From 1896 to Date Hollywood’s Villains: Muslims

In this article, negative and positive Muslim stereotypes in Hollywood films over the decades are discussed. There are three main eras in Hollywood history of Muslim stereotypes. From beginning to 1970s, Muslims were portrayed as barbaric and lustful people live in desserts. They were portrayed as having no intellegence, which was an insult. Middle Eastern women were portrayed as sex slaves or femme fatales in this era. Between the 1970s and September 11, 2001, the exotic and erotic Muslim stereotype gave way to the terrorist Muslim stereotype. During these years Hollywood films portrayed Muslim men are brutal terrorists and Muslim women as either dangerous terrorists or unimportant persons behind their burkas. After 9/11, there are two kinds of Muslim stereotypes in the films. First, Muslim terrorists as sympathetic individuals seduced to commit acts of terrorism by religious fundamentalism. Second, Muslim terrorists as willing participants in violent activities motivated by Islamic fundamentalism. However, both portray Islam as the main motivation for terror acts. Moreover, from early film history to today, Hollywood cartoons portrayed Muslims as barbaric, foolish, and stupid. There have been few positive Muslim characters in Hollywood history