Why is there in almost every fucking action movie a character from Eastern Europe, and 98% of time it’s some drug dealer, mafia, mob boss, smuggler, thief, gang member or leader or some criminal in general. Even if it’s not a plot point, they have to at least mention it.
It doesn’t have to be Russia, it’s either Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Hungary, Montenegro, Albania etc. I heard this in movies on TV at least 100 times just this year.
Why the fuck do you always have to at least mention Eastern Europe in any way? You ruined and pillaged the region 30 years ago and turned it into a hellhole it is today full of criminals, corruption, bourgeoise and fascists politicians, what the fuck do you want anymore?
Rant over.
It can be fun to play the game, when you realise there’s a spy or some such character in the background, to bet on their nationality.
Okay, it’s not actually fun, because when the answer is revealed you realise that whomever wrote and directed the film thinks you, the audience will fall for the cheap, bigoted propaganda. As you say, it’s often Eastern Europe. If not, it will be China or Latin America.
It’s frustrating, and the thing that ruins many, many movies and series. Netflix seems to be the worst at this. But it is also the main reason that I stopped watching / enjoying Marvel movies, so Disney does it, too. (On the whole, I think Disney is a lot subtler with its propaganda, but I’d be interested in hearing whether others agree.)
I get so wound up that they think I will just nod along and clap at their racism. If I did not understand the technique as blatant propaganda, it would be easy to criticise it as lazy writing.
Parenti talks about this in Make-Believe Media, by the way – it’s well worth reading. But if entertainment media is one of or your main source(s) of joy in life, I’d suggest you avoid the book or find another hobby before reading it!
EDIT: Deleted a phrase.