The overall research question that this paper intends to answer is the following: How do Hollywood movies such as "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" represent people of color, and how does that influence our perception of reality? At the end of the paper, this question will be answered, and certain solutions will be discussed.
To exemplary analyze the under-representation of people of color and how they are stereotyped in Hollywood movies, a case study on "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" will be conducted. The paper will analyze certain scenes in which actors of color are involved, and will then examine how they are represented in comparison to Caucasian actors.
Furthermore, the paper gives some more background information about the current debate focussing on the non-diversity of the Academy Awards - better known as Oscars - and about casting practices that are performed by big Hollywood studios. In addition to that, it will present the most common stereotypes in which people of color are depicted.
The Academy Awards - most commonly known as ‘Oscars’ - are heavily criticized for their lack of diversity. In the year 2016, for the second time in a row, the Academy’s 93 percent white membership had only nominated white actors for the respective awards. In addition to that, it has now been 15 years ago that the last actor/actress of color has won an Academy Award for best the best leading role. The under-representation of people of color in movies and the board’s racist electoral behavior becomes even clearer when focussing on actresses of color.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Background Chapter: Non-diversity at the Academy Awards, Problematic Casting Practices and Stereotyping
3. Framework and cinematic categories
4. Main Chapter
4.1 Summary and General Information: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
4.2 Case Study: The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This paper investigates the underrepresentation and stereotypical depiction of people of color in Hollywood cinema. By conducting a case study on "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," the research explores how visual and cinematic techniques reproduce narratives of white supremacy and racial hegemony, ultimately influencing societal perceptions of reality.
- Structural underrepresentation of actors of color in Hollywood.
- Application of historical racial stereotypes in modern film (e.g., the "Black Buck").
- Cinematic analysis of light/dark and natural/industrial binary contrasts.
- The relationship between media representation and the reproduction of white hegemony.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2 Case Study: The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The analysis of the representation of race in Fellowship of the Ring will mostly be based on different screenshots. However, these screenshots will symbolize the whole scene and the analysis will therefore not only contain what is seen in the screenshot itself.
Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring uses different binaries to highlight the contrast between good and bad and black and white. The first that I want to show is the natural/industrial binary. Pretty early in the movie, the audience is shown The Shire - home of the Hobbits. It is an idyllic region with great green fields and cozy little houses which are supposed to resemble England’s rural countryside (cf. Screenshot 1). It is first introduced when Gandalf decides to visit it in honor of Bilbo Baggins’ 111th birthday. By mostly using flutes and the violins of a string orchestra, the sound design creates a calm atmosphere and makes the audience have a certain sympathy for The Shire and the inhabiting Hobbits. In addition to that, the editing of the introductory scene of The Shire also contributes to the creation of a calm atmosphere because the different shots are very long and are not cut in a quick succession. Lastly, the cinematography does also play a crucial part in this scene. The camera movement is slow and steady, it almost seems as if the camera would float over the scene.
The Hobbits themselves are an all-white race who are friendly, like good food, often smoke a pipe and do not harm others. They are just living a peaceful life as farmers. Even though they are all-white and not a single Hobbit has a darker skin tone, every Hobbit can be distinguished from another - they all look different (cf. Screenshot 2). Besides their distinct physical appearances, all Hobbits that we get to know have an individual character with certain traits.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the problem of underrepresentation and stereotyping of people of color in Hollywood, citing the #OscarsSoWhite movement as a catalyst for the research.
2. Background Chapter: Non-diversity at the Academy Awards, Problematic Casting Practices and Stereotyping: This section details the lack of diversity at the Oscars and outlines the five primary racial stereotypes (Coon, Uncle Tom, Mammy, Tragic Mulatto, Black Buck) present in mass media.
3. Framework and cinematic categories: This chapter defines the analytical tools used, specifically literary design, visual design, cinematography, editing, and sound design.
4. Main Chapter: This section provides a summary of the film and applies the defined cinematic framework to analyze how the movie utilizes binaries to reinforce white dominance.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, arguing that the film reinforces racist narratives of white supremacy and suggests steps toward a more diverse media culture.
Keywords
Hollywood, Representation, People of Color, Stereotypes, The Lord of the Rings, White Supremacy, Hegemony, Academy Awards, Casting Practices, Racial Binary, Cinema Analysis, Cultural Studies, Racism, Media Consumption, Diversity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this academic paper?
The paper examines how Hollywood movies, specifically "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," represent people of color and whether these depictions perpetuate racial stereotypes and white supremacy.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The core themes include the historical underrepresentation of minorities in film, the impact of racial stereotyping in media, and the role of cinematic techniques in establishing societal perceptions of race.
What is the primary research question?
The paper seeks to answer how Hollywood films like "The Lord of the Rings" represent people of color and how these representations influence the audience's perception of reality.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The author uses a qualitative case study approach, analyzing specific scenes from the film through the lens of cinematic categories such as literary design, cinematography, editing, and sound design.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body provides background on Hollywood's lack of diversity, introduces the theoretical framework of racial stereotypes and hegemony, and conducts a scene-by-scene case study of the film.
Which keywords characterize this research?
Key terms include Hollywood, representation, racial stereotypes, white supremacy, cinematic analysis, cultural hegemony, and media studies.
How does the movie contrast the "good" and "bad" characters?
The film utilizes binary contrasts such as natural versus industrial and light versus dark to distinguish between the "heroic" white Hobbits and the "monstrous" creatures portrayed by actors of color.
Why does the author argue that the portrayal of Orcs is problematic?
The author argues that the Orcs and Uruk-hai are depicted as nameless, primitive, and submissive creatures, which aligns with historical stereotypes of the "Black Buck" and reinforces a narrative of white dominance.
- Quote paper
- Nico Röhrs (Author), 2021, Representation of People of Color in "Lord of the Rings", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1160384
