When Films Become Self-Defeating

I agreed with Morris O’Kelly’s article, “This Ride Only Moves Us Backwards” (Counterpunch, April 20). Please note however, he barely scratched the surface on issues concerning problems currently plaguing African American films.

A majority of recent African American films perpetuates stereotypical images of African Americans. Surprisingly, they are written, directed and produced by African Americans. Since November 1997, there have been two films that cast a ray of hope for future African American cinema. “Soul Food” and “Eve’s Bayou” were commercially successful and profoundly explored the dimensions of African American culture.

All African American films released within the last six months have left us with little food for the soul and are stuck in that all-too-familiar mire of negative stereotypes: “Caught Up” is about just another “brotha” who spent most of his adult life behind bars for bank robbery and selling drugs; “Ride” is about a busload of ghetto hoodsters, who do a whole lot of cussin’, a whole lot of fussin’ and, morally, a whole lot of nothin’; “The Players Club” is about beautiful African American women portrayed as whores or mindless sex objects. African American men are portrayed as hustlers, rap stars, rogues or bumbling buffoons; “I Got the Hook Up” stars Master P. as a hustler caught in a jam after selling a batch of stolen cell phones.

African Americans are producing these stereotypical films themselves. Does this nullify their negative content? Absolutely not!

The truth is, we have no one else to blame but ourselves for the blackout at the Oscars. We have, by our own silence, condoned these types of films for African Americans, non-African Americans and, sadly, for African American youth to absorb and emulate.

SYBIL SMITH

Los Angeles