Film Critic - Choose one movie: Bamboozled (Lee, USA: 2000) OR Born to Kill (Wise, U.S. 1947) - Essay Example

Film Critic – Bamboozled Bamboozled (2000), the satirical film by Spike Lee unveils the racist problems faced by the Black artists in the field of visual media. The director gives ample importance to the racial and social problems faced by the protagonist, and his attempt to escape from the situation. The film’s historical context is related to the Afro-American history of slavery, exploitation and racial segregation. The cinematography gives due importance to the visual description of the sad plight of the protagonist, who represents the African Americans.

The social aspects include the social problems (exploitation and racism) faced by the Blacks in American society. Thesis statement: The study of the historical context and cinematography of the film Bamboozled by Spike Lee exposes the social problems faced by Pierre Delacroix, the protagonist in specific, and the black community in general. Historical context The film was released in the year 2000, but the historical context of the same is related to the history of African Americans in America. Gerald A. Powell opines that “This film centers on the “bamboozled effect” of blacks and how that, in turn, shapes and defines black identity” (26).

Pierre Delacroix, the protagonist represents the elite individuals within black community, who were able to acquire education and reputation in the mainstream society. But this does not help them to keep themselves away from racial segregation. For instance, Pierre Delacroix was forced to face racism and segregation at CNS (Continental Network System), a television network. From a different angle of view, this film portrays the element of racial amalgamation. For instance, Sloan Hopkins, who worked as Delacroix’s assistant, was able to withstand racialism.

Besides, Thomas Dunwitty (a white male), represent the positive side of cultural and racial amalgamation because he did marry a black lady. So, one can easily identify that the historical context of the film is closely related to the history of black community in America. Cinematography The cinematography by Ellen Kuras presents the African Americans as victims of racialism and segregation. One can easily identify that the cinematography provides ample importance to the protagonist and his struggle to survive in a racially separated society.

In the end, after the untimely death of the protagonist, the cinematographer portrays the history of black characters in Hollywood. The cinematographer’s attempt is really worthy because it represents the African American history within the scenario of cinema. The final scene in the film, in which the camera focuses upon the lifeless body of the protagonist, is really touching because it represents his unfulfilled dreams. Social aspects The social aspects within this film include the exploitation faced by the blacks as mere puppets in the hands of the elite class members, never ending struggle by the blacks to acquire status in the mainstream society and the different ways chosen by Pierre Delacroix and Sloan Hopkins to be in the limelight.

One can easily identify that film portrays the racial segregation and marginalization faced by the blacks in the American society. Diane M. Nelson makes clear that “Bamboozled is Spike Lee’s terrifically dense film about minstrelsy, desire, race, gender, class, and ec-static identification” (156). The director made use of the protagonist as his mouthpiece to communicate with viewers. Besides, the film portrays the social condition of the blacks who are exploited by the elite class members.

In short, the social aspects of the film are related to the racial segregation and exploitation faced by the blacks in the American society. Summing, the film Bamboozled by Spike Lee satirizes the problems faced by the educated and talented blacks. The historical context of the film represents the history of black community in America. The film’s cinematography represents the legacy of blacks in American history and it portrays the reality. The film’s social aspects prove that the blacks are the victims of racial segregation and marginalization.

In short, the film acts the role of an eye opener which portrays the raw life of blacks in America, especially within the context of visual media. References Nelson, Diane M. Reckoning: the ends of war in Guatemala. USA: Duke University Press, 2009. Print. Powell, Gerald A. A rhetoric of symbolic identity: an analysis of Spike Lee's X and Bamboozled. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America, 2004. Print.