StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Orientalism In Hollywood Movies - Movie Review Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper "Orientalism In Hollywood Movies" discusses how the Hollywood musical “The King and I” tries to unveil the concept of "Thai orientalism" from the perspective of a westerner and examines the post-war theory of modernization, which is very evidently represented in this movie…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER94.4% of users find it useful
Orientalism In Hollywood Movies
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Orientalism In Hollywood Movies"

 Orientalism In Hollywood Movies Introduction “The musical is- and always has been- America’s most political theatre” (Lahr, 68). The Hollywood musical “The King and I”, a movie starring Yule Brynner and Deborah Kerr, released in 1956, tries to unveil the concept of ‘Thai orientalism’ from the perspective of a westerner. A runaway success, and highly entertaining, the movie managed to create an impact that shaped a westerner’s views on Thailand, and its ruling house. Indeed a political theatre, this movie to some extent is imbibed with what Michael Latham refers to as the ‘post war ideology of modernization’. Here the lead actor, Yule Brynner’s role, portrays Thailand’s legendary monarch, King Mongkut, who had opened the doors of his country, to welcome the entry of western influences during his reign in the 1860s. However, the movie, which is an adaptation of the book ‘Anna and the King of Siam’ by Margaret Landon, shows a lack of in-depth research work and limited knowledge on Thai history and culture, has a tendency to highlight dramatic considerations, and being too Eurocentric, fails to depict the country’s history authentically. This article will do a film review on “The King and I” and examine how ‘orientalism’ is represented in this movie. It will explore the notions on ‘orientalism’ as given by Edward Said, and will study the movie in this respect. It will also examine the post war theory of modernization, which is very evidently represented in this movie. Body Post war theory of modernization in the movie: King Mongkut, a renowned monarch of Thailand, has always been ‘an usually attractive subject to study’, and is generally considered to be ‘a pivotal one in Thai history’ (Wilson, 164). The movie is based on a romantic relationship that develops between Anna Leonowens and King Mongkut, and it depicts the issue of modernization quite clearly. It shows certain nuances of reality, by depicting the pros and cons of trying to adapt to a new culture, as the king opens the door for the western world to enter. The movie shows Anna Leonowens, a highly specialized English-American school teacher, who is hired by the king to teach the royal children western thoughts and etiquette. As she initially crosses sword with the king, the movie shows how Anna saves the country from the tyranny of the non western ruler, by imbibing American modern values within him, thus ‘modernizing’ him in the process. The conflict between Anna, (who is influenced by the post civil war American thoughts) and the King, arises when there is a tussle of values and the latter cannot decide between the ‘modern’ and the ‘traditional’. Later the king puts his trust in Anna and makes her his political advisor, and after his death his son takes the country ahead in his father’s shown direction. Thus in the movie, “the ‘backward’ Siam is transformed through love and friendship, and the pre-modern is swept away in spectacular episode of song and dance” (Klein, 192). The movie in fact offers a novel idea, that of culture convergence, when instead of annihilating the opposite culture, both sides embrace to imbibe values from each other, and in the process Siam become ‘modern’ or ‘westernized’. Thus, we find that there is also a slight touch on the so called ‘nationalist’ feeling, in the movie, so as not to antagonize those who believe in nationalism, also to keep the Siamese people happy. As Gellner tells us, “if the rulers of the political unit belong to a nation other than that of the majority ruled, this for nationalists constitutes…breech of political propriety” (Gellner, 1). Here, Anne does not allow foreigners to take over, but manipulates the existing ruler (Mongkut) to become westernized. So nationalism is kept intact, yet the end is achieved. ‘Orientalism’ in the movie: As we had previously mentioned that the movie represented Thai ‘Orientalism’ from the perspective of an American/western viewer. Edward Said, in his papers ‘Orientalism’ (1978), opined that the way Europe represented the middle-east countries enabled it to exercise a stronghold over these very countries. According to Said ‘Orientalism’ as a concept that recognizes two different entities, the ‘east’ and the ‘west’, with a notion of ‘us’ and a ‘them’. The ‘Orientalism’ is used as an instrument by the west, as per Said, “for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient” (Said, 3). West is always shown as progressive, more mature and masculine, more prudent and enlightened. The east is typified as being unrealistic, primitive, immature and more feminine. So the entire idea justifies the act of western imperialism and western superiority over the ‘backward’ east. In the movie Anna (representing the glorious west) is the one with superior knowledge, while the king and his subjects, (the backward East) are inferior. King Mongkut is shown to be “a capricious, sometimes cruel and often foolish tyrant” (Jory, 203). In reality, King Mongkut, was just the opposite, a highly respectable, saintly and extremely intelligent person. In a true fashion of the ‘orientalism,’ the movie depicts Siamese culture in a derogatory manner, thus setting the base for that would ultimately show the convergence of both the cultures, with the west coming out as the superior one. When in the movie Anna gets rid of the old Siamese maps and replaces them with new English ones, it signifies the discarding of old Siamese inferior knowledge and bringing in a new, and a far superior knowledge from the west. When Anna in the movie claims that the Siamese are the “‘people who need me, people I can help’, she simply gives voice to the western pattern of thinking, which places them far above any ‘eastern culture’. Thus Orientalism in the movie very predictably shows that the ‘goals of the foreign community in Thailand were not the understanding of Thai culture … but the spread of Christianity, the introduction of Western customs and economic and political values’(Wilson, 181). At the end in the movie when Brynner (Mongkut) dies, and his son Chulalongkorn proclaims to move ahead into the western world, it signifies the dying of the old and unwanted eastern culture, and heralds the coming of a new kingdom that will function according to western terms and conditions. Thus, a complete misrepresentation of facts of what the real life King and son actually wanted to do for their country, in order to modernize it. Conclusion The movie ‘the King and I” is thus a weave in ‘Orientalism’, and the post war theory of modernization, with a slight hint of nationalism, albeit from the perspectives of a western, who had been taught to think that their culture is far superior than any eastern culture. Following blindly in the steps of ‘Orientalism’ the movie and the book wrongly depicts Thai culture and history, even distorting facts to make the west look superior. Blinded by their own sense of superiority the movie also mis-constructs what king Mongkut and his son actually meant by the term modernization. Thus, the movie may be highly entertaining to the western audiences, but its message stops there. It definitely cannot claim to showcase and represent true historical facts of the Siamese culture and tradition. Works Cited Gellner, E. Nations and Nationalism. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1983. Print. Jory, P. “The King and US: Representations of monarchy in Thailand and the case of Anna and the King”. In International Journal of Cultural Studies Vol. 4(2), 2001. Print. Klein, C. Cold War Orientalism: Asia in the middlebrow imagination, 1945-1961. London: University of California Press, 2003. Print. Latham, M. Modernization as Ideology: American social science and “nation building” in the Kennedy era. Chapel Hill: university of North Carolina Press. 2000. Print. Lahr, J. “The Lemon Drop Kid”, New Yorker, 30th September, 1996. 68-74. Print. Said, E. Orientalism. New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul ltd. 1978. Print. Wilson, Constance M. “Towards a Bibliography of the Life and Times of Mongkut, King of Thailand, 1851-1868”. In Southeast Asian History and Historiography: Essays. Presented to D.G.E. Hall, pp. 164-189. Edited by C.D. Cowan & O.W. Wolters; with a foreword by John M. Echols. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press 1976. Print. Read More
Tags
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Orientalism In Hollywood Movies Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/visual-arts-film-studies/1565354-orientalism-or-nationalism-in-film-detail-see-attached
(Orientalism In Hollywood Movies Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words)
https://studentshare.org/visual-arts-film-studies/1565354-orientalism-or-nationalism-in-film-detail-see-attached.
“Orientalism In Hollywood Movies Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/visual-arts-film-studies/1565354-orientalism-or-nationalism-in-film-detail-see-attached.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Orientalism In Hollywood Movies

