Is Jackie Chan Hollywood's Asian version of the "magical negro?"

[Good Will Riker]

The magical negro is typically but not always "in some way outwardly or inwardly disabled, either by discrimination, disability or social constraint," often a janitor or prisoner.[4] He has no past; he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist.[5] He sometimes fits the black stereotype, "prone to criminality and laziness."[6] To counterbalance this, he has some sort of magical power, "rather vaguely defined but not the sort of thing one typically encounters."[5] He is patient and wise, often dispensing various words of wisdom, and is "closer to the earth."[2]

The magical negro serves as a plot device to help the protagonist get out of trouble, typically through helping the white character recognize his own faults and overcome them.[2] Although he has magical powers, his "magic is ostensibly directed toward helping and enlightening a white male character."[4] It is this feature of the magical negro that some people find most troubling. Although from a certain perspective the character may seem to be showing African-Americans in a positive light, he is still ultimately subordinate to European-Americans. He is also regarded as an exception, allowing white America to "like individual black people but not black culture."[7]

To save the white protagonist, however, he would do anything, including sacrificing himself, as Sidney Poitier portrays in The Defiant Ones, the prototypical magical Negro movie.[2] Note that Poitier's character is also saved by the white protagonist, as the two help each other throughout the film.

link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_negro


In Around the World in 80 Days, for example, Jackie Chan did all the fights, stunts, and all the work than the top-billed bumbling, Brit comedian in the film!

In The Tuxedo, some English guy was supposed to be the secret agent, yet Jackie Chan "the subserviant Kate-like limo driver" does all the death-defying action in that movie!

Plus, characters like Han (Sung Kang) who teaches that white southern teenager (Lucas Black) how to "drift" in The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, as well as Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) teaching Daniel Larusso how to do all of that "Wax on...wax off..." style of karate in The Karate Kid Parts I, II, III (Part IV with Hilary Swank) is a good proof of this.

The classic example of this is of course Bruce Lee as "Kato the limo driver/manservant" in "The Green Hornet."

And, when I saw Eagle Eye this weekend, and saw that the only Asian American actors/extras in the film "again" played Japanese tourists taking photographs with the faux-Japanese accent...I thought to myself "Steven Spielberg approved of this scene in this script? How would he like it if it was a bus full of kikes wearing yamikas! It's the year 2008 for crying out loud?"

 

[zenophite]

this is what happens when humans are not concerned about basic survival concerns...

Seriously though...look I am the first one to say that Asians as a group (meaning both East Asians and Indian/Pakistanis etc) are extremely underrepresented in American tv and film compared to Blacks - and I'm not Aisan btw.

But come on..."magical negro"?

 

[Samurai8472]

I've been thinking recently that there also aren't that many asian actors who have celebrity power like George Clooney. They're either B/C level actors(Lucy Liu, Ming na , John Cho, Jackie Chan and Chow Yun fat). Also I'm cantonese

 

[Aragorn]

^ Well if one studio exec has his way, all Middle Eastern terrorists will be replaced in movies with Filipino terrorists!

I think the only Asians who headline American movies are Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Chow-Yun Fat, and the latter hasn't really had a lead role in an American film in a while. And none of them are ever the sole draw. They're usually paired up with someone (Jason Statham, Owen Wilson, Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Love Hewitt, etc.).

The last time an Asian had top and solo billing and the movie was a hit was... Brandon Lee?

Looks wise, Russell Wong should be a big star and magazine coverboy instead of starring in straight-to-video flicks.

 

[zenophite]

The last time an Asian had top and solo billing and the movie was a hit was... Brandon Lee?

And he was only half Chinese!

Looks wise, Russell Wong should be a big star and magazine coverboy instead of starring in straight-to-video flicks.

At this point almost anything would be preferable to the status quo. The only minority that always seems the major focus of placation are blacks - everyone else still gets the stereotype treatment when they are featured at all.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

And, when I saw Eagle Eye this weekend, and saw that the only Asian American actors/extras in the film "again" played Japanese tourists taking photographs with the faux-Japanese accent...I thought to myself "Steven Spielberg approved of this scene in this script? How would he like it if it was a bus full of kikes wearing yamikas! It's the year 2008 for crying out loud?"

Yeah, ya hear that kikes? Bigotry is wrong! But only when it's vague stereotyping of Asians in magical negro-like roles, not when you come right out and call Jews "kikes" for no good reason. By the way, it's a yarmulke. You would know that if you branched out from church and started stalking women at synagogues.

