Task 3

HISTORICAL TEXT ANALYSIS & RESEARCH

The two main Historical texts that I studied as part of my research were, the Scream franchise (1992-2000), I still know what you did last summer (1998). All these texts feature a ‘Token Black Character in one form or another.

The Scream franchise was almost like a parody of horror films in general. With the most predictable events. Quotes such as, ‘Never say "who's there?" Don't you watch scary movies? It's a death wish. You might as well come out to investigate a strange noise or something’. It mimics and parodies the horror genre. In the past the blacks leads in big-budget films were scarce, unless they were specifically using race to make a point. In the beginning of the franchise there were no black characters.

However, as society progressed we began to see black characters introduced into these films as ‘token’ characters. This meant that they didn’t have much importance but were merely there to show that the film was ‘anti-racist’. In the sequel to scream two token characters where used, Maureen who was a black woman who fit all the racial stereotypes (who actually recognized the lack of ethnic characters in American cinema) and her boyfriend who is also a stereotypical character in many ways. Both these characters are the first to killed off, showing them as the ‘token’ minority.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu00Nu_5_CM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBCAD_LbKBE&feature=related

In ‘I still know what you did last summer’ a ‘token black guy’ is used called phil. Unlike the token black character in Scream he isn’t the first to die but survives longer into the film which gives him more significance. This then shows the black minority may have more status in society than they did it the past as there weren’t even any black people in older films like ‘Friday the 13^th’ or ‘Texas chainsaw massacre’.

Unlike scream Phil’s girlfriend (Karla) who is also black is given more significance. She doesn’t get killed off in the film but survives till the end. She is a positive representation of black people (especially) females as she is not stereotypical in anyway. This suggests a predominance of ‘Token’ black males than ‘Token’ Black females. In past horror film black males have been used more than females and the males are shown as more stereotypical. Compared to modern horror films this is still the cast, with films such as Friday the 13^th (remake), Dawn if the Dead which only feature ‘Token’ black males and not females.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyQ5wgpaXJ0&feature=related