DUJANGO UNCHAINED, JAMIE FOXX NEW MOVIE..

[boitumelo 190]

AS JAMIE FOXX NEW MOVIE ABOUT A FREED SLAVE SEARCHING FOR HIS WIFE HE WAS SEPARATED FROM. BET IS PLAYING ALEX HALEYS ROOTS.. DUJANGO UNCHAINED ON SLAVE PLANTATIONS THE MALE SLAVES ARE FORCED TO FIGHT THE FEMALE SLAVES ARE FORCED INTO PROSTITUTION . .. I SUPPOSE IF DUJANGO IS KILLING SLAVE OWNERS IT MIGHT OKAY TO SEE I GUESS.... WATCHING ROOTS ON BET FROM ALEX HALEYS GREAT BOOK.../

[admin 29]

I'm at the theater now will report later :-)

[Troy 2,134]

Well I'm back from the flick and am about to play some Monopoly, but I just wanted to pop in and say The movie was a disappointment.

Sure there were some entertaining parts, but overall the movie could have been better edited, seemed very disjointed, and was way too long. The quality of the actors saved the film from being a complete disaster. Oh well...

[Pioneer1 738]

Damn.....lol.

So should the people just save their money?

It would seem that any movie with James Brown's "Big Payback" in the trailer would be a blockbuster!

[Nah'Sun 17]

It's funny how this movie received many nominations and accolaides before it came out

Seems like Hollywood loves seeing Black people in submissive and subordinate positions

They wouldn't dare produce a movie about Denmark Vessey or Nat Turner when it comes to slavery

If you wanna know about Black history and triumph, check out the new documentary Hidden Colors instead

Edited December 29, 2012 by Troy
Hyper linked image

[Troy 2,134]

Great recommendation Nah'Sun! THIS is why we need independent, Black owned websites AND Black bookstores!

I learned about the 1st Hidden Colors, this Summer, in a Bookstore in Virginia Beach, VA, Positive Vibes. I asked them to show me the most popular thing in the store It was the 1st Hidden Colors.

I knew the 2nd one was coming but had not heard anything about it until now. The Black people bitching about Tanrantino or what Spike thinks about a movie he has not seen need to be talking about Hidden Colors 2

Nah'Sun, I really can't recommend what people should do about going to see DJango. They will need to make there own decision. For people with a similar sensibility to me, I would recommend waiting for Netfix. But if you want to be part of the conversation, you may not want to wait that long.

My wife felt the same way I did, perhaps more negative. My daughters who are 19 and 20 enjoyed the film. Though the 19 year old admitted dozing. It was a long film that felt longer.

[Troy 2,134]

My reviewer Kam liked Django: http://bit.ly/django2012

[Nah'Sun 17]

@ Troy

I'm not watching DJango on the strength that I'm tired of the theme that Blacks are subordinate or inferior to whites

And then people wonder why Black folks are STILL suffering from low self esteem issues...LOL

DJango isn't my cup of Henny because of that

I'll rather see Roots if that's the case

[Troy 2,134]

I just published Kam's 100 Favorite films for 2012. He ranked Django, amazing, 3rd in the big budget film category: http://aalbc.it/bestfilmsof2012

Kam and I rarely agree on movies

I re-watched Root within in the last few years and it seemed innocuous by today's standards...

[Nah'Sun 17]

@ Troy

I read the plot summary...

...I'll pass

On another note...

Hollywood knows that Negroes would accept any movie that has reputable names in the film regardless of how detrimental the images are ("The Blind Side", "Precious", etc)

It's almost as if we love watching movies that shows us in inferior positions because they're "safe" movies that don't upset the "status quo"

It's 2012 and they're still showing us a slaves...LOL

They wouldn't dare make a fictional movie about whites owning other whites as slaves or indentured servants (the word "slave" or "slav" is indigenous to Europe)

Or even Blacks owning whites as slaves

By the way...

Django means "one who is out of tune or one in a chaotic state of being well"

Hmmmmmmm...

That describes a lot of us in the community

[Cynique 2,277]

Hollywood has not completely shied away from whites enslaving whites but it's usually in Sci-Fi movies or epic ones where Romans and Greeks enslave each other, like Demetrius in "The Robe" or Sparticus the Roman slave who led a revolt against his Patrician masters. White indentured servants occasionaly pop up in movies about the old west.

It behooves us to remember that conquerors not only triumph, but they get to write history and their descendants get to make movies where art imitates life. Africa just couldn't keep the upper hand against Europe, and African Americans have been among the main ones to bear the brunt of this downfall. Slavery has been a demoralizing burden that we've never recovered from. Modern day Afro-centrists seek to provide Blacks with heroes and noble legacies, but here we are, fretting about Django and Precious and "The Help", clamoring for copies of DVDS about ancient civilizations where beleagured black leaders weren't teetering on the edges of cliffs.

It's not January 1st yet, by Happy Emancipation Proclamation Day.

