Black Magic: White Hollywood and African American Culture

2005 Finalist for the Theatre Library Association's Book Award

Why do so many African American film characters seem to have magical powers? And why do they use them only to help white people? When the actors are white, why is the sound track so commonly performed by African Americans? And why do so many white actors imitate black people when they wish to express strong emotion?

As Krin Gabbard brilliantly reveals in Black Magic, we duly recognize the cultural heritage of African Americans in literature, music, and art, but there is a disturbing pattern in the roles that blacks are asked to play-particularly in the movies. Many recent films, including The Matrix, Fargo, The Green Mile, Ghost, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Pleasantville, The Bridges of Madison County, and Crumb, reveal a fascination with black music and sexuality even as they preserve the old racial hierarchies. Quite often the dependence on African American culture remains hidden-although it is almost perversely pervasive. In the final chapters of Black Magic, Gabbard looks at films by Robert Altman and Spike Lee that attempt to reverse many of these widespread trends.

Author: Krin Gabbard
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
Published: 03/30/2004
Pages: 344
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.28lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.28w x 0.73d
ISBN: 9780813533841

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 05/15/2004 pg. 1588
Multicultural Review 12/01/2004 pg. 62