Video That Describes Orientalism Written by Edward Said

The paper "Video That Describes orientalism Written by Edward Said" describes that Said somewhere in this video, we hear Said saying that majority of Arab countries are ruled by dictatorships and that was why they could not effectively counter the stereotyping.... One relates to the Western stereotyped notions of orientalism and the other is connected to the ground realities in the Middle East.... Said calls this viewpoint, orientalism and emphasises that this orientalist approach was creating an image outside history as if the life of the orient was placid, still and eternal....
8 Pages (2000 words) Movie Review

Imperialism as the Foundation of Orientalism

This essay discusses the basic components of orientalism, including issues of cultural evolution Western writings from the mid-20th century closely mirror those of the 19th and 18th centuries, demonstrating a lack of change in the stereotypes about the region.... hellip; This section mostly deals with an overview of what orientalism is and how it came about.... Said's analysis looks not only at the images that characterize orientalism, but also why it looks the way it does....
6 Pages (1500 words) Movie Review

Review about Orientalism by Edward Said

In this book, which was discussed in a movie by the same name, he brings up several points which shape the way we think about people from the East.... hellip; After providing these several points, what stood out most to me as a viewer were the ideas that a lot of what we think we know of these people is actually incorrectly shaped by the media In the video, Said makes several points about the way our opinions as Westerners about the East are incorrect....
7 Pages (1750 words) Movie Review

On Orientalism Movie

Said explores the impact of orientalism in the production of information on a restrained framework that ignorant of the diversity of the Islamic world.... The film “On orientalism” presents precise example of orientalism through the repertoire of images, which, illustrate the Middle East as having sensual women, sexual secrets and monsters.... This repertoire of images is only a consistency of orientalism that has no accurate… Professor Edward W....
5 Pages (1250 words) Movie Review

Orientalism in America and Terrorism

The purpose of the current writing "orientalism in America and Terrorism" is to describe the concept of orientalism in society.... Furthermore, the author will discuss the principles of orientalism in relation with the terroristic acts in various places in the United States.... hellip; orientalism refers to the way in which people from different races are perceived by the rest of the world.... American orientalism on the Middle East nations is that the Islamic states are violent and threatening states....
6 Pages (1500 words) Movie Review

Orientalism: Unmasking the Selfish Goals of the West

"orientalism: Unmasking the Selfish Goals of the West" paper focuses on the movie 'orientalism', through an interview with Edward Said who explains what led him to study the orientalism.... The movie discusses the aspects of how orientalism has led to violence among the Islamic world towards the west.... It is this growing anger and frustration of the orient people (particularly the Islamic countries) and the misrepresentation of the Islamic people in the western media, that led Edward Said to write the book called 'orientalism' (Said, Part 1)....
7 Pages (1750 words) Movie Review

Orientalism Today

In this section, Said also observes that the situation in the popular media is that Muslims are basically regarded as fanatics and villains, and a situation in which a lot of movies end up with a host of Muslim bodies strewn all over the place, having been killed or incapacitated by a Chuck Norris or Arnold Schwarzenegger.... “Lots of movies about guerrillas going to kill Muslim terrorists.... The review "orientalism Today" argues romanticizing impressions about the Middle East in American culture has brought about an implicit justification for American imperial ambitions....
5 Pages (1250 words) Movie Review

Said's Video on Orientalism

The "Said's Video on orientalism" paper analyzes the video about orientalism's causes and consequences.... hellip; The strengths of the video are Professor Jhally's initial summaries for the video's segments and the wide range of analysis on orientalism.... This will help familiarize and prepare people who are unfamiliar with orientalism and Said's work.... Said stresses that there was a “break” in the definition of orientalism after Napoleon came to the Orient....
6 Pages (1500 words) Movie Review
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us