[Pioneer1 738]

Nah'sun

Interesting take on the word "Django".

Where did you get that definition from?

I was actually trying to find out what the word meant because despite the "o" on the end, it sounds like something of Arabic origin. I couldn't find the word in any Arabic or Spanish dictionaries.

[Nah'Sun 17]

@Cynique

Slavery still exists...just under different names in various forms and fashions

@Pioneer

The word "Django" is from a Romani language meaning "I awake"

However...

Based on the theme of the movie and the conditions that Blacks across the world are in today, I "scienced out" the word "Django"

"The Jangle" (which means a harsh sound that's out of tune, or the act of doing something non-productive, sometimes for the sake of annoying or amusing another person) sounds smiliar to "Django"

I haven't seen the movie...so it's unfair to precisely judge the content...I just made a relation between the mental state of "negroes" today and The Jangle/Django

[Pioneer1 738]

Saw the movie today.....

Actually, I loved it.

It reminded me of Posse in a way.

I wish my father was still alive, I would have took him to see it as he loved Westerns and couldn't get enough of seeing Posse.

((shruggs shoulders))

Not sure what Spike Lee found offensive about it besides White people saying "nigger".

Hell, it was a movie about Black slaves.....that's how White people down south commonly refered to our people back then (and many still do today).

The only thing I really took objection to was Jamie Foxx's White partner's constant use of the word "poor devils" in reference to the slaves.

Americans over 30 are used to White people being the only humans refered to as "devils", perhaps a "meme" is being introduced to the audience to change this.

But overall I think it was an excellent film.

Both Jamie and Samuel "killed" the hell out of thier roles.

[Troy 2,134]

Pioneer, Spike Lee has not seen the movie -- forget what he has to say, the media is just stirring up some BS.

You loved the film -- wow! You did not feel it was too long at all? You did not find the shoot outs over the top with the blood splatter? That last scene reminded me of a video game. You did mind the spurious characters that served no purpose like the woman with the bandana over her face? You did not mind the complete break down of the Django partner (he was a different character by the end of the movie)?

I agreed the actors were very good. Foxx was fine in his role. Jackson of off the chain -- he does really well with Tarantino's writing.

Did you ever see Pulp Fiction? How would you rank Pulp Fiction versus Django as a film?

Someone described the affinity Black people had for the film being derived from the fact that so many white people where slaughtered by a Black superhero. Would you put yourself in this category Pioneer?

[Pioneer1 738]

Troy

Did I feel it was too long????

To the contrary, I felt like the 2 1/2 hours weren't long enough!

I could have put in another hour on this film.

He should do a part 2 in the near future.

I must admit that part of the reason I loved it so much was it kept reminding my of my father and how much HE would have enjoyed it. But seeing Jamie Foxx in such a strong masculine role rather than in the typical clownish roles he used to play earlier in his career made me quite proud of my brother.

And Sam,

I never thought I'd enjoy seeing a Black man play an old Uncle Tom the way HE did, lol.

He plays an Uncle Tom better than he plays crackheads!

Now, ofcourse the Gallager-like splashing blood and hunks of meat flying all over the place from gunshot wounds were a little over the top and even comical at times, but that's just classic Tarantino, lol.

I think he does it more for humor than he does for shock.

I've seen Pulp Fiction and while it was OK (meaning I'd watch it if I don't have anything else to watch) I wouldn't have spent any money to see it like his other work such as Kill Bill 1&2 or GrindHouse.

The GrindHouse was and still is my favorite Tarantino production so far.

Jango is a close second, but that Grindhouse....I still pop that in the player and watch it from time to time.

No doubt Tarantino is one talented "funny style" White dude, lol.....(must be the Italian in him...lol)

As far as the killing White folks part......

I'm gonna have to ask you like you asked me....surely you wrote that in jest right?

I like the fact that Jamie played the role of a Black superhero (in a Black hat) but him killing White people in the movie had nothing to do with the excellence of the script and roles by just about all the actors.

But I can see how some White people who are careful to monitor anything in the media that may serve as a threat to White supremacy may worry that a Black man killing so many White people in a movie (when Hollywood usually has it the other way around) may have a psychological impact on the audience.

[Need2riteFaster 6]

@ Pioneer 1:

Thanks for the tip on "The Big Payback" in the soundtrack. I'll have to see the film now just for context.

I had no intention of seeing the film as I have always avoided Tarantino’s productions because of the mindless, gratuitous violence meted out by some of his characters.

However, since slavery in America was essentially gruesome, bloodthirsty, gratuitous violence unleashed on Blacks/Negroes/Africans/people of color, Tarantino's style seems appropriate in this instance.

Thanks

[Pioneer1 738]

Boy, I'm still grinning over how Samuel was "Tomming" in that movie...lol.

He had it down.

I was waiting for Shirley Temple to pop out from around a corner so they could start tap dancing together, lol.

This isn't the first time Samuel played an Uncle Tom like character.

He played a similar role in the movie Strickly Business with Tommy Davidson as an overzealous Black manager.