What the fuck does a stereotypical depiction of Asian tourists have to do with the magical negro premise of your topic anyway? Oh right, nothing. That was just the real thing you wanted to flip out about after seeing 'Eagle Eye' (which from what I've heard is crap anyway, so I'm sure you won't have to tolerate this horrible racism much longer) but you needed something more substantial to rant about and to justify your own bigoted speech, so you tacked on the magical negro thing at the last minute.

Spielberg executive produced the thing from an idea of his, and from what I've gathered it was more about using him for name recognition than anything else, because the final product bore little relation to his original idea and he was only marginally involved.

You're the only bigot here. Take care of your own problems before you start looking for exaggerated examples elsewhere.

 

[Bad Bishop]

And, when I saw Eagle Eye this weekend, and saw that the only Asian American actors/extras in the film "again" played Japanese tourists taking photographs with the faux-Japanese accent...I thought to myself "Steven Spielberg approved of this scene in this script? How would he like it if it was a bus full of kikes wearing yamikas! It's the year 2008 for crying out loud?"

What the fuck does a stereotypical depiction of Asian tourists have to do with the magical negro premise of your topic anyway? Oh right, nothing.

... You're the only bigot here. Take care of your own problems before you start looking for exaggerated examples elsewhere.

Good Will Riker is a highly excitable, self-appointed crusader who finds racists behind every corner. Last year, GWR accused me (and Samuel T. Cogley, a beaker full of death and Femurbone) of bigotry during a discussion of Jessica Alba's casting as Sue Storm. I guess we didn't see things Good Will Riker's way.

 

[Good Will Riker]

I've been thinking recently that there also aren't that many asian actors who have celebrity power like George Clooney. They're either B/C level actors(Lucy Liu, Ming na , John Cho, Jackie Chan and Chow Yun fat). Also I'm cantonese

Which reminds me...

How over-rated is George Clooney in Hollywood, anyways? I mean, he is not a big box-office superstar like Will Smith, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bruce Willis, and Nicolas Cage, yet the media (TV, magazines, the web, etc.) is all over him? If the public loves him so much as a big Hollywood superstar, then how come most of Clooney's films make under $60 million at the domestic box-office?

I watched Burn After Reading 2 weeks ago, and I could not imagine how Clooney could stay on top with these films that few people watch when they are in theatres, and only endup Netflixing or renting from the Blockbuster overstock new release bin a few months later? Titles like One Fine Day, The Peacemaker, Out of Sight, Solaris, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, The Good German, Michael Clayton, and Leatherheads should be proof of this.

Gimme a break...his career should have remained in television after Batman & Robin tanked, but he and actors like Colin Farrell continue to headline films by being propped up by the Hollywood hype-machine. These guys could have 10 bombs or disappointments in a row, and still be considered major movie stars. Adrian Paul (a classically trained actor with extensive theatre training) wishes he had a career like theirs.

 

[JonathonWally]

I've been thinking recently that there also aren't that many asian actors who have celebrity power like George Clooney. They're either B/C level actors(Lucy Liu, Ming na , John Cho, Jackie Chan and Chow Yun fat). Also I'm cantonese

Which reminds me...

How over-rated is George Clooney in Hollywood, anyways? I mean, he is not a big box-office superstar like Will Smith, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bruce Willis, and Nicolas Cage, yet the media (TV, magazines, the web, etc.) is all over him? If the public loves him so much as a big Hollywood superstar, then how come most of Clooney's films make under $60 million at the domestic box-office?

I watched Burn After Reading 2 weeks ago, and I could not imagine how Clooney could stay on top with these films that few people watch when they are in theatres, and only endup Netflixing or renting from the Blockbuster overstock new release bin a few months later?

Gimme a break...his career should have tanked after Batman & Robin tanked, but he and actors like Colin Farrell continue to headline films by being propped up by the Hollywood hype-machine. These guys could have 10 duds in a row, and still be considered major movie stars. Adrian Paul wishes he had a career like theirs.

It helps that Clooney is a really good actor.

 

[Good Will Riker]

^^^

Clooney gets praise for his charm and likability, but people would laugh their asses off if they saw him in a period piece like the role John Malkovich played in Dangerous Liasons.

