is created by the moral panics that are within our society.

Gunnar Myrdal (economist)- An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy (1944).
The book was generally positive in its outlook on the future of race relations in America, taking the view that democracy would triumph over racism.
Below is an extract from his book:
"Ends and Means of Population Policy," P167
[T]here is no doubt that the overwhelming majority of white Americans desire that there be as few Negroes as possible in America. If the Negroes could be eliminated from America or greatly decreased in numbers, this would meet the whites' approval -- provided that it could be accomplished by means which are also approved. Correspondingly, an increase of the proportion of Negroes in the American population is commonly looked upon as undesirable.

Yet again this links to the District Attorney who is more worried about his political career (Modern Democracy) as he is car jacked by two black males, however he does not come across as racist, but does try to resolve this 'issue' with his aides.

Manthia Diawara (1993) – another theorist who’s work has been cited in books.
Black American Cinema

I have also looked at: blogs from last year to help me with research
http://getrich-ramneet.blogspot.com/
http://bilansblog.blogspot.com/

The blogs have been useful with information regarding theorists, books and websites which have been used

essay plan...so far

Introduction
Outlining my thesis/hypothesis
‘We’re the only two black faces surrounded by a sea of over-caffeinated white people, patrolled by the trigger happy LAPD. So, you tell me, why aren't we scared?

Why do stereotypes exist both within crash and in reality? focusing on US society, stereotypes and text.
Focusing on African Americans. In addition to showing how common racism is within society and Crash and its effects on characters’.
{Need to have a clearer thesis}
Introducing Crash - narrative
Look at the quote above, this is said by one of the black male characters in Crash, which links to racism and subverts the stereotype – white people, should be scared of black people... This is commonly based upon the stereotype
‘Here we have a country that is still emerging from a deeply racist history, a society in which white people have treated (and continue to treat) black people with contempt, suspicion and a profoundly ignorant sense of superiority’ [1]
The statement would be used a bold sentence in my introduction as after this I would present my argument.
{A, R}

Paragraph 1 & 2
The narrative seems to intertwine a few stereotypes that are commonly associated with Black males such as: being involved in drugs
How bigotry and prejudice form themes in the films. As some of the characters such as the district attorney‘s wife can be seen prejudiced in addition to officer Ryan who is a ‘bigot’ – a theme which occurs throughout the film
Introduction to my historical texts – Shaft and Do the Right Thing
Introduce Blaxploitation and how this genre has developed over the decades and also how both historical texts fit in within this genre.
link between Crash.. has it become a modern development of this movement genre
Media image and social realities – the media studies reader
{S, H} {G, R, A}

Paragraph 3
Look at how hegemony can help audiences understand the representation of ethnic minorities in western cinema.
Focus on culture and ideology. Unlike Marxist theories of domination, Gramsci relegates economic determinants to the background and brings to the fore the role of intellectuals in the process. The fact that television and cinema are central to popular culture is crucial because Gramsci says particular attention should be given to 'everyday' routine structures and 'common sense' values in trying to locate mechanisms of domination
White supremacy/ dominance – link this concept back to this as this is another theme that occurs throughout the film.
I.e. how a black man will not question a white man (police officer’s) judgement
In addition I would also link back to shows such as the cosby show and the fresh prince of bel air – black comedy sitcoms which are a success. Also looking at how black people are represented and how the situations shown in a comic manner are actually true in reality
{S, H} {A, G, R}

Paragraph 4
Comparison with historical texts (Crash and Do the Right Thing) in more depth. And why stereotypes are used, also looking at America as a country and the issue of politics. As Crash is a drama which looks at the complexities of racial tolerance in America. In addition to looking at how accurately these issues are presented as few films represent black people in an accurate way.
In addition to looking at narrative theorists such as Straus and Propp – how character roles and binary oppositions have been used.
{H} {I, R, N}

Paragraph 5
Looking at theories cited in different book based on stereotyping and American policy.
Stan Cohen – moral panic [ people being more weary]
Gunnar Myrdal – looking at modern democracy and also how there is a political ideology within the film – urban policy
As the district attorney does not want to loose the black vote, as his career seems to be his sole focus, and how one event (car jacking) may look bad.
Looking at multiculturalism, patriarchy, stereotypes, segregative separatism (how different minorities are divided)
{I, A}
Looking at work by
Stan Cohen
Myrdal
Diawara
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1]The Media Studies reader O’SULLIVAN AND JEWKES
-Reading Race: Hollywood and the Cinema of Racial Violence by Norman K. Denzin (2002)
-The African American Image in Film: Framing Blackness
-Ed Guerrero (1993) - Black representation and Urban policy – Albert K Karnig
-Robert Ferguson – representing race

