The Son of the Sheik: Following your viewing of this excerpt, post a reaction. What is your reaction to this clip as a reflection of the American culture in the 1920's?
I find the clip confusing without speech. The only way you can tell what is happening is by the music. The music sets the mood of the movie. It must have been easier to be an actor without having to speak, but the emotion and movements had to be much more in depth. I think the text in the movie is kind of funny because it is so old fashioned and that is comical. It seems that Americans in the 1920s were easily amused. This was probably because movies were new and it did not matter what played because people wanted to do new things, like see these movies. Americans were becoming more entertainment oriented and this can be seen with the rise of movies, like the Son of the Sheik. The roaring 20s culture wanted to be entertained.
What is key to your observation is noting that this was the new technology of the time, so Americans were simply fascinated with movement, drama, and action on the screen with subtitles coupled with music.
There is a lot of body language in these silent films. This film is a very stereotypical view of an American perspective of Middle East peoples and Muslims. The woman is portrayed as a damsel in distress. This pulls more emotion into it and forces the viewer to see women dominated by these foreign men. The portrayal of the woman's rape looks discriminatory towards this group of people. The American culture sees other peoples as barbaric, but civilized Americans see this as entertaining.
Very good observations Alex. It is also interesting in American culture, including entertainment and pop culture, as to who Americans perceive as violent and villainous.
The excerpt from the movie was very interesting. The whole of the clip shows that romanticism was popular at the time, with the son taking the one lady and the little bit shown of the Sheik and his wife. The end of the clip shows how young adults people were changing the scene. The son of the Sheik was gone from his camp for over a week, breaking the rule set by his father. The young people of the 1920s were changing the scene also by rejecting the roles set by previous generations, such as the flappers. After watching the clip, Americans were easily entertained during the 1920s.
In The Son of the Sheik, the women had clothing and haircuts that reflected the style of the 1920s. They wore flapper-like dresses which were more revealing than clothing prior to this decade. The 1920s was based on entertainment and the rising popularity of movies was one of the main forms of this. It was interesting how the only words were the ones that were shown on screen before or after a scene in order to clarify what was happening. The music however is able to capture some of the different moods that the actors were trying to show.
I noticed how The Son of the Sheik reflected gender relations and roles during the 1920s. The dominance of men over women seemed to be a theme in the second scene of this clip. The man was assertive and forceful, while the woman was portrayed as weak and begging. The clip also revealed insight to the characterization women. The woman's sexuality was used to entice men so her comrades could rob him. This could possibly allude to women's newly found sense of sexuality and freedom that they exercised in American society, and the way they tempted men.
Excellent observations. Relations among men and women were somewhat changing, but yet some of the same old stereotypes persisted in terms of whom was the primary aggressor.
My reaction to the clip was slightly confusing. It was hard to really make out everything that was going on. From what I gathered though the clip sort of reflects the changing of times in the twenties. Men and women are not as quiet and composed, because in the clip, it made it seem like the women was a prostitute and the son of Sheik was taking advantage of her. Another change the twenties was entertainment becoming popular among the people. The people were breaking away from their traditional morals.
There were several stereotypes used in this movie, one of them was the man in the pot. He had a look that would have been the stereotypical Arabian man in the 1920's. All of the Arabian characters also had barbarian characteristics about them. This could have been the director's opinion of them being uncivilized. Including the main character who abused the the woman in his tent.
Very good, Jon. I am pleased that you noticed some things that many student do not typically notice. Particularly, the multiple portrayals of Arabian stereotypes and prejudicial attitudes toward Middle Eastern people.
My reaction is that its confusing. You have to really watch hard and pay attention. If you were to talk away and come back you would not be able to understand the rest of the clip. I feel like the way the music plays makes you more aware if its cheerful, scary or even sad at times. The text throughout the movie helped understand what exactly was going on and gave you better understanding. This clip has a comedy kind of feel, but i don't think its that funny. It shows us how different the generation back then was compared to ours and how there funny is different then ours now-a-days.
Can be difficult for modern era viewers to decipher what was happening in the film, but not for the viewers of the time as these visual practices were common in entertainment then.
