African American

tulipsandroses

(6,085 posts) Sat Apr 10, 2021, 06:14 PM Apr 2021

I really enjoy these shows, but I am a bit bothered by this trend of black terrorism being told

through a supernatural lens. Just watched the 1st episode of Amazon Prime's Them. Many folks learned about the Tulsa Race Massacre in the HBO Series Watchmen.
Love Craft Country, another horror series blending the supernatural monsters and real life racist monsters. Don't want to give away what happens in Them, but it follows the same trend of Watchmen and Love Craft Country. I guess you could even add Falcon and The Winter Soldier where The Falcon is racially profiled and there is conversation about the black super soldiers who were experimented on, went to war but didn't get the same heroes' welcome as Captain America.

My question is, I know this is Hollywood exercising artistic license- but is it because this is the only way the general public can stomach the horrors of racism? The actual brutality of it? Not a sugar coated version. I guess it can be seen a few ways, artistic license to actually show that this was and still is terrorism. Or, people still are not ready to accept the brutality and cruelty. They can only view it through the lens of a supernatural story or movie. OR if told as a true life story, perhaps people would just look away?

You could add Jordan Peele's Get Out and Us to the list of supernatural movies about racism as well.

4 replies

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I really enjoy these shows, but I am a bit bothered by this trend of black terrorism being told (Original Post) tulipsandroses Apr 2021 OP

I think you have a point wryter2000 Apr 2021 #1

Ranks right up there with the CEO Arguments ymetca Apr 2021 #2

I was considering watching them. Susan Calvin Apr 2021 #3

I've been binge watching Them, I think its a good series tulipsandroses Apr 2021 #4

wryter2000

(47,277 posts)

1. I think you have a point

Reply to tulipsandroses (Original post)

Sat Apr 10, 2021, 06:32 PM

Apr 2021

People also need to see the real face of racism. I've seen a couple of Ava Duvernay's films. The one about the Central Park Five is horrifying (it's actually a series, not a movie). I don't have Amazon Prime or HBO. I do Netflix. If you have recommendations for films/series about racism on Netflix, I'd love to know them.

I'm sure I'd enjoy the horror series, too.

ymetca

(1,182 posts)

2. Ranks right up there with the CEO Arguments

Reply to tulipsandroses (Original post)

Sat Apr 10, 2021, 06:39 PM

Apr 2021

that we "need" more women and "people of color" in the top ranks of hierarchical control systems, all rapidly destroying our planet. Like diversity itself is going to "fix" a so-called "broken system".

Maybe the system itself is the problem, not who gets to run it?

Susan Calvin

(2,024 posts)

3. I was considering watching them.

Reply to tulipsandroses (Original post)

Sat Apr 10, 2021, 09:45 PM

Apr 2021

I have Amazon Prime because you kind of can't not nowadays, unfortunately. I really liked get out. Do you think I would like them? Like in the sense of get something out of it, not like as entertainment.

tulipsandroses

(6,085 posts)

4. I've been binge watching Them, I think its a good series

Reply to Susan Calvin (Reply #3)

Sat Apr 10, 2021, 10:38 PM

Apr 2021

I really can't say what you would get out of it. Despite my earlier post about being disturbed by the trend of these types of shows, I do like them, and I do find them entertaining as well. Its not like Get Out. I think its more like LoveCraft Country highlighting the horrors of Jim Crow.

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