Blacks in Film...from predictable bawdy to preachy. Where is the meat in this sammich?
FINALLY. FINALLY. Someone in the media was brave enough to comment on exactly what is and has been going in film for a long time. I somewhat alluded to this when I wrote a Cuba Gooding Jr. post last year. However, Wesley Morris, a Boston Globe staff writer, wrote a decent article entitled 'A Black Hole,' which appeared in yesterday's Boston Sunday Globe, about black actors, their roles, and black themed films.He articulated clearly the problem we have with blacks in film. When we get to the heart of the issues, we have one extreme or another in respect to how we are presented in film and the movie industry. To quote him: In film, the choice is either bawdy and preachy or earnest but safe---with a void in between." He made much reference to Tyler Perry, giving him positive acknowledgement for his accomplishments, but on the other hand, appropriately criticizes his style, because as he states "he is black movies right now." In addition, studio executives are looking to emulate the success of Perry's clumsiness.
An important question Morris asks, and I ask myself this every time I see a Grade A actress such as an Angela Bassett landing mediocre roles, is how can a Terrence Howard play a legendary role in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," but be cast as Robert Downey Jr.'s jealous sidekick in "Iron Man?" Morris mentioned Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's next “big” role as Jessica Parker's assistant in the “Sex and the City” movie. What is going on here?
I have always has this vision of an black independent theatre film chain? Is there a market for this? Sure. Are we capable of pulling our resources together to create such a venture? I do not know, because I am probably not the first person to think of such an idea, and we have so many actresses, actors, directors, producers, professional sports figures, and I am curious to know why they have not created such a business venture, especially those who are already in the industry.
This quote by Morris sums everything up:
“When it comes to black America, the movies are stagnating. Well, when it comes to any nonwhite male subject matter at the movies, the pickings are slim. But there's such a wealth of black stars, producers, and directors that the scarcity of movies - big-ticket or small, serious or light - focused on the lives of black people, is surreal. There's a gaping entertainment void. It's not just the lack of quantity. It's the lack of variety.”
The article is a good read. Check it out when you get a chance. How can we change what is going on in film today with black themes and professions in the industry? Are we powerless? READ MORE...
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Blacks in Film...from predictable bawdy to preachy. Where is the meat in this sammich?.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.weneedtostop.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/graduate/managed-mt/mt-tb.cgi/876
This is absolutely outrageous!
Racism is alive and well.
The club owner stated in the interview on television that he chose a MONKEY for the t-shirts because of Obama's large ears that he gets teased about?! Come on, people.
By the way...I'd like to invite you to join in an online discussion we are having at my blog, BLACK WOMEN BLOW THE TRUMPET!
Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa
http://blackwomenblowthetrumpet.blogspot.com