[Troy 2,134]

Pioneer, I will check out Grindhouse. Have you seen Reservoir Dogs (I believe Tarantino's first flick). I like that Reservoir Dogs more than Django, but less that Pulp Fiction.

The best part of Django was Samuel Jackson. i would not be surprised if he is nominated for an academy award. The Klanmans' hood scene was funny (but too long). I think if the film ran another 30 minutes my head would have exploded.

[Pioneer1 738]

Troy

No, I haven't seen Reservoir Dogs, actually hadn't heard of it until now.

But I also liked night riders scene when they were trying to decide whether or not to where the hoods, lol. It reminds me of something Spike Lee would put together, that's probably a major reason he was irritated with the movie.

There were so many scenes I enjoyed.....I just didn't want to give them away to those who may be reading who hadn't seen the movie yet.

But that Sam Jackson and his bowwing and scratching and Tomming, lol....

The interesting thing about his character is, I've seen Black men who act just like him.

If they were to ever make an "Uncle Tom Textbook", surely a reference to his character would have to be included.

Now I love my brother....Mr Jackson,

but in order for somebody to Tom THAT damn good, a little bit of it has to be in him, lol.

BTW, for those who are interested here's Louis Farrakhan's take on the movie:

http://www.vladtv.com/video/135951/minister-farrakhan-gives-his-thoughts-on-django-unchained/

[Nah'Sun 17]

My only issue is that it seems like Hollywood are only allowing Caucasians to direct or tell our stories with a large marketing and promotional budget (Amistad, The Help, The Color Purple, etc.) even when they are labeled as historical fiction

And when someone Black does produce a historical fiction like Beloved, the movie either flops or is forgotten about with the exception of Roots and Queen

It seems like we’re only subjected to make 'hood movies, comedies, and romantic dramas…LOL

That’s why I love documentaries like Hidden Colors 1 and 2 that shows our history without being subjected to oppressive environments like chattel slavery

[Troy 2,134]

Nah'Sun, I think the Black filmmakers place upon themselves this aspect of "paying homage" when they should be concerned with "entertaining".

I think it is possible to make a "conscious" film that is also entertaining (commercially successful), but it is very, very difficult. White filmmakers don't have to worry about "respecting the ancestors" so they just go on a make movies about anything, even occasionally Black folks as in Django, Red Tails, etc.

Tyler Perry and Bob Johnson are not too concerned about how Black are portrayed in the media and have focused in entertaining folks and they have become exceedingly wealthy as a consequence. But they have also borne the brunt of harsh criticism from the Black community.

Again, i think it is very possible to make an exciting, commercially successful, historically accurate film about people like Toussaint L'ouverture for example. I'm not sure why these stories are not make into movies.

I'm mean they are making films about Abraham Lincoln being a vampire hunter, for Christ's sake, before doing a film about the heroics of a Nat Turner.

[Nah'Sun 17]

@ Troy

That's the problem

Negroes always wanna be entertained instead of enlightened...LOL

When you're entertained too much, you lose the point behind the laughter

It's funny that you mentioned Toussaint L'ouverture considering Danny Glover had funded a movie about the Haitian Revolution slated for this year's release

We'll see if that movie ever see the light of day

Spike Lee had to use the Honorable Elijah Muhammad's philosophy of "do for self" by taking donations from Black celebrities in order to fund the Malcolm X movie since Warner Bros refused to shell out cash for the film

Also...

I think Black folks should stop waiting for big wigs like Tyler Perry and Bob Johnson to finance Black history

The messiah-complex is killing us slowly

[Pioneer1 738]

"My only issue is that it seems like Hollywood are only allowing Caucasians to direct or tell our stories with a large marketing and promotional budget (Amistad, The Help, The Color Purple, etc.) even when they are labeled as historical fiction" -Nah Sun

"Tyler Perry and Bob Johnson are not too concerned about how Black are portrayed in the media and have focused in entertaining folks and they have become exceedingly wealthy as a consequence. But they have also borne the brunt of harsh criticism from the Black community." -Troy

"That's the problem

Negroes always wanna be entertained instead of enlightened...LOL

When you're entertained too much, you lose the point behind the laughter" -Nah Sun

Both of you brothers make excellent points!

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Black directors and actors often complain about their people would rather be entertained than educated, but perhaps they should put out more educational work and keep flooding the industry with it until a change is FORCED in the minds of most of our people.

Racists in the media FORCED a mental diet of foolishness on our community with all these movies showing Black men as criminals, buffoons, down-low homosexuals, ect......along with these racist talk shows that are on several times a day seemingly doing the same thing unchallenged. So in order to change that mentality another diet has to be FORCED back on them going in the opposite direction.

I have to say that outside of "Malcolm X" and "Miracle and St Anne" I've been quite disappointed in much of Spike Lee's work.

Most of the movies he's directed seems to be "hood" type movies that...granted....tend to have more realism to them than the average hood movie, but still exposes too much of the negativity of the Black community without giving the audience any real solutions to the problems.

