Stereotypes in Film

Rob

I don't think that stereotypes in movies is all that big of a deal. I think that many of the stereotypes that are portrayed in movie are based partly in truth, only it is over played for entrainment value. I do agree that some stereotypes in movies, are a little bit over done, and can possibly offend some people. However, I don't find this to be the case in most stereotypes. People shouldn't worry so much about stereotypes in film, because there is nothing that can be done to completely eliminate stereotypes in film.



Doug

As I see it, stereotypes are mostly untrue hurtful things, that shouldn't have any place in modern society.  But, in the world of cinema, stereotypes can be a useful tool if used effectively and carefully. Stereotypes are based are common schemas that large numbers of people know, and when a short film is cramped on time but still needs to introduce a well developed character, a stereotype can provide a way to achieve that.  Now I am not saying that stereotypes are good and should be used, but they can be used to provide information about a character in a movie without someone flat out saying it.  If a filmmaker does decide to use Stereotypes as a tool, they must be very careful and consider all views of the stereotype.  I believe Stereotypes can be used as a tool in film, if used correctly.  But thats just me.

John

While the general moral consensus of stereotypes is that they are wrong, they are still useful. They can be used in ways to show social and political ideas, especially when exploring the topic of racism. One director that uses stereotypes to prove a point is Spike Lee. He brings stereotypes to the viewers attention in almost all of his films and although he is usually blatant about his viewpoint, he gives the other side of the argument. People will say and do things that hurt others. Understanding stereotypes can help people learn how to avoid this type of “racial confrontation”.