The Blues Remain the Same: Privileged Whiteness in Black Snake Moan's New South

• In Event: Contemporary U.S. American Film Analysis: 4 Approaches

Abstract

In the 2007 film Black Snake Moan, we are thrust into a world where differences intersect in combustive imagery. Even as the film subverts barriers, it privileges whiteness. Black Snake Moan depicts the New South, yet the past imbues each frame. This film traces the lines of race, gender, sexuality, and class in American culture. Even as Black Snake Moan illustrates the force of change, privileged whiteness remains a stable force in communication.

Author

• Carly Gieseler, University of South Florida