The books listed above have helped me with research

Below are the websites i have used for research
http://flowtv.org/?p=63
http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol6.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_%282004_film%29 http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/media_literacy/35640

Historical Text

Do the Right Thing is a 1989 motion picture directed by Spike Lee and released by Universal Pictures. The film tells a tale of bigotry* and racial conflict in a multi-ethnic community. Issues of pride and prejudice, justice and inequity come to the surface as hate and bigotry smoulder--finally building into a crescendo as it explodes into violence.

Narrative: Three businesses dominate the block: a storefront radio station, where a smooth-talking' deejay (Samuel L. Jackson) spins the platters that matter; a convenience store owned by a Korean couple; and Sal's Famous Pizzeria, the only white-operated business in the neighbourhood. Sal serves up slices with his two sons, genial Vito and angry, racist Pino. Sal has one black employee, Mookie (Spike Lee), who wants to "get paid" but lacks ambition. His sister Jade, who has a greater sense of purpose and a "real" job, wants Mookie to start dealing with his responsibilities, most notably his son with girlfriend Tina Two of Mookie's best friends are Radio Raheem a monolith of a man who rarely speaks and Buggin' Out , nicknamed for his coke-bottle glasses and habit of losing his cool. When Buggin' Out notes that Sal's "Wall of Fame," a photo gallery of famous Italian-Americans, includes no people of colour, he eventually demands a neighbourhood boycott, on a day when tensions are already running high, that incurs tragic consequences

* A bigot is a prejudiced person who is intolerant of opinions I may use this film as a comparison as it deals with racism and prejudice in a multi ethnic community, where all the issues come to a crescendo, and it results in boycotts.

The opening song for the film has the line ‘fight the power break/get free’. This can be seen as a reoccurring motif as the same song is played at various points throughout the film. The line refers to breaking free from ‘white supremacy’ so that black people are free.

The only white business in the neighbourhood is ‘Sals famous Pizzeria’, however one of Sal’s son can be seen as prejudiced as he does not like his younger brother being associated with their only black employee ‘Mookie’, who he seems to trust more than his brother. But Mookie asks him who his idols are and all of his idols are African American singers or actors, however he despises the black people in the community.

Like Crash, Do the Right Thing deals with numerous situation involving the same or different characters and also disastrous consequences i.e. one of the black characters gets killed by the police at the end of the film.
The film has a ‘Love Hate’ theme, as most characters have a love hate relationship.
-Sals son despises Mookie
-The Spanish group don’t like Radio Raheem
-The policemen think that the black community are a waste

-The Korean shop owners have run in’s with some of the community over petty things i.e. beer and batteries

The radio Jock (Samuel L Jackson), acts like a narrator, describing the surroundings whilst everything is going on as his booth overlooks onto the street. The music he plays sets the setting for the scenes that the audience are watching.

Truth and Justice are other themes that develop throughout the film. The truth is something that is encouraged by one of older characters ‘Mayer’… who says that we should always ‘do the right thing’. All of Radio Raheem’s friends want justice after his is killed; most partially blame Sal after he smashed his stereo.
Buggin’ out also wants justice after realising that all the people on Sal’s wall of fame are all famous white people, and no black people considering that the pizzeria is situated in a black community and the majority of customers are black.

Below are quotes that appear at the end of the film, both highlight the message of violence – but different perspectives. Malcolm X believed that people should use violence to get what they wanted whereas Martin Luther King believed in the opposite, non violent tactics

‘Violence as a way of achieving racial injustice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all.’
‘Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love’
‘It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue’
-Martin Luther King, Jr

‘I think there are plenty of good people in America, but there are also plenty of bad people in America. The bad ones are the ones who seem to have all the power.’
‘I am not against using violence in self defence, I don’t even call it violence when its self defence, I call it intelligence.’
-Malcolm X

Below are clips from Do the Right Thing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIwL41p-lHE - movie trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfa0ko1sVfk&feature=related - Love Hate clip

lack of ethnic diversity on Friends

The following are extracts from an essay that i found. Though it is not directly related to my study i may be able to use points in relation to the lack of ethnic diversity as the essay asks this question:
What happened to programs such as the Cosby Show or the Fresh Prince? Why are all-white television shows so popular in America and what happened to minority-based shows?
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/media_literacy/35640

