The story feeds into all the colonial hysteria about black hyper-sexuality. This imagery has a long history and is difficult to shift.
It was so pervasive and prevalent even in the 17th century that Shakespeare could write Othello knowing that his audience would understand the Moor stereotype. As Kristin Johnsen-Neshati, Associate Professor of Theatre at George Mason University notes in her writing on the subject: "Moors were commonly stereotyped as sexually overactive, prone to jealousy and generally wicked. The public associated 'blackness' with moral corruption, citing examples from Christian theology to support the view that whiteness was the sign of purity, just as blackness indicated sin."
It is so pervasive that after fronting a pop psychology TV series a decade ago as a psychiatrist I was offered a 20 part series on sex.
The story also touches the raw nerve of the Darwin-based association between black men and apes. Though the monkey noises and the discussion about whether Africans are the missing link between apes and humans may be out of the classroom, it still has to be endured by black footballers when they travel to away games.
Peter Jackson used the same hackneyed stereotypes for the Lord of the Rings triology. The most fearsome baddies were big black and just a bit too Maori looking, the good guys - well white.
So when King Kong unfolded and the 1930s New York crowd scenes were almost devoid of black faces, rather than the 15 per cent you would have expected, and when the first black actors had small non-speaking parts - dancers and the only major black character was the strong caring second officer to the ship's captain - the good and dutiful slave stereotype - I was squirming in my seat. If I had not been at a premier with my transfixed son I would have been out of the door soon after the wide eyed, homicidal, half dressed, blacker than black natives of Skull Island started cavorting one hour in.
I was lucky that my paternal instinct to stay and explain this to my son at the end got the better of me, because the next two hours were fabulous.
Though it was always impossible for the film not to endorse the black male stereotype, and one has to ask why Jackson so wanted to make King Kong as opposed to anything else, his attempt to shelve the lust angle and portray the relationship between Kong and Darrow (played by Naomi Watts) as owner and favourite pet - in that order - worked. The cinematography was excellent and my worst fears were not realised.
But I could not help but feel that if Jackson had put as much thought into the rest of the racial imagery as he did into the relationship between Kong and Darrow this could have gone down as a much less offensive film. As it is it leaves a bitter sweet taste in my mouth and a complex discussion on negative stereotypes that I have had to have with my son.
It left me thinking, that if censors look at violence, sex, and sexual violence when giving a certificate why do they not look at negative racial stereotypes?
Dr McKenzie is a societal psychiatrist, specialist in causes of mental illness, racism and social capital
E-mail your comments on this article using the form below:
McKenzie is simply taking films seriously as carriers of ideas and asking readers to walk that proverbial mile in the shoes of a black viewer. Something very few respondents are willing to do, apparently. It is obvious to anyone familiar with the late 19th and early 20th century that the most popular stereotype of black men was that of an ape or gorilla. Blacks were considered to be the lowest form of human, just above apes, on the Great Chain of Being, and it justified their second-class social and political status. It occurs over and over in articles, books, speeches, films. Combine that with the vigilante death sentences meted out to black men accused (almost always unjustly) for raping (in other words, looking at) a white woman, and it is not a stretch at all to see Kong as a symbol of America's tangled racial and sexual attitudes. Kong may be sympathetic, but law and order prevail in the end. I don't think it takes a lot of imagination to put yourself in the place of a black man in order to get the message of the 1933 film loud and clear: miscegenation just can't happen. Pass the popcorn, take the ride, but don't underestimate the power of a film's ideas and imagery. Benjamin Cawthra, St Louis, Missouri
I'm a huge fan of the original 1933 King Kong, and to my mind, the Skull Island natives in the seminal film were portrayed with respect and dignity within the context of the storyline and the era in which it was conceived. After all, there really were tribal peoples of that sort in Africa and other exotic, far off places; some were even cannibals for heaven's sake, and some still are. These Hollywood natives were not the invention of white filmmakers for the purpose of insulting the black race. The natives were actually portrayed quite heroically in a couple of scenes in fact. I wondered if Peter Jackson would depict them as an imaginary race of green primitives so as not to offend anyone's sensibilities in this politically correct age. I now see that he decided to go the controversial route. Timothy Johnson, Queens, NY
