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Asian Americans in Film, Asian gender stereotypes, Yellowface + sexualized…
Asian Americans in Film
"Film," Jigna Desai (9/4)
Addressing stereotypes
Most films that have Asian characters reuse and double-down on common stereotypes that typically put them in a negative light
Movement by Asian Americans to correct the "negative representations" via storytelling and accurate authenticity
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"In Search of Asian American Cinema," Peter Feng (9/4)
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"The Other Question," Bhahba (9/9)
Colonial discourse
Fixity - there is an apparent 'fixity' in Asian American's image to others. There is constant repetition that leads to the stereotypes that incorrectly profile and creates a discriminatory power between the majority vs minorities
There is a sense of ambivalence that contributes to the lack of perspective in stereotypes. It provides a neutrality or unopinionated stances that do not combat the incorrect conotations
Paradoxical notion of FIXITY allows ideas of colonialism to take shape: “Sign of cultural/historical/racial difference [that] connotes rigidity and an unchanging order”
Seeks to refocus our attention of the processes of becoming the stereotype, rather than thinking about its positive/negative effects and its proximities to truthfulness
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The Cheat (1915) (9/9) 
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"Colour-as-hue and colour-as-race: early Technicolor, ornamentals and Toll of the Sea," Xin Peng (9/16)
Skin tone
In The Toll of the Sea, because the Technicolor did not have the capability to exaggerate Lotus Flower's different skin tone, the film used other exotic colors, ambiance, and props to racialize her
Because red and green stood out well in Technicolor, they were associated with anything non-American thus attributing them to Asians and other stereotypes
Technicolor films visualized race through the color visualization and how they appeared on film – films used specific colors that stood out and were exaggerated to combat Technicolor’s lack of coloring
Early cinema had racial technology and film color back then was used to construct the “oriental” visually and materially (clothes and other props)
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Toll of the Sea (1922) (9/16)
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Asian alienization
Allen's friends consistently comment how 'different' Lotus Flower is as if she was a completely different species
Lotus Flower's attempt to westernize herself failed as it shows her ignorance and Allen had so much disgust because of her inability of 'fit in'
Daughter of the Dragon (1931) (9/23)
Villanization of asians
Another way american culture has alienized asians from their society by applying their bigotry and prejudice
Even though throughout the film Wong does not seem to be a villain, the movie finds a way to pit the plot against her
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"Made-Up Asians", Lee (9/18)
Yellowface
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Was normalized and constantly used to distinguish Asian characters via make-up and other prosthetics as a sign of exclusion
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"Indian Accents: Brown Voice and Racial Performance," Dave 19-27 (9/18)
Describes how accents are a way to identify both Indians and other ethnicities, specifically Asians
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Advocates for the reframing of racial representation through sound, not just performance
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"Hypersexuality of Race" + "Straitjacket Sexualities," Shimizu Parrenas (9/25) (10/9)
Hypersexuality
Hypersexuality of women is a racial control and possible site of agency, critique, and pleasure
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Hypersexuality: wants to redefine representation and refuses victim narrative of Asian women + challenging current image of Asian women in social settings and politics
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The World of Suzie Wong (9/30)
Sexualized orientalism
Suzie, as well as other Asian women, were portrayed as prostitutes and their clothes were very "provocative." They were very tight-fitting and short which compared to the western aesthetic and clothing is very sexualized
The white man, especially Robert, only preferred Suzy in her "Asian" dresses and did not want to accept her when she bought a more western outfit. Implies that Robert only liked Suzy for her Asian aesthetic and not her personality and character.
