Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People

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http://www.ReelBadArabs.com This groundbreaking documentary dissects a slanderous aspect of cinematic history that has run virtually unchallenged form the earliest days of silent film to today's biggest Hollywood blockbusters. Featuring acclaimed author Dr. Jack Shaheen, the film explores a long line of degrading images of Arabs--from Bedouin bandits and submissive maidens to sinister sheikhs and gun-wielding "terrorists"--along the way offering devastating insights into the origin of these stereotypic images, their development at key points in US history, and why they matter so much today. Shaheen shows how the persistence of these images over time has served to naturalize prejudicial attitudes toward Arabs and Arab culture, in the process reinforcing a narrow view of individual Arabs and the effects of specific US domestic and internationl policies on their lives. By inspiring critical thinking about the social, political, and basic human consequences of leaving these Hollywood caricatures unexamined, the film challenges viewers to recognize the urgent need for counter-narratives that do justice to the diversity and humanity of Arab people and the reality and richness of Arab history and culture. Director: Sut Jhally Biographical Summary: Dr. Jack Shaheen, Professor Emeritus of Mass Communication at Southern Illinois University, is a leading scholar of Arab representations in US popular culture. Shaheen is the author of the groundbreaking study The TV Arab and, most recently, Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People, the most comprehensive review of Arab screen images ever published. Analyzing over 900 Hollywood films made from 1896 to 2004, Dr. Shaheen exposes American cinema's systematic and pervasive degradation and dehumanization of Arabs. Articles: "Jack Shaheen continues to be a piercing laser of fairness and sanity in pointing out Hollywood's ongoing egregious smearing of Arabs." Howard Rosenberg | Los Angeles Times TV Critic

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  1. by DAI — @ 10:47:04

    i never said they wernt being stereotyped. what i am asking is whats considering sterotype. I know not all jews are rich and big nosed and i know not all muslims are terriost. I just think to many people dig to deep to discredit people and people need to shut there mouths sometimes and listen.

  2. by CIARDUBHAN — @ 11:10:03

    And, Jews are never stereotyped as being big nosed, rich, cheap, mean and such. Jews are not bad to work for and aren't stereotyped in Shakespeare? They all aren't bankers and such and they don't cheat you? Nah, they are never stereotyped?

  3. by Cristy — @ 11:33:02

    yes and think of the same things being shown on aljezzera the beheadungs and bombings is that true or stero typing

  4. by Zak — @ 11:56:01

    When i think of arabs i think of not allowing women to show their hair, not allowing them to drive or vote. I think of Banning alchohol or non Muslims from the Al-Masjid. I think of execution by beheading.Amputations for theft.Imprisonment for Blasphemy. Also i think of people who tell me not to think even though its real. Or the people that say the movie true lies is a gross mis characterization even thought the villains in that movie dont come close to bin laden, a real Arab terrorist.

  5. by ALGER — @ 12:19:00

    can you name all these film makers and studios so that we are careful where our entertainment dollars go? Also can legal actions be taken against such evil commercial interests?

  6. by Ephrem — @ 12:41:59

    and what about jews in Germany during the world war 2? what about gypsies nowadays when they can`t get a job because everybody think they are thiefs?

  7. by JAMIL — @ 13:04:58

    NO ONE comes close to the Negative and FALSE Stereotype that Arab-Muslims have received! and if you look closely at the 911 situation by watching documentaries like: 911 Mysteries and 911 Solutions you will understand that the "war on terror" was SOLD to the PUBLIC with the assistance of this type of hollywood propaganda!

  8. by TOMAS — @ 13:27:57

    i agree with him. there are so much stereotipes, that holywood have made. and arabs are not the only victims.

  9. by Kaylah — @ 13:50:56

    arabs would like to go back to their countries, but usa has to go out of their couyntries,stop sendin it's army to the gulf,stop supporting israel.stop taking the oil.stop hiring trators as our leaders..

