SYLLABUS, SPRING 2003, SYD 4610*

TOPICS IN SOCIOLOGY: HISPANICS IN FILMS

Reference Number: 6223; Section: 51

BISCAYNE BAY CAMPUS, Library, Room 255

WEDNESDAYS, 6:25-9:05 PM, JANUARY 8 THROUGH APRIL 16, 2003

PROFESSOR: Dr. Abraham D. Lavender, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, FIU. Dr. Lavender lives near the South Campus, and teaches on the Biscayne Bay Campus on Wednesdays and the Pines Education Center in Broward County on Mondays. Office hours at the Biscayne Bay Campus are on Wednesdays, 2-3 p.m. He is at the Pembroke Pines Campus on Mondays, with office hours 5-6 p.m, for those of you who live in that area. Special times can also be arranged, especially at the University Park Campus near where he lives, for those of who live or attend classes there. The best contact to make appointments or for other information is at abelavender@aol.com.

PURPOSE OF COURSE:

The purpose of this course is to learn how the movie industry in the United States reflects values in the U.S., how the movie industry is influenced by values in the U.S., how the movie industry influences values in the U.S., and how all of these relate to Hollywood portrayal of Hispanics (Latins) in the U.S. We look at several subgroups within the Hispanic community, primarily in the U.S. Groups include but are not limited to Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban-Americans. Attention also will be given, at least in class lectures, to other groups in the Caribbean and Latin America, as well as Spain, and to Spanish-Portuguese Jews (Sephardim) in exile. Specific movies shown are subject to availability and length of movies.

We analyze how movies have portrayed the groups, and how and why those portrayals are changing over time. We also look at the extent to which these groups are or are not represented in the movie industry in the U.S. We see that movies don’t just happen, but that they are influenced by larger forces and also influence the larger society.

This is a special topics course, taught for the first time this semester as an experimental course. Hence, the structure of the class is more subject to changes than for other classes.* Hispanic Hollywood: The Latins in Motion Pictures, by George Hadley-Garcia (1993), is the best book on this topic, but unfortunately the book is out of print. Much material from the book will be used in this class for lecture notes. A few copies of the book are available on some websites for used books. Two copies, one in English and one is Spanish, are available by loan from the professor. Other books which are sources for class lectures, and suggested for additional reading by students who are interested in more details, are (1) Nicholas E. Meyer, Biographical Dictionary of Hispanic Americans (Second Edition, 2001, Checkmark Books; (2) Himilce Novas, Everything You Need to Know About Latino History** (Revised Edition, 1998, Penguin Group);and (3) Paul Donnelley, Fade to Black: A Book of Movie Obituaries (2000, Omnibus Press).

REQUIRED READINGS:

(1) PAST IMPERFECT: HISTORY ACCORDING TO THE MOVIES, edited by Mark C. Carnes. This book discusses about sixty movies, analyzing the accuracy or inaccuracy of the movies’ portrayals of events. We emphasize the articles discussing Hispanics, and discuss the reasons for these portrayals. As the flyleaf says, “There is no denying the tremendous power movies have in shaping our perceptions of the past.”

(2) HOLLYWOOD’S AMERICA: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL THEMES IN MOTION PICTURES, by Stephen Powers, David J. Rothman, and Stanley Rothman. This is a good sociological and historical analysis of Hollywood, including “the ethnic factor.”

(3) RACE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS 02/03 (ANNUAL EDITIONS), edited by John A. Kromkowski. Selected parts of this book give sociological and historical information on some Hispanic groups within the United States.

(4) The following article by Professor Ediberto Roman, FIU College of Law: “WHO EXACTLY IS LIVING LA VIDA LOCA? THE LEGAL AND POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF LATINO-LATINA ETHNIC AND RACIAL STEREOTYPES IN FILM AND OTHER MEDIA.” Published in The Journal of Gender, Race and Justice (Fall 2000, Volume 4, Number 1, pages 37-68), this article is made available for students to download from the web (Microsoft Word document).

