FOLLOWING any major newsworthy event, the media is scru-tinized for its response. It is charged with responding without bias and with covering a story fully without becoming sensational. But the news media is not the only sector to face the challenge of responding responsibly. The effects of the events of Sept. 11 reach far beyond the scope of normal news media forcing the entertainment media to question its response as well. Hollywood holds a great deal of power in shaping public perceptions. They now have a responsibility to avoid perpetuating the racist sentiment that hovers around America as we try to deal with what has happened.
In recent years the major Hollywood moneymaker has been the special effects-laden action flick. Television has mirrored this trend with a rash of new shows centering on undercover operations, spies and double agents. But the recent terrorist attacks have raised questions about how Hollywood should handle the all-too-real images it has created.
The entertainment world already has demonstrated a good deal of sensitivity and good sense. Parts of the upcoming sequel to Will Smith's "Men in Black," which were to take place at the World Trade Center, are being redone. Tim Allen's newest movie, "Big Trouble," set to open the weekend after the attack, was delayed due to a bomb-related storyline. Likewise, a shot of a plane exploding was edited out of the Fox premiere of "24," a reality show about a plot to assassinate a presidential candidate. Aaron Sorkin chose to respond to the tragedy by scripting a new episode of his "West Wing" to show the fictional White House staff dealing with the aftermath of the attack.
The challenge for the entertainment industry is to continue to do just that, entertain, and also remain sensitive to issues magnified by last month's attacks. A major question is how Hollywood should portray villains in the ever-popular action movies.
The world has been shown the ultimate Hollywood terrorist: a fanatical and somewhat mysterious figure holed up in an unknown location sending out cryptic messages.
The one problem with this villain is that he is real, and so is his terror. Hollywood must figure out how to continue to produce movies and shows with this new consciousness in mind. Besides the risk of exploiting the nation's pain, the biggest risk the industry runs in creating new villains is promoting racist stereotypes.
There is little doubt in the minds of most Americans that Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda played a role in the terrorist attacks. Reasonable Americans also know that the al Qaeda's involvement does not mean that all or most Arabs and Muslims are terrorists.
Unfortunately, there is still a lot of fear and resentment working against Arab-Americans. Since Sept. 11 there have been 270 attacks against Arab-Americans, five of them murders. Even many of those who do not perpetrate violence have a new fear of Arab-Americans. On Sept. 20, Northwest Airlines, which later apologized, refused to let three Iraqi men on a Salt Lake City-bound flight after several passengers expressed fear over flying with the men.
The movie industry has to make a conscious effort not to repeat history in its portrayal of villains. The Cold War and World War II both prompted stereotypical villains centering on national or racial stereotypes. There was no doubt during those periods as to who America's enemy was, and racist portrayals were not opposed. Even now, there is little doubt that bin Laden and his ring of terrorists are "bad guys."
However, times have changed, and America can't afford to tolerate such stereotypes. Our increasing diversity and our - hopefully - increasing tolerance dictate that we critically view any portrayal of inherent evil.
This does not mean that Hollywood should not continue to make action films. These movies are plausible, and the feelings of heroism and patriotism they evoke are pertinent now more than ever. To portray villainy, Robert Sklar, a film historian at New York University, suggests movies "like, say 'Space Cowboys,' where the focus is on the heroes and the villain becomes more opaque, or maybe like 'Perfect Storm,' where the villain is not a person at all but a simple force of nature" ("Bad Guys for Bad Times," New York Times, Oct. 3). If Hollywood chooses to use Arabs as villains, it must make a concrete effort to separate these "bad guys" from those who share the same heritage or worship the same God.
The events of Sept. 11 do not spell the end of irony, as they have been said to. Nor do they mark the end of the Hollywood blockbuster. They should, however, mark the beginning of a heightened and long overdue attention to the images put out by the entertainment industry.
(Megan Moyer's column appears Fridays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at mmoyer@cavalierdaily.com.)
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