GLOBALIZATION IN

CINEMA
Presentation by: Ammar Ali,
Khurram Rana, Uliya Suleman, Ali
Raza, Syed Nauman
Ammar Ali

HISTORICAL ANALYSIS AND

SIGNIFICANCE OF CINEMA
 Historical analysis and significance
 In 1877, under the sponsorship of
Leland Stanford, Eadweard
Muybridge successfully
photographed a horse named
"Sallie Gardner" in fast motion
using a series of 24 stereoscopic
cameras.

 The second experimental film,

Roundhay Garden Scene, filmed by
Louis Le Prince on October 14,
1888 in Roundhay, Leeds, West
Yorkshire, England, UK is now
known as the earliest surviving
motion picture.
 Historical analysis and significance
 Thomas Edison invented
the first moving camera
called Kinetograph and
the motion picture
exhibiting device called
Kinetoscope in 1893.

 Robert W. Paul invented

the first film projector in
1895.
 Historical analysis and significance
 Auguste and Louise Lumiere,
known as the Lumiere
Brothers developed the
Cinematograph, which was a
portable three in one device, the
printer, projector and printer in 1895.

 The first film to be

screened publically
was “The arrival of
the train” by
Lumiere Brothers
at Grand Café in
Paris.
 Historical analysis and significance
 The first film which had a continuity was “Come, Along, Do!”
By Robert W. Paul in 1898 which had only two scenes.

 The world’s first color

film was “The serpentine
dance” by Lumiere
brothers. It was hand-
painted frame by frame.
 Historical analysis and significance
 There were over a thousand films produced until
1900. Most of them were actualities. An actuality
film is the one in which the footage of real things,
events and places is used by a number of
producers in the USA and Europe.

 By 1905, Charles Pathe owned the largest film

production company of the world known as Pathe.

 The first successful permanent theatre showing

films was “The Nickelodeon”, which was opened in
Pittsburgh in 1905.
 Historical analysis and significance
 THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY is considered to be a
milestone in the history of filmmaking as it used different
techniques like cross cutting, double exposure composite
editing, camera movement and on location shooting.
 Historical analysis and significance
 “The Jazz singer” was the first
talking movie released in 1927.

 The first feature filmed in 3-strip

Technicolor, Becky Sharp was
released on 28 June 1935.
 The reasons for the dominance of Hollywood
over other film industries of world

All the major inventions for filming were invented in

the United States including:

 The Eadweard Muybridge’s capture of the motion

through camera.

 The kinetoscope and the Kinetograph.

 The first talkie movie was from Hollywood.

 The first Technicolor film was made in Hollywood.

 The reasons for the dominance of Hollywood
over other film industries of world
 First ever Film exhibition was held in New York City.

 First ever cinema was made in the United States.

 The first ever feature film was made in the

Hollywood.

 Visual grammar for filming largely owns to D.W.

Griffith, a Hollywood film director.

 Top 10 films on all the charts of greatest films of all

times are Hollywood.
 The reasons for the dominance of Hollywood
over other film industries of world
 All the revolutions in European cinema were inspired by
Hollywood including French new wave which was mainly
inspired by the film making styles of Alfred Hitchcock.

 On Imdb.com, under the list All-time Worldwide Box office,

there is only one movie at 329th number out of 402 which is
non-Hollywood.

 The highest grossing actors, directors, producers,

screenwriters and cinematographers are from Hollywood.
 When compared with Bollywood, an average Hollywood film
earns 33 times more than an Indian film.

 A Hollywood movie, earns 4 times more outside the United

States than it earn inside the US.
Khurram Rana

EFFECTS OF HOLLYWOOD ON
BOLLYWOOD
 Hollywood and some facts
 Hollywood is a district of the city of Los Angeles, California,
U.S.A., situated northwest of Downtown. Due to its fame and
identity as the historical center of movie studios and stars, the
word "Hollywood" is often used as a metonym for the American
film and television industry Today much of the movie industry
has dispersed into surrounding areas such as Burbank and the
Westside, but significant ancillary industries (such as editing,
effects, props, post-production, and lighting companies) remain
in Hollywood.