Suzie's behavior and mannerisms were flirtatious, similar to how a prostitute would try to attract someone
White savior complex
Robert acts like Suzie's savior or protector as he does things to help Suzie. However, rather than it being self-sacrificing, he is instead just possessive and wants to constantly have Suzie's attention and affirmation
Despite Robert's questionable acts of rage and violence, it seems to be brushed off as a "teaching moment" for Suzie and a wake-up to reality, rather than there being consequences for Robert
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"Bruce Lee and the Anti-Imperialism of Kung-Fu," Prashad (10/7)
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"Whitewashing the Movies: Asian Erasure and White Subjectivity," Oh (10/2)
What it looks like
"Becoming the other"
yellowface or assimilation/whitening of Asian characters --> allows white representational flexibility without the reverse being true
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Whitewashing needs to be understood to prevent the ideological spread of the Asian confinements while using same avenues
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The Fall of I Hotel
(10/21)
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Filipinos relied on each other to have a snese of community where they went to specific places where they could congregate and feel free and comfortable
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History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige
(10/16)
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Skewed memory
Accuracy of the recollection of the events? Could views be biased or skewed based on director and information sources
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Enter the Dragon
(10/7)
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Better Luck Tomorrow
(10/9)
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aka Don Bonus (10/23)
Asian immigrant struggle
Don's reflections reveal challenges of responsibility, poverty, and identity
Ny talking on the bus after his house got robbed: explains the bad commute and how it is hard to do well in school under his conditions
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"In the Afterglow of Regenerative Violence: Third Cinema and Asian America Media Discourse," Mimura (10/16)
AA cinema exists in “afterglow” of 3rd cinema’s revolutionary legacy (anti-imperialist and decolonization) so it must be medium btw radical resistance and cultural incorporation
Reconnects Asian American film to global anti-imperialist traditions; critiques liberal multiculturalism; redefines cinematic “violence” as political memory and decolonial resistance.
Who Killed Vincent Chin? (10/28)
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"Detroit Blues," Zia (10/28)
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Vincent Chin
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Asian community, especially the Chinese people, more scared and uneasy from the killing and injustice that followed
"Inscrutable Belongings," Sohn (11/4)
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Queer Asian Americans
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Often face hardships and ostracized from society because they are so different and looked down upon. They are not accepted by their family and they are still thought as foreign and not integrated in their communities
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Saving Face (11/4)
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Moral of movie:
If you do not put so much pressure and burden on yourself to conform to the "perfect image" you are expected to be, you can be truly happy
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Mississippi Masala (11/11)
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“Masala” means a mix of spices and is used as a metaphor for the
mix of cultures and stories that define the movie
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True identity is chosen, not inherited or fixed
The Reluctant Fundamentalist (11/13)
Identity crisis
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Because he was born in Pakistan, he is more connected and drawn to his heritage
Anti-Islam in America
After 9/11, everyone in American against brown people
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Machine Love from Robot Stories (11/18)
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Everything Everywhere All at Once (12/2)
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Metaphor for loving others, especially your family, is the most important thing in your life through all the chaos
"At the Crossroads of Two Empires," Seshagiri (11/11)
Mississippi Masala does not resolve the issue of different racial marriages. The ending leaves something to be desired with the resolution between the families and lovers. They still end up being alienated by their own communities, and they do not have an established place in the world. They are left to navigate their situation on their own.
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"Model Minority Terrorist," Sohn (11/13)
"the South Asian American body transforms into a site of racial anxiety that manifests in acts of prejudice and violence"
Highlighted in The Reluctant Fundamentalist as Changez is faced with constant prejudice based off of his ethnicity even though he did nothing wrong
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Changez started off as a Model Minority, very high-achieving and successful, but then he was casted into a negative light because of 911 and lost it all
He became suspicious and irrelevant, and was treated like an obstacle
Model minority does not mean safe --> it is just how America objectifies and labels Asians as "useful"
Racial categories are not fixed or stable, but they are instead politically constructed and shaped only through the majority's lenses
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"Model Machines," Bui (11/18)
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Asians are racialized as machines that are only productive workers and good for efficiency. As a result, they are seen as tools or machines that can be used and worked. It limits their humanity and prevents them from being connected to others outside of their own minority community
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If the majority thinks this way, then it is seem as normal and ok to accept. Asians can then be exploited and taken advantage of because they are forced to do anything to earn money and be successful in order to provide that better life they sought and be stable
The term "model machines" is not limited to back then, but it can evolve into different forms. For example, during the Cold War the Chinese were all laborers that did the dirty jobs
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"The Transformers," Tajima-Pena (12/2)
Explains how the films Chan is Missing, Better Luck Tomorrow, and EEAO were pivotal in Asian American cinema
They broke the typical Asian American film narrative and offered a different, more creative approach to film.
