America's Critics Abroad (1965, silent)

Description: At the height of the Cold War, this tidbit of propaganda was produced using ridiculously exaggerated caricatures of American types to instruct members of the U.S. armed services to avoid caricatures and normalize their representation of American culture. Includes stereotypes of leather toughs and seductive women, as well as actors performing in yellowface pretending as caricatures of subversive people of Asian heritage. Contemporary viewers are advised.

Intro segment only. Picture only.
For soundtrack: see item 203179_Americas_Critics_Abroad_Opt_Trk

Armed Forces Information Film AFIF 137
[Motion picture] U.S. Dept. of Defense, 1965. Released by National Audiovisual Center.
20 min., sd. b&w 16mm.
SUMMARY: Explains how to counter adverse criticism of the United States when abroad and how to reply to questions about American habits, attitudes, and policies. Points out the serviceman's responsibility to be accurately informed when representing the United States Government.
Films and Other Materials for Projection, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., 1973. archive.org/details/filmsothermateri1974librrich/page/20/ accessed on: 2024-01-24

Can states: ""AMERICA'S CRITICS ABROAD" / AFIF 137 / B/W B-WIND FGM"

Reuse Statement: For information on reusing Prelinger Archives footage and obtaining written usage agreements, please visit www.prelinger.com.

Subjects: 1960s, Politics and government, Capitalism

Tags: leather jackets; knives; tough; talking heads; studs; wigs; turbans; racism; racial performance; caricature; sexualized woman; flirting; implied sex worker; gender performance; man holding paper fan with hammer and sickle image; anti-communism; Orientalism; leader; cleaning nails with knife; removing wig; removing fake mustache; caricatures; juvenile delinquents; characters; communists; immoral women; criticism of America; direct address; didacticism; propaganda; counterpropaganda;

Film Sponsor: U.S. Department of Defense

Creator: U.S. Department of Defense

Credits: U.S. Department of Defense
The Directorate for Armed Forces Information and Education

Distributor:

Contributor: Prelinger Archives

Source Collection: The Archives Project

Digitizing Sponsor: Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web (FFDW) and Internet Archive

Production Date: 1965

Release Date: 1965

Geographical Location: USA

Genre/Form: government, military

Language:

Rights:

Film Format: 16mm film

Element: finegrain master, positive

Color: b&w

Color Process:

Sound or Silent: silent

Film Soundtrack Type: mos

Edge Code: triangle square

Frame Rate: 24 fps

Length (feet): 107