Is Hollywood Using Diversity To Justify Potentially Doomed Franchises?

[Noodle]

What??? Do you mean like Blaxploitation movies?

In what world is having African Americans in a western akin to Blaxploitation?

You do know that there were a number of African American cowboys, right? Like as many as 25% by some estimations.

[Tofali]

What??? Do you mean like Blaxploitation movies?

Curious, why would your mind go to Blaxploitation? Cuz I can't see anyone that would want to resuscitate this.

[Powerboy]

In what world is having African Americans in a western akin to Blaxploitation?

You do know that there were a number of African American cowboys, right? Like as many as 25% by some estimations.

I thought it was even more than that but 25% just gives the opportunity for more realism as opposed to the old western television shows and movies I grew up on which were like all other genres where everyone was white.

And it doesn't even have to be "realistic" to have inclusion. But yeah, lots of black people went out west for a chance for a new life and to make something of that life.

[Noodle]

I thought it was even more than that but 25% just gives the opportunity for more realism as opposed to the old western television shows and movies I grew up on which were like all other genres where everyone was white.

And it doesn't even have to be "realistic" to have inclusion. But yeah, lots of black people went out west for a chance for a new life and to make something of that life.

It depends on what people consider a "Cowboy" as it can have a pretty loose definition. If you're going strictly by the "handles cattle" definition, then general estimates are around 25%, but that number is growing as more research is done. But as far as African Americans in the west, it was a large number as it was post-Civil War and their skills as slaves (tending land, etc) benefited them to grow there. That and that fact that most southern states still wouldn't let them own land, so they had to move either north or west.

[ed2962]

For what it's worth, there were few blaxploitation Westerns back in the day.

[Castle]

Curious, why would your mind go to Blaxploitation? Cuz I can't see anyone that would want to resuscitate this.

Looking at it from a 2021 sense, it was one of the first cringe in Hollywood of how to do diversity and Hollywood are still making the same errors though with different paint brushes in 2021.

[ed2962]

Looking at it from a 2021 sense, it was one of the first cringe in Hollywood of how to do diversity and Hollywood are still making the same errors though with different paint brushes in 2021.

Hmm...I see it a bit differently. Hollywood has struggled with racism and stereotypes since the very beginning.

[CosmiComic]

Hmm...I see it a bit differently. Hollywood has struggled with racism and stereotypes since the very beginning.

Exactly. Hollywood is probably more conscious now than ever yet still has far to go

[Surf]

Looking at it from a 2021 sense, it was one of the first cringe in Hollywood of how to do diversity and Hollywood are still making the same errors though with different paint brushes in 2021.

Clearly you've never heard of Al Jolsen or minstrel shows in general which were supremely popular with white audiences. If that's to harsh for you then maybe you think Katherine Hepburn as an Asian was more first. John Wayne as Genghis Khan... There is a super long list but of course as the film expert you claim to be you know all that before- whatever it is you're claiming about Hollywood propping itself up on one of the highest returns on investment in it's history, with Black movies from the 1970s.

[CosmiComic]

Clearly you've never heard of Al Jolsen or minstrel shows in general which were supremely popular with white audiences. If that's to harsh for you then maybe you think Katherine Hepburn as an Asian was more first. John Wayne as Genghis Khan... There is a super long list but of course as the film expert you claim to be you know all that before- whatever it is you're claiming about Hollywood propping itself up on one of the highest returns on investment in it's history, with Black movies from the 1970s.

Dear God, I never heard of this one before.

[Castle]

Clearly you've never heard of Al Jolsen or minstrel shows in general which were supremely popular with white audiences. If that's to harsh for you then maybe you think Katherine Hepburn as an Asian was more first. John Wayne as Genghis Khan... There is a super long list but of course as the film expert you claim to be you know all that before- whatever it is you're claiming about Hollywood propping itself up on one of the highest returns on investment in it's history, with Black movies from the 1970s.

I know of minstrel shows and even black face, those were more unspeakable crimes judging in 2021, It is not easy for me to admit that Fred Astaire , who is the greatest dancer of all time, yeah above Gene Kelly and even tied with Michael Jackson for the number 1 spot, that even Michael Jackson lifted the Smooth Criminal concept from him, also did Black face. That is how painful it is, for me as person of color myself and unlike John Wayne, I liked Fred Astaire as an actor and entertainer.