 Hollywood 1st made folk movies which were mainly based on

“Cow Boy” culture.

 Before Hollywood there were already Russian and French

cinema which were producing much better movies than any
other film industry
Hollywood and some facts
 Then as the Hollywood industry flourished
they started to capture other markets as
to increase their audience.

 Hollywood started making movies on

different issue targeting other cultures
and civilizations.

 Examples: 300, Slum dog Millionaire and

other Bruice lee and Jecky Chan movies.
 Hollywood and some facts
 Another thing which normally the film industries do is to
produce movies on the sensitive issues to capture the
audience as to make films on Gays, Lesbians, Rape, and
other sensitive issues. Actually these issues are attention
gainers so people get attracted towards such issues.

 Hollywood always wanted to produce films on the

subjects of subcontinent… but they are not successful as
they do not have the land. Just like in subcontinent
specially in India and Pakistan. So they go for co-
productions to produce such content.

 Examples: Slumdog Millionaire, Bride and

Prejudice, Bend it like Beckham and Jinnah
 Bollywood
 Hollywood, where musicals were popular from the 1920s to the
1950s, though Indian filmmakers departed from their Hollywood
counterparts in several ways. "For example, the Hollywood
musicals had as their plot the world of entertainment itself. Indian
filmmakers, while enhancing the elements of fantasy so pervasive
in Indian popular films, used song and music as a natural mode of
articulation in a given situation in their films.

 There is a strong Indian tradition of narrating mythology, history,

fairy stories and so on through song and dance." In addition,
"whereas Hollywood filmmakers strove to conceal the constructed
nature of their work so that the realistic narrative was wholly
dominant, Indian filmmakers made no attempt to conceal the fact
that what was shown on the screen was a creation, an illusion, a
fiction. However, they demonstrated how this creation intersected
with people's day to day lives in complex and interesting ways."
 Bollywood
 Bollywood changed their style of producing films after 1995 and
started producing Hollywood Influenced Movies.

 India has the biggest Cinema network in the world.

 According to a research 25 crore of the total Indian population

save 10% on their monthly income to watch movies every week.

 Indian film Industry is the growing rather well grown film industry
in the world. So they also wanted to make other markets. We can
say this that they are also following the footsteps of Hollywood by
creating market in other regions as well.
 
 For this India captured the European Cinema and for this they
have to produce 33 films per annum.
 Bollywood
 Bollywood also want to compete in the international market.
 
 Indian film Industry knows that what way they can easily incorporate in the
international world so they make art movies and release them
internationally. Example: Khamosh Pani, Ahista, Page 3, Khoslay ka Ghosla
 
 As Hollywood can not produce location based movies regarding
subcontinent so Bollywood knows if they produce such movies and
release/distribute them internationally. Example: Jodha Akbar, Mughal-
e-Azam, Waris Shah

 And there has been a drastic change in the storyline, content, story board,
cinematography and the special effects. And they are all copied from the
Hollywood.

 Some bollywood movies are ditto copies of Hollywood and some have the
amalgamation of 2 or 3 Hollywood movies.
 Plagiarism
 Constrained by rushed production schedules
and small budgets, some Bollywood writers
and musicians have been known to resort to
plagiarism. Ideas, plot lines, tunes or riffs have
been copied from other Indian film industries
or foreign films (including Hollywood and other
Asian films). This has led to criticism towards
the film industry.