 

[JonathonWally]

^^^

Clooney gets praise for his charm and likability, but people would laugh their asses off if they saw him in a period piece like the role John Malkovich played in Dangerous Liasons.

Really? because I thought he was really excellent in Oh Brother Where Art Thou.


That's also borderline racist to say. Comparing Clooney to Malkovich. They don't take the same kind of roles. Are you saying that because you just think all white people look the same?

 

[Good Will Riker]

^^^


Really? because I thought he was really excellent in Oh Brother Where Art Thou..

I'll give him that one.

But, I credit the Coen Brothers' creativity and direction more than the actors' performances.

That's also borderline racist to say. Comparing Clooney to Malkovich. They don't take the same kind of roles. Are you saying that because you just think all white people look the same?

I had a chance to compare the 2 a few days ago in Burn After Reading, and all I have to say is that Malkovich smoked everyone else in that film!

 

[ancient]

Clooney is likeable and talented, which makes him one of the people in Hollywood deserving of some success.

In Around the World in 80 Days, for example, Jackie Chan did all the fights, stunts, and all the work than the top-billed bumbling, Brit comedian in the film!

Um, that is an extremely common comedy device used in Hollywood. The bumbling star and his superior sidekick. It is a classic comedian/straight-man routine. Where have you been since forever?

For example: Johnny English. Did Johnny's straight-man assistant get top billing there? Of course not! That would be stupid.

 

[Small White Car]

The "Magical Negro" is very real, but I see no connection between that phenomenon and Jackie Chan's films.

 

[ancient]

Oh yeah, and I have to say, the only thing I remember about that movie was that Jakie Chan was in it. And that it was a comedy, which is why I didn't watch it. Anyway, Jackie was the only attraction for me, and his more rescent movies haven't been that great. I could've sworn he was the star of Tuxedo, plain and simple. Jackie Chan is an action hero, he's like Chuck Norris, he's not some mystic or anything.

The "Magical Negro" is very real, but I see no connection between that phenomenon and Jackie Chan's films.

There isn't one. That's just a inflammitory analogy thrown in to make this thread last several posts.

 

[zenophite]

I honestly had never heard of this "magical negro" thing before. A quick lookup at wikipedia makes me wonder what all the fuss is about and if this concept is simply not just much ado about nothing... So let me get this straight - the complaint is that a black character exists that comes alone with knowledge and or power to help out "the white guy" see the error of his ways and this is somehow portraying blacks in a negative light?

I at once thought to myself:
Does this mean that Morgan Freeman's portrayal of God counts as a "magical negro"? I was rather amused to find that this is indeed listed on wikipedia as an example!

On the whole it seems very much subject to interpretation according to one's preconceived notions or the lens trhough which they see the world.

Morgan Freeman's god is a "magical negro" but George Burns' isn't for example.

 

[Good Will Riker]

I honestly had never heard of this "magical negro" thing before. A quick lookup at wikipedia makes me wonder what all the fuss is about and if this concept is simply not just much ado about nothing... So let me get this straight - the complaint is that a black character exists that comes alone with knowledge and or power to help out "the white guy" see the error of his ways and this is somehow portraying blacks in a negative light?

Why not just make the black man the main character?

Problem solved.

 

[Sephiroth]

If Jackie would sever his ties with disney, and put put more effort in the american market he could easily rise to "A-List" (but honestly, he does really well in buddy movies, they seem to suit him, he has a real flair for comedy)

 

[Good Will Riker]

If Jackie would sever his ties with disney, and put put more effort in the american market he could easily rise to "A-List" (but honestly, he does really well in buddy movies, they seem to suit him, he has a real flair for comedy)

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark when Chris Tucker receives $5 million more than Jackie per Rush Hour sequel, and Owen Wilson only receives $1 million less than Jackie when Chan does all the work, while they are just standing there blabbing away (in the case of Wilson...just acting like some, whiny-pansy!).

 

[JonathonWally]

If Jackie would sever his ties with disney, and put put more effort in the american market he could easily rise to "A-List" (but honestly, he does really well in buddy movies, they seem to suit him, he has a real flair for comedy)

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark when Chris Tucker receives $5 million more than Jackie per Rush Hour sequel, and Owen Wilson only receives $1 million less than Jackie when Chan does all the work, while they are just standing there blabbing away (in the case of Wilson...just acting like some, whiny-pansy!).

Ya, it says Jackie needs a better agent.