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Kayla Pinson
History and Appreciation of Film
Dr. Byrge
September 28, 2015
Cultural Differences in Film: Suggestions for Reality

Film is one of the most concrete forms of entertainment in today’s society and has evolved from

silent comedy to unbelievable special effects. However, the function of the film in society still remains to

reflect the reality of life while distorting some elements to enhance entertainment or convey a message.

With this, it is evident that the films from class, while entertaining, displayed different aspects of

cultures and the way that various backgrounds interact in different societies. Each of the films took a

different approach to analyzing the intersections of culture but all explored the way stereotypes,

preconceptions, and ethnocentrism occur in our modern society. In The Gods Must Be Crazy, Smoke

Signals, Toe to Toe, and Better Luck Tomorrow each analyzed a different social, cultural, ethnic, and

economic stereotype. While these films reflect stereotypes and differences of real life, they also

provide enlightenment on how individuals in society can navigate these differences and gain a deeper

understanding and respect for other cultures and thus their own.

In The Gods Must Be Crazy, the difference between the two cultures was not only due to

isolation of the African Bushman, but the lack of understanding between the past and the present.

Centered in the plot was the difference in the function of certain objects, a coke bottle, due to

understanding and experience. The technology failures experienced by those in the advanced society

and the way that it was unaccommodating to circumstances, shown in the judicial processing of the

African Bushman, displays that the more advanced society becomes the amount of difficulty increases to

the point where the system is abusive and the technology suggested to make life easier does the

opposite. This displayed the ultimate societal differences: while one society was simple and
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anachronistic the other was advanced and complicated. The difference in concepts made it difficult to

understand each other in their communication in addition to the language barrier. These cultural and

social differences were the downfall and in order to push past the barriers it took the willingness to

understand. The African Bushman was the character that pushed for this by not prejudging and when he

did not understand he was not afraid of the differences but more interested in figuring out how what he

was introduced to could be useful to him. Also, the fact that he was not afraid to embrace new things is

indicative of how we should treat other cultures that we don’t understand: we should approach them

with interest instead of being afraid of them because they are unlike ours.

In the movie Smoke Signals the plot displayed the cultural differences between the United

States and the Native Americans living on reservations within those boarders. The prejudice of the

citizen of the United States of America against the Native Americans is not only a matter of cultural

differences but also historical issues. Also this film highlighted different identities within a culture and

how they forge a bond due to their common identity. The two characters Thomas and Victor, though

very different, begin to form an alliance as they began to encounter the prejudice of the outer society

because they were not recognized as individuals but part of a historical group. Even when Thomas was

recognized as an individual by a girl on the bus through their intriguing conversation, Victor did not want

him to mingle as to not to destroy the forged alliance. The clearest prejudice depicted in the movie was

during the scene of the car crash when a white man who had caused the accident picked a fight with

victor who then ran to the hospital for help. Later he found out the man had filed a complaint against

him and had framed him for the accident. This demonstrates the prejudice of the man and the ability of

his power to identify and accuse a scapegoat for his actions. This is indicative of a larger historical

reference of how European American’s blamed the Native Americans for early colonial issues that led to

them being put on reservation in the first place. However, the traditional values of Victor and Thomas
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withstood the transgressive society. This displays how dedicated people should be to their own

traditions even when the dominant society challenge, threatens, and discriminates against their culture.

Toe to Toe analyzed cultural differences from the socioeconomic and ethnic viewpoints. The

family history of the two characters constituted the difference and led to them treating each other

differently and understanding one another became a difficulty because of it. In the beginning they were

in awe and intrigued by each other differences of race, class, background, and home life. This is evident

in the way they wanted to visit each other’s homes and understand where the other came from. While

they both understood that they came from totally different worlds, they still had something in common.

The thing that these two had in common is their desire to be accepted and to get out of their situation.

They did this by trying in a sense to gain access to each other’s demographic areas of life. The white girl

going to the GoGo parties and the black girl going to a better school in a different neighborhood, the

both wanted out of the situation they were in. However, as their relationship progressed and both of

their behaviors became aligned with getting out of their situation and being accepted by their mothers

their bond decreased but they realized that the change would come from them. Both the girls, in the

midst of life changing situations stopped trying to switch lifestyles but decided to return home and

forged relationships with their mothers. This not only displays the similarities in our differences but also

that the love for ourselves starts at home with our families and once that foundation is grounded the

longing to live the experiences of someone else dissipates and you understand yourself and others for

who they really are.

In Better Luck Tomorrow their operation was a secret and though they were using their

stereotype to benefit them as a facade and branding tool, they still were met by the white dominate

group with opposition. Displayed by the scene when they went to a party they weren’t invited to and

where involved in a physical altercation, they were seen as a threat even though they were only trying

to empower themselves. One character saw it appropriate to use violence in order to assert dominance
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or control factors and people in life. This is displayed in actions: he initiated the fight at the party, was

the one to pull the gun on the prostitute causing the end to the night in Las Vegas, and is also the person

who killed himself because he could not deal with the burden and guilt of having murdered someone.

While this is how the dealt when faced with other groups, the film also displays the rigidity of

stereotypes as the four men did not live up to the sole intellectual and good behavior of the Asian

identity that most people perceived. At first their crimes were petty however when they were able to

get away with more and more crimes without attracting attention to themselves until they were selling

drugs and even committing murder. This displays the negative effects of seemingly positive stereotypes

on the stereotyped group. Because they did things outside their stereotype but were uncharted because

of their identity, they begin to feel invincible due to the shield of their stereotype until eventually they

committed a crime they could not handle. This shows that the stereotype of group should not be widely

applied to all individuals so much so that the reality of their actions is dismissed in favor of the

stereotyped image.

This collection of films display the issues of stereotyping cultures in society. Whether the issues

come from the misunderstanding of objects, practices, backgrounds, or behaviors, the interactions

between cultures created the plots for each film. Moreover, each film resolved in a way that displays

how we as global citizens should treat people who we have stereotyped by coming to understand them

and their culture as well as ourselves and our own. Grounded in understanding, interest for other

cultures, and respect for others as much as ourselves, we can navigate societal stereotypes. The films

show us that it may not be possible to cross into another culture completely, but it is possible to set

aside stereotypes in order to live with and understand another person and this may lead to discoveries

about the self.