Rocky III is Racist
It's not quite "Birth of a Nation" racist, but it has a lot of undertones.
Now, as the movie begins, Rocky has achieved the American Dream. He has gone from being poor and uneducated to being the heavyweight champ of the world. But he gets "soft", thinking that he can take Clubber Lang; that the black man poses no threats.
Clubber Lang insults and provokes Rocky. Rocky never reacts, until Clubber Lang starts hitting on his white wife and insulting Rocky's maleness.
I liked Clubber Lang. He was cool, funny, smart. He was an independent black man, bringing himself up from his own boots. He has the mandinka, the talk, he comes from Chicago. He is every black stereotype ever. But hey, he's Mr. T, and T is cool. T is a guilty pleasure - he's almost harkening back to the Amos 'n' Andy minstrel days. He's a wacky strong black man who talks funny. But I like him, because I like to think I'm laughing with him rather than at him.
But keep in mind I am a whitey cracker, who cannot be trusted. I am, after all, trying to keep the black man down.
T/Lang abandoned his old white trainer. I'd abandon Burgess Meredith after having to listen to his voice constantly. It's fun for ninety minutes, but can you imagine having to listen to that all day? Burgess represents the old ways of thinking, the classic ways of thinking. Similarly, America used to think that blacks were property. Burgess, the old man, distrusts and fears Lang. Similarly...well, I hope you see where I'm going with this. Anyway.
Clubber Lang defeats Rocky and Rocky is left without the title, which he has dreamed about for so long. To repeat: the angry, independent black man destroys a fulfilled American dream.
Then, Apollo Creed comes along. He will help Rocky and serve Rocky by teaching him how to fight. Creed is the "good" black man. Creed helps Rocky get back to his jungle roots, gaining the "eye of the tiger."
Rocky, with training from the "good" black man, fights in American Flag shorts, representing America, as Superman's "S" represents his Superness. Rocky beats down what the movie has established as "the bad black man." Order is restored. End.
Adrian! We did it, Adrian!
Adrian! Wir machen es, Adrian!
Now, as the movie begins, Rocky has achieved the American Dream. He has gone from being poor and uneducated to being the heavyweight champ of the world. But he gets "soft", thinking that he can take Clubber Lang; that the black man poses no threats.
Clubber Lang insults and provokes Rocky. Rocky never reacts, until Clubber Lang starts hitting on his white wife and insulting Rocky's maleness.
I liked Clubber Lang. He was cool, funny, smart. He was an independent black man, bringing himself up from his own boots. He has the mandinka, the talk, he comes from Chicago. He is every black stereotype ever. But hey, he's Mr. T, and T is cool. T is a guilty pleasure - he's almost harkening back to the Amos 'n' Andy minstrel days. He's a wacky strong black man who talks funny. But I like him, because I like to think I'm laughing with him rather than at him.
But keep in mind I am a whitey cracker, who cannot be trusted. I am, after all, trying to keep the black man down.
T/Lang abandoned his old white trainer. I'd abandon Burgess Meredith after having to listen to his voice constantly. It's fun for ninety minutes, but can you imagine having to listen to that all day? Burgess represents the old ways of thinking, the classic ways of thinking. Similarly, America used to think that blacks were property. Burgess, the old man, distrusts and fears Lang. Similarly...well, I hope you see where I'm going with this. Anyway.
Clubber Lang defeats Rocky and Rocky is left without the title, which he has dreamed about for so long. To repeat: the angry, independent black man destroys a fulfilled American dream.
Then, Apollo Creed comes along. He will help Rocky and serve Rocky by teaching him how to fight. Creed is the "good" black man. Creed helps Rocky get back to his jungle roots, gaining the "eye of the tiger."
Rocky, with training from the "good" black man, fights in American Flag shorts, representing America, as Superman's "S" represents his Superness. Rocky beats down what the movie has established as "the bad black man." Order is restored. End.
Adrian! We did it, Adrian!
Adrian! Wir machen es, Adrian!
posted by Marshall McMahon at 4:22 PM
1 Comments:
The film "Rocky III" is not racist. Your blog about the film is racist, however.
You keep mentioning the color of various characters' skin, trying hard to relate the characters to race issues in your own mind.
You are projecting.
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