Lee Daniels' The Butler: Overcoming the Transgressions of Precious and Negotiating the Double Bind

Publikation: Beiträge in SammelwerkenAufsätze in KonferenzbändenForschungbegutachtet

Standard

Lee Daniels' The Butler: Overcoming the Transgressions of Precious and Negotiating the Double Bind. / Völz, Sabrina.
Trangressions/Transformations: Literature and Beyond. Hrsg. / Brigitte Johanna Glaser; Wolfgang Zach. 1. Aufl. Stauffenburg Verlag, 2018. S. 83 - 100 (Studies in English and Comparative Literature (SECL); Band 25).

Publikation: Beiträge in SammelwerkenAufsätze in KonferenzbändenForschungbegutachtet

Harvard

Völz, S 2018, Lee Daniels' The Butler: Overcoming the Transgressions of Precious and Negotiating the Double Bind. in BJ Glaser & W Zach (Hrsg.), Trangressions/Transformations: Literature and Beyond. 1. Aufl., Studies in English and Comparative Literature (SECL), Bd. 25, Stauffenburg Verlag, S. 83 - 100, Centre for the International Study of Literatures in English Conference- CISLE 2015, Göttingen, Deutschland, 27.07.15.

APA

Völz, S. (2018). Lee Daniels' The Butler: Overcoming the Transgressions of Precious and Negotiating the Double Bind. In B. J. Glaser, & W. Zach (Hrsg.), Trangressions/Transformations: Literature and Beyond (1. Aufl., S. 83 - 100). (Studies in English and Comparative Literature (SECL); Band 25). Stauffenburg Verlag.

Vancouver

Völz S. Lee Daniels' The Butler: Overcoming the Transgressions of Precious and Negotiating the Double Bind. in Glaser BJ, Zach W, Hrsg., Trangressions/Transformations: Literature and Beyond. 1. Aufl. Stauffenburg Verlag. 2018. S. 83 - 100. (Studies in English and Comparative Literature (SECL)).

Bibtex

@inbook{e1f422b63faf4bf7bba770414ff8be57,
title = "Lee Daniels' The Butler: Overcoming the Transgressions of Precious and Negotiating the Double Bind",
abstract = "Although Lee Daniels adamantly resists being labeled a black filmmaker, he is viewed as one and, therefore, has been subjected to criticism stemming from the representations of race and African American experience in his films. Non-white filmmakers have often felt compelled to adhere to the double bind, to walk a tightrope between producing resisting images sated with political subtexts and social responsibility, while trying to avoid undermining their films{\textquoteright} aesthetics, production values, and accessibility. In her essay, “Artistic Integrity: Race and Accountability,” bell hooks posits that a number of black filmmakers have either internalised “white su-premacist aesthetics,” or that they – consciously or unconsciously – tend to reproduce those black, stereotypical characters and dehumanizing images audiences are assumed have come to expect or prefer. Lee Daniels{\textquoteright} award-winning film Precious: Based on the Novel {\textquoteleft}Push{\textquoteright} by Sapphire (2009) seems to fit the bill. While it attracted crossover audiences worldwide and received raving reviews from numerous white film critics, it – at the same time – harvested scathing criticism by important African American writers, such as Ishmael Reed and Armond White, the head film critic of the New York Press, who accuses the film of being a “sociological horror show.” Thus, the same film espouses two diametrically opposed readings, showing a deep racial divide. In my paper, I will delineate the Precious debate and examine how Lee Daniels{\textquoteright} The Butler (2013) avoided the pitfalls of Precious. The Butler negotiates the double bind through more familiar subject matter as well as a greater awareness for historical contextualization and avoidance of problematic stereotyping. Yet by strictly adhering to the modes of Hollywood history-oriented filmmaking, Daniels makes an important, but im-perfect film.",
keywords = "North American Studies, African American Film, Precious, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Black Film, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Lee Daniels' Precious, history-oriented film, Gender and Diversity, Afro-Amerikaner , bell hooks, Black Film, Media and communication studies, African American Film, Lee Daniels' The Butler, Precious, Black Film, history-oriented film",
author = "Sabrina V{\"o}lz",
year = "2018",
language = "English",
isbn = "978-3-95809-590-8",
series = "Studies in English and Comparative Literature (SECL)",
publisher = "Stauffenburg Verlag",
pages = "83 -- 100",
editor = "Glaser, {Brigitte Johanna } and Wolfgang Zach",
booktitle = "Trangressions/Transformations",
address = "Germany",
edition = "1.",
note = "Trangressions / Transformations: Literature and Beyond ; Conference date: 27-07-2015 Through 31-07-2015",
url = "https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=2ahUKEwjZvMnaoaLgAhXxgM4BHYoaBy0QFjABegQICRAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.uni-goettingen.de%2Fde%2Fdocument%2Fdownload%2Facc71db5018bf8730da5013711a2a7b1.pdf%2FPoster_02.07.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0vs0oySlUK3Ipg9HJaBXKv",

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RIS

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AB - Although Lee Daniels adamantly resists being labeled a black filmmaker, he is viewed as one and, therefore, has been subjected to criticism stemming from the representations of race and African American experience in his films. Non-white filmmakers have often felt compelled to adhere to the double bind, to walk a tightrope between producing resisting images sated with political subtexts and social responsibility, while trying to avoid undermining their films’ aesthetics, production values, and accessibility. In her essay, “Artistic Integrity: Race and Accountability,” bell hooks posits that a number of black filmmakers have either internalised “white su-premacist aesthetics,” or that they – consciously or unconsciously – tend to reproduce those black, stereotypical characters and dehumanizing images audiences are assumed have come to expect or prefer. Lee Daniels’ award-winning film Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire (2009) seems to fit the bill. While it attracted crossover audiences worldwide and received raving reviews from numerous white film critics, it – at the same time – harvested scathing criticism by important African American writers, such as Ishmael Reed and Armond White, the head film critic of the New York Press, who accuses the film of being a “sociological horror show.” Thus, the same film espouses two diametrically opposed readings, showing a deep racial divide. In my paper, I will delineate the Precious debate and examine how Lee Daniels’ The Butler (2013) avoided the pitfalls of Precious. The Butler negotiates the double bind through more familiar subject matter as well as a greater awareness for historical contextualization and avoidance of problematic stereotyping. Yet by strictly adhering to the modes of Hollywood history-oriented filmmaking, Daniels makes an important, but im-perfect film.

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KW - African American Film

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KW - Black Film

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KW - Lee Daniels' Precious

KW - history-oriented film

KW - Gender and Diversity

KW - Afro-Amerikaner

KW - bell hooks

KW - Black Film

KW - Media and communication studies

KW - African American Film

KW - Lee Daniels' The Butler

KW - Precious

KW - Black Film

KW - history-oriented film

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PB - Stauffenburg Verlag

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