I find the clip confusing without speech. The only way you can tell what is happening is by the music. The music sets the mood of the movie. It must have been easier to be an actor without having to speak, but the emotion and movements had to be much more in depth. I think the text in the movie is kind of funny because it is so old fashioned and that is comical. It seems that Americans in the 1920s were easily amused. This was probably because movies were new and it did not matter what played because people wanted to do new things, like see these movies. Americans were becoming more entertainment oriented and this can be seen with the rise of movies, like the Son of the Sheik. The roaring 20s culture wanted to be entertained.
ReplyDeleteWhat is key to your observation is noting that this was the new technology of the time, so Americans were simply fascinated with movement, drama, and action on the screen with subtitles coupled with music.
DeleteThere is a lot of body language in these silent films. This film is a very stereotypical view of an American perspective of Middle East peoples and Muslims. The woman is portrayed as a damsel in distress. This pulls more emotion into it and forces the viewer to see women dominated by these foreign men. The portrayal of the woman's rape looks discriminatory towards this group of people. The American culture sees other peoples as barbaric, but civilized Americans see this as entertaining.
ReplyDeleteVery good observations Alex. It is also interesting in American culture, including entertainment and pop culture, as to who Americans perceive as violent and villainous.
DeleteThe excerpt from the movie was very interesting. The whole of the clip shows that romanticism was popular at the time, with the son taking the one lady and the little bit shown of the Sheik and his wife. The end of the clip shows how young adults people were changing the scene. The son of the Sheik was gone from his camp for over a week, breaking the rule set by his father. The young people of the 1920s were changing the scene also by rejecting the roles set by previous generations, such as the flappers. After watching the clip, Americans were easily entertained during the 1920s.
ReplyDeleteGood, Tyler. Rebellions is definitely a key aspect of twenties culture and that is truly present in this clip in multiple formats.
DeleteIn The Son of the Sheik, the women had clothing and haircuts that reflected the style of the 1920s. They wore flapper-like dresses which were more revealing than clothing prior to this decade. The 1920s was based on entertainment and the rising popularity of movies was one of the main forms of this. It was interesting how the only words were the ones that were shown on screen before or after a scene in order to clarify what was happening. The music however is able to capture some of the different moods that the actors were trying to show.
ReplyDeleteTwenties fashion and mores are definitely present throughout the film, particularly the notion of questioning traditional mores.
DeleteI noticed how The Son of the Sheik reflected gender relations and roles during the 1920s. The dominance of men over women seemed to be a theme in the second scene of this clip. The man was assertive and forceful, while the woman was portrayed as weak and begging. The clip also revealed insight to the characterization women. The woman's sexuality was used to entice men so her comrades could rob him. This could possibly allude to women's newly found sense of sexuality and freedom that they exercised in American society, and the way they tempted men.
ReplyDeleteExcellent observations. Relations among men and women were somewhat changing, but yet some of the same old stereotypes persisted in terms of whom was the primary aggressor.
DeleteMy reaction to the clip was slightly confusing. It was hard to really make out everything that was going on. From what I gathered though the clip sort of reflects the changing of times in the twenties. Men and women are not as quiet and composed, because in the clip, it made it seem like the women was a prostitute and the son of Sheik was taking advantage of her. Another change the twenties was entertainment becoming popular among the people. The people were breaking away from their traditional morals.
ReplyDeleteTraditional morals were definitely being challenged in the twenties when you see the subject matter present in popular films of the era.
DeleteThere were several stereotypes used in this movie, one of them was the man in the pot. He had a look that would have been the stereotypical Arabian man in the 1920's. All of the Arabian characters also had barbarian characteristics about them. This could have been the director's opinion of them being uncivilized. Including the main character who abused the the woman in his tent.
ReplyDeleteVery good, Jon. I am pleased that you noticed some things that many student do not typically notice. Particularly, the multiple portrayals of Arabian stereotypes and prejudicial attitudes toward Middle Eastern people.
DeleteMy reaction is that its confusing. You have to really watch hard and pay attention. If you were to talk away and come back you would not be able to understand the rest of the clip. I feel like the way the music plays makes you more aware if its cheerful, scary or even sad at times. The text throughout the movie helped understand what exactly was going on and gave you better understanding. This clip has a comedy kind of feel, but i don't think its that funny. It shows us how different the generation back then was compared to ours and how there funny is different then ours now-a-days.
ReplyDeleteCan be difficult for modern era viewers to decipher what was happening in the film, but not for the viewers of the time as these visual practices were common in entertainment then.
Delete