Today's television depicts popular white America while leaving out minorities. The lack of ethnicity on television gives America an inaccurate idea about minorities
We live in a society where ethnicity is always depicted as sinful. When you sit down to watch television you don't expect to see minorities on television shows. At the same time people are not shocked to see minorities being arrested or convicted on the news. What would be the public's reaction if they went to watch television and saw six minority "friends" on a show just after watching an all-white neighborhood rioting on a news program?
Friends reinforces the humorous "all-American" lifestyle. Six white, unmarried, young Americans living and interacting together, reinforcing the idea that it is okay in today's society to be racially biased in choosing friends
Relationships portrayed on Friends are of white couples. This strongly reinforces the immorality of interracial relationships. People in society today do not see a homogenous portrayal of all-white society as they walk down a city block. Why do television shows, for the most part, display a perfect white homogenous society?
Friends is a lovable show that is compelling to the American public, reinforcing the idea that whites are dominant figures over minorities.

Therefore this article highlights the idea of whites are dominant figures over minorities. this can also be related the the Hypodermic Needle Model where ideologies are 'injected' into the audience, in this case it is through a popular television sitcom 'Friends'.

One of my blog buddies is jagjeet as we are both looking at representation of black people and he is focusing on a youth…Which is also helpful to my independent study as there are youths in Crash. Another focus of our independent studies is racism and prejudice

Books

• Representing Race - Robert ferguson.
• The black image in the white mind Robert M Entman.
• BFI - The Cinema Book
• America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies -Harry M. Benshoff, Sean Griffin
• The Media Studies Reader - Tim O' Sullivan & Yvonne Jewkes
• Racism Matters - W.D. Wright
• Race and Reparations: A Black Perspective for the 21st Century - Clarence J. Munford
• Racism Without Racists - Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
• Why Americans Hate Welfare: Race, Media, and the Politics of Antipoverty Policy By Martin Gilens
• Race manners for the 21st century ‘navigating the minefield between black..’ -Bruce A Jacobs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZqDcfQTAzo
The scene begins with the police car moving towards the camera, P.O.V shots are used when Officer Ryan is observing the crash that has taken place ahead. Choir music starts as he is approaching the car; this is contrapuntal and also non - diegetic as the music is peaceful however he is struggling to free the passenger – who he later realises is Christine Thayer.
The lighting used is natural though its is dark as the car has been turned upside down. Once realising who her rescuer is Christine’s first reaction is fear, as the night he molested her she felt disgust and humiliation... That she was molested by a white man and also her husband failed to ‘protect her’.
P.O.V shots are used as quick glances when looking at the fire in a car bonnet a few yards away.
Whilst Officer Ryan is trying to free her from the car Choir music is still playing. When being taken away by paramedics…the camera does a close up on Christine’s face, and she shakes her head... We can assume that what she means is that even though he saved her from a burning car this doesn’t justify his actions towards her previously.
In this scene there has been a role reversal... Officer Ryan was previously seen as a villain and now he is seen as a hero (Strauss). In this scene there is little dialogue, so the characters actions are used to convey meanings. As an audience we also feel sympathetic towards Christine as it must have been hard seeing the person that hurt you and also him saving her is also unexpected.
Also this scene follows a linear narrative, as no flashbacks are used

keywords

Cognition - is where the audience perceives what they see in the media and believe it. .

In relation to Crash… in the news audiences hear a lot of negative information about black people. This includes drugs and guns. However in Crash when peter is about to pull out a holy statue the officer thinks he is pulling out a gun. He makes this judgement based on his stereotype and what he sees in the media.

Multi-culturalism – the recognition that the increasing cultural diversity of western societies should be acknowledged, supported, encouraged and reflected in all aspects of life, as being both inevitable and also socially and economically desirable.

Crash shows that racism is apart of society, even though some characters may not come across as racist

Polysemic - Describes a sign for which there are many possible interpretations and meanings dependent on individuals’ social, cultural and educational backgrounds.

Looking at the characters and how they interpret events...the carjacking both husband and wife had different interpretations...which could relate to different social and educational backgrounds

Antagonist – The principal opposing figure or villain in a narrative set in binary opposition against the protagonist

This could be Officer Ryan as throughout the film he can be seen as a villain...but near the end he is recognised as a hero.

