Post-Colonialism: Destiny Ekaragha/Media Mag

Post-colonialism

1) Read the excellent article exploring the different representations of black people in British film and TV from Media Magazine 42 (MM42 from our Media Magazine archive - page 51)

2) List FIVE films, FIVE TV programmes and FIVE online-only productions that are discussed in the article.

Films:
Bullet Boy
AnuvaHood
Shank

Slumdog millionaire
Ill Manors

TV programme
55 degrees north
Luther
The Kumars at 42
Goodness gracious me
Citizen Khan

Online only:
Brother with no game
Venus vs Mars
The Ryan sisters
All about the McKenzies
Meet the adebanjos


3) Watch Destiny Ekaragha's clips above (more of her work is available on her website, including the short film The Park). To what extent can we apply Alvarado's and Fanon's theories to these films? Do they reinforce or subvert typical black stereotypes in British film and TV? Refer to specific scenes and events in the clips in answering this question and aim for at least 350 words.

We can apply Alvarado’s and Fanon’s theories to these films to some extent, as they have a links to both reinforce and subvert typical black stereotypes in British film and TV. 

In the short film, Tight Jeans, the exotic representation, as in the middle of the film, the three black youths are talking about the “size of their d****” and how they have “f***** everyone, to populate the world” to subvert Alvarado’s theory, the dangerous representation is challenged because the youths are simply sitting down, and not causing any trouble i.e. being anti-social. However this can be seen differently as they were swearing, and using foul language, thus may come across intimidating to some. Alvarado’s theory, the racial representation of being humorous, where they are making fun out of each other, in particular when the boy sat in the middle is questioned of knowing what a white man’s penis size is. With Fanon’s theory, there is evidence for infantilized, essentialized and in some sense primitivized. They were infantilized as they were arguing at the start like little children. In terms of being, essentialized they challenged as they had stood their own out with individual characters rather than being clunked as one group.

The “Gone too far” trailer, the pitied representation of black people is evident, when the Nigerian man is presented as typically outcast, emphasised by his costume, for example the sandals and socks. The representation of being exotic is also embodied in the Nigerian brother as he is arrives in the UK straight from Nigeria. The dangerous representation is subverted by the fact that there are no stereotypical representations of a black youth being violent, anti-social or a threat. The humorous representation of black people is evident as the Nigerian brother is entertaining, especially in the sense where he is singing in the chicken shop about being Nigerian. In terms of Fanon’s theory, the character of the Nigerian has been primitivized as he is unknown to the British lifestyle and norms; this is evident from the trailer when he attempts to flirt with women but is shot down. The representation is also infantilized as the Nigerian brother is seen as a child who has just entered the world and is discovering new things.