Chan is Missing
Provided a more complex and emotionally deep Asian American character that was not thought of before. It gave Asians, as a whole, more identity and separated them from the objectified hole
Exemplified how Asian Americans have duality and are a sum of their parts rather than a 1-dimensional group. They are mixed and influenced by both their cultural heritage and Western culture that makes them unique and their own selves.
Better Luck Tomorrow
Breaks the stereotype that all Asians are the same. Not all of them are submissive, quiet, successful, and model people. They have more variety that comes with each unique personality within their community
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EEAO
Re-introduces queer Asian Americans and pushes the agenda that they can be accepted by the old, traditional community despite being different. Wants to help bridge the gap between tradition and Western culture that would not offend one another nor step on each other's toes
It breaks down all of the typical social Asian stereotypes in order to show that they can change and are not so 1-dimensional as some people think. They can learn and adapt to Western culture rather than trying to oppose it and change it to their own ways
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"Asian American Media Activism," Kido Lopez (12/4)
There is a fine line between what stereotype terms and jokes can be used to increase Asian American awareness because it can seem as misrepresentation or it can make light of it and turn it into something that is looked more positively on because of the success of the film that it is used in.
Social media is the biggest avenue for Asian Americans to join together and respond to media that creates a narrative and strategy pushing towards the same common goal
The activism movement is to ultimately gain a collective cultural citizenship for Asian Americans. So many people are coming together to make a bigger difference because it has to be done as a unified community and group
"cultural citizenship as a collective endeavor that cannot be accomplished at the level of the individual"
History/context
Asian Americans rarely casted in main character roles, if not any roles at all. Mainly side characters or background characters that are easily forgotten and lack depth. Usually did not deviate for unjust preconceived notions and shown as just inferior compared to Americans
Just being visible on a screen does not provide the fuel for empowerment. If they are still stuck doing the same types of roles that do not break some social norm, then it basically accomplishes nothing.
Present day
Recent films that revolve around or star Asian Americans have been doing well, thus naturally increasing Asian American presence in social culture and media.
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"When Dragon Ladies Die," Liu (9/23)
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"Recuperating Suzie Wong," Feng (9/30)
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After Yang (11/20)
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Thoughts
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Jake and Kyra adopted Mika, but could not replicate or connect well enough with Mika's heritage to empathize and relate to her. So they had to bring in Yang to help
Shows how non-Asian people can try to replicate Asian culture and heritage, but it is not the same and cannot tell the same story as an actual Asian person
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~16 min in --> Jake emphasizes the importance the Yang to both the family and Mika. Even though buying a robot to act as a sibling to a child is odd, it can highlight the cultural and emotional depth that is only available btw people of same culture
Not much about this film that delt with previous main Asian American topics and themes. More just random thoughts throughout the movie
Exit Ticket
Not an example of whitewashing. The people who were not Asian were not trying to pretend to be, but rather they seem to "stay in their lane"
All of themes and scenes regarding Yang and Mika do not tarnish or disrespect Asian culture. The flashbacks are rooted in Chinese wisdom (tree skin graft analogy) and do not make fun of any Chinese things
Asian gender stereotypes
Ling is shown to be dependent on the white man as she has to ask for permission and that her worth is based off of where she stands in favor of a white man
Asian women are only seen for their beauty, but not their self-worth
Asians are villainized again as the men are portrayed as villains and Ling threatens Joan a couple of times
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There are some barriers and limits when it comes to cultural hybridity. Interracial romance is difficult and there are cultural barriers that may not connect
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