New Showbiz

You are here:
Color Adjustment

Color Adjustment

1992

Director

Marlon Riggs

Runtime

80 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

From Amos 'n' Andy to Nat King Cole, from Roots to The Cosby Show, black people have played many roles on primetime television. Brilliantly weaving clips from classic TV shows with commentary from TV producers, black actors and scholars, Marlon Riggs blends humor, insight, and thoughtful analysis to explore the evolution of black/white relations as reflected by America's favorite addiction.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

8.2/10

Excellent

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film lacks explicit depictions of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities. The score reflects the director's progressive pedigree rather than direct on-screen representation.

Gender Representation

Good

The narrative critiques how colorism disproportionately impacts Black women. It examines how Eurocentric beauty standards are weaponized to dictate femininity and social status.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Excellent

Riggs provides a masterclass in deconstructing colorism and racial hierarchies. The film analyzes how media reinforces skin-shade stratification within the Black community.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The work offers a profound critique of Western cultural hegemony. It explores how colonial beauty standards are internalized by the colonized through media.

Disability Representation

Minimal

The film does not explicitly focus on physical or neurodivergent disabilities. No specific representation is addressed in this work.

Strengths

  • Exceptional semiotic analysis of racial dynamics and colorism.
  • Sophisticated critique of Western cultural hegemony and beauty standards.
  • Nuanced examination of how gendered expectations intersect with race.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks explicit depiction of LGBTQ+ characters or identities.
  • Does not address physical or neurodivergent disability representation.

AI Analysis

Marlon Riggs’ documentary is a rigorous deconstruction of how American television shapes racial identity. By analyzing everything from *Amos 'n' Andy* to *The Cosby Show*, the film exposes the systemic imposition of Eurocentric beauty standards and the resulting hierarchies of skin shade. The work excels in its post-colonial critique of colorism, moving beyond surface-level representation to examine internalized oppression. It provides a sophisticated look at how media functions as a tool for reinforcing racialized power structures. While the film lacks direct LGBTQ+ or disability representation, its strength lies in its intersectional lens. It successfully centers the ways gender and race collide within the context of Western aesthetic values.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.