However why Blaxploitation is more cringe is because Hollywood felt they were actually do something good when they were not because many of those Blaxploitation were not given the same quality of film making as the white counterpart movies and in a way, I still feel it happens today but just in a different form.

For instance Disney has the cash to store to wet and dry, yet, Black Panther has the worst CGI of all the MCU films. Also CW fans have complained many times that Black Lightening was the weakest CW DC show in production value and overall quality. So What was their excuse to why that was?

[Scott Taylor]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the xploitation part of Blaxploitation refers to Hollywood cynically trying to grab money from young African Americans, who they realized would go see movies with an all black cast. Hollywood was creating these films specifically to exploit those particular audiences. But I am sure there was probably also an aspect of Hollywood exploiting the black actors in those films, who probably didn't get paid much at all.

The movies themselves were the first time for many young blacks that they had seen themselves in the movies. Granted, most of the movies were terrible, but thats because Hollywood was caring mostly about the affirmative action part rather than the quality. Turns out, the money-making aspect didn't last all that long because black people know a bad film when they see it, too.

[Castle]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the xploitation part of Blaxploitation refers to Hollywood cynically trying to grab money from young African Americans, who they realized would go see movies with an all black cast. Hollywood was creating these films specifically to exploit those particular audiences. But I am sure there was probably also an aspect of Hollywood exploiting the black actors in those films, who probably didn't get paid much at all.

The movies themselves were the first time for many young blacks that they had seen themselves in the movies. Granted, most of the movies were terrible, but thats because Hollywood was caring mostly about the affirmative action part rather than the quality. Turns out, the money-making aspect didn't last all that long because black people know a bad film when they see it, too.

Well sure said, three claps to this post. you said the facts. that I was too soft to even say.

I did not even want to go as far as you said by saying most of them were terrible because they were. and you hit the nail on the head with the quality, that I already mentioned. I think it was an insult to some good aspects of affirmative action, because at least with affirmative action, the issue was making sure African Americans who were good enough to go Harvard, WENT to Harvard.

Blackplotaiton was not like that at all, it was bread crumbs film making and again, you are right why it faded, because many black people caught on to how they bad they were. Also why i dont understands in 2010s this same hollywood think they can give a film like black panther bad cgi, turn Finn from star wars into a mediocre character who does not even get the girl, race bend characters and not even have the black form of the characters be as well written as the original white characters.

This is me watching Season 1 of Riverdale wondering what is the purpose of making Josie and Pussy Cats all black women and they dont even have much a story as Archie, Betty, Judgehead , but some how they think black people or just people of color in general will just call it GREAT because all we want to see is a black person. no, we want more substance than that.


It's so cringe.

[CosmiComic]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the xploitation part of Blaxploitation refers to Hollywood cynically trying to grab money from young African Americans, who they realized would go see movies with an all black cast. Hollywood was creating these films specifically to exploit those particular audiences. But I am sure there was probably also an aspect of Hollywood exploiting the black actors in those films, who probably didn't get paid much at all.

The movies themselves were the first time for many young blacks that they had seen themselves in the movies. Granted, most of the movies were terrible, but thats because Hollywood was caring mostly about the affirmative action part rather than the quality. Turns out, the money-making aspect didn't last all that long because black people know a bad film when they see it, too.

It wouldn't have hurt if the studios actually put more money and effort into the movies

[CliffHanger2]

Well sure said, three claps to this post. you said the facts. that I was too soft to even say.

I did not even want to go as far as you said by saying most of them were terrible because they were. and you hit the nail on the head with the quality, that I already mentioned. I think it was an insult to some good aspects of affirmative action, because at least with affirmative action, the issue was making sure African Americans who were good enough to go Harvard, WENT to Harvard.

Blackplotaiton was not like that at all, it was bread crumbs film making and again, you are right why it faded, because many black people caught on to how they bad they were. Also why i dont understands in 2010s this same hollywood think they can give a film like black panther bad cgi, turn Finn from star wars into a mediocre character who does not even get the girl, race bend characters and not even have the black form of the characters be as well written as the original white characters.

This is me watching Season 1 of Riverdale wondering what is the purpose of making Josie and Pussy Cats all black women and they dont even have much a story as Archie, Betty, Judgehead , but some how they think black people or just people of color in general will just call it GREAT because all we want to see is a black person. no, we want more substance than that.


It's so cringe.

You're pov as a poc on black movies seems really disingenuous. Maybe you should just say what you really think. Fred Astaire "greatest dancer of all time"LOOOOLLL...