  10. by Harleen — @ 14:13:55

    I meant to say I'd like to see a study of how Hollywood stereotypes white Southerners -- as all being racist morons. And in more absurd treatments, we all have sex with our immediate family, per Hollywood.

  11. by Ryann — @ 14:36:54

    I'd like to see a similar study of how Hollywood stereotypes Southerners.

  12. by Olwyn — @ 14:59:53

    Show me in the Quran where it says to kill innocent people. The Qur'an even says do not transgress. It seems you haven't learned anything about Islam, except by following the media.

  13. by Jeric — @ 15:22:52

    Are you aware that when islamofascist vermin go into a house in Iraq to murder the family, they start with the parents first? They do this to inflict as much pain and suffering on the chilren as possible before cutting their throats. They have also been strapping bombs to chilren, retarded people, and even pregnant women and convincing them that if they blow themselves up in a crowd of people, "allah" will reward them in the afterlife. Its the duty of all free countries to destory islamofascism.

  14. by ELIAS — @ 15:45:51

    You are a victim of the radical-liberal, anti-American media, that includes CNN,CBS, and al jazeera. You are a victim of the ACLU and NAACP. You have been so brainwashed that you give into the lies of the liberals who convince you that America is the great satan. You have a mental disorder and it is called "liberalism", which is very similar to the mental disorder called "islamofascism". You support people who feel it is their duty to blow up women and children.

  15. by Whelan — @ 16:08:50

    "People just like me"? Please. I walk on the soil I was born on. I've (noe any member of my family) has immigrated to another country and asked (forcibly at times) that we adapt to your customs, ways and religions. I TOLERATE them, but do not have to understand them as asked to. Arabs, particularly in this viscinity do not assimilate. Generally combative, violent and anti-social. Sorry if you don't like the truth.

  16. by TROPHONIUS — @ 16:31:49

    I laugh at the west so hard, they expect arabs to cope with they are doing with them, and yet, when resistance arises, they call them terrorists and throw whatever they can at them, however, i am not surprised, the western world was like this before. Read history.

  17. by ELTON — @ 16:54:48

    Go home? where is home laurie? If Arabs should go "home" than you should go "home", America Wasnt founded by whites/Blacks/Hispanics/Asians or any other descent it was founded by the Native Americans, If Arabs should go back to the middle east every other race that is here should also go back and especially you should go back to your native country wherever that is, it is not your fault anyway it is the people/factors who raised you to come up with this theory of ignorance

  18. by IVES — @ 17:17:47

    Debating with what you're saying is not "squashing free speech", it's called I have the right to disagree with you and point out why. This is not that hard when you're saying that 400 million Muslims are all "crazy fuckers." I guess it's easier to generalise and throw insults than to see us as people just like you.

  19. by Bealohydig — @ 17:40:46

    Thank you! Very well said.

  20. by Marlan — @ 18:03:45

    hahaha I'm not trying to squash "free speech", just stupidity..if you're going to speak freely, atleast be able to back up your point, and do so willingly. As for your last offer, give me a time and place sweetie ;-)

  21. by Maerewine — @ 18:26:44

    Correction. 400 million and one. Shut my mouth? You crazy fuckers ALWAYS try to squash free speech. Blow me.

  22. by Ethelred — @ 18:49:43

    So the doings of one group (we'll assume al-qaeda) justifies your hate for ALL Arabs? Not to mention that there are 24 "Arab" nations, surely some of them can be good? But no, you hate all 400 million Arabs the world over, simply because of one act. Shut your mouth.

  23. by Jerred — @ 19:12:42

    I disagree that the Arabs are the worst represented in movies, i think that the Brits are always shown in as bad a light as the Arabs. They either portray us as the arch villain or posh stuck up snobs and they've been doing this for years now.

  24. by GIRVEN — @ 19:35:41

    So dumb that our ancestors in the middle east created Math formulas which contributed to medical science Advances and discoveries in astronomy, chemistry, and philosophy .. I see your point clearly my friend, just keep indulging yourself in television and believe the biased media , good luck

  25. by NOACH — @ 19:58:40

    Arabs are dumb!

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