He may seem pro-black on the surface, but if you really analyze much of his work most of the Black characters in his film are crazy and criminal/immoral and most of the White characters are innocent "victims".

Also, he seems to be introducing "secrets" of the Black community into the mainstream.

I saw a movie called "Pariah" that was produced by Spike Lee a couple years ago and it was about a young Black girl's experience in the lesbian community. Then he has a movie that is supposed to come out (or maybe already has) called "Red Hook Summer" that supposedly shows preacher molesting a little Black boy.

Why would HE put crap like that out?

Why can't he work on a movie...like you said about the Haitian revolution, or about Nat Turner; why does he have to be the one to show the world what's happening in the hood? There's enough directors and authors both White and Black ready and willing to expose the immorality found in the Black community, we need Black directors to be the vanguards and standard bearers of Black progress.

Like I said before, I LOVE Django.

I think it was a good movie that finally showed a Black man in a MASCULINE role.

Jamie Foxx was a straight up and unapoligetic MAN in that movie, and that's what we need more of in my opinion.

I really wish it had been written, produced, and directed by a Black man. Unfortunately too many Black artists (including Black male artists) don't seem to be comfortable expressing Black masculinity on the big screen.

They limit THEMSELVES by claiming "America" doesn't want to see a real Black man kicking ass in the movies. They need to be reminded that "America" voted for an Afroamerican MAN to be president with the HOPE that he would kick more ass!

They impose these foolish limits on themselves.

America was much more racist and hostile in the late 60s and early 70s than it is today and Black men boldy put out films that THEY wanted to put out like Shaft and 3 the Hard Way, not just what they thought would sell the most. Not only did these movies bolster the selfesteem of our people at the same time but the actors still made money.

[Nah'Sun 17]

@ Pioneer

Side A

It’s pretty much a catch-22

I think it’s a lot easier for white writers, directors, and producers to get away with movies like Django because Black folks in general don’t expect much from them except to be entertained

It’s like how people at the Apollo wouldn’t boo the white singer who shows a little bit of “soul” in their voice when they’re really average, whereas they’ll rip apart someone who looks like them when they come half assed on stage

Side B

As far as Spike Lee…

I disagree with your assessment about his portrayal of the “crazy” Blacks in contrast to “innocent” whites in his movies

The movies Do the Right Thing with the racist pizza owners and Mo Better Blues with the shiesty club owners rip apart that opinion

About his community depiction…

In a nutshell, Crooklyn was a movie about the strength of a Black woman holding down a family, and Clockers was about the vicious cycle of violence that’s passed down from generations starting from Rodney (the O.G.) to Strike (the heir to Rodney’s drug operations) and to Tyrone (the kid who looked up to Strike)

If you notice in the movie, you’ll see when Tyrone shot the Arrol the junkie, he was wearing the EXACT same clothes as Strike, the drug dealer he looked up to; symbolizing how he wanted to be like Strike

Those are a few examples from Spike’s movies where he dropped hidden jewels

I don’t think I can discredit his work from She Gotta Have It to Bamboozled

However, I think Spike’s a far superior director than a writer…Do the Right Thing is my favorite movie…I just purchased She Hate Me online, which I was told was a good movie

I have no interest in seeing Red Hook Summer, just like how I don’t care too much about seeing Django

Side C

I think it’s unfair to say that Spike paints a negative picture about the Black community when Tarantino subconsciously does the same thing in his movies; Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown

That goes back to my comments about Blacks letting white folks slide when it comes to certain expressions of art

It’s not in the filmmakers’ job to come up with solutions unless they WANT to…they’re not political activists

Side D

What “Black” secrets are you referring to?

White folks know more about Black folks more than we do… LOL

They hide certain historical information about us from us, and study us every second of the hour…hell, how do you think they were able to destroy Black progressive groups with the use of COINTELPRO in the 60s and 70s in the first place?

LOL

That’s why they’ll have Tyler Perry and Oprah co-sign a movie like Precious for street cred because they know Negroes pay more attention to brands and the “who’s who” when it comes to marketing

Look at how Negroes are standing in long ass lines and killing each other over re-issued Jordans that came out in the 90s

Tarantino and Jaime Foxx hold weight in the Black community...I'm not surprised at the Django's success

Side E

America today is just as racist as it was in the past…ain’t nothing changed but the weather

Don’t believe the hype just because we have a person of melanin in the White House

[Pioneer1 738]

Nah

"I think it’s a lot easier for white writers, directors, and producers to get away with movies like Django because Black folks in general don’t expect much from them except to be entertained

It’s like how people at the Apollo wouldn’t boo the white singer who shows a little bit of “soul” in their voice when they’re really average, whereas they’ll rip apart someone who looks like them when they come half assed on stage"

I agree, I think I mentioned this in another thread.

Black people too often give White people credit for just showing up and giving any type of performance.

I remember when we used to "cap" and "roast" in school.