Protagonist - The leading character or hero in a film with whom the audience can identify and from whose point of view the action is positioned often set in binary opposition against the antagonist

I think that all characters can be seen as protagonists as they are all involved in their own 'story'.

Stock character - a stereotypical, predictable minor characters

The shop owner’s daughter

Blaxploitation film – when black actors featured in principal roles usually associated with whites. Although seen as exploitative, were in fact part of a changing attitude towards black characters and the representation of black culture.

Some of the main characters are black actors.actresses which shows that they are making a stand for their beliefs and they way society has previously viewed them.

Black feminism – A feminist perspective which argues that a black women’s experience of inequality is more intense than a white women’s because it involves discrimination on racial and cultural backgrounds as well as gender grounds.

Making a comparison. Jean Cabot and Christine Thayer, as they both feel insecure at one point

Objectivity – The presentation of a media text from a neutral or objective standpoint, without individual or institutional bias and without the deliberate preferment of one viewpoint over another.

Looking at they way different stereotypes are being represented

Attitudes, beliefs and values- this term is commonly used when discussing the audience for media products and the factors influencing the reception of media messages.

How the audience reacts to they ways in which different people are being presented, in addition to looking at how and why people assume that one person fits into a particular stereotype i.e. Peter and Anthony

Proof that police stop more blacks

The following is an article that was featured in The Metro..
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=73637&in_page_id=34
Black people are seven times more likely to be stopped and searched by police than whites, it was revealed on Tuesday.
An extra 14,000 black people were targeted by stop and search in 2005/06 – a 12 per cent rise on the previous year – according to a Ministry of Justice report.
Officials claimed the rise could be partly blamed on the London bombings and on the rising incidence of drug crime But a race watchdog last night voiced concerns that the numbers could fuel distrust among ethnic minorities.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission warned that the high levels of stop and searches among the black population could drive a wedge between communities.
There were 878,153 stops and searches recorded by police in the year, up three per cent on the previous year. Of these, 15 per cent were of black people and eight per cent were of Asians.
The Metropolitan Police conducted 75 per cent of all searches on black people in England and Wales. A Home Office spokesman said that stop and search was a 'vital tool' for police dealing with crime. The figures were published as part of the Race and the Criminal Justice System report.
Though the article is not directly relevant to Crash, it highlights that black people do get stopped more than white people..this leads on to their stereotype. In the article is states that drug crime is also a factor as the majority of those arrested may be black.
Also the distrust amongst ethnic communities relates to Crash as the D.A's wife does not trust the mexican locksmith and is prejudice against the two youths that took her car

self directed research

http://www.cineaste.com/Sicinski.htm

http://flowtv.org/?p=63

http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol6.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_%282004_film%29

http://www.youtube.com/

http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC41folder/EthnicityFilmBooks.html

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/AfricanAmBib.html

Self Evaluation

· Attainment - 3
I think the work I produce is of good quality, however there is also room for improvement
· Effort – 4
I think I put a fair amount of effort into my class work and blog work
· Punctuality – 1
I’m normally on time for lessons
· Submission and quality of homework – 2
I hand in all work on time and try to meet blog deadlines
· Ability to work independently – 2
Though I can get distracted sometimes
· Quality of writing – 2
I could use more media terms
· Organisation of Media folder – 2
Fairly organised
· Oral contributions in class – 3
Could contribute more
· Standard of Module 5 blog – 1
I keep up to date with blog tasks and post other research which I have found up on to the blog
· Standard of Module 6 blog – 1
Same, I keep up to date with regular tasks i.e. weekly guardian story

WWW
- Blog work, finding other articles/research relevant to my topic
- enjoying the topics that are being covered
- good understanding

EBI
- more contributions in class
- add more depth to thesis
- use more media terminology - in general

Representation of Ethnic Minorities

Below is part of an essay written by Reena Mistry on the topic of Hegemony and representation.

http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol6.htm

Can Gramsci's theory of hegemony help us to understand the representation of ethnic minorities in western television and cinema?

