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Ben Savich
Proffesor Karin Waidley
Film and Culture
September 23, 2015
Film Analysis of Bamboozled
Ever since the founding of the United States, racism has been a significant part of its
history. It can clearly be seen with how Native Americans were treated when white settlers
arrived, and with the practice of slavery in the 18th and 19th centuries and many years before. It
has carried over to present day, and clearly visible throughout media. In Spike Lees film
Bamboozled, which is a dark satire on race, Lee tries to educate the audience on how blacks
have been mistreated in the mainstream media over time with remnants from slavery. The title
itself implies that theyve been cheated or conned. Although one could argue that many of the
labels attached to majority of the black community apply because of the stereotypes Lee portrays
in the film reversing on themselves. In addition the dominant ideology of women being
objectified is shown, dulling Lees ability to construct an effective counter-narrative.
African Americans throughout history have been stereotyped as being lazy, trouble
makers, inferior to the white race, not able to think, can only sing, dance, and play sports. These
labels are not only connected to the history of their colonization, but have also been used to
exploit the black race into the present day. Although we have a black president, and members of
the black race have positions of power, this would make you believe that there would be less
discrimination against them. Yet, much of the black community still remains poor, unemployed,
and for the most part, negatively labeled. And institutional racism still exists in education,
economics, etc.
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the movie, although she is hard working and ambitious, it is overlooked because of the sexual
relationship she had with Delacroix. And the assumption that a black woman couldnt succeed
based on merit alone.
The film touches upon a very sensitive subject and even though black individuals do not
wear blackface, they are reminded of their blackness because throughout history nothing
significant has been done to make up for slavery the grave mistake of humanity. As offensive as
the film is, Spike Lee gets off the hook for many of the criticisms he might face because of his
race, an African American filmmaker, and the framework of the film, satire. Just imagine if the
writer and producer of the movie were white. This would definitely have a different outcome for
the film being produced, if at all.
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Works Cited
Bamboozled. Dir. Spike Lee. Perf. Damon Wayans, Savion Glover, Jada Pinkett Smith
Los Angeles, CA: New Line Home Productions, Inc. 2000
Benshoff, Harry M and Giffin Sean. America on Film. Malden: Wiley & Sons, 2009