The one or 2 White kids who even dared to participate would say some of the lamest shit but just the fact that they'd get in and try to talk about somebody would win them some ooohhs and aaaahs.

However with Django....having seen the movie for myself, I'd have to say this is not the case.

Tarantino really laid it down in this one, along with the actors/actresses in the film.

"As far as Spike Lee…

I disagree with your assessment about his portrayal of the “crazy” Blacks in contrast to “innocent” whites in his movies

The movies Do the Right Thing with the racist pizza owners and Mo Better Blues with the shiesty club owners rip apart that opinion"

He shows more of a variety of Black characters than a White director/writer will, but most of the characters are still stereotypical and often negative.

Let us use Do the Right Thing for example.............

The entire show revolves around a hardworking Italian family who tries to maintain a pizza joint in a predominately Black Brooklyn neighborhood and eventually gets their pizzeria burned down in return.

Almost every negative interaction between them is the fault of the "crazy nigggaz" who come in his establishment acting up.

One is complaing about no Black people on the wall.

Another playing his radio too loud.

Another begging to sweep to get some money and buy a beer.

Pino is the only character who Spike portrayed as a racist, and even HIS racism is shown to be justified trying to deal with the stress of the 'hood.

Then some white guy with a bike is harrassed by a crowd of irrational Black youth.

And why is Mookie yelling and throwing trash cans through the window of the place he worked when it was the police who killed RR?

Now Do'Da Right Thang was a good movie as far as entertainment goes, but it sure didn't portray Black or Puerto Rican people in the best of light.

What was his entire point in this film besides showing the world how quick Black people are to riot (and we really aren't) over the most trivial of matters?

The 2 movies of his that I found the most uplifting was Malcolm X and Miracle at St.Anne.

These were excellent films where Black people were portrayed in very positive and uplifting roles.

But Jungle Fever with Flipper and 'em.......((shakes head))

Crooklyn was a good movie, but even there the little White guy who stayed downstairs was portrayed as an innocent victim who was harrased by the kids in his building and eventually beat up by the crazy Black vet.

....and Clockers???

Come on man.

I can't remember ANY White people who were portrayed in a negative light in that movie.

All of them were cops trying to keep order and solve crimes among violent Black projects.

The movie started off by showing dozens of bodies of dead Black people with Stevie Wonder in the background.

What was the psychology behind that?

"I have no interest in seeing Red Hook Summer, just like how I don’t care too much about seeing Django"

You haven't even seen Django yet????????

"I think it’s unfair to say that Spike paints a negative picture about the Black community when Tarantino subconsciously does the same thing in his movies; Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown

That goes back to my comments about Blacks letting white folks slide when it comes to certain expressions of art "

Hey, I'm certainly not trying to defend ALL of Tarantino's work.

I just give credit to where credit is due.

This is a very enteraining film that I personally didn't see as racist at all.

There is racism IN the film, but the film itself wasn't racist in my opinion.

"What “Black” secrets are you referring to?

White folks know more about Black folks more than we do… LOL

They hide certain historical information about us from us, and study us every second of the hour…hell, how do you think they were able to destroy Black progressive groups with the use of COINTELPRO in the 60s and 70s in the first place?"

I believe certain Whites who have taken the time to study our people for specific purposes certainly know more about our people than even most of us tend to.

However 40 years ago there were still things (often vices and bad things) the general White population knew applied to THEM but they assumed didn't apply to us.

They didn't think Black people were homosexual, not anymore.

They didn't think Black people molested children, not anymore.

They thought Black people were unshakably religious and believed in God, they now know that's not necessarilty the case.

We used to brag that WE weren't the ones shipping the dope in for the little brother on the street to sell, American Gangster cancelled that argument out, lol.

Again, I don't see the benefit in exposing to the world how members of the Black church molest children.

"America today is just as racist as it was in the past…ain’t nothing changed but the weather

Don’t believe the hype just because we have a person of melanin in the White House "

I believe America was far more and violently more racist in the past, then things got better in the 60s and 70s, but in the late 80s and 90s after Reaganomics, crack, and gangsta rap....racism began to increase again.

And this time it's not just Whites by themselves.

Often times they'll have Asians, Arabs, and others on thier team.

But I don't think America is anywhere near as racist as it was during the 1800s, lol.

How many White men are kicking down Black men's doors raping their wives and snatching their children away from them for slavery?

The only thing close to slavery today is the overrepresentation of Black men in prison.

Don't get me wrong, racism is real and it certainly exists; but much of the racism Black people in America experience today is as a result of THIER silly behavior that just about anyone of any race with good sense would object to anyway.

[Nah'Sun 17]

@ Pioneer

Side A

You act like Tarantino has never stereotyped Black characters in his movies

Samuel L Jackson rockin’ a jheri curl wig for his character in Pulp Fiction???

Ving Rhames’s character, Marsellus, is emasculated by the way of a white police officer raping him???

Tarantino saying "dead nigger storage" more than once when that comment is awkward in the movie???