Antonio Gramsci's theory of hegemony is of particular salience to the exploration of racial representations in the media because of its focus on culture and ideology. Unlike Marxist theories of domination, Gramsci relegates economic determinants to the background and brings to the fore the role of intellectuals in the process. The fact that television and cinema are central to popular culture is crucial because Gramsci says particular attention should be given to 'everyday' routine structures and 'common sense' values in trying to locate mechanisms of domination

Many of the clearly racist images of past television and cinema that are now fading from western screens can, in hindsight, be easily explained in hegemonic terms - particularly in relation to colonialism and white supremacy

The use of Gramsci's notion of hegemony does not expire here, however; it can be used to identify both elements of the old racist stereotypes and new, but destructive, representations of racial minorities in the current media of a seemingly liberal society. Thus, it is unsurprising that racism, though perhaps more covertly, still pervades our society.

No one in TV shouts racist abuse at black people… No one in TV physically assaults black people, they simply feed us on a diet of "Blacks are the problem"[1]

A similar process of normalising black subjugation can be seen in more recent times in 'black' sitcoms; Gitlin argues the emergence of black comedies (as opposed to a serious black drama) reflect an acknowledgement of a rising black middle-class in a non-threatening way to white audiences. Using comedy perpetuates the myth of the black clown a recent example is Will Smith's character in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Second is the development of the 'blaxploitation' genre [2]; characters such as 'Shaft', 'Black Caesar' and the numerous accounts of the black revolutionist Angela Davis (such as Foxy Brown, 1974) showed black individuals as the central protagonists and in control, in contrast to the marginal roles they were accustomed to in other Hollywood movies. The genre has endured, spawning a 'neo-blaxploitation' in which we could include films such as Bad Boys, Pulp Fiction, and White Men Can't Jump.

Despite these apparent positive developments in Britain and America, the white hegemonic hold over the television and film industries appears to have merely created different, but equally harmful, racial representations and to have repackaged the old stereotypes into forms more acceptable in a 'liberalist' society. A prominent problem is that the media industry is still dominated by white practitioners (though more black people are starting to get behind the camera). Producers and directors may consider themselves to be liberal individuals in trying to bring 'race issues' to the screen, or for avoiding the traditional stereotypes, but largely they rely on the racial stereotypes that they have assimilated as white people living in a racist society

It appears that Gramsci's theory of hegemony not only helps us to understand the motivations behind racist images in the media, but it is also part of a crucial process of demonstrating the inadequacy of white 'liberal' attempts at reform. In spite of well-meant ventures to present racial minorities favourably, white hegemony over the means of media production means that television and cinema continue to subjugate these social groups.

[1] can link to hyperdermic needle model.'as they feed us on..' the producers/directors are wanting the audience to believe the statements which are made. However these statements may not neccesarily be true as they want the audience to think in this way so it fits in with the cultral ideologies.

[2]Blaxploitation is a film genre that emerged in the United States in the early 1970s when many exploitation films were made that targeted the urban black audience. Blaxploitation films starred primarily black actors, and were the first to feature soundtracks of funk and soul music.

Furthermore, blaxploitation films laid the foundation for future filmmakers to address racial controversies regarding inner city poverty. In the early 1990s, a new wave of acclaimed black filmmakers focused on black urban life in their films (particularly Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing and John Singleton’s Boyz N the Hood, among others).

Homework

Anti Narrative - A text that challenges the traditional idea of a sequential linear narrative by using flashbacks, unrelated images and altered time sequences.

This can be linked to my study as Crash constantly changes between its multiple story lines and also at the beginning of the film the audience is shown a suspected murder scene which then follows on to a flashback of 'yesterday' - which would explain to the audience how this event occur ed.

Genre - A category of media products classed as being similar in form and type.

Crash belongs to the Crime/Drama genre

Ideology - A set of attitudes, beliefs and values held in common by a group of people and culturally reproduced within that community to sustain its particular way of life. e.g. capitalism and communism

Crash presents a variety of ideologies which include Patriarchal, Heterosexual,Political and Feminist

Mise en scene - The arrangement by a film maker of everything that is to be included in a shot or frame. This includes settings, props, decor, lighting, actors, characters, positioning and all other technical elements which contribute to the look of the scene and create its distinctive quality and unity.

This is used in each storyline to create an abrupt visual break when cutting between characters and arcs. As crash has multiple story lines each one happening at a different place, mise on scene is important as it also reflects the characters background. i.e. Rick and Christine & Christine and Cameron 's houses show that they both may have had a more privileged upbringing as they live in large houses.

Levi Strauss - French structuralist anthropologist whose analysis of human culture and myth argued for a common origin for all narratives, based on shared human life experience, fears and expectation.His narrative theory of binary opposition is based on the essential difference between such concepts.