 Here I am giving u a long list of those movies

of bollywood which are copy of Hollywood
movies.
 Comparison
Bollywood Hollywood
1. Fight Club 1. Fight Club
2. Akele Hum Akele Tum 2. Kramer vs Kramer
3. Paap 3. Witness
4. Zeher 4. Out of Time
5. Main Aisa Hi Hoon 5. I Am Sam
6. Heyy Babyy 6. Three Men and a Baby
7. Koi Mil Gaya 7. E.T.
8. Agneepath 8. Scarface
9. Road 9. The Hitcher
10. Dhamaal 10. Rat Race
 Comparison
Bollywood Hollywood
11. Black 11. The Miracle Worker
12. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan 12. Bad Boys
13. Nine Months (1995)
13. Salaam Namaste
14. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s
14. Kyon Ki… Nest (1975)
15. Kucch To Hai 15. I Know What you did Last
16. Awara Paagal Deewana Summer (1997)
16. The Whole Nine Yards (2000)
17. Deewangee
17. Primal Fear (1996)
18. Kartoos
18. Point of No Return (1993)
19. Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai 19. American Pie (1999)
20. Yaarana 20. Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
 Comparison
Bollywood Hollywood
21. Murder 21. Unfaithful (2002)
22. Krrish 22. Paycheck
23. Dil lage 23. Sabrina
24. Mein Anari tu khilade 24. The hard way
25. Partner 25. Hitch
26. The Train 26. Derailed
27. Speed 27. Cellular
28. Malamaal Weekly 28. Waking Ned Divine
29. Ek Ajnabee 29. Man on Fire
30. The Killer 30. Collateral
 Comparison
Bollywood Hollywood
31. Raaz 31. What Lies Beneath
32. Kaante 32. Reservoir Dogs
33. Sarkar 33. The Godfather
34. Chocolate 34. The Usual Suspects
35. Powder
35. Alag
36. There’s Something About Mary
36. Deewane Huye Paagal
37. Blue Streak
37. Chor Machaye Shor 38. When Harry Met Sally /Before
38. Hum Tum Sunset
39. Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai 39. My Best Friend’s Wedding
40. Aap Ki Khatir 40. The Wedding Date
 Comparison
Bollywood Hollywood
41. Kyonki…Main Jhuth 41. Liar Liar
Nahin Bolta 42. Child’s Play
42. Papi Gudia 43. Memento
43. Ghajini 44. Old Boy Korean Movie,
44. Zinda not Hollywood)
Uliya Suleman

ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORSHIP AND ITS
PLACEMENT
 Advertisement Sponsorship
 Sponsorship and advertising branding
inside the movies takes the brand
image engraved to consumers mind and
this how slowly it becomes the part of every
sight At the gas pumps, at ATMS when u
waiting for your sum comes coming out n u
see sum add somewhere placed, in the
movie theatre, in a washroom stall, during
sporting events—advertising is impossible to
avoid. This creates brands and promotion for
them too. This is how it gets localized.
 Product Placement
 The future of product placement as a successful
advertising tool was assured when the 1982
film ETfeatured Reese's Pieces in a pivotal
scene—causing sales of the candy to jump
65 per cent. Since that time, product placement
in movies, on TV, and increasingly in video games,
has become a commonplace marketing technique.

 With the advent of technologies such as TiVo,

which allow consumers to edit out TV
commercials, product placement is taking on an
even greater importance.
 Some of the movies talking about
the products and corporate sector
Mi3
 The last scenes
when the last chase and fight is
concluding, Tom Cruise is talking
over the phone where he is
using Motorola and the close up
of M is quite visible.

Wendy’s add
 The basic theme and the poster
advertise the brand Wendy’s
noticeably.
 Some of the movies talking about
the products and corporate sector
Domino’s pizza
commercial noid!
 Brand image advertised
in the movie evidently.

Iron man 2.
 Burger King cheese
burger.
 Some of the movies talking about
the products and corporate sector
 Just Wright
Spalding Manufacturer of balls for golf,
basketballs, softballs, volleyballs, and footballs.
USA.

 In the movie "Evolution" (2001) Head and

shoulders was used as a weapon to destroy
the alien menace.

The main characters load a fire truck with as

much Head & Shoulders as they can find and
attempt to destroy the aliens before the military. 

Many people are becoming annoyed as they start

to feel that they are just sitting through a long
commercial.

Like done in this particular movie and people

reviewed the same.
 Some of the movies talking about
the products and corporate sector
The Outlast n Pink bunny
 The movie outlast show toy bunny that keeps
"going and going and going” even after a nuclear
holocaust turns the population into roving.

