Pro Gran Torino Paper
Pro-Gran Torino
The Hmong community has been left out of history texts, movies, and almost every aspect of life up until now. The movie, Gran Torino has changed the way we look at Hmong people because, for the most part, people don’t even know who they are or why they are here. Despite all the negative remarks made by people against the movie, Gran Torino, I will show how the movie was actually a positive influence for the Hmong community. To illustrate this I will first look at how the Hmong are finally given an opportunity to show their culture, then how the racist remarks added to the movie, and lastly how the movie opened many doors for the Hmong community on top of it. This movie has brought up very diverse topic that needed to be addressed and I feel that Gran Torino did an amazing job doing that. The Hmong culture has been left out of our history up until this movie. It has shown how much they have done for our country and why they are here. According to Tom Laventure, film critic for Twin Cities Daily Planet, author of Gran Torino closely tied to MN Hmong community:
Vang said the film succeeds in offering a fair portrayal of the Hmong people and how they contributed to American history through their role in the CIA Secret War against communism in Southeast Asia from the early 1960s through the Vietnam War era.
Through this the Hmong were recognized for what they did for America during the Vietnam War. They also explained why they are here and explained who the Hmong people are. Clint Eastwood wanted the cast to have input on the film and have it portrayed correctly. According to Laventure, “Eastwood invited the cast to make changes and offer input, he added. But he didn’t want the scenes to be boggled down with debate” (Laventure). Stated by Rex Roberts, film critic for the Film Journal International, author of the Gran Torino review, Eastwood wanted to give the most accurate portrayal of the Hmong without it getting too confusing.
The Hmong community has been left out of history texts, movies, and almost every aspect of life up until now. The movie, Gran Torino has changed the way we look at Hmong people because, for the most part, people don’t even know who they are or why they are here. Despite all the negative remarks made by people against the movie, Gran Torino, I will show how the movie was actually a positive influence for the Hmong community. To illustrate this I will first look at how the Hmong are finally given an opportunity to show their culture, then how the racist remarks added to the movie, and lastly how the movie opened many doors for the Hmong community on top of it. This movie has brought up very diverse topic that needed to be addressed and I feel that Gran Torino did an amazing job doing that. The Hmong culture has been left out of our history up until this movie. It has shown how much they have done for our country and why they are here. According to Tom Laventure, film critic for Twin Cities Daily Planet, author of Gran Torino closely tied to MN Hmong community:
Vang said the film succeeds in offering a fair portrayal of the Hmong people and how they contributed to American history through their role in the CIA Secret War against communism in Southeast Asia from the early 1960s through the Vietnam War era.
Through this the Hmong were recognized for what they did for America during the Vietnam War. They also explained why they are here and explained who the Hmong people are. Clint Eastwood wanted the cast to have input on the film and have it portrayed correctly. According to Laventure, “Eastwood invited the cast to make changes and offer input, he added. But he didn’t want the scenes to be boggled down with debate” (Laventure). Stated by Rex Roberts, film critic for the Film Journal International, author of the Gran Torino review, Eastwood wanted to give the most accurate portrayal of the Hmong without it getting too confusing.
Cited: Goodkoontz, Bill. "Gran Torino." Arizona Local News – Phoenix Arizona News - Breaking News - azcentral.com. Web. 24 Nov. 2009. Laventure, Tom. "Gran Torino closely tied to MN Hmong community | Twin Cities Daily Planet." Twin Cities Daily Planet | Local News for Global Citizens. Web. 24 Nov. 2009. Richards, Jonathan. "IN THE DARK." Web. 23 Nov. 2009. Roberts, Rex. "Film Review: Gran Torino." EBSCOhost. Web. 24 Nov. 2009. Yuen, Laura. "Hmong get a mixed debut in new Eastwood film | NewsQ." Minnesota Public Radio.