Latino Images In Film

The bandido, the harlot, the male buffoon, the female clown, the Latin lover, and the dark lady—these have been the defining, and demeaning, images of Latinos in U.S. cinema for more than a century. In this book, Charles Ramírez Berg develops an innovative theory of stereotyping that accounts for the persistence of such images in U.S. popular culture. He also explores how Latino actors and filmmakers have actively subverted and resisted such stereotyping. In the first part of the book, Berg sets forth his theory of stereotyping, defines the classic stereotypes, and investigates how actors such as Raúl Julia, Rosie Pérez, José Ferrer, Lupe Vélez, and Gilbert Roland have subverted stereotypical roles. In the second part, he analyzes Hollywood's portrayal of Latinos in three genres: social problem films, John Ford westerns, and science fiction films. In the concluding section, Berg looks at Latino self-representation and anti-stereotyping in Mexican American border documentaries and in the feature films of Robert Rodríguez. He also presents an exclusive interview in which Rodríguez talks about his entire career, from Bedhead to Spy Kids, and comments on the role of a Latino filmmaker in Hollywood and how he tries to subvert the system.

Latinos have been part of the Hollywood film industry for more than 100 years, yet beyond the remarkable success of a few, their visibility and clout have generally not reflected their significance in American society. Worse, the Latino image has suffered from widespread stereotyping in film, and performers face unjustified constraints in the kinds of roles available to them. Decade by decade from 1960 onward, this book analyzes important films made by or about Latinos, details the careers of Latino performers and filmmakers of the time, and analyzes how film portrayals of Latino characters and subjects connect with political and social trends of each decade. It discusses the role of gender, social class, and ethnicity in film portrayals and provides an overview of the diverse and dynamic Latino community in the United States, while celebrating a substantial and enduring contribution to Hollywood film history.

This book brings together a selection of the most analytically sophisticated writing on how Latinos have been portrayed in movies, television, and other U.S. media since the early years of the twentieth century and how images have changed over time in response to social and political change.

As the number of Latinos in the United States has been growing, making them the largest ethnic minority at the beginning of the twenty-first century, their presence in film has been increasing as well. Some Hispanic actors, like Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Lopez or Salma Hayek, have even become major stars. And Latinos have gained importance not only as actors on screen, but also behind the scenes as directors, producers and screenwriters. Has this growing influence changed their representation in Hollywood film? After a brief historical overview of the dominant images of Hispanics in American film, the author focuses on movies made since the 1980s. She explores contemporary Latino images in Hollywood film and compares them to past images, while also looking for new representations. To what extent are traditional depictions like the Latin lover, the bandit, the spitfire or the gangster still continued today? Which new representations have the Latinos in the movie industry contributed to balance the often stereotypical images of major Hollywood productions? The book is intended for people in film, media or ethnic studies and for film fans interested in Latino actors and movies.

A penetrating analysis of the construction of Latina/o stardom in U.S. film, television, and celebrity culture since the 1920s

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 2 (B), University of Tubingen (English Seminar), course: HS Literature: Latino Images in U.S. Latino Film, 16 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: I. Introduction In the following written analysis, I am going to deal with the topic "The film "Tortilla Soup" in context of Mexican Life in America and Type and Stereotype of Chicanos and Latinos in Film". In the main body, I am going to show II.1 Mexico with the points II.1.1 Mexican history, II.1.2 Mexican American Migration and II.1.3 Mexican Life in America. The next point will deal with the film "Tortilla Soup", II.2 About the film. I will divide this point into II.2.1 Plot, II.2.2 Major characters and actors and II.2.3 The picture of food in connection with family in "Tortilla Soup". After that, I will talk about II.3.1 Latinos and chicanos. This point will be divided into II.3.1 Type and Stereotype: Chicano Images in Film, II.3.2 What it means to be Latino in 2000 and II.3.4 Contemporary Latino films - the end of stereotypes?. The last point will be III. Conclusion. I think that the historical embedding of a film is extremely important to gain a better understanding of a film. I wanted to focus on Mexico first with its history, migration and the life of Mexicans in America. Then I wanted to talk about the film itself with the plot, main characters and the picture of food in connection with family in the film. And in the end, I wanted to deal with the topic of Chicano Images in Film, Latinos in the year 2000 and contemporary Latino films with a possible ending of stereotypes.

Heroes, Lovers, and Others tells the fascinating history of Latino actors in American film from the silent era to today. Rodriguez examines such Latino legends as Desi Arnaz, Dolores del Rio, Rita Hayworth, Raquel Welch, Anthony Quinn, Selma Hayek, and Antonio Banderas. More than just a collection of celebrity stories, the book explores the attitudes, cultural conditions, and assumptions that influenced the portrayal of Latinos in film as well as their reception by the public. Heroes, Lovers, and Others is a comprehensive volume packed with carefully researched information and analysis for both students and cinema enthusiasts alike.