 In North America and Australia the term

"Energizer Bunny" has entered the vernacular as
a term for anything that continues indefatigably.
in Europe the term "Duracell Bunny" has a similar
connotation. Several U.S. presidential candidates
have compared themselves to the bunny,
including President George H. W. Bush in 1992
and Howard Dean in 2004.
 Other movies such as
 Hardwired- Pepsi
 Golmaal- Puma
 Risky Business - Ray-Ban sunglasses
 Back to the Future - Pepsi products
 You've Got Mail - America On-Line (AOL), Apple, IBM and Starbucks
 Austin Powers - Pepsi and Starbucks
 Cast Away - FedEx and Wilson
 Men in Black II - Ray-Ban sunglasses, Mercedes Benz, Sprint,
Burger King
 National Treasure: Book of Secrets - GMC trucks
 Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo bay- Nokia smart
phone
 The World is not enough - BMW Z8
 Golmaal returns - Puma
 My name is khan and – Acer
 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Jeep
Wrangler Rubicon
 According to a 2003 Chrysler press
release, "The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is
the most capable Jeep ever built, so the
heroic and extreme environment in which
Lara Croft uses her custom Wrangler
Rubicon in Tomb Raider is accurate... This
is more than just a product placement.
We have created a 360-degree integrated
marketing campaign around the movie
and the debut of the Wrangler Rubicon
Tomb Raider model."
Will Smith and the Audi RSQ
 In 2004,Product placement reached a
new level with Audi's involvement with
the movie "I, ROBOT.”
My name is khan and Reebok
 Brand Reebok is unveiling their MY
NAME IS KHAN Collection, Targeted at
the youth, Reebok's MNIK collection is
a fusion of sports and lifestyle and is
targeted at a growing, globally sports
& fashion conscious Indian market that
is ready to experiment with style and
concepts.
Localizing the international brand by
the help of actors and movies
 With the advent of technologies such as
TiVo, which allow consumers to edit
out TV commercials, product
placement is taking on an even
greater importance. TV producers are
looking for new ways to integrate
advertising and content. Basing an entire
show around a product is one technique;
and giving viewers the capability of
immediately purchasing products featured
on the program is another.
Localizing the international brand by
the help of actors and movies
 The movie "Josie and the Pussycats"
takes the joke several steps further in a
satire on the music industry, "Josie and the
Pussycats" manages to satirize name-brand
integration throughout the film.

 To get an idea of just how saturated with

brands, logos and products this movie is
also telling and how the corporate sector
does takes the minds of international
4.06- 7.10-
youth.
4.25 7.42
Localizing the international brand by
the help of actors and movies
 In this they show how by placing ads
in anywhere and everywhere can make
people buy and copy the brand image
as their identity which can bring about
similarities in people living any part of
the world would prefer energizer
bunny batteries or would have Reebok
shoes.
Ali Raza

THEORIES DESCRIBING THE

EFFECT OF GLOBALIZATION
THROUGH CINEMA
Hegemony of Hollywood movies
 As described by David Puttnam in his
book The Undeclared War, hegemony
of Hollywood movies is a wing of the
cultural and economic domination that
the superpower has enjoyed for a
significant portion of the last century.
This more subtle form of imperialism-
through-entertainment creates a
potentially nightmarish situation, where
it would be, in the words of Puttnam, 'quite possible for
Europeans brought up on cinema and visiting America for
the first time, to feel that they were arriving home’.

 The phrase 'hegemony through cinema' is only one aspect

of cultural hegemony.  
 What is Hegemony?
 "Domination, influence, or authority over another, especially by
one political group over a society or by one nation over others
(e.g.: internationally among nation-states, and regionally over
social classes, between languages or even culture)".

 In international communication, hegemony refers to dominance

exercised by one nation or bloc of nations on others in order to
gain an advantage.

 In other words, the phrase American hegemony simply is the

idea that American culture as represented in American movies
and TV shows is overwhelming the traditional cultures of other
countries. According to the advocates of cultural hegemony, the
fear is that this will eventually result in a homogenized world in
which everyone abandons their own customary values for a
more contemporary American value system.
What is Cultural imperialism?
 Cultural imperialism is the practice of
promoting, distinguishing, separating, or
artificially injecting the culture of one society
into another. It is usually the case that the
former belongs to a large, economically or
militarily powerful nation and the latter belongs
to a smaller, less important one.
 Another similar definition could be: “an attempt
to impose or favor one culture over others
through a subtle form of domination over
prevailing cultural practices, often through use
of media images and manipulation".
 Why Americans are blamed to be
hegemonic?
 When considering cinema, the United States has the ability and the will to be a
hegemon because:

1. In terms of ability, Hollywood has long been a standard for the global movie
industry. The United States has the most solid and comprehensive global film
network. It has the most abundant resources needed for production such as
prominent producers, directors, actors, staff and studios. Another advantage
of Hollywood is that it nearly monopolizes global film distribution with a
market share of over 50 percent.

