Running head: REEL BAD ARABS 1

Reel Bad Arabs

Student’s Name

University
REEL BAD ARABS 2

The entertainment industry existed in the United States since the 20th century, when the

first commercial film projector was designed. Since then, the industry has been through

challenges from diverse countries internationally concerning some of its contents. The

documentary by Jack Shaheen is a criticism of how Hollywood paints a negative image of Arabs.

In the beginning, he gives his opinion on the degree to which Arabs face manipulation and

slander in the Hollywood entertainment sector. These views are based on thousands of videos

produced in the past and the present. Different views from Western civilization are a

confirmation that Arab’s humanity is under attack. These claims are supported by clips from the

films Shaheen describes. The Disney motion picture, Aladdin, produced a dangerous description

of the Arab community, which is wrong and might corrupt teenagers' minds with the infected

notions about Arabs. Arab community and people who watch these images from American films

wonder the degree of hatred towards their culture and nations.

This distortion is also extended to the Arab women, where the kind of descriptions they

are given fails to paint their real picture. Arab women in various films are either faceless or

belly-dancers, with current claims viewing them as a terrorist. These women should be treated

with dignity and respect as other women in the world. Politics and Hollywood have a major role

in promoting a negative image of Arabs. The longtime head of the Motion Picture Association of

America is a real example of a relation between American politics and Hollywood. Out of the

1000 films containing Muslim and Arab characters, only twelve had a positive portrayal, 52 were

neutral descriptions, and 936 were harmful. Hopes are high that the new generation of

filmmakers will see things differently and end the negative description of Arabs.