In Crash binary oppositions have been used. e.g. black and white and victim and aggressor.

Propp, Vladimir - Writer and folklorist who analysed the structure of folk stories. He refers to the types of character in folk tales and the events that involve them. Propp's character types include: the hero, the villain, the false hero and the helper.

In Crash the villain would be Officer John Ryan as he molested a black woman during a routine stop, but he can later be seen as a hero as he saves her from a car crash. The helper would be Officer Tom Hansen as he helps to stop a confrontation that could have got some one killed but he also can be seen as a villain as he 'accidentally murders' a black man.

Prejudice - The pre - judging of an issue or social group, usually in a negative or stereotypical way. Prejudice often involves the targeting of vulnerable minority groups viewed as not conforming to mainstream norms or expectations.

Officer Ryan is considered a prejudiced characters because of his views towards black people another example is Jean Cabot who refers to the Mexican locksmith as being a 'gangbanger'.

Racism - Practices and behaviour involving social and economic discrimination, based on the false assumption that one particular ethnic group or race is culturally and biologically inferior to another.

Jean Cabot appears to be racially insecure when being car jacked, partly because of her assumptions of black people, and their race is inferior to hers. Also Anthony is constantly paranoid about racism however his friend Peter humorously mocks him and seems less worried about racism.

Stereotype - The social classification of a group of people by identifying common characteristics and universally applying them in an often oversimplified and generalised way, such that the classification represents value judgments and assumptions about the group concerned.

Anthony and Peter represent black youths, who are feared because of their stereotype, this also includes the Mexican locksmith and it could also relate to social stereotypes. Officer Ryan is an example of a stereotypical white cop who is racist towards black people.

Social realism - The representation of characters and issues in film and television drama in such a way as to raise serious underlying social and political issues.

The director tries to represent issues in a realistic way, as racism is a topic mostly avoided, however the issues show realisticly represent American society at present day.

Clip 1 - Tensions

The clip starts with the Mexican locksmith changing the locks of the D.A’s house.
However Jean (Sandra Bullock) appears to be uncomfortable with him because of his appearance (shaven head and ‘prison tattoos’) , she makes this point clear to her husband – and as far as we can tell he does not appear to be prejudiced towards the locksmith, whereas his wife does. Yet again this exposes her racial insecurities - which was first revealed to the audience then they both got carjacked. However her husband seems more worried about his political career as he does not want to risk loosing the black vote however Rick also mistakes an Iraqi person for a black person, when told about the misunderstanding he simply replies ‘well he was dark skinned’, this shows that he does not care about certain individuals as he worries mostly about his political career and how it may be jeopardised because he was carjacked by two black men.

In this clip Jean Cabot (Sandra bullock) does not trust the locksmith based on the stereotype of a person who had previously been in prison.
Even though her husband explains to her that they are not prison tattoos she refers to his stereotype, as in her eyes he would go and sell their house keys to one of his ‘homies’.

Blog comments

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Issues in Fresh Prince of Bel Air

The following is an a extract from issues which were addressed in 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air'

While largely a comedy, this show has commonly addressed various relevant issues in a dramatic sense, including a frequent focus on African-American issues. A recurring theme was the comparison of Will's lower-class upbringing and the Bank's high-class lifestyle, and how this affected their cultural identities. Profiling and stereotypes based on both race and class were often addressed on the show, including episodes where Will and Carlton are arrested because they are seen driving a Mercedes, and where Carlton is rejected from a fraternity for being too "spoiled". Other issues addressed included inter-racial marriage, drug and alcohol abuse, pre-marital sex, single parenthood, gun violence, and teen pregnancy.


This is interesting as Crash also addresses similar issues, looking at different upbringings - lower and high class. In Crash Anthony and Peter come from a lower class background whereas Cameron and Christine come from a higher class background and this affects their cultural identities. Referring back to the extract when Will and Carlton are stopped in their Mercedes, they are stopped partly because of their colour of skin and a black person wouldn't normally be seen driving a Mercedes because they may not have been able to afford it, therefore it would seem that they may have stolen it.
However if a white person was seen driving a Mercedes, it is highly unlikely that they would have been stopped

