US Cinema of the 1970s:African American Representation

and Car Wash

Prof. Julia LeydaSeptember 23, 2011

quiz

How does music play a role in the movie? Why is the music important?

political and social consciousness

1960s white flight and urban life: crime, drugs, police brutality, poverty (also countercultures and liberation movements)

assassinations: John F. Kennedy in 1963, Malcolm X in 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy in 1968

riots: Watts and 298 cities from 1967-68resistance: Black Power movement, Nation

of Islam, and Black Panther Party

criticism of black images stereotypes sometimes replaced by very

limited “positive” imagesimpatience with “ebony saint” Sidney

Poitier’s gentle, bourgeois, integrationist image

some improvement in the macho athlete characters of the 60s: tough, strong, but controlled by whites

but still, movies didn’t show black themes, issues, or communities—only isolated, idealized individuals surrounded by whites

economic crisis in Hollywood

driven only by short-term profit, conservative industry won’t change unless forced to

blacks were 10-15% of US population, but 30% of moviegoers in top theaters (first-run, city)

Hollywood saw easy money in blaxploitation formula of Sweetback, an independent movie with a $500,000 budget that grossed $10,000,000

blaxploitationexploitation movies: sensational, often trashy B-

movies aimed at a particular audience, designed to earn money; often extremely violent or sexual; includes blaxploitation, sexploitation, splatter films

black + action + exploitation = blaxploitationcycle of cheaply made, black-cast action movies

set in the ghetto, released between 1969-74

Has any of you seen a blaxploitation movie?

blaxploitation formula

started with Sweetback and Shafta “badass” black man fights against the

corrupt, racist white system and winsaction movie: fight scenes and chase

scenes, showing the superiority of the hero against cruel, stupid white villains

emphasis on fashion, music, “cool” hero(ine)

Car Wash 1976large ensemble cast in multiple subplots,

compared to Robert Altmanelements of blaxploitation: working-class

black folks, “gritty realism” in car wash setting

musical comedy, not action genrestrong social messages of populism,

tolerancenominated for Palme D’Or at Cannesseveral hit songs from soundtrack

discussion questions

What was your reaction to Car Wash at first?

What do you think of it after learning more about black representation and blaxploitation? Why?

Mr. B., boss, and Lonnie, manager

Irwin, Maoist pothead

T.C., “Fly” blaxploitation hero

Duane / Abdullah, angry black Muslim

Lindy, tough wise-cracking queen

mean rich woman

Daddy Rich, sleazy evangelist

Marlene, melancholy hooker

discussion question

What do you think about the use of comedy and music in Car Wash? Could it work as a drama instead?