AfAm Strong Representation in Film ~According to Spike Lee

AKA2D '91 · #1 10-10-2002, 08:53 PM

I've been reading reviews of critics (official and unofficial

) who insist that this movie is very SIMILAR to "Love and Basketball".

Similarities noted:
childhood friends become potential lovers (don't know the outcome until you see the pix.)
Kyla Pratt (played the young version of Sanaa's character in L&BB)
instead of the love of BB, it's the love of Hip-hop

Regardless of what is said, I'm still going to see the film.

Is there a lack of originality in (Black)Hollywood?

oneinamillion · #2 10-10-2002, 09:56 PM

It''s real sad when you think about it but I don't think that Black Hollywood has lost its originality; I moreso feel as if it's not trying to maintain any originality. All Black movies usually deal with drugs, revenge, and soundtracking something.
I mean look at such movies like The Firm, Double Jeopardy....you know movies that Tom, Ashley Judd, Penelope Cruz, Russell Crowe and the likes would starr in. I never really see blacks trying to produce movies like those. I can't really say its white hollywoods fault because we can make our own movies. But then again white hollywood don't want to see us in roles like these. Maybe black hollywood should start demanding better roles; especially when they claim status like Will Smith and Halle Berry or even Samuel "don' did every role" Jackson.
But are we interested in seeing ourselves in roles other than gang bangers, baby mommas begging Jody to come back home, or comedians.

AKA2D '91 · #3 10-10-2002, 10:35 PM

Wait!
This thread isn't solely about Black Hollywood. It is about Hollywood (mainstream) too. That's why I have black in ().

Hollywood is lacking originality too.

oneinamillion · #4 10-10-2002, 10:37 PM

ok........... well I'm speaking my opinion on (black) hollywood.

cleopatrajones · #5 10-11-2002, 12:45 AM

I certainly think Black Hollywood has no originality. I can't stand these love movies about "Shawn loves Vanessa but Shawn wants to act a damn fool...will their love work out..." They all really look the same to me. Love Jones, IMO, had to be the best Black love story out there. I would like to see a serious Black production with no shuckin and jivin and no basketball and a complicated story. I know we have the talent and the skills to do that but I'm sure the politics of the movie industry have an effect on what stories get made in to movies and so on and so forth.

cricket · #6 10-11-2002, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oneinamillion
Samuel "don' did every role" Jackson.

LOL to that, is there any role that man won't turn down?

As for the original questions, YES, I feel there is a lack of originality in black hollywood and black entertainment in general. Love and Basketball is a modern classic love story (black or not) IMO. Even though I'll see the movie from what I've seen of the previews, Brown Sugar is just a take on Love&BBall. I do get tired of seeing the same black movies recycled (sometimes with the same actors) over and over again....Love Jones, The Best Man, 2 Can Play that Game--why does every upper/middle-class black drama have to feature lying, deciet, men with committment phobia, women who like to play games, etc. etc? It's the same with a lot of black themed books as well. I'm just happy when we can see ourselves on the big screens, but sometimes it'd be nice to have a change from the same old formula. Let's see more Soul Foods and Barbershops that at least tried something different (and succeeded!)

Steeltrap · #7 10-11-2002, 01:04 PM

If some films break through the formula cracks (I'm thinking To Sleep With Anger), we are going to have to go see them in large numbers. The only thing that Hollywood really runs on is caiche-foo, dead presidents, mean green, whatever you would like to call it.

If an African American "independent" film with a mature, intelligent, subtly nuanced plot can generate good box office, the financing, while overall not being what it should be for films made by Caucasians, should open up a bit.

The key, however, is to market to that audience, which I envision as being 25 years of age and up, college-educated, rather
raffinee in their tastes.

showstopper_1908 · #8 10-30-2002, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oneinamillion
I can't really say its white hollywoods fault because we can make our own movies. But then again white hollywood don't want to see us in roles like these. Maybe black hollywood should start demanding better roles; especially when they claim status like Will Smith and Halle Berry or even Samuel "don' did every role" Jackson.
But are we interested in seeing ourselves in roles other than gang bangers, baby mommas begging Jody to come back home, or comedians.

I don't blame white (Jewish) Hollywood at all. If they want to see themselvs in a better role, they write it. Maybe the problem is that we don't have enough black writers. If all little Opie knows about black people are drugs, basketball and cheating on their mates, that's all he will write into his script about us. If we had more black writers out there who know that black people do more than have sex and eat chicken, we would have better oportunities in this industry. We breathe, bleed, think, sleep just like any other person. If people keep supporting films like Baby Boy (which I have never seen) or other movies with rappers, singers, sports stars, etc. in the lead roles, we can expect to see more films like this. It's a business, and if money is being made when they hire Ja Rule as the sidekick, and they don't see that same cash flow from the Eve's Bayous, then as a business minded individual the answer should be obvious as to what types of films you will be making in the future.

If JEWISH Hollywood decides to suddenly STOP writing the black sidekick character are we going to be out of luck? Not if there are people who are writing roles for us. We need to be those people.
My request would to see a black comedy that isn't GHETTO. I don't find Master P funny (but his son sure is). I don't want to see this man on the big screen. I want to see something where all of the actors/comedians aren't from Comic View (is that even comedy?). I miss the old Eddie Murphy films. I don't want to see Pootie-Tang or House Party 16.

