For my cultural experience I went to a movie. Not just any movie, I went to a movie for the deaf. I am currently in a sign language class and my teacher required us to attend a deaf event that would help us learn more about the deaf culture. I went up to the Deaf Center in Taylorsville and watched the movie, Black Sand.
History
Movies for the deaf have been a struggle in the making. The industry really has started to grow since the early 2000’s due to ASL Films, a production company that produced Black Sand. ASL Films is a company made up of strictly deaf people; deaf producers, deaf actors, deaf editors, etc. One major difference from ASL Films and typical Hollywood films we see everyday, beside the no speaking part, there is no audio in the film whatsoever. Because deaf people don’t rely on sound to know what is going on around them, they have no need for it in the films.
Analysis
Throughout this semester I have had the opportunity to become more exposed to the deaf culture. It is not one that is an easy culture to become a part of. If fact, unless you were deaf from when you were born and have deaf parents, you can count on not being a part of the pure deaf culture and society. It kind of reminds me of people in American how they get mad when people don’t speak English or aren’t born here in the US. We tend to shut people out of “American” society, the same way deaf people shut out hearing people.
Despite that fact it was fun getting more involved with the culture, I didn’t really care for the movie. It had the same cheesy happy ending that Mormon made movies have. It was supposed to be a scary movie, but all the twists, plot changes and character cross identities it made it confusing almost laughable and not really scary.
In regular Hollywood movies, especially scary movies, music is a must. The music can creep you out and give you goosebumps and make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. But since the deaf can’t hear, there is no music in the movie, which some would think is actually more scary. However, I can offer a word of warning, If going to a deaf movie and you are hearing…bring earplugs. Why? You ask. Just because deaf people can’t hear, doesn’t mean they can’t make sounds and noises. Between the loud breathing, baby crying, the sound of people texting, and yes even someone snoring I found it very difficult to pay attention.
Reflection
Although I found it difficult to pay attention during the movie, I believe that was part of the deaf culture that only hearing people can experience. I never knew that people who can’t hear could be so loud.
I felt like I grew as a person, learning about a different culture always does that for me. I am always fasintated learning about how people live, interact, and socialize. I should have been an Anthropologist and not just a geographer, but you live and you learn.
*The movie Black Sand is actually so new that they don't allow any trailers to be put up other than on their site, so here is a video of another deaf movie Mountain Man. You can still get the same feel as the other movie.
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