2.  In terms of will, the United States has had great interest in exporting films to
overseas market ever since the early 20th century. This is more visible with
the kind of regulations or support handed to Hollywood by U.S government.
 
 In 1942, the Office of War Information was established in the State
Department and export of American movies was managed and regulated
through this office.

 This idea was later adopted by the Film Liason Unit of the Pentagon.
 James Bond movies, a case study
 All 007 movies are funded by U.S and
thus reflects the American perspective.
Between the lines in the scripts, film-goers
are urged to link the United States
with positive, legitimate American values.

 James Bond: Hegemonic Message in

themes and characters.

 American influence in 007 movies can be

classified into three different categories:
themes, collaborators and villains.

 First of all, in pretty much all bond movies the core values of the
United States are attacked or threatened. Themes dealing with
advanced technologies and weapons of the United States can be
frequently found on the screen.
 As shown in the table below, high-tech military devices of the
United States are always the target of a villain's plan.
Institutions and infrastructure central to the U.S government
are damaged or attacked by 'bad' people or countries.
Film
Title Theme
No#
1 Dr. No Obstructing U.S missile orbit
3 Goldfinger Blowing up U.S Federal Reserve Bank
You Only Live
5 Hijacking U.S rocket
Twice
Diamonds are
7 Ruling over space development corporation of U.S
forever
8 Live and Let Die Monopolizing North American drug market
The spy who Hijacking U.S nuclear submarine, launching U.S. nuclear
10
Loved me warhead aimed at New York
11 Moonraker Hijacking 'moonraker' made by U.S government
13 Octopussy Destroying U.S air force base in Germany
14 A view to a Kill Causing flood in Silicon Valley
Tomorrow Never Promoting tension between UK and China using U.S
18
Dies decoder
 Second, in most contexts, American
agents such as CIA operatives, soldiers
and National security agency officials
appear as Bond collaborators. Their
role is very important in completing
mission.
 The table below shows how American characters have been
used in 007 movies to give the whole series a more
Americanized look.
Film No# Title American Collaborator
1 Dr. No CIA Agent Felix Leiter
2 From Russia with Love CIA Agent Felix Leiter
3 Goldfinger CIA Agent Felix Leiter
4 Thunderball CIA Agent Felix Leiter
7 Diamonds are forever CIA Agent Felix Leiter
8 Live and Let Die CIA Agent Felix Leiter, Harold Strutter
11 Moonraker CIA Agent Dr. Holly Goodhead (Bond girl)
14 A view to a Kill CIA Agent Chuck Lee, Stacey Sutton (Geologist)
15 The Living Daylights CIA Agent Felix Leiter
16 License to Kill CIA Agent Palm
17 Golden Eye CIA Agent Jack
20 Die Another Day NSA Agent Jinx
21 Casino Royale CIA Agent Felix Leiter
 In the 007 movie series, the United
States as the ultimate 'good' is
represented in an unspoken yet
efficient manner.

 To threaten the values of United States

is synonymous with threatening world
peace. Therefore, James Bond does his
very best to secure American values.
Movies and Muslim stereotyping
 Muslims portryed as rich Arab sheikhs,
terrorists, belly dancers and mysterious
women swathed in burqas .

 Hollywood has had a consistent record of

muslim stereotyping.

 Examples include Iron Eagle (1986), Death

Before Dishonor (1987), Navy SEALs (1990),
The Delta Force (1991), Patriot Games
(1992), Executive Decision (1996).
 But, is this cultural hegemony
one directional?
 The Global cultural flow has been widely
recognized to be asymmetrical in favour of the
West. In contrast, little attention has been paid
to the possibility of reversed cultural flow.