There are of course gorillas that are not black, like the famous Snowflake. Martin Schouten, London
It is not Peter Jackson's job, nor any other artist's job, to make sure black people feel included and special in their every project. The Lord of the Rings trilogy showed that a whites-only movie, geared toward a white audience, can succeed at the box office. The truth is, most white people could not care less about how black people feel about movies we make. Karl Dotterweich, Baltimore
I think Kwame should listen to some black rap music and explain how come the lyrics speak in a language that suggests women should be available to men (black men) as and when these black men like. If any culture today reflects black hyper-sexuality, it is the culture of young black men. Analyse this before making major assumptions about a movie that is meant to be just entertainment. Dermott Renner, Auckland, New Zealand
Wallace's King Kong was a direct rip-off of Conan Doyle's Lost world: Not a study of man's inhumanity to man or the racial superiority of aryans, but a rather spiffing yarn about a giant monster. You need to switch your brain off when watching this sort of thing: If you can't, I'd avoid watching "Moby Dick", about a great white whale - you may implode from imagined subtext. Dave Lewthwaite, Wellington, New Zealand
Funny, I thought King Kong was supposed to be based on the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast. Well, at least Kwame can watch the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe this Christmas because the villain in that is most definitely white. Of course, she also happens to be a woman but then that is another issue. Mark Daly, Worthing, Sussex
Kwame, if beauty is in the eye of the beholder, well so is racism sometimes. To look for it in a kids' movie about a big scary gorilla is sad. I think it says more about you than it does about the film. And your comments invite others to see it racially, when it may never have occured to them to look at it that way. Peace brother. Colin Nicholas, Vernon, British Columbia
What a load of PC twaddle, it should be remembered that it was JRR Tolkien who wrote the books, not Peter Jackson, and it is from them that the charachters were cast. The books were written at the time of the Second World War, and it is that which the storyline reflects, followed by the Cold War, where we saw the West as being the goodies, and the East the baddies. I can't see any reason to make out that it is in anyway racist. Barry Davies, Stafford, Staffs
The racist colonial discourse embedded in King Kong is not new. What is new is the aggressive revival of these "classic" narratives by Hollywood. I am waiting for a Jackson adaptation of Tarzan next. However much I enjoy LOTR, the racist and colonial discourse is hard to overlook. Forget the Orcs, remember the "evil" men in Episode Two dressed in turbans, kajal and faces covered in styles reminescent of Afghan/Arab stereotypes. S. Singh, London
A possible reason why there were so few black people in the New York scene was because it was filmed in NZ, which, like Australia has a dearth of people of African heritage (despite large communities from almost every other race). In many movies filmed in Australia and NZ, Pacific Island extras are often used to ramp up a "black" presence (cf, Matrix, Star Wars). However, I'm not sure how big the New York Maori community would have been in the 1930s. That aside, this sort of critique is the type of oversensitivity that makes people feel bad about reading Noddy and Bigears and singing Christmas carols. Sure, both King Kong and Lord of the Rings are decades old stories that were probably written without the sensitivities of non-European communities in mind. But in and of themselves there's more universal good than harm. In a country like Australia, talkback radio has far more to answer for when it comes to reinforcing racial prejudices than any Peter Jackson movie. Sam H, Sydney, New South Wales
Poor kid, having his fun afternoon at the cinema rounded off with “a complex discussion on negative stereotypes”. Milly Price, Cambridge
The truth is a bit closer to home. You need not see Kong or Lord of The Rings to manufacture negative black stereotypes. Just watch television - black people portray themselves in the worst possible light. They portray themselves as gangsters, criminals, prostitutes and thieves. Yes, current black pop culture icons, who will influence your son more than Kong, do the worst for the way black people are perceived. I am African, and I must tell you you are chasing the wrong train - black people are responsible for almost all negative sterotyping. I intend to enjoy the film, and I know I will. Inpo Yo, Dallas, Texas
I cannot say I completely disagree with Dr McKenzie's assertion about the races as portrayed in the Lord of the Rings. Unfortunately, this is a product of both the time and place when the actual story was written. Tolkien does describe the human enemies of the South and East as "swarthy", etc. I wouldn't blame Jackson for being true to the story. Patrick McGuigan, Philadelphia
