| Summary: | This research builds upon the work of Entman & Rojecki (2001) in examining the ways the most influential movies use racial stereotypes in media frames. The results of this study contribute to the rather limited mass media research and body of knowledge regarding the media content that attracts the largest and most enduring audiences in the new media landscape. As ten of the films that have generated the most revenue, the movies in this sample constitute a genre of movies that are also a prime feature of on-going publishing, cable, internet, digital gaming, DVD, and movie sequel franchises.
If, as Entman & Rojecki contend, movie studios invest more resources into marketing and distributing films that adhere to a formula of using racial stereotypes, then the findings of this research documents the content of the formula. The sampled movie content is distinct from that found in the traditional literature on stereotypes because it captures not only derogatory themes, words, images, and actions of non-dominant racial groups, but also laudatory themes, words, images, and actions of both dominant and non-dominant racial groups. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, is the scrutiny of the relationships among these groups that is necessary to beginning to understand the relationship between movie stereotypes and historical ideologies.
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