 But what about popularity of

Hong Kong Kung Fu movies in
the United States, the global
success of Japanese games and
cartoons, and the popularity of
Asian food in some Western
countries.
Example of cross cultural hegemony
 Using "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" as a case study,
we can easily prove that more recently the cultural flow
has been two dimensional. The story of the movie
centers around the legendary wuxia (swordsmanship)
and jianghu (swordmen's world) -- two Chinese concepts
that are rather difficult to understand for foreigners.To
many people's surprise. it turned out to be more than a
blockbuster, a record setter in 2001.

 Many theorists such as Giddens (1994), Barker (1997)

argue that globalization is no longer a one-way flow that
spreads a homogeneous global culture based on
Western ideology. It is more a multi-directional and
multi-dimensional set of processes.
Syed Nauman

MUSLIM CINEMA AND

DEBATE
 The Muslim World and Cinema
 One fifth of the world population and in turn its politics,
economics and culture.

 Plays a very important role on the world stage.

 Headline news is the most popular venue promoting

what is known about Muslims.

 Some countries like the U.S., Japan, France and India

have a strong arts culture, and an affinity or presence
to the medium of film.

 The Muslim world does not easily fit in this category

 The Muslim World and Cinema
 Besides providing entertainment, film can present a window
to the economic, cultural or moral challenges of society.

 Volumes of books on world cinema, regional cinema (e.g.

Arab Cinema), and national cinema of Muslim-majority
countries that have a cinema and history like Egyptian or
Turkish cinema. However, “Muslim Cinema” is not a known
entity.

 The Muslim world, although perceived as one entity, is made

up of different regions, countries, states and communities.

 Each region comes with its own differentiating culture.

 The Muslim World and Cinema
 Large minority of Muslims in countries
including the U.S., U.K. France, Germany,
Russia, China, and India.

 Although “Muslim countries” have Muslim

majority populations, they also represent
people of other faiths.

 With so many Muslims spanning the globe,

there are hundreds of cultures, languages
and dialects.
 What is Islamic or Muslim Cinema?
 As these terms are not defined, the
following are working definitions.

“Islamic Cinema is film that conforms to

Islamic laws, customs and values.”

“Muslim Cinema is a film movement by

or about Muslims.”
What is Islamic or Muslim Cinema?
 Muslim Cinema can be loosely broken
down into two categories.

 The first is indigenous cinema of

Muslim-majority countries like Iran,
Egypt, and Turkey.

 The second is cinema of Muslim-

minority countries like the U.S., France,
and India.
 Indigenous Cinema of Muslim-majority
countries
 48 Muslim majorities in the world.

 Due to religious, social and economic

challenges, only a few have a history
or presence in making films.

 Most influential of these countries have

been Iran, Egypt, and Turkey.
 Indigenous Cinema of Muslim-majority
countries
 The following table lists countries with the most active cinema
in terms of film production.
 Indigenous Cinema of Muslim-
majority countries
 Kazakhstan - Amongst many films which depict their culture and
history was the Oscar nominated film “Mongol” for best foreign
language film in 2008.

 Not all people have a national identity which is reflected in a

national culture and cinema.

 Kurdish people who do not have a

nation.

 Split amongst Iraq, Iran, Turkey,

Syria and several other countries.

 Some films from the region are

starting to address Kurdish people
and their issues.
 Some festivals popularizing Muslim
films
 The Cairo International Film festival.

 Fajr International Film Festival in Iran.

 The International Festival of Muslim Cinema also

called “Golden Minbar” held in Kazan, Tatarstan.

 The Dubai film festival.

 Kara film festival held in Karachi.

 Morocco and Kazakhstan have their own festivals.

Elements of Muslim Cinema
 Imagery and Censorship in Islam.

 Women and gender.

Women’s issues including
the role of women in
society, women’s rights,
widowhood, polygamy,
male female interaction.

 World and Muslim Politics

Cinema of Muslim-minority countries
Hollywood and its representation of Muslims.

 The Sheik and A Son of the Sahara (1920s)

Negative depiction, of Arab people who
were dangerous and not to be trusted.