I do not agree that the film (and its impact) is solely “mindless entertainment”, whether meant to be or not, and the assertion that Kwame Mackenzie is “amazingly racially hypersensitive” is just plain wrong. I would argue that filmic representation of any ethnic minority or majority still has a lot to learn, and, although the film might not be described as a full-on racist text within the current global culture, Kwame Mackenzie's points will undoubtedly be vindicated in the future. Andy Stinchcomb, Birkenhead
The author's point regarding Jackson's depiction of the “bad guys” in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is indeed true. Doesn’t it seem odd that the races of Middle Earth generally considered to be “good” were all white skinned, and often blonde, while the “traitors of men” – the evil men - were tanned and dressed in Arab-style clothes? Just because Tolkien's novels were masterpieces and Jackson's films were indeed excellent, this does not negate the fact that there are overtly racist elements to the movies. Eve Cassidy, Leeds
Any comments, Kwame, on all these well thought out replies? I agree that you are being hypersensitive and seeing things others just don't see. I understand why black men are hypersensitive, because they have to put up with so much discrimination and sterotyping. Not many people understand this as they haven't been through it, and more than berating this film you should try to make people understand the reasons for your sensitivities. Sachin Mandalia, Auckland, New Zealand
According to US census records, the population of New York City was about 6,900,000 in 1930. According to the New York City records, by 1930, the black population of New York Ciy had had risen to about 300,000 (having almost tripled in the several decades before then).
So 300,000 is what percent of 6,900,000? According to the author, it's 15 per cent. However, according to basic arithmetic, it's closer to 4 per cent. Then again, maybe my arithmetic is racist too. Jerry Sussman, Washington, DC
I have read Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings and did not find it offensive. The movie is one of the best adaptations I've ever seen and Peter Jackson was true to the story. As a black woman, I think as a group we rely too much on whites to portray us positively and accurately on-screen. Most of the movies I watch by black directors, and/or with headlining black actors show mainly negative stereotypes of blacks. The characters range from sociopathic gang-members and pugnacious black women to the wise-cracking black side-kick for comic relief. We cannot choose to portray ourselves negatively, cashing in on Hollywood's preference for such characters, while at the same time complaining that white directors and scriptwriters constantly paint us in bad light. Adegoke Kemi, London
It is this type of hypersensitive over-analysis that makes me wonder how we can possibly live in a harmonious multicultural society. A child watching King Kong would see a film about a giant gorilla; it’s only an adult’s prejudice that sees anything different. Eric Blair, London
The mere use of "men" to refer to white people and, rather racially suggestive in itself, the lack of this term when referring to black people even in the comments below just shows that there are some people who still remain ignorant of racial stereotypes rampant throughout today's society. This film is like no other - black will be used to symbolise all that is evil, and white will symbolise the good. This stereotype has been ingrained throughout literature, films, throughout most of our culture that is considered normal by a large part of our society. Slavery was considered "normal", until a few people spoke out, and slowly raised awareness of the fact that it was wrong. Therefore, I commend McKenzie in raising our awareness of this racial issue prevalent in most of our media, and hope in the future it will be addressed on a grander scale. Nicola Siu, London
Kwame, I am asolutely appalled by your suggestion of racist undertones in this movie. If you can draw racist implications from this film then I would pretty much imagine you must be offended by every film, book and play ever written, as I’m sure any overly PC halfwit could derive tenuous racist content from anything. Please silence your ramblings before you influence any other weak-minded souls. Paul Harris, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts
Kwame, surely Hollywood is all about stereotypes, be they Italian mobsters, English toffs, the wild but decent Scots of Braveheart or any other of a million and one different examples. That is the nature of the beast, and is well understood by 99 per cent of all viewers. Your piece is surely a case of chasing racial shadows. Black African society does undeniably hold a certain sexual curiosity for the rest of the world, and I fail to see why this should be regarded as a total negative - it is simply an oversimplification, like all the other stereotypes. And by the way, since when are Maoris black? Perhaps they should be told. In general, I don't see what anyone has to gain by seeking special victim status for themselves and their ethnic group - on the contrary, it sets off all sorts of alarm bells. Glad you liked the rest of the film. Peter Dickinson, Kiev, Ukraine
