The Analysis of Intercultural Communication in Crash (2004) Movie
Prepared to Fulfill the Intercultural Communication Course Supporting Lecturer: Wildi Adila, S.Pd.I., M.A.
Created By:
Fita Aprilia K. D (226111116)
ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF CULTURES AND LANGUAGES
UIN RADEN MAS SAID SURAKARTA 2023
PREFACE
Praise be to Allah SWT. for His grace, the author was given the opportunity to be able to compile a paper entitled "Analysis of Intercultural Communication in the Film Crash (2004)". The author would like to thank those who have helped in the writing and preparation of this paper. The author of this paper would also like to thank the authors of books, journals, and articles whose work we make references.
The preparation of this paper is motivated by the author's desire to provide material and knowledge to readers through papers prepared to fulfill the requirements for understanding the elements of intercultural communication in a movie and as additional material to fulfill assignments in the Intercultural Communication course. the author is well aware that there are still shortcomings in the preparation of this paper.
Therefore, the author welcomes suggestions, criticism, and guidance from readers for future improvements. Hopefully this paper can be useful for readers.
Sukoharjo, November 19, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENS
PREFACE...2
TABLE OF CONTENS...3
CHAPTER 1...4
INTRODUCTION...4
A. Background...4
B. Research Problem...5
C. Analysis Objective...5
CHAPTER II...7
DISCUSSION...7
1. Culture Conflict... 7
2. Intercultural Communication...10
3. American Values...11
4. Custom and Tradition...12
5. World Religion’s...12
6. Male-Female Relationship...13
CHAPTER III...15
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION...15
Bibliography...16
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION A. Background
Communication is crucial and necessary by every human being. It is the act of conveying messages or meaning from one person to another with the aim of eliciting a response. This communication can take place verbally or non-verbally. Verbal communication occurs through spoken or written words, while non-verbal communication relies on body language, such us facial expressions, hand movements, and gestures. Effective communication hinges on mutual understanding between the speaker and the listener. If the listener fails to grasp the speaker’s intended message, effective communication cannot take place. The primary function of communication is to convey information. For instance, news is disseminated through television and radio, knowledge is shared through books and journals, and personal information is transmitted via personal social media accounts.
Intercultural communication involves the sharing of information among individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds, which may include variations in race, ethnicity, and more. In the present day, intercultural communication holds great significance, especially when we travel to foreign countries or regions with distinct languages and communication customs. The goal of intercultural communication is to promote an understanding and acceptance of the distinctive differences that shape the cultures of different regions and countries.(Irayani et al., n.d.)
Movies provide a notable illustration of the presence of intercultural communication.
They not only serve as a source of entertainment but also find widespread use in educational settings. Viewing movies tends to be a more captivating and enjoyable experience compared to reading novels, books, or short stories. 'Crash' (2004) is a noteworthy example of a film that delves into the realm of intercultural communication.(Mariati & Adnyani, 2022)
Crash is a crime drama movie created in 2004, with Paul Haggis serving as the producer, director, and writer. The movie is often described as a labor of love for Haggis, as it explores racial and social tensions in Los Angeles, drawing inspiration from a real incident where Haggis' Porsche was carjacked in 1991 near a video store on Wilshire Boulevard. The movie boasts an ensemble cast, featuring well-known actors such as Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle (who also worked as a producer on the film), Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, William Fichtner,
Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Thandiwe Newton, Michael Peña, Larenz Tate, and Ryan Phillippe.
Crash made its debut at the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2004, and was subsequently released in theaters on May 6, 2005, by Lions Gate Films. The movie garnered generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the direction and performances, especially that of Dillon, although some found the portrayal of race relations to be simplistic and lacking subtlety. The movie achieved considerable box office success, earning
$98.4 million worldwide while working with a budget of $6.5 million.
In the vibrant city of Los Angeles, where a tapestry of racial backgrounds coexists, including Black, Hispanic, Asian, and more, it's susceptible to tensions and conflicts between these communities. Preconceived notions and stereotypes surrounding these different racial groups often result in negative perceptions. Black individuals are frequently unjustly linked with criminality, Hispanics with drugs and organized crime, and Middle Eastern individuals with terrorism. Furthermore, racial groups are at times inaccurately equated; for example, individuals may mistakenly classify someone of Puerto Rican descent as Mexican or confuse Persians with Arabs.(Diajukan et al., n.d.)
The message that Paul Haggis intends to convey through this film is simple and direct:
passing judgment on individuals based on their race is indefensible, as it amounts to generalizing an entire group. In essence, there are kind-hearted individuals within every racial group, and we should avoid making sweeping generalizations due to preconceived beliefs and stereotypes.
B. Research Problem
1. What are Culture conflict in the Crash (2004) movie?
2. What are the elements of Intercultural communication contained in the movie Crash (2004) besides culture conflict?
C. Analysis Objective
Based on the problem formulation above, the objectives of this analysis are as follows:
1) To find out what culture conflict is contained in the movie crash (2004).
2) To explore the elements of intercultural communication in the movie Crash (2004), one should examine aspects such as American values, communication
between individuals from different social classes, the use of different languages, customs, traditions, world religions, and the portrayal of relationships between male and female.
CHAPTER II DISCUSSION
Analysis of Intercultural Communication Elements in the Movie Crash (2004)
1. Culture Conflict
Culture conflict is a conflict that arises between two cultures when they hold different cultural values and beliefs. In addition, cultural conflicts can arise from differences in religions, ethnicity, and language. In the movie "Crash" (2004), numerous scenes vividly depict cultural conflicts between black and white individuals.
