White Lens on Brown Skin: The Sexualization of the Polynesian in American Film

Polynesians have been portrayed as sensual and sexual beings since the earliest accounts of contact with Europeans, and this book explores how the Hollywood media machine sexualized Polynesians in American cinema and other forms of mass communications and commercial entertainment.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 277 pages
Publication date: 17 February 2023
Publisher: McFarland & Co Inc

From the very first accounts of encounters with Europeans, Polynesians have been perceived as sensual and sexual beings. By the late 1800s, publications, lectures, and stage plays about the Pacific had gained widespread popularity across Europe, often featuring exotic and erotic elements. This book delves into the intricate fusion of truth and fiction in the representation of Pacific Islanders, particularly focusing on the sexualization of Polynesians in American cinema and other forms of mass communication and commercial entertainment.

The Hollywood media machine, with its subtle messaging aimed at American audiences, churned out hundreds of tropical film titles that showcased images of revealing grass skirts, scanty sarongs, female toplessness, and glistening exposed male pectorals. This critical filmography serves as a powerful testament to the persuasive power of sex, particularly when applied on a grand scale, shaping American social perceptions of Polynesian people and their culture.

Chapters within this book document this phenomenon in detail, providing a comprehensive exploration of the sexualization of Polynesians in American cinema and media. An annotated filmography of sexualized tropes is also included, along with several appendices that offer further insights, including a glossary of Polynesian terms and a film index.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781476689180