1991 Film Industry Quiz: Black Hollywood Trivia

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Questions and Answers

According to Laura Baker in "Screening Race," what event was anticipated to happen in 1991 according to the text?

The release of films about the black ghetto targeted at white audiences.

The release of the 'year of triumph' for white Hollywood.

The release of more black-directed films than in the entire previous decade. (correct)

The release of an unprecedented number of black-directed films targeted at white audiences.

According to Laura Baker in "Screening Race," what were critics concerned about in relation to New Jack City and Boyz N the Hood?

The films' focus on the white ghetto.

The films targeted at white audiences.

The glorification and glamorization of violence in the films. (correct)

The lack of commercial success of the films.

According to Ed Guerrero in "Black Film in the 1990s," what marked a significant turning point in the 1990s for black filmmaking?

The dominance of biracial 'buddy' films in the early 1980s

The subordination of black cinematic talent in the 1980s

The rise of Clara's Heart and Driving Miss Daisy in the 1980s

The release of over seven black-directed features in 1990 (correct)

According to Ed Guerrero in "Black Film in the 1990s," which film was NOT part of the diverse black feature films released in 1991?

Driving Miss Daisy Signup and view all the answers

According to Ed Guerrero in "Black Film in the 1990s," which film marked a turning point in bringing significant roles for black actors to the commercial screen?

The Five Heartbeats Signup and view all the answers

According to Ed Guerrero in "Black Film in the 1990s," what characterized black filmmaking in the 1980s before the turning point in the 1990s?

Subordination of black cinematic talent to biracial 'buddy' vehicles Signup and view all the answers

In "Black Film in the 1990s," which of the following filmmakers is NOT mentioned as part of the 1990s black movie boom?

Ava DuVernay Signup and view all the answers

According to Ed Guerrero in "Black Film in the 1990s," what is the main theme of the discussed 'black movie boom' in the 1990s?

The emergence of black films in the 1990s Signup and view all the answers

According to Ed Guerrero in "Black Film in the 1990s," which of the following is NOT a common financial strategy of the new black cinema wave?

Creating films to solely turn a profit Signup and view all the answers

According to Ed Guerrero in "Black Film in the 1990s," which of the following best describes the relationship between 'black independent' cinema and 'mainstream' employment of black creativity?

They have subtle differences in their perspectives Signup and view all the answers

What significant achievement did Whoopi Goldberg accomplish through her role in 'Ghost'?

Second black woman to win an Oscar Signup and view all the answers

According to Ed Guerrero in "Black Film in the 1990s," how did the production of black-focused films in 1990 and 1991 compare to the production after the decline of Blaxploitation films?

It surpassed the total production after Blaxploitation Signup and view all the answers

According to Ed Guerrero in "Black Film in the 1990s," what inspired African American intellectuals, artists, writers, and politicians during the Blaxploitation period to demand change in Hollywood's portrayal of blacks?

Rising identity consciousness and social expectations Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

1991: The Year of Triumph for Black Hollywood

1991 was considered the "year of triumph" for black Hollywood, with 19 films directed by black directors scheduled for release, more than the entire previous decade.
The commercial film industry had rediscovered the lucrative potential of making films about the black ghetto, co-financing an unprecedented number of black-directed films targeting black audiences.

New Jack City and Boyz N the Hood

Both films were commercially successful, but received criticism for glorifying and glamorizing violence, encouraging violent behavior.
New Jack City, a story about a New York drug lord, was more susceptible to criticism than Boyz N the Hood, a coming-of-age story with a reassuring message about fathers rescuing their sons from inner-city despair.

The Black Film Wave

The new black film wave began in the late 1980s and gained momentum in the 1990s, with over 7 black-directed features released in 1990.
Key films included 7b Sleep with Anger, Mo' Better Blues, and Daughters of the Dust.
In 1991, 12 films directed by African Americans were released, along with over 20 productions starring or featuring significant roles for black actors.
The black movie boom was driven by a range of sources, including diverse financial strategies, production circumstances, and creative inspirations.

Black Independent Cinema and Mainstream Cinema

The new black cinema wave can be divided into two categories: black "independent" cinema and the "mainstream" employment of black creativity in the dominant cinema system.
The line between these two categories is blurred, with many films and filmmakers moving between different perspectives.

The Significance of 1991

1991 was a turning-point year, bringing a range of significant and diverse black feature films to the commercial screen.
The boom of the 1990s emerged from conditions comparable to those that fostered the Blaxploitation wave in the 1970s, but with significant differences in social context.
The 1990s boom was marked by a surge in new black feature films, lessening distinctions between independent and mainstream cinema.

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Explore the responses to theater violence in 'New Jack City' and 'Boyz N the Hood' in 1991, a year marked as the 'year of triumph' for black Hollywood. Delve into the impact of commercial filmmaking on black audiences through an unprecedented number of films by black directors.

Film Industry and Black Hollywood in 1991

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