Below is part of an extract written by Mary Beltran / University of Wisconsin-Madison. It was posted on FlowTV - which is a critical forum on Television and Media Culture.
The extract is Based on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Without intimate knowledge of the evolution of ethnic representations on television and in film over the decades nor of the histories of various racialized groups, often it is too easy to see some variety in skin color combined with markers of upper-middle class status and to ascribe to these narratives the blanket interpretation of “positive” representation. If the non-white characters aren't criminals it must be good, right
The members of the Banks family, if anything, were ascribed stereotypes that have historically been the domain of wealthy white characters: Stuffy, materialistic, ditzy, and like their cousin Will, from more diverse West Philadelphia, in contrast was upbeat, confident, and playful–qualities that made him a favorite of many of my male students, of all ethnic backgrounds. Despite his central role in the narrative, Will's point of view and back story of growing up in a working-class, predominantly black neighborhood, which he has escaped by coming to live with the Bankses, is almost never treated in a realistic or sustained fashion, however. I find myself wanting to argue that “blackness,” if there is such a thing, as a result is left out. But then again, who is to say what form and meaning blackness has on an individual or family-by-family basis? And why can it not exist in Bel-Air? I see the flaws in my own argument, and have to admit that the representation of racialized groups is a topic that will continue to confoundus in various ways.
There's virtually no agreement on what it would mean to “represent diversity” accurately or fairly on television and in other mediated representations. Would this entail greater visibility of various racial and ethnic groups, increased realism and accuracy, or the inclusion of images that promote more egalitarian social relations? Even if “diversity” in this regard could be accomplished, would it even be supported by television advertisers and watched by enough viewers to survive?
Scholars, ethnic media advocates, advertisers, and media producers clearly disagree on these questions and will continue to do so, given the complexity of the matrix of production, representation, and consumption of media narratives and how race, ethnicity, and class are imbricated in that matrix and in U.S. social relations more generally. The 1990s programming that today's college students grew up on proves a complicated case in point. How to raise consciousness regarding patterns of representation that include the common invisibility and denigration(unfair criticism) of ethnic minorities, as well as the whitewashing of non-white histories and perspectives even while casting non-whites in more professional and “positive” roles? The challenge continues..
http://flowtv.org/?p=63

What Critics have said about crash.

A haunting, perceptive and uncompromising examination of controversial subject matter, expertly written and directed by Paul Haggis and characterised by excellent performances from its starry cast.
Simon Braund, EMPIRE

A raw and unsettling morality piece on modern angst and urban disconnect, Crash examines the dangers of bigotry and xenophobia in the lives of interconnected Angelenos.
Rotten Tomatoes

Hyper-articulate and often breathtakingly intelligent and always brazenly alive. I think it's easily the strongest American film since Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River," though it is not for the fainthearted
The New Yorker, David Denby

And if Crash ultimately resolves itself around a series of sentimental familial tableaux, it also makes its social and political collisions resonate in our heads so as to leave them ringing. It’s a film you won’t stop thinking about, arguing over, debating, after the lights come up
New York Magazine, Ken Tucker

The film is a knockout. In a multiplex starved for ambition, why kick a film with an excess of it?
Rolling Stone, Peter Travers

This is the rare American film really about something, and almost all the performances are riveting.
Washington Post, Stephen Hunter

CINEASTE

Cineaste is a film magazine published quarterly. It has been publishing reviews, in-depth analyses and interviews since 1967. The magazine independently operates out of New York City with no financial ties to any film studios or academic institutions.
However publication of the magazine is made possible, in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Here is part of a review which was written for Crash by Michael Sicinski

Paul Haggis's debut feature Crash is one of the best-reviewed films to be released so far this year, and it isn't going away. Judging from those reviews, its makers have successfully generated an air of Importance around it, and this is dangerous, because this pensive ambiance may well mean that the film's slipshod, contrivance-laden ‘analysis' of race relations could be mistaken for genuine insight.

Naturally, Haggis's choice of subject matter goes a long way toward establishing both its own relevance and a hard-nosed creative fearlessness bordering on the pugilistic. Crash tackles race relations in the U.S., using present-day Los Angeles as its roiling laboratory. Haggis must surely be aware that any such film project will be accorded a degree of respect simply by dint of addressing this topic. Since Hollywood generally avoids the unpleasant truths of American racism, any film that dives into this particular wreck must be brave, bracing, and controversial. Selecting L.A. is a kind of no-brainer here, for a few basic reasons. Not only does it give the impression that the Hollywood machine is taking a hard look at itself, digging up the bones in its own backyard, but it also provides instant historical cachet.