C’mon now…really???

LOL

It seems like you praise Tarantino without pointing out his shortcomings the same way you’re doing to Spike Lee

Side B

The purpose of the Italian pizza shop and Korean owned store is to illustrate how Blacks don’t own anything in the communities they live in, which was further magnified in a conversation between the three older men sitting across the street from the pizza shop and the store

And you if notice…

Mookie’s sister, Jade, told Buggin’ Out that he should do something positive with his energy instead of flipping out over a mundane issue such as putting Black photos on the pizza shop’s wall

The Black teenagers, The Mayor, the three older men, along with Mookie and Jade refused to join Buggin Out’s protest against Sal’s Pizza until

1) Sal called Radio Raheem a nigger

2) The police killed Radio Raheem by choking him to death instead of just arresting him

Those events sparked the riot

Not everybody was totally against Sal even after the fight inside the pizza shop...The Mayor tried to stop people from potentially harming Sal and his sons before the riot popped off

Mookie screamed “hate” before throwing the trash can at the pizza store’s window to symbolize Sal’s “hate” when he called Radio Raheem a “nigger” that also goes back to when Radio Raheem broke down the “love” and “hate” brass knuckles to Mookie in the middle of the film

Pino’s racism was not justified considering that Mookie had pointed out the hypocrisy of Pino calling Black people “nigger” when his favorite entertainers and athletes are Black

There’s more I can say about the causes and effects, and the symbolisms in Do The Right Thing…overall, I think your perspective about the movie is totally off base even though I respect your opinions about the film

Side C

About Clockers…

I see you’re forgetting that one police officer said that the city should blow up the projects, and John Turturro’s character responded that they shouldn’t when the people living there are going to kill off each other anyway

Law enforcement shouldn’t say that about the people they suppose to serve and protect

There’s more I can point out…I don’t have time to do so

Side D

I know I haven’t seen Django yet…I already stated I have no interest in seeing the movie, and I also stated that I’m not able to make an honest critique because of my not seeing the film

The plot of the movie doesn’t interest me…simple as that

A superhero slave???

Really???

LOL

I’ll pass

Side E

All I’m going to say about your last points on America’s treatment and philosophy of Blacks is that covert racism is just as dangerous as overt racism

They traded in white sheets for business suits

The pen is mightier than the sword

Cold Wars are no different from violent ones

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Slavery still exists…just in other forms and fashions…one form is that slavery had went from physical to mental, which is why you see a lot of Negroes wildin’ out nowadays

[Pioneer1 738]

Nah'Sun

A

If it seems like I was unfairly targeting Spike Lee and hyping Tarantino, that's certainly not my intention.

My point was simply that Black directors shouldn't be so quick to criticize how White directors portray AfroAmericans when so much of THIER work doesn't portray our people in the best light either.

In accordance with it's title...the subject of this thread is NOT about Quentin Tarantino the man or all of his movies, it's about one particular movie:

Django Unchained

All of his other work in the past, present, or future does not and should not take away from the value of THIS particular movie.

B

Well, maybe you can see the deep meaning behind it but outside of entertainment purposes (and it was a very entertaining movie) I'm not sure what other purpose Spike had for making Do The Right Thing.

If he was trying to address the need for Black ownership and economic empowerment.......

Instead of showing Italians getting special favors from the Mafia or city officials to open thier pizzaria or showing Koreans getting special tax breaks that Blacks can't get; Spike chose to show hard working Italian and Korean families owning stores and trying to maintain while the Black and Latino residents are too busy hanging out drinking, cussing, and playing their music loud to buy property and engage in productive commerce.

If he was trying to address the problem of police brutality........

Instead of showing the police using racial slurs while targeting innocent Black men and women, he chose to show Radio damn near choking Sal to death in a rage with the police having to pull him off of him and that's when they put him in a choke hold and kill him.

Most people with basic reasoning skills will not see the non-Black characters of the film as the villans. Any attempts to clearly and articulately portray racial oppression in the film was totally obscured by the hilariously stereotypical behavior that the Black characters themselves played that often invited thier misfortune.

C

To be honest I haven't seen Clockers in years.

I remember certain parts of it but I don't recall every scene.

But if showing a White cop saying he wishes he could blow up the projects (and doesn't even refer to Black people specifically) is the best Spike can do in attempting to portray the racism that we KNOW is so pervasive in the NYPD......maybe he needs to sit down and interview a few BLACK officers on the department and they'll school him on some of what really goes on, lol.

D

A superhero slave??????

Lol, now see....this is a perfect example of why I strongly believe people should observe things for themsleves instead of just taking other people's words for how things are and running away with it.

First of all Jamie was only a slave for the first 10 minutes of the movie, after he was freed he went on to play the role of a Black savior!

Before I saw the film for myself (twice now) I heard all kinds of crazy stuff about it being this, that, and the other.

Talking about all Jamie Foxx and Kerry Washington did in the movie was grunt and act like docile animals.

