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Film Study 2015 (1914-2014)
This study was conducted from 1999 to 2014. Printable Version
| TOTAL ITALIAN RELATED FILMS SINCE 1914 | 1512 |
| Films which portray Italians in a positive light | 476 (31.5%) |
| Films which portray Italians in a negative light | 1036 (68.5%) |
| INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES | 1512 |
| Mob characters | 528 (34.9%) |
| (Real mob characters) | 69 (13.1%) |
| (Fake mob characters) | 459 (86.9%) |
| Boors, buffoons, bigots or bimbos | 508 (33.6%) |
| Positive or complex portrayals | 476 (31.5%) |
| INFLUENCE OF "THE GODFATHER" (1972) | |
| Mob movies prior to "The Godfather" | 98 (18.6%) |
| Mob movies after "The Godfather" | 430 (81.4%) |
| TOTAL NUMBER OF ITALIAN AMERICANS (2010 U.S. Census) | 17 million |
| TOTAL NUMBER OF ITALIAN CRIMINALS (1999 F.B.I. Statistics) | 1,150(.0068%) |
| (Historically, Italian gang members never numbered more than 5,000, which amounts to less than .0029% of the overall Italian American community.) | |
STATEMENT OF PURPOSEThe culmination of 15 years of research, the Italic Institute of America's Film Study is an analysis of the portrayal of Italian Americans/Italian culture in Hollywood movies over the past century (1914-2014).RESULTSOf the 1,512 film titles that were researched, the results reveal an overall negative attitute toward Italian Americans and Italian culture in general (68.5%). Images of Italians as violent criminals predominate (34.9%), followed by images of unsavory characters (33.6%). Images of Italians in positive, heroic, or complex roles occur less often (31.5%).CONCLUSIONSThe figures indicate an entrenched, institutionalized bias in Hollywood against Americans of Italian descent. The diversity of the Italian American experience has been obscured by one-dimensional stereotypes equating Italian culture with criminality. With the success of "The Godfather" (1972), these distorted images gained popular acceptance on an unprecedented scale.METHODOLOGYThe Film Study was initiated in 1999 by Bill Dal Cerro, current President of the Italic Institute and its former Media Director. Dal Cerro served as film writer during the 1990's for Fra Noi, an Italian American newspaper in Chicago.In addition to Mr. Dal Cerro's encyclopaedic knowledge of film, four of the Institute's top researchers contributed film titles and input on a continuous basis. CRITERIAFilm portrayals were classified individually yet under the rubrics of "positive" or "negative," depending on the images conveyed about Italisn/Italian American culture. Since film viewing is considered a subjective experience, borderline titles were weighed by overall image and/or attempt at balance.For example, "The Godfather" has complex characters, which is a plus; however, the overwhelming impression it leaves with the viewers is of a culture permeated by criminality. There is no balance; therefore, it's a "negative." The plethora of Italian mobster films (even the comical ones like "Oscar" or "Analyze This") needs no explanation. Such films merely reinforce what is already a pernicious stereotype. The same is true for portrayals of unsavory characters. A TYPICAL EXAMPLE
In the 1995 film, "To Die For", based on a true story, Nicole Kidman's character tricks three teens into killing her low-brow Italian husband whose family gets even by hiring a mobster
to kill her.
In real-life, however, the only Italians involved were the two State Attorneys, Paul Maggiotto and Diane Nicolosi, who convicted the murderess to a life sentence. (Shades of Daniel Petrocelli beating O.J. Simpson at his civil trial!). "To Die For" is a typical example of how the facts of real-life incidents are often distorted or misinterpreted to put a "negative" spin on Italian Americans. For other examples of distortion and bias, visit www.stereotypethis.com and its "Hollywood vs. Joe Truth" feature (www.stereotypethis.com/myths/vsTruth1.php). ADDENDUMSince Italian stereotypes remain a staple of popular entertainment, the figures and percentages, though consistent, remain in flux. Further research of historical films or verification of upcoming projects necessitates a fluidity in the overall methodology.For a copy of the Institute's complete film study, send a check for $20.00 to:
Italic Institute of America
Attn: Film Study P.O. Box 818 Floral Park, NY 11001 Feedback is always appreciated. Direct comments or suggestions to: ItalicOne@aol.com. |
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| Copyright © 2007 Italic Institute of America, P.O. Box 818, Floral Park, NY 11001 Last updated February 2017 |