(5) Selected articles assigned during the semester to give the most up-to-date situation include: “Latin Heat: Salma Hayek and the New Latino Power Brokers”; “A Breaker of Stereotypes [Cesar Romero]”; “Latins Score Big With Oscar Nods”; “John Leguizamo’s Future Film Projects”; “Antonio” [Banderas]; “Playing the Wild Guy” [Emilio Rivera]; “Latin Actors (Original Names)” [class handout]; “FIU Alumnus Chronicles Mariel Boatlift”[Lisandro Perez-Rey]; “The People’s Choice [Marilyn Milian]”; “Soluna Signs on for UPN Sitcom”; “His ‘Malcolm’ Is a Real Genius, But Frankie Muniz Ain’t So Bad Himself”; “Andy Unanue”; “Sins of the Flesh”; “The Challenging Latin @ Dilemma”; “Live in Your World, Play in Ours”; “First Telenovela With Black Leading Man”; “Documentary [Los Trabajadores] Shows Life as a Day Laborer”; “Will Crime Pay? Reaction Mixed to NBC’s Kingpin”; “Making Inroads in Public Broadcast”; “Broadway Rosie” [Rosie Perez]; “The Hispanic Factor”; “Dame Edna’s Slurs? More of the Same”; “Media Mergers May Pose Problems for Hispanics”; “Spanish Nets at the Front”

GRADING:

Three tests will be given during the semester. There will be a test approximately every four weeks, with each test covering a reading assignment and some class material. The final grade (except for attendance) will be a combination of the tests. Each test will consist of about 15 questions, short answer and short essay, and will be followed by a lecture or movie for that date.

ATTENDANCE:

Attendance will be taken frequently, and the professor reserves the right to adjust a grade downwards for any student who misses more than three classes. Education also consists of the class atmosphere, hearing other student comments, observing class interactions, etc. Students who do not regularly attend classes will be at a grade disadvantage in this class.

MOVIES:

Two documentary movies show the history of Latins/Hispanics in Hollywood:

(1) “Hispanic Hollywood” (“a sizzling two hour special celebrating the silver screen legacy of Hispanic entertainers”)

(2) “Bronze Screen” (a new release bringing the story of Hispanic Hollywood stars up to date)

Other movies include (NOTE: It is important to understand that movies are not selected because they are book-office hits, the most popular, or the most liked, but because they illustrate points made in the class. The purpose is to critique the movie, both positively and negatively, and analyze what the movie illustrates about the points made above in Purpose of the Course):

(1) “My Family/Mi Familia” (1995), directed by Gregory Nava, the best-known Latin director, and starring Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales, Edward James Olmos, Jennifer Lopez, and others. According to Leonard Maltin, “A Mexican-American (Olmos) looks back at his family’s colorful history since immigrating to L.A. in the 1920s. Evocative, well-cast, multi-generational saga...”

(2) “I Like it Like That” (1994), directed by Darnell Martin, and starring Lauren Velez, Jon Seda, Rita Moreno, and others. According to Maltin, “Fresh, vibrant little film about a Latino woman from the Bronx [Puerto Rico]...examines real, everyday issues with zest, humor, and the ring of truth.”

(3) “The Perez Family” (1995), directed by Mira Nair, and starring Marisa Tomei, Anjelica Huston, Alfred Molina, Chazz Palminteri, and others. According to Maltin, “Cuban plantation owner, imprisoned for twenty years, is finally released in 1980 [Mariel] and allowed to join the boat migration to Florida...Meandering comedy-drama has some pleasant and poignant moments, but never quite takes off...”

(4) “El Norte” (1983), directed by Gregory Nava, and starring Zaide Silva Gutierrez, David Villalpando, Ernesto Gomez Cruz, Alicia del Lago, and others. According to Maltin, “Sweeping, emotional saga of a brother and sister who leave their violence-torn village in Guatemala to find a better life in The North–El Norte. Getting to America [through Mexico] is half the story; making a life there is the other half. Writer-director Nava presents a heightened sense of reality that removes this from the realm of documentary; a compassionate, heart-rending, unforgettable film.”

*This is the final version of the syllabus, updated to record changes made during the semester.

**Did you know, for example, that “rumor has it” that Walt Disney was born Jose Luis Guirao, in a village in Spain, and was later adopted by Elias and Flora Disney of Chicago? And did you know that the surname Disney originally was a Huguenot name, D’Isney, that is, “from” Isney, an island near Rochelle, France?