Post-colonialism ..

12 Years a Slave ..

12 Years a Slave is a 2013 American-British epic historical drama film and an adaptation of the 1853 memoir of the same name by Solomon Northup, a New York State-born free negro who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in 1841 and sold into slavery. He worked on plantations in the state of Louisiana for twelve years before his release. According to Alvardo, Chiwetel Ejiofor is portrayed in a pitted way, the whole trailer shows him being beaten with whips, the shot of him being chained up and slapped extremely highlights the theory that black people are portrayed in four certain categories; dangerous, pitted, exotic and humorous. In this case it's obvious that he's been represented in a pitted way. The sound effects and music is key in this trailer as it's very sympathetic and touching, it pulls the audience into feeling pity for the black people. The trailler really brings out the contrast between black and white people, it's a strong ans powerful film based on true events. It could be said that the reason for the success is because the audience feel pity for the main black character therefore proving that Alvardo's theory is correct.

Django Unchained ..

Django Unchained is a 2012 American dark comedy/western/adventure film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, who made the film as a very stylized variation of the "spaghetti western" (which takes place in the "old west") – but primarily taking place in America's pre-Civil War south. The film stars Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, and Samuel L. Jackson, and was released December 25, 2012 (Christmas Day), in North America. When thinking about Alvardo's theory I would say this film is based on humour, the black person is used to add a sense of comedy to the film which again is very effective because it does attract a wider audience. From looking at the beginning of the trailer it looks as if the film is a drama until the black person starts to speak. The theorist Fanon explains how in the media black people are portrayed or made to wear a "white mask" to act and blend in with black people in order to be accepted, this film is a perfect example of this theory as the main black character is on the white persons side, he acts just like the white man.