Man Kerry was speaking German and Jamie was kicking ass left and right and came through the end not only alive but with his woman and barely a scratch on him!

See the movie bro, lol.

Don't be like Spike Lee, criticizing and condeming the movie and haven't even seen it yet.

E

I agree with you about covert racism being just as dangerous as overt racism.

Infact it's often more dangerous because people often fall victim as they let their guard down and can't recognize it.

However as I said ealier, that doesn't apply to the movie Django in my opinion.

The movie is ABOUT racism in early America, but it's not a racist movie.

By the way, I think one of the main problems in our community is the victim mentality that's got Black people constantly seeing themsleves as separate from "America".

If you check history, just about every place White people settled on this planet after they left Central Europe they claimed it as THIER land.

Whether they called it "istan" in the Middle East or an "Estate" in the Americas.

They have an ownership mentality that makes them feel like they belong where they are.

Black people have been in the United States over 400 years and most Latinos have been here for decades and still don't see America as thier country, lol.

I'm an American, this is MY nation.

From my perspective, "America" isn't racist....there are just some racists IN America that need to be dealt with.

[Nah'Sun 17]

@Pioneer

Side A

Black filmmakers should hold white filmmakers accountable of how they depict history that's outside of their culture

Just like how I took responsibility when I wrote about Arabs and the Islamic religion

Stereotypes are sometimes true, at the same time, it's unfair that you criticize Spike Lee when Tarantino is guilty of stereotyping Blacks in his movies as well

I got off the Django subject in this thread when you criticized Spike Lee while conveniently overlooking Tarantino's flaws

Side B

Why are you so gung ho about me watching Django?

No film, with the exception of Argo, has grasped my attention to go to the movies to spend money

Django is not something I wanna watch...I'm not in the mood to watch a new movie about slavery...just like how Red Hook Summer isn't your cup of henny

I'm getting this feeling like it's almost a sin for Black people to not see Django

LOL

I'll rather buy Hidden Colors 2 instead

Side C

I rarely watch movies for entertaining purposes unless they're oldies but goodies

And Spike Lee, along with other cast members, had explained the meaning and symbolism behind certain scenes in Do the Right Thing when TNT broadcasted the movie and others he'd done back in '95 (TNT ran a Spike Lee marathon with him and the cast speaking before commercial breaks)

That's why I'm able to break down the movie precisely along with my own interpretation

Side D

I agree with everything you pointed out in E, and you're being tic-for-tac in point C in regards to Clockers

[Pioneer1 738]

Nah'Sun

I wasn't overlooking Tarantino's flaws, I just didn't address them because they lay outside of the context of my point:

Which was the issue of some Black directors being inconsistent in complaining about how our people are portrayed by White directors while doing a poor job of portraying our people accurately or atleast positively themselves.

If I had a problem with service at KFC today, what I look like cussing and throwing rocks at Popeye's?

I focus my complaints on the subject at hand, lol.

Now if someone starts a thread on Tarantino's faults or whether or not he's racist, I might do a post or 2 in that one too.

But Naaaaah Shun.....lol

You ain't gotta watch the movie if you don't want to.

Pioneer won't tell you how to spend your money. Django Unchained ain't feeding me one way or the other. I don't have any stocks in it common or prefered, lol.

I just think if you're going to criticize a movie you should atleast watch it to know what you're criticizing.

But if you're refusing to watch it because of Tarantino, I understand.

Gotta respect that.

Great build.

[Nah'Sun 17]

@ Pioneer

See...

Now you're acting like Cynique by misconstruing my words...LOL

My thoughts about Django doesn't have anything to do with Tarantino...I'm a fan of his work...Pulp Fiction and Natural Born Killers are among my favorite movies

I'm just not in the mood to watch Django

Just like how I'm not in the mood to watch all of Spike Lee films

I'm not a groupie

And once again...

...I NEVER criticized Django's content

Re-read my posts in the first page of this thread

I read the plot summary and wasn't moved by it...period point blank

White filmmakers have a habit of improperly depicting cultures...just like how they had a white man play a Mexican in the film The Mexican instead of casting a Latin character, and also stereotyping the buck-tooth, slanted eyed "China man" in past movies...

Or having David Carradine star in Kung Fu instead of Bruce Lee because of Lee's ethnicity

That's why white filmmakers telling Black history is such a sensitive issue especially when the history has been distorted over the years

You're a year late with the Nah'Shun joke...cut it out

[Pioneer1 738]

Nah'Sun

You say you're not trying to offer a critique of it, you just aren't interested in seeing the movie......understood.

However when you make statements like:

"Seems like Hollywood loves seeing Black people in submissive and subordinate positions

I'm not watching DJango on the strength that I'm tired of the theme that Blacks are subordinate or inferior to whites"

"The plot of the movie doesn’t interest me…simple as that

A superhero slave???"

Not only are those critiques (you're actually criticizing the movie), but they are critiques based on erroneous assumptions.

