Representation and stereotyping. Images of arabs

Films
Legionnaire (1998)
Director: Peter MacDonald
Day of the Falcon (2011)
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud

Legionnaire: denotation and connotation
Attack of men on horses wearing traditional clothes
Connotation
Arabs are savages
Arabs are violent murders

Legionnaire: denotation and connotation
Men in black clothes attack positions of the legionnaires
Connotation
Arabs are dangerous
Arabs are enemies of civilization
Legionnaires are heroes

Legionnaire: denotation and connotation
Widely screaming men with guns
Connotation
Arabs are barbaric
Arabs are warriors
Main character is a hero

Day of the Falcon: denotation and connotation
The man in traditional clothes shoots down a plane
Connotation
Arabs oppose progress and modern civilization

Day of the Falcon: denotation and connotation
Fight between men on horses and modern machines
Connotation
Arabs prefer traditional ways of fighting
But some Arabs can use machines as well

Day of the Falcon: denotation and connotation
One group of Arabs attack machines, while the other group protect these machines
Connotation
Arabs can use modern techniques
Not all Arabs oppose progress

Conclusions
Legionnaire
The film represents negative stereotypes of Arabs as savages and violent warriors
Legionnaires who fight against these unruly Arabs are shown as heroes
Day of the Falcon
The film focuses on the conflict between traditions and progress, and clearly promotes progress
The film shows benign stereotypes, and claims that Arabs can support modern civilization and progress