I think it's not easy for white people to be sensitive to the feelings of people of African descent when those people see themselves depicted in negative ways. Obviously, there is a racist element to the King Kong story. I think that it's a duty of white people to put some effort into these issues and not just as activists. Ordinary people learn to drive and to fill in tax forms and all the rest. Ordinary people can also learn to be considerate of their black neighbour. It's not easy, but it's very much worth the effort. Let's create harmony. We'll all benefit from that. Geoffrey King, Amsterdam
I think it's a mistake to blame Jackson for the Lord of the Rings; if anyone's going to be attacked as racist it's Tolkien, and he has been. Tolkien wrote from a background of northern European myths, both in terms of what non-human evil beings looked like and in terms of the fear of the strange and threatening human peoples to the east and south. Doesn't every TV psychologist get asked to do a series on sex? Sex, and the psychology of sex, is such a complete obsession of our era and our television producers in particular that it seems a little hyper-sensitive to assume that the author was asked because he happened to be black. Robert Elliot, Twickenham, Middx
I not sure wheather you are saying that King Kong represents a black man, or that people are racist if they compare black men and gorillas. People are stereotyped all the time, but I think in this case you have been a bit over sensitive. It only adds fuel to the fire to go around accusing people of being a racist without ever having actually talked to them. Just because you think it, does not make it true. Richard Hayes, Manchester
When I see a gorilla all I see is a gorilla, not a black man. The association of black men with apes is racist, not "Darwin-based". Darwin associated all races of men with apes through a common ancestor and genome sequencing establishes this as a fact. Adam Carpenter, London
Kwame McKenzie wrote a decent heartfelt essay, I hope black youngsters will get some understanding of this kind of programming. As for the white readers, judging from the first replies, with their fashionable reverse accusations, denials and pretences at being colour blind, it looks like it was a waste of time addressing them, since white folks are already fully aware, albeit subconciously, of how this kind of racial mind f**king works, and enjoy the fruits of it. I plan to see Kong, but I am not going to deny the damage of its film legacy, because, unlike them, I cannot afford to ignore it. Corbin Shelley, Detroit, Michegan
The Age of Discovery was one of lighter skinned European encountering darker skinned people perceived to be less civilized. Kong is not stereotyping but portraying a "late" episode of discovery. Clifford Walters, London
I would say that Lord of the Rings, being the epitome of imagination and creativity both in the book and the film, is neither about black nor white people. Its a story of a fight between good and evil, in which fortunately the good wins in the end. Its a gift to us from Tolkien and P. Jackson for all to enjoy. J. Sanjay, Doncaster
I strongly commend Kwame McKenzie's points about King Kong and have chosen not to see the film myself because of the reproduction of out-moded racist stereotypes (and I speak as a white, working class woman). For Jackson to recreate the film without addressing the racism of the time of the original is, frankly, unforgivable. Yes, white people (particularly women) are stereotyped all the time, but I don't understand how that means we should ignore damaging and incredibly negative stereotyping of ethnic minorities, of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender and so forth. This film portrays native islanders as primitives and savages - a popular stereotype which fuelled colonialism and slavery for centuries. Maybe this is why the developing nations campaigning outside the WTO talks for free trade and culturally specific development cannot get a fair hearing. Between economic self-interest (fuelled by myth) and racist stereotyping I think the answer is self-evident. Louise Livesey, London
I don't see this story in terms of men, white, black, or otherwise. I see it more in terms of an animal cruelly treated, in the uncaring destruction of the natural world around us. Sarah Marquis, London
Bunkum. Geoff Harrison, Milnthorpe, Cumbria
If there was ever ridiculous over-analysis, this is it. It's a film, a fantasy film at that. Relax, take a chill pill, eat your popcorn, enjoy the effects and stop taking everything so seriously. Steve McBain, Singapore
