Why White People Won't See "Black Movies"

[mota bhai 2,675]

White people don’t watch “black movies.” And by “black movies,” I don’t mean that last thing Morgan Freeman was in, or the one where Eddie Murphy was the voice of that animal. I also don’t mean that “eye-opening” historical drama that made you finally admit, “Damn, America is racist.” I’m talking about “Where are all the white people?” movies. “Is it dark in here, or what?” movies. Movies with regular people, doing regular stuff — only those people happen to be black.

I’m making this claim not because it’s my opinion, but because it’s proven. Indiana University telecommunications professor Andrew J. Weaver completed a study in 2011 that confirms white audiences’ unwillingness to watch black people in romantic film roles. Opinions vary on why, but here’s what others have suggested:

1) The “racial empathy gap.” This idea comes from research done at the University of Toronto-Scarborough and the University of Milano-Bicocca. Findings suggest that people of all racial groups empathize less with black people than they do other races. Blame it on our conceptions of what being black means: researchers found that participants think black people lead crappier lives in general, so they’re desensitized and feel pain less deeply.

This is effed up, obviously. But it’s also hard to conclusively link this to white people’s movie-going habits, especially since black people apparently have the same trouble empathizing with other black people.

Which brings us to …

2) White people are scared they won’t “get it,” because black movies are written in some indecipherable secret “blackanese” code-language that only black people understand. Or, as Andrew Weaver writes, “White audiences perceive romantic films with minorities as ‘not for them’ because they seldom see minorities in race-neutral romantic roles.”

This is hilarious. I understand skipping a film about, say, sea urchins falling in love, because sea urchins have customs and communicate in ways that humans can’t decipher. It would make no sense to us. Plus, can a sea urchin love?

But black people are human, last time I checked. And it’s truly not weird to see humans act like humans, even if you live under a rock and aren’t used to seeing people with different skin colors do things that all humans do, like fall in love. The "that movie's for black people" excuse doesn't fly here. There may be some cultural references that elude white people in these films, but so what? That never stopped them from buying rap or R&B albums by the millions.

So why do white people wolf down black music like it’s the last piece of pie, but they won’t watch black films? And why is there such shock when a black movie does well? There’s clearly something in these films that make their blackness, or as USA Today would say, their “race-themed-ness,” especially hard to process, even when it's not integral to the movie.

I wish I had definitive answers to these questions, but for now, all I can do is ask them.

http://www.policymic.com/articles/74291/why-white-people-won-t-see-black-movies

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Generally, most folks don't feel too comfortable when surrounded by a large group of black people. The black movies I've been in, you'd be lucky to see 3 white people in the audience.

[mota bhai 2,675]

So you're arguing they watch them on cable?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That's weird - so only romantic roles? Action etc. is OK?

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

So you're arguing they watch them on cable?

I'd wager some would. The biggest issue is our culture is seen as alien to most folks. If it's not Boyz n the hood, they're not interested. Plus, if most folks would see us outside of their comfort zone, their prejudices wouldn't be able to hold up.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

That's weird - so only romantic roles? Action etc. is OK?

Not really, action is ok because it's violent. I'll bet most folks here haven't seen The Best Man, because it's a black romance, yet they've probably seen Hancock.

[mota bhai 2,675]

I'd wager some would. The biggest issue is our culture is seen as alien to most folks. If it's not Boyz n the hood, they're not interested. Plus, if most folks would see us outside of their comfort zone, their prejudices wouldn't be able to hold up.

I love certain types of 'black' movies (like anything with ice cube) but I tend to avoid events/locations that are expected to have a large concentration of poor and young black people.

Fortunately, I have never felt endangered when watching a black movie in a theater or spending a few relaxing hours at a mostly black lounge in the city. A bowling alley in a poor/urban/black area, yeah... I left soon after I got there. Just not comfortable.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

It's because "black movies" are second-rate. Same with black tv shows. They seem to me to be full of stereotypes, like they always have some woman running around getting huffy and talking sass. There is like one serious character, or serious couple, and the rest are stereotypes.

If someone were to make a high quality movie about black characters more people would watch it. Best Man isn't it (or the new Best Man Holiday, yick). Unfortunately, it may be hard to make a high-budget "black movie," maybe no studio wants to pay for it, and so these same bad movies get made in a neverending cycle. I feel like these movies play to a base and provide a formula. Snore.

The only exception I can think of now is the Cosby show. That show rocked.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I love certain types of 'black' movies (like anything with ice cube) but I tend to avoid events/locations that are expected to have a large concentration of poor and young black people.

Fortunately, I have never felt endangered when watching a black movie in a theater or spending a few relaxing hours at a mostly black lounge in the city. A bowling alley in a poor/urban/black area, yeah... I left soon after I got there. Just not comfortable.

I guess it's all about how/where you were raised. Since I grew up around it, I'm ok going to those places. It's the luck of the draw in most cases, I've been to several block parties and had no issues, some not so lucky.

[mota bhai 2,675]

I guess it's all about how/where you were raised. Since I grew up around it, I'm ok going to those places. It's the luck of the draw in most cases, I've been to several block parties and had no issues, some not so lucky.

Yeah, I'm not used to it. I get weirded out.

[Merrytooth 5,748]

I like Cosby show and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

[mota bhai 2,675]

I hated Fresh Prince.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

It's because "black movies" are second-rate. Same with black tv shows. They seem to me to be full of stereotypes, like they always have some woman running around getting huffy and talking sass. There is like one serious character, or serious couple, and the rest are stereotypes.

If someone were to make a high quality movie about black characters more people would watch it. Best Man isn't it (or the new Best Man Holiday, yick). Unfortunately, it may be hard to make a high-budget "black movie," maybe no studio wants to pay for it, and so these same bad movies get made in a neverending cycle. I feel like these movies play to a base and provide a formula. Snore.

The only exception I can think of now is the Cosby show. That show rocked.

Living Single, Martin, Fresh Prince, Different World, Family Matters, etc. These shows aren't second rate. They rate better than the mess they have on TV now, and they're almost 20 years old.

The Best man Holiday has out sold Thor 2. From what I've been told, it's a good movie. Taking the wife to go see it after she watches the first one.

[GandD 5,966]

Its because you guys talk through the whole movie. Geez.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Yeah, I'm not used to it. I get weirded out.

It's normal. Being in the military for so long, I've seen parties that go sideways due to alcohol, both black and white.