1. Django wasn't an inferior Black man in a submissive role, he was the PROTAGONIST from the beginning to the end.

2. The plot of Django wasn't about a superhero slave, it was about an ex-slave turned hero...there's a big difference.

Look, I'm not here to discuss the history of racism in cinema.......

James Brown said WHAT-SEN-EVA reason you don't want to watch the movie, it's your business and you don't have to.

But if you're going to make certain assertions about a movie, it would be wise to have atleast watched it first.

[Troy 2,134]

Interestingly Nah'Sun, in hindsight, I wish I had not paid to for my entire family to see Django in the theater.

Here is an article you all may find interesting: http://blockreportradio.com/news-mainmenu-26/1484-django-unchained-the-pornication-of-black-history.html

While I think critiquing the film on it's historically accuracy is a silly exercise -- I did fond it a interesting diversion from the Spike Lee said this and Jamie Fox said that.

As in "articles" like the one we find in the ghetto section of the HUffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/jamie-foxx-spike-lee-django-unchained-criticism_n_2505894.html

[Nah'Sun 17]

@Pioneer

I did not say the movie was either good or bad

Django might be a classic movie

I just don’t wanna see a movie about slavery at this point…my opinion doesn’t marginalize the movie…I made an assessment, not a critique

You made an assessment about not wanting to watch Red Hook Summer without seeing it

So what’s the difference???

LOL

You’re a funny guy

@Troy

I didn’t read the second article, but the first article is the main reason why I’m not in a hurry to see Django

I’m looking at the bigger picture through the vibrations that the movie gives off regardless of my not watching the film

And I'm also glad that the first article had backed up my claim that Tarantino stereotypes his Black characters

[Pioneer1 738]

Nah'Sun


"You made an assessment about not wanting to watch Red Hook Summer without seeing it

So what’s the difference???"



Funny you should ask, because actually there are 2:

1. *Not criticizing Red Hook* hasn't been one of my major claims through out this dialog. So I have no incentive to deny something I never claimed in the first place.
You HAVE denied critiquing the movie while still making sweeping general statements about it as a whole.


2. No I didn't see the movie but because those who have seen it and given reviews of it have spoken and questioned Spike about the scene in which a minister molests a boy.....it has been confirmed that this is in the movie.
You haven't seen where I made sweeping general statements in praise of or in condemnation of the entire movie itself; only my opinion on Spike's decision to include that one particular scene.
So it doesn't require that I watch the entire movie for me to comment on one scene.

[Nah'Sun 17]

@Pioneer

 

I'm entitled to a preference

 

You not wanting to watch Red Hot Summer without seeing the movie is the same as my reasoning for not wanting to watch Django without seeing it

 

People have questioned and harshly critiqued Django as well...that movie is not universally loved...get over it

 

The horse is dead

 

*cues in the funeral horns*

[Pioneer1 738]

Nah'Sun

The Devil in Tales from the Hood said:

THIIS AIN'T ABOUT PREFERENCESSS!

IT AIN'T ABOUT FUNERAL HORNSSSS....NEITHER!

THISSSS....IS ABOUT








.....psych naw....lol

Listen mayne you're entitled to your own preferences, nobody is arguing that.
If you don't want to see the movie for any reason that's your right and I've never disputed your right to do so.

But because it seemed as if you had some misgivings about the actual content of the movie itself I said that maybe you should see it first before you criticize it.
Then you accused me of misconstruing your words and said:

"...I NEVER criticized Django's content"

But this is after you made statements like:


"I'm not watching DJango on the strength that I'm tired of the theme that Blacks are subordinate or inferior to whites"

"The plot of the movie doesn’t interest me…simple as that
A superhero slave???"


Statements that are totally off the mark with this particular film.

Now I agree, at this point we're just going back-n-forth and it's bordering on the unproductive ; but as long as you continue to accuse me of not getting it and misunderstanding what you're trying to say and try to deflect from me pointing out your erroneous assumptions about the film by bringing up:
-racism in America
-racism in the history of film making
-who has the right to his or her own preferences
- is the choice between the red or blue pill in the Matrix  secretly trying to make you choose between the Bloods or the Crips
-what ever happened to Redhead King pin

Or any other type of diversion.....I'm going to drill on this point post after post.

*You really should see the movie before critiquing it.*
 

[Nah'Sun 17]

@ Pioneer

 

My not wanting to see Django on the strength of the plot summary is no different from people not wanting to buy a book based on the synopsis

[Pioneer1 738]

@ Pioneer

 

My not wanting to see Django on the strength of the plot summary is no different from people not wanting to buy a book based on the synopsis

No doubt,

But while they may or may not have spent their money buying it, most people don't criticize books they never read.

[Nah'Sun 17]

@Pioneer

 

Peace do criticize what they never read, saw or heard...happens all the time when it comes to Urban Fiction

 

I never criticized Django...but hey, whatever makes you sleep better at night

 

You can try to convince me to see the movie all you want, but it's not happening any time soon

 

Try again