The Evolution of Asian Representation in American Film: From Stereotypes to Authentic Voices

Introduction

The portrayal of Asian characters in American film has a long and complicated history. From 'Orientalist' depictions to 'yellowface,' 'Charlie Chan,' and 'Dr. Fu Manchu,' negative stereotypes have been associated with Asians when non-Asian directors were behind the camera. However, in recent years, filmmakers of Asian descent have gained better opportunities to represent themselves, and they no longer have to compromise their stories to meet the commercial standards set by Hollywood. In this paper, I argue that filmmakers of Asian descent create better depictions of Asian characters and cultures. I will give a history of the depiction of Asian characters in Hollywood, delineating the negative stereotypes associated with them when non-Asian directors were behind the camera.

Stereotypes Associated with Asian Characters in Film History

Throughout the history of Hollywood, Asian characters have been depicted in a variety of ways, most of which are negative stereotypes. 'Orientalist' depictions, 'yellowface,' 'Charlie Chan,' and 'Dr. Fu Manchu' are some of the most infamous examples of those stereotypes.

'Orientalist' depictions are characterized by the portrayal of Asians as exotic, mysterious, and enigmatic. Hollywood films of the early 20th century often portrayed Asian cultures as foreign and strange. For instance, 'The Thief of Bagdad' (1924) showed a Sultan who was surrounded by Asian women with painted faces, harem pants, and revealing tops. Similarly, 'Shanghai Express' (1932) depicted a train full of Chinese people shown as dirty, superstitious, and uncivilized.

'Yellowface' is another well-known stereotype that refers to non-Asian actors wearing makeup and prosthetics to look Asian. This practice became more common in the 1930s and 1940s when Hollywood produced many films that featured Asian characters, but there were no Asian actors available to play them. One example of this is the film 'The Good Earth' (1937), in which the white actress Luise Rainer played the role of a Chinese woman. Another example is the film 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' (1961), in which the white actor Mickey Rooney played the role of a Japanese man named Mr. Yunioshi, wearing prosthetics and makeup that made him look ridiculous.

'Charlie Chan' is a character in a series of 47 mystery films produced by Fox from 1931 to 1949. The character was played by a white actor named Warner Oland, who wore makeup and prosthetics to look Asian. The character of 'Charlie Chan' was portrayed as a wise and intelligent detective, but also as a stereotypical Asian man who spoke in broken English and was obsessed with Confucian philosophy.

'Dr. Fu Manchu' is another famous stereotype of Asian villains. The character was created by the British writer Sax Rohmer in the early 20th century and appeared in a series of novels and films. 'Dr. Fu Manchu' was a brilliant and evil mastermind who plotted to take over the world. He was depicted as an Asian man with a long mustache, wearing a mandarin hat and robe, and speaking in a sinister and mysterious way.

Filmmakers of Asian Descent have had Few Opportunities to Correct Negative Images

Filmmakers of Asian descent have had very limited opportunities to correct those negative images because they had few opportunities to represent themselves. In the early days of Hollywood, Asian Americans were not allowed to play leading roles, and they were often relegated to playing background characters or stereotypes. Furthermore, Asian Americans were often excluded from the film industry altogether because of discriminatory hiring practices.

It wasn't until the 1970s, with the wave of Kung-Fu/Bruce Lee movies, that strong Asian characters appeared on screen. These films were low-budget and made for a niche audience, but they presented a different image of Asians than Hollywood had previously portrayed. However, the limitations of those Kung-Fu movies were that they were mostly driven by commercial ambitions, because they were made during the 1970s wave of 'exploitation cinema' (in this case the exploitation of Asian culture + violence) which took advantage of the introduction of the rating system in the U.S.

Independent Cinema in the 1990s

It wasn't until the boom in independent cinema in the 1990s that filmmakers of Asian descent were able to create different kinds of narratives about Asian characters. Independent cinema allowed new and diverse voices in filmmaking to emerge, and it opened up opportunities for Asian American filmmakers to tell their stories. For example, Wayne Wang's film 'Chan Is Missing' (1982) was one of the first films to explore the experiences of Chinese Americans in San Francisco's Chinatown. Similarly, Ang Lee's film 'The Wedding Banquet' (1993) explored the tensions between tradition and modernity in a Taiwanese-American family.

Digital Era and Opportunities for Filmmakers of Asian Descent

In the digital era, the landscape of the film industry has changed dramatically. With many streaming platforms acting as producers/distributors, filmmakers of Asian descent have even more opportunities to create movies about their community and still find an audience without compromising their artistic vision or content. For example, 'Crazy Rich Asians' (2018), directed by Jon M. Chu, was a box-office hit that featured an all-Asian cast and told the story of a Chinese-American woman who travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend's family. The film was a huge success, and it showed that there is a market for films that feature Asian characters and stories.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the depiction of Asian characters in American film has a long and complicated history. From 'Orientalist' depictions to 'yellowface,' 'Charlie Chan,' and 'Dr. Fu Manchu,' negative stereotypes have been associated with Asians when non-Asian directors were behind the camera. However, in recent years, filmmakers of Asian descent have gained better opportunities to represent themselves, and they no longer have to compromise their stories to meet the commercial standards set by Hollywood. The digital era has opened up even more opportunities for filmmakers of Asian descent to create movies about their community and still find an audience without compromising their artistic vision or content. We must recognize that everything that happens in our lives takes place against a backdrop of white supremacy, and we must work to dismantle the system that perpetuates these negative stereotypes.