Post-colonialism: blog task

1) Films:
>Bullet Boy
>AnuvaHood
>Shank
>Sket
>Ill Manors
>Slumdog millionaire

TV programme
>55 degrees north
>Luther
>Line of duty
> 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
>The crouches.

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?

To certain degree we can apply Alvarado’s and Fanon’s theories to these films, 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” Also to go against Alvarado’s theory, the dangerous representation is challenged as they are less stereotypical of black youths, they are just relaxing and having a laugh rather than looking intimidating. Also, in accordance to the Alvarado’s theory, the racial representation of being humorous, where they are making fun out of each other, in particular when the middle black youth is questioned of knowing what a white man’s genitalia size. 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. 

In regards to 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.