NOWorNEVER · #9 10-30-2002, 11:06 AM

Hmmm, I don't think there's a lack of originality in Black Hollywood. I enjoy watching movies with plots that I can relate too and that draw a more ethnic crowd at the theater. I do think there is a lack of black actors and actresses. We see the same people in all the black movies and that needs to change. You all know them: Morris Chestnut (my boo), Nia Long, Sanaa Lathan, Taye Diggs, Vivica Fox, the heavy guy who played as Roland, the security guard, in Big Momma's House, Tamara Jones...you see where I'm going. I'm so proud of the black actors and actresses who have stepped out of this circle and showed out in Hollywood (in general) like: Samuel Jackson, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett, Eddie Murphy, etc.

Tanzanite · #10 10-30-2002, 02:10 PM

I do think that black hollywood lacks originality. While watching Brown Sugar, I was thinking to myself they are going to typecast Sanaa Lathan. Although, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, it related to Love and B-ball so much.

Speaking of black entertainment, everytime I turn to BET I get frustrated at their MTV copycat shows. How I'm Livin, Turnstyle, Access Granted just like MTV Cribs, Diary, and Making the Video and how many video shows do you need in one day. Aren't there any other quality shows that you think black people want to see.
Just my $0.13 cents.

snuggles12 · #11 10-30-2002, 05:59 PM

BET is a sad excuse for cable TV. BET is now owned by Viacom who also owns MTV, VH1, and I think UPN. You would think BET would get a little bit more money to produce some new shows.

BET would do better showing the reruns of Black shows (i.e., Sanford & Son) and be more like a TV Land and Nick at Nite. They could do some reality shows (and reality shows do not cost that much to produce). But of course, it's cheaper to produce a video show than a TV show. And since there primary target audience are teenagers, they will continue to feature T&A and comic view.

Quote:

Originally posted by Tanzanite
I do think that black hollywood lacks originality. While watching Brown Sugar, I was thinking to myself they are going to typecast Sanaa Lathan. Although, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, it related to Love and B-ball so much.

Speaking of black entertainment, everytime I turn to BET I get frustrated at their MTV copycat shows. How I'm Livin, Turnstyle, Access Granted just like MTV Cribs, Diary, and Making the Video and how many video shows do you need in one day. Aren't there any other quality shows that you think black people want to see.
Just my $0.13 cents.

AKA_Monet · #12 10-30-2002, 10:13 PM

LIKE I SAID BEFOE: AIN'T NO KINNA WAY SOME SATELLITE IN THE SKY, DVD BURNER AT SKYWALKER RANCH AND CHIT IS GONNA PUT A POSITIVE, MATURE, RESPONSIBLE AFRIKAN (stuck in) amerikkklan MOVIE ON NOBODY'S SCREEN.

Dey just won't do it. So whateva sales: i.e. shuckin' an jivin' chit--is gonna be the blockbuster--RENT "HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE" with Robert Townsend and the Wayans AGAIN AND SEE WHAT DEY SAYIN'...

AIN'T KNOW KINNA WAY!!!

But as a true die hard love story I've wanted to see be made, is either Aïda or the relationship of Auser and Auset set in the near future...

Oh, and try to rent "Sankofa" if you can. Yeah it is about slavery, but it's very interesting... Deep film.

And if y'all see "Trois"--it's freaky, but interesting...

showstopper_1908 · #13 11-01-2002, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NOWorNEVER
I do think there is a lack of black actors and actresses. We see the same people in all the black movies and that needs to change.

Ummmm....nah uh! We are here!!! We are. Casting directors make those decisions. Directors also have a big impact on those decisions. If they say I NEED TAYE DIGGS FOR THIS ROLE and Taye (fine, fine fine, sexy man) agrees, then we have Taye in another film (not like that's a bad thing). It's hard to get recognized in a business when they want familiar faces for all of these films. If they wanted newcomers for "Brown Sugar" (as an example), we might have never heard of the film. There are a LOT of black actors and actresses out there, but if casting keeps recycling the same old faces no one would know that. Come to an open call for a black actor/actress between ages 18-25, trust you will be there all day before you are seen because the line will be off the hook.

ykimber · #14 11-01-2002, 04:22 AM

My mother and I were just talking about this the last time I went home, She had watched The Brothers, Two Can Play That Game and The Best Man back to back and she said that it was like she was watching a trilogy! They just seemed to have the same vibe and story line and for the most oart all the same actors!

Rain Man · #15 11-02-2002, 05:01 PM

Like many of you, I am getting a bit bored at the same old tired Black Hollywood love stories with the same actors playing in it. That is why after reading some of the feedback on "Brown Sugar", I elected to pass on seeing it.

I want to see a Black love story that I can relate to: a common ordinary Black professional who don't date much and have a hard time finding a good sister that isn't totally consumed with their job/career strike oil and meet the woman of his dreams (with a few snags and snares thrown in for good measure). Not some super-successful or big-money professional. Just an average Joe. I thought "The Other Brother" with Mekhi Phifer was going to be my pot of gold, but I was disappointed.

On another note, I want to see a good Black erotic movie (not porno, where folx f[rea]k for the sake of doing so, around some stupid storyline), but something that makes you go "Whoooo" instead of "Ugh". That is why I give Rob Hardy and Will Packer ("Trois", "Pandora's Box") my props, b/c they are willing to show the beauty and mystique of Black sexuality in a tasteful yet titilating way. IMHO I loved "Trois", b/c the duo definately was on to something in the erotic department, but for whatever reason didn't "let it all out", and by consensus of most viewers, made the rest of the movie a disappointment. I am waiting for "Pandora's Box to come to Columbus, as I heard that it was very good.

OK, let me wrap up this post before I wind up with....uh, never mind.

Peace, my Pepys!