 Fast forward to the seventies, eighties and

the oil crisis where for a short time Muslims
were portrayed as greedy billionaires.
Hollywood and its representation of
Muslims
 In the eighties and nineties films like Not without
my daughter whose subject of Muslim Drama,
Kidnapping, True Story and Betrayal, were the
key ways Muslims were identified.

 Tagline of the film “In 1984, Betty Mahmoody's

husband took his wife and daughter to meet his
family in Iran. He swore they would be safe.
They would be free to leave. He lied.”

 This film was used for diversity training

and understanding of Muslim culture for
many years.
Hollywood and its representation of
Muslims
 In Black Sunday an Arab terrorist plots to
bomb a stadium during the Super Bowl.

 Executive Decision,
True Lies and Rules of
Engagement: Muslims
as antagonists out to
destroy Western
(American) society and
it’s OK to stop them even
if it involves collateral damage.
Hollywood and its representation of
Muslims
 Back to the Future where Libyan terrorists
show up out of nowhere.

 Father of the Bride II, a rich Arab and his

Harem show up to buy the prized home of
Steve Martin, only to tear it up.

 All these examples built of Reel Bad

stereotypes that have been used Arabs
to project Muslims and the
danger to the world.
 Positive portrayal
 Two epic films by the director Moustapha Akkad:
The Message about the life of the Prophet Muhammad.
Lion of the Desert about a Libyan tribal leader Omar Mukhtar who fought
the Italian army around World War II.

 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Azeem played by Morgan Freeman is a

Muslim who helps Robin Hood fight the evil doers, eventually saving his life.

 In The 13th Warrior, Antonio Banderas plays a courageous Arab traveler,

who helps a group of Scandinavian adventurers in a battle with a tribe of
cannibalistic raiders.

 In Kingdom of Heaven, Saladin (and the Muslims) is shown as a thoughtful,

compassionate, respectful, brave and human leader.

 In the French film Days of Glory Arab-Muslim soldiers fight for France and
the Allies during World War II.
Bollywood and its representation of
Muslims
 There have been many Muslim Bollywood
heroines from Madhubala to Nargis,
Waheeda Rahman, and Zeenat Aman.

 Dilip Kumar (Yusuf Khan), Salman Khan,

Aamir Khan and Shah-Rukh Khan.

 Although the presence of Muslims in

Bollywood sounds positive, it is not all
good news.
Bollywood and its representation of
Muslims
 There is a strong theme of Indian and Hindu
nationalism in films.

 The role of Muslims has largely been

stereotyped.

 Muslim character portrayal of men has been

either timid or violent.

 In the case of women, the typical portrayal is

that of someone who is promiscuous.
 Bollywood and its representation of
Muslims
Indian cinema’s coverage of Muslims can be broken
down by a timeline.

 The 50’s and 60’s where Muslims are portrayed from

the Moghul period as Kings and nobility.

 70s and 80s where the Muslim role is marginalized into

supporting roles of the protagonist Hindus.
(Stereotypical: Tailor, preacher, Qawali singer and in
the case of women the promiscuous courtesan).

 90s to the present, the majority of roles and depictions

of Muslims was that of the demonized other.
Bollywood and its representation of
Muslims
 Gadar showed romance
between a Sikh man and a
Muslim woman and Rambo
like rage as he goes to
rescue her from her evil
Pakistani parents.

 A significant number of other films show

Muslims as criminals, crooks, and every
day people who cannot be trusted.
 Positive Portrayal
 Although typically films do not have
the protagonist as a Muslim,
sometimes the anti-hero reflects a
Muslim point of view in films like Dil Se
and Kurbaan.

 My Name is Khan

 New York
 Some Muslim Films
 Persepolis A French animated film about a girl
who comes of age in Iran during
the Islamic revolution and how she
sees it once she moves to Europe.

A Palestinian girl of 17 wants to get

 Rana's Wedding married to the man of her own
choosing.

Tragedy strikes a married couple on

 Babel vacation in the Moroccan desert,
touching off an interlocking story
involving four different families.

The life and times of controversial

 Malcolm X African-American civil rights leader
who joined the Nation of Islam and
then finally converted to Islam.