King Kong's racist subtext has been explicated so thoroughly over the years, it has become a cinematic cliche. In fact, a close reading of most Western cinema would reveal notions of racial hierarchy lurking just beneath the surface. Unexamined they will persist. But, damn ... King Kong is one hell of a ride. Salim Muwakkil, Chicago
Kwame McKenzie most certainly did see racism in King Kong, but what he saw came from within his own mind and not from the film. It is this personal racism “colouring” his world which allows him to see such images in the film, and I suppose in the world. There would have been no way to make that film, or any other involving diverse groups, that would have satisfied his bigotry. There is enough real prejudice in this world without such nonsense. Clany Soileau, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Next you'll be telling me that it's black and it's a monkey, therefore all white people think that blacks are monkeys. Now maybe in Dixie they think that way, but I always thought that (a) the “villain” in the movie was a gorilla, and (b) all gorillas are black. I don't think that the gorilla was chosen as the villain because of its colour. And you might want to consider who the real villains in the movie are. They are the people who chased and abducted the gorilla, and chained it against its will. If you want to look for metaphors then you could see a damning commentary about white slavery practices, rather than a “look at the bad black guy” metaphor. Seeing only that view only highlights your own susceptibility to seeing things in a predetermined manner. To me, the current stereotyping of black males comes from a never-ending stream of hip-hop videos which glorify violence, guns, drugs and a particular portrayal of women, combined with the shameless apeing (pun intended) of the hip-hop image by some high-profile black sports stars/celebrities. Richard Ashworth, Pinehaven, New Zealand
I'm sure many people will be saying “It’s just a movie” in response to this article, but the author points out that even "just movies" have been reinforcing racial stereotypes for decades and Jackson is equally guilty of this Hollywood cliche as all the other cliches in Kong. If people don’t see the racism or racist stereotyping in a movie, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. When someone points it out, don’t accuse them of being overly sensitive. Sit back, think about what was said and thank them for enlightening you. Seth Richardson, London
Not many people “like” to be aware of negative stereotypes, but in my opinion, McKenzie offers some good points on the complexity of Peter Jackson's choices. Though I do not believe Jackson's intentions to be racist or cruel, the original Kong's characters, and hence the new one's, continue to feed pop-culture stereotypes. Even the background characters will factor into our understanding of the “island native”. Viewers these days seem very aware of the negative impact of the racial stereotypes in older movies, claiming “we aren't like that now”, but I would argue that most white viewers in the 1930s were not aware of the harm at that time. These days, the visual clues are more subliminal to the white viewer, or modified slightly from the old standards, but McKenzie is right - the lead heroes in blockbuster Hollywood action films still tend to be white males, supported by distinct minorities: black male, asian male, or white female. When was the last time before Hotel Rwanda that a major motion picture came from African stories or literature? I don't think the Lion King counts, nor does the recent Sahara (another white-male led action adventure). I applaud McKenzie - instead of sitting back and just eating popcorn, he had a discussion with his son. Joanne Crofts, Buffalo, NY
As far as I could tell all the Orcs in the Lord of the Rings were not black they were Cockney. Stephen Henderson, Brixton, London
There are plenty of excuses for including negative stereotypes in films - it could simply be secondary to plot development, it could be truer to the original, it may even be funny - but these just don't ring true for me. Wouldn't it be a greater achievement to tell this story without resorting to stereotypes? It would be more difficult, certainly. But saying we should ignore the issue is like telling someone to "just relax and laugh" at an off-color joke. Constructive, thoughtful criticism is important for making things better, even the movies. Kate Tribble, USA
I seem to recall that the evil wizard in LOTR was white. In fact every maniac and bad guy was white. So your attempt to portray Peter Jackson as a racist is unfounded. You are the racist for seeing the orcs as black people. Something that had not occurred to me. Besides, there is no rule that says someone must have a certain amount of blacks in a movie. The value of a movie is the storyline and acting not how many people of a certain race are in the film. You are amazingly racially hypersensitive. Tom Frost, San Antonio, Texas
