Overview of the Representation of Latinos and Latino Cinema
Historically, there are very few Latinos represented in American Films. 1 Even though Latinos are considered to be a minority, there presence in Cinema is significantly less when compared to their presence in US population. 2 There is an unequal representation because Hollywood film, as well as any other national cinema, represents the dominant social and political ideologies of the ruling class- white American men. 3 Also must of the leaders in American cinema are white and American, so their portrayal of life and their ideas are what the mass public sees. It shows how the dominant society views minorities. 4 The view of Latinos is very vivid. In 1908 when movies we just starting to appeal to mass audiences,
D.W. Griffith
D.W. Griffith's THE THREAD OF DESTINY labeled the term “greaser” for the Mexican “bandit” type. 5 This “bandit” characterization in common for the antagonists in many high profile American westerns. 6 Another depiction of Latinos in westerns is that they are portrayed in the backdrop of the story, as either sleepy or softly playing a guitar. 7 These characterizations have many negative representations. They show that Mexicans are either ruthless unintelligent robbers or lazy no good bums that just occupy space. Other Latino stereotypes represented in American cinema include “the Latin Lover,” “the bumbling idiot,” “the saucy spitfire,” and “the poor defenseless minority”. 8 In more current films Latinos/as are being represented as drug dealers, gang members, the seductress, or the help. 9 These stereotypes have massive implications. To those whose only contact with Latinos is through films they create and instill the stereotypes in the viewers mind. Since this is the only representation of Latinos they can observe, and since stereotypes are represented again and again in films, the viewer takes the stereotypes as fact. Also these stereotypes are being endorsed. Since people have no problem purchasing a ticket to see a movie that the only representation of a Latina is a maid, studios will keep making movies starring few Latinos. One way to deter this pattern is to have Latinos make films starring other Latinos about Latino issues- or Latino Cinema.
Latino Cinema in America came about the same time as the Chicano Movement and other Latino civil rights movements. 10 Cinema then was used to help define the movement and broadcast issues within the Latino community. 11 These films were documentaries in that they were relatively cheap to make, required little equipment, and were easy to broadcast on national public channels. It helped change the movement from grassroots protesting to the national mass media. 12 Also the government funded many of the public national broadcasting of Latino issues due to legislation giving many Latinos positions in leadership role learning how to make cinema for themselves. 13 Yet many lost their positions when funding ended. Yet they still carried the knowledge to make films. Now documentaries and narrative films are used today. However, one problem that many Latino film markers face is appealing both to the Latino population with correct Latino issues and representations and to the majority culture so that they can create change of the stereotypes and get further endorsement. 14 It is hard to be specialized enough so that Latinos are represented in Cinema and universal enough to appeal to a wide variety of audiences.