| |
| | Bright Lights Film Journal | The Road to Wellville (1) |
 | | Through the cinematic devices of humor, parody, flface, and role-playing, Parker critiques and deconstructs early twentieth century American racial distinctions, which, as he elucidates in the film, were based on class hierarchy, turn-of-the-century scientific ideology, and sexual/gender metaphors. |
 | | Moreover, Parker’s sophisticated commentary on the sometimes subtle, yet ubiquitous, nature of modern American racism, yields both an incisive and disturbing message: that, despite the nation’s best efforts, this deeply-rooted system of white privilege remains with us, even one hundred years after the decline of Kellogg’s spa empire. |
 | | In Road to Wellville, Parker uses the comedic techniques of flface and role-playing to create a "racial double": that is, a "white" character (George Kellogg) who, through class and race-oriented constructions, represents the token inclusion of a fl character in the essentially white society depicted in the film. |
| www.brightlightsfilm.com /38/wellville1.htm (3276 words) |
|