I lecture on film and in the spring of 2004 developed a talk on race relations in mainstream American films. I expected to find in looking at films, from Birth of a Nation until the present, that we had "come a long way baby" and I was dismayed (in watching significant films on race over a century) to find that stereotypes of African Americans (especially men) draw on the same vocabulary of types now that they did nearly a century ago. In writing the lecture, I discovered and relied heavily on Donald Bogle's book, Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies and Bucks. I have not yet seen the re-re-make of King Kong but the same reaction (both noting the hypersexuality of Kong a a black male and the slight amelioration of the stereotype in his relationship with Ann Darrow) as that of Kwame McKenzie came into my mind in seeing just a few images of the film - and I am white middle-aged, middle class woman, not a black man. I am so saddened that we are still collectively playing out our racism by sexualizing (or in the case of Asian men desexualizing) the "other". Adrienne Redd, Jenkintown, Philadelphia
I understand the sensitivity you feel towards the film. If the whole film centred around the natives of Skull Island, and they were constantly having sex, I could sympathize. But they're just a back-drop, they are setting the stage for the appearance of Kong. Frankly, most audiences will not remember the natives once the film is over, unless they are predisposed to be looking for something to be offended by. How many white people got in an uproar over the title White Men Can't Jump? Whites are constantly stereotyped, but it appears they are not as sensitive as blacks. As for Peter Jackson, he's not to blame for British soccer fans. And you should remember, only some of the bad guys in The Lord of the Rings movies could be considered Maori-looking (which is something that hadn't occurred to me until you pointed it out). They are just Orcs. There are many things one can choose to get upset about. Why waste your time? Brant Williams, Missoula, Montana
I agree that some of the recent crowd behaviour towards black footballers is appalling and cannot be condoned. Linking this behaviour to King Kong and The Lord of the Rings is ridiculous. Peter Jackson appears to be motivated by making films that are true to the original source material. Whether that be a classic book (LOTR) or a classic film (King Kong). Why do we need to read anything more sinister than that into it? You could just as easily turn the theory around: Jackson presenting a stereotypical view of the violent, exploitative white man who captures Kong for material gain and then kills him when it goes wrong, while encouraging the audience to sympathise with Kong, a noble creature who puts his life on the line to defend his friend against a couple of dinosaurs. Personally, I choose not to take either view but look forward to enjoying what sounds like one of the better movies of the year. Simon Carter, London
Kwame, Many thanks for your insight into the racial imagery which we are going to be subjected to when we go to see a big gorilla rampage across New York city. As much as I respect your comments, I cannot help but feel that by publishing this you have made certain that people will see things which otherwise would not exist for the average cinema-goer. The days when white men put on boot polish to imitate blacks are long gone. The majority of people do not think like that anymore and fewer would even consider it if it was not pointed out to us. I for one am looking forward to going to see this movie, not because I am thinking of “black sexuality”, but rather because I am looking foward to not thinking for three hours and eating popcorn at a high rate of knots. The same as most cinema-goers, regardless of colour. Lari Meyer, London
Do you think sexuality is still related to sin? If black people were more sexual, does it annoy you? Does it really annoy black people? Strengthening taboos only leads us to pain and confusion. Luis Ferrer, Córdoba, Argentina
Peter Jackson chose King Kong because he has always been captivated by the story since he was a kid - that's what he said. Jackson's movie is about a giant ape; it is you who is choosing to see racial undertones there, in my opinion. And the heroes in Lord of the Rings were white because they were so in the Tolkien books. I don't know how you took the orcs, cave trolls, etc, to symbolise blacks, rather than just plain evil. Name withheld, New Jersey
The reason that the orcs were "big, black and just a bit too Maori looking" happens to be because the actors playing them were, in fact Maori. Kwame McKenzie is attempting to raise the race issue in order to publicise himself. I know many black men and boys who went to see King Kong and who will see it as the harmless, and mindless, entertainment that it is meant to be. Jonathan Knight, London
Send your comments on this article using the form below, and they will be considered for publication. It may be necessary to edit your contribution. Wherever possible we would like you to include your name and town of residence. Priority will be given to e-mails providing these details.