In short, Crash is presold as a piece of liberal artistic intervention, and in this way the entertainment industry is paradoxically rewarded for its timidity. By avoiding controversy most of the time, a risk-averse Hollywood can sell its own periodic ‘daring' as a product unto itself, and Crash fits the bill beautifully. It has an air of truth, without ever saying anything truthful.

The plotline of Crash could be described as a riff on Arthur Schnitzler's La Ronde, with racial hatred replacing the sexual coupling. There are two major events around which most other occurrences in the film circulate—the murder of Peter (Larenz Tate), a young African-American criminal, and the titular car crash in which Christine (Thandie Newton) overturns in her SUV. Sgt. Ryan (Matt Dillon), the racist cop who sexually molested her during a traffic stop the previous night, is the officer on the scene who pulls her from the burning car. Throughout the film, characters encounter and reencounter one another in highly convenient ways. For example, Peter's brother Graham (Don Cheadle), an LAPD detective, discovers Peter's dead body in the desert. Prior to learning of his brother's death, Graham is strong-armed by the D.A.'s office into suppressing evidence that may partially exonerate a white police officer charged with killing a black cop. The D.A. (Brendan Fraser) is looking for a conviction that would help endear him to the black community, since he is trying to manage a potential media scandal. He and his wife (Sandra Bullock) were carjacked in Sherman Oaks by two young black men—none other than Peter and his friend Anthony.

In a distinct but intersecting circle of coincidence, each of the two cops responsible for pulling over Christine and her husband Cameron (Terrence Howard) is later shown performing a good deed. Sgt. Ryan rescues Christine from her SUV, and Officer Hanson (Ryan Phillippe) intercedes on Cameron's behalf during a police standoff. Presumably this is intended to complicate the heinous behavior we witness elsewhere in the film. (Officer Hanson, in fact, is Peter's killer.) The film tells us that no one is all good or all bad. This is a facile, obvious notion, and ironically, one Crash propounds only by showing human behavior at its polar extremes.
In addition to the dominant cultural assumptions already mentioned (almost by definition, a movie addressing racism equals ‘gritty reality'), I think there are some basic ways in which a film like Crash coincides—both formally and politically—with certain desirable images liberal America has of itself.

One comes away from Crash with a very liberal, localized understanding of how racism works. You see, everybody's a little bit racist, and you never know when you'll find yourself in a situation when and where your racist nature will emerge. Or, as Sgt. Ryan says to Officer Hanson upon the dissolution of their partnership, “You think you know who you are. You have no idea.”

The dominant illusion that Crash's form attempts to convey about its own narrative is that each character does something virtuous in one situation, and something unconscionably racist in another. But this isn't true. Some characters are exemplars of pure good. Latino locksmith Daniel (Michael Pena) exists solely to incur racist threats and insults from other characters, then to belie their opinions through his role as the most upstanding of family men.

Crash's form also gives the impression that everyone gets equal time in a sort of round-robin of racism, but again, this isn't true. Haggis devotes negligible screen time to most of his female characters (Christine is something of an exception), subtly sending the message that the racism we need to worry about is a man's affair. Graham's partner / lover Ria (Jennifer Esposito) is afforded no fully-developed characterization, but is subject to one of the film's cruelest racial slur / laugh lines. HMO bureaucrat Shaniqua Johnson (Loretta Devine) is similarly placed—a cipher and a target for bigoted macho taunts. Likewise, not all races are given equal time in Crash. While Daniel is the main focus of the third, smaller circle of interactions, paired with an angry Iranian shopkeeper (Shaun Toub) who blames him for the vandalism of his store, Latinos and Persians are generally relegated to afterthought status in this narrative thread. Or worse, their less-than-integrated narrative function bespeaks a racial-quota, show-of-hands presence that falls prey to the worst bean-counting tendencies of identity politics. The simplistic rendering of these characters (Daniel as the vato with the heart of gold, Farhad the shop-owner as misplaced, impotent rage) only underscores this impression.

If the characters in Crash were real people, in the real world instead of Haggis's cordoned-off fantasy L.A., we'd see that they are not equal. Especially in the present atmosphere of backlash against so-called ‘political correctness'—an atmosphere Crash exploits to the fullest—people often get huffy when a person of color points out the difference between racism and prejudice, like it's mere sophistry or special pleading. But it's true—only white people in America are able to systematically reproduce the world in accordance with their own racial biases.

http://www.cineaste.com/Sicinski.htm