Turner Classic Movies in July will air a month-long movie event that focuses on the diverse portrayals of Arabs in cinema.
Each Tuesday and Thursday evening in July, TCM's Race & Hollywood: Arab Images on Film - -the sixth installment of TCM's Race & Hollywood project - will explore the depiction of Arabs including the portrayal of Arab sheiks and Arab women; as well as Arabs portrayed as villains or as the subject of ridicule, according to network officials.
Among titles featured in the Arab Images on Film collection are 14 TCM premieres, including Three Kings (1999); Jewels of the Nile (1985); Lion of the Desert (1981); The Black Tent (1956); Tarzan the Fearless (1933); and The Sheik (1921). Also included in the collection are Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), Kismet (1944), The Thief of Bagdad (1924) and several animated shorts featuring Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Popeye and other famous characters.
"TCM is committed not only to preserving and celebrating classic films but also to digging deeper into the events and attitudes that have shaped how Hollywood depicts the world around us," TCM host Robert Osborne said in a statement. "With Race & Hollywood: Arab Images on Film, we're setting out to track the history of Hollywood's relationship with Arabs in cinema and how it has evolved to where it is today. We hope this series provides a thought-provoking look at a very timely and important topic."