(a)
In this scene, a distinct cultural conflict between white and black individuals in Los Angeles is evident. The scene unfolds with two black men leaving a restaurant due to poor service. One of them perceives the subpar treatment as a form of racial discrimination. The root of their dissatisfaction lies in the waiter's prejudiced assumption that black patrons don't tip well, leading the waiter to neglect the service for the two men.
(b)
In this scene, the two men's prejudice intensifies as they perceive a white couple's unwarranted fear. One of the black men believes that the husband's wife is scared after encountering them, feeling offended by this assumption. Fueled by the misconception that they are being mistaken for criminals, the subsequent scene unfolds with a disturbing turn of events: the two men attack the couple at gunpoint and forcibly take away their car.
(c)
The scene above depicts a police detective investigating a shooting case.
According to him, the incident occurred due to differences between the black and white races.
(d)
In another scene, cultural conflict is prominently displayed as a woman, serving as a supervisor, attempts to explain her father's condition to a man.
However, due to prejudiced beliefs, the man refuses to believe her solely because she is a black woman. His dismissive words further belittle her, as evident from the context provided.
(e)
The scene highlights the man's prejudice, emphasizing a sociological perspective that, in America, blacks are incarcerated at a rate eight times higher than whites.
(f)
The scene also shows a woman's prejudice or judgment towards the man who works as a house key service. She thinks that the bald man who wears long pants and prisoner tattoos will sell duplicate keys to her house to the man's 'gang'.
2. Intercultural Communication
In the film Crash (2004), there are several scenes that vividly depict communication between individuals from disparate social classes.
a.
In the first scene, a shop owner communicates with a man repairing locks in an angry tone, even labeling him as a cheater. This confrontation arises from the shop owner's perception of a difference in their social classes.
b.
In the second scene, a woman speaks and directs her maid in a harsh and condescending tone, accentuated by her loud closure of the plate cabinet.
c.
In addition to communication from different social classes, there is also communication with different languages in this movie. The scene depicts someone addressing the issue of insurance costs while attempting to communicate with a man who has chosen a shop recently damaged by thieves.
However, it becomes apparent that the man, originally from Persia, is unable to read English, leading to limited communication. In order to facilitate the conversation with the insurance cost manager, his daughter steps in to assist.
3. American Values
The scene depicts that in Los Angeles or the United States, many of its citizens are individualists. As a result, they may be indifferent or not care about the environment and people around them.
4. Custom and Tradition
There are several scenes in the movie Crash (2004) that align with the evidence mentioned earlier, featuring Christmas trees and decorations in homes, workplaces, hospitals, and even on the side of the road. This undoubtedly reflects a custom and tradition in Los Angeles or the United States.
5. World Religion’s
In some scenes, it is evident that certain actors in the movie have a religion or belief that they adhere to.
The scene suggests that the man adheres to the Christian faith because 'Saint Christopher' is recognized and honored as an evangelist and martyr by several denominations of Christianity.
b. Buddhist Religion
Based on the evidence above, it is evident that the man follows the Buddhist faith.
6. Male-Female Relationship
In the movie Crash (2004), there are several actors who portray characters with a husband-and-wife relationship.
a). The first actors portraying a husband-and-wife relationship are Christine Thayer and Cameron Thayer. In the scene, it is shown that they are arguing after Christine Thayer, the wife, was harassed by a policeman who had checked them in the previous scene. Since her husband, Cameron Thayer, is a director, he allowed it to happen rather than having his name in the newspaper for harassing his wife.
b). The next husband-and-wife relationship is portrayed by Jean Cabot and Rick Cabot. In this scenario, their car is stolen by two men in black. The wife, Jean Cabot, is angry with her husband due to this incident. Rick Cabot, a prosecutor, is very protective of his public image. Consequently, he reluctantly allowed his car to be stolen to avoid losing votes or support from the black community.
CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION A. Conclusion
According to my analysis of the movie Crash (2004), several elements of Intercultural communication are evident. One prominent element is Cultural conflict, which unfolds between blacks and whites in the United States. The film vividly portrays numerous prejudices rooted in racial differences. All events in the movie Crash (2004) are interconnected. In addition to cultural conflict, other elements of Intercultural communication include American values, differences in communication, customs and traditions, world religions, and, finally, male-female relationships.
Understanding Intercultural communication is crucial for individuals. This knowledge enables us to comprehend and accept the differences inherent in every culture, belief, race, and other aspects across various regions worldwide.
B. Suggestion
There is nothing wrong with wanting to learn and understand various aspects of Intercultural communication. Studying intercultural communication can enhance our knowledge of communication methods employed by different cultures. Learning about it can alter our perspective on a particular culture. While there are differences in Intercultural communication, it is essential not to demonize any culture. As civilized individuals, we should respect those who differ from us.
Bibliography
Diajukan, S., Fakultas, K., Dan, D., Komunikasi, I., Memenuhi, U., & Memperoleh Gelar, P. (n.d.).
KOMUNIKASI ANTARBUDAYA (ANALISIS SEMIOTIK DALAM FILM EAT, PRAY, LOVE).
Irayani, L., Helandri, J., Bumi, S., Lubuklinggau, S., & Selatan, S. (n.d.). ANALISIS KOMUNIKASI ANTAR BUDAYA DALAM FILM BUMI MANUSIA.
Mariati, N. K. S., & Adnyani, N. L. P. S. S. (2022). The Analysis of Intercultural Communication In Borat’s Movie. Ni Nyoman Padmadewi, 9(1).
