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Well the most recent historical black themed war fim was Spike Lee's bomb--Miracle at St. Ana. The last CGI heavy war aviation film Flyboys also bombed.
It is tiresome to see the inevitable "That that whitey" approach used in historical based films regarding black-white relations. American whites are shown to be hateful, incompetent or stupid. Even Nazis are better represented and have been for a number of decades in strictly combat related films than American whites are in pro-black films. (Of course, low budget exploitation films need not be considered.)
Ironic that those black officers from Tuskegee were more integrated in terms of mores with American society of the era than we non-black americans are with our black americans today. The irony should be obvious to anyone seeing this film and comparing the mature and professional bearing of the pilots vs. mainstream black culture today and wondering what happened to black society. We happily accept the former and reject the latter and those officers would be considered Uncle Toms by today's black culture.
Well Felix, that's what happened back then--as well as the film being a dramatization.
Antler guy, there are SOME humble and down to earth people in the military--but your statement, if generalizing the whole of military forces from the United States, is completely wrong.
<shrug> The whole concept of a documentary coming out of the Hollywood "mills" is ludicrous. Hollywood movies are about making money by pandering to ANY group with a few bucks and a willingness to part with them. Why do you think there are so many movies aimed at kids and teens? Saying Hollywood panders is about like saying they use cameras. What else is new?
Will George's film be entertaining? Most likely. Will it be accurate? Uhhhhh...
In general, cherry-picking a contribution of a particular group in a largely global war scene is fraught with such romanticism which borders upon pandering to the group and seeking to soothe that subdued anger of all once upon a time affronts, which have long been put to rest in the annals of history.
George Lucas couldn't get any support for a movie about an elite group of world war II airmen (the tuskegee airmen). Pulls $58 Mill out of his own pocket while flipping the bird with the other hand to hollywood bosses...
Gotta love George!
Why gotta love him? If he had the money in his own pocket, why did he even need support from others? It is not like he was buying something, he is investing it in a movie that could bring him a lot more, if not, oh well, he should have made a better movie. Am I to feel sorry for him for risking his own money in order to make a lot more? What has he done for the community? For the homeless? For the hungry children? He can kiss my Wookie@ss!
It is not pandering as long as they show the black characters as real human beings. Meaning, they must have flaws, they must be angry, they must swear, etc... Basically, act like a normal human being.
Pandering comes into play when movies treat these groups as the "noble savage," an old european expression for writers who described a group (indians, africans, etc...) in an honorable way, but only in comparison to their tribal or savage nature (the Help did this, but too few noticed or were offended). Basically, telling the audience that this black man has risen up so honorable despite the fact that he is barely removed from a (insert rascist comment here). All the white people who want to seem enlightened will applaud this man and want to know and befriend him. Just remember, rascism comes with a smile as often as it comes with frown.
I have not seen this movie so I do not know which angle it will take. I will say this though, if the film shows ultra-honorable, ultra-righteous blacks facing off against an monstrous system of repression then the movie is pandering, and becomes little more than a lifetime tv original movie.
It is not pandering as long as they show the black characters as real human beings. Meaning, they must have flaws, they must be angry, they must swear, etc... Basically, act like a normal human being.
Pandering comes into play when movies treat these groups as the "noble savage," an old european expression for writers who described a group (indians, africans, etc...) in an honorable way, but only in comparison to their tribal or savage nature (the Help did this, but too few noticed or were offended). Basically, telling the audience that this black man has risen up so honorable despite the fact that he is barely removed from a (insert rascist comment here). All the white people who want to seem enlightened will applaud this man and want to know and befriend him. Just remember, rascism comes with a smile as often as it comes with frown.
I have not seen this movie so I do not know which angle it will take. I will say this though, if the film shows ultra-honorable, ultra-righteous blacks facing off against an monstrous system of repression then the movie is pandering, and becomes little more than a lifetime tv original movie.
Hollywood's adept at pulling that meek, humble and piteous noble savage
Let's look at some of the humility characters
1. The black boy in the blind side, simply steals the prize, while Timmy (some biceps there for a country singing man), Sandy and the kids are in top class full-blown make-up throughout the time, even the rouges-cous in the football game don't have dirty stuff on them. Most annoying part is where the guy goes near the swing and the kids get scared in school
2. The poor black mom of the abused child in the catholic movie doubts. It stars Meryl Streep. Kind of sad to see Amy Adams cloaked completely in a cassock. Thank Jesus she wasn't for real
3. The green mile - Michael Duncan Clarke. How nice he is to the mouse.
4. The movie 2012 - they pick a British actor of Indian descent who speaks almost like the Brits, make him do a funky accent becoz he plays an Indian character. And worse, make him nice, humble and sacrificial - especially the last minute hug when the waves come by - pretty heart wrenching. I shed tears
5. Even in Avatar - every navi character is African American, playing the tormented and oppressed victim - while the saviour is from good old Oz.
6. I like the movie Fargo - some good acting there - but see how they pull the Asian guy - desperate, meek and acting like a monkey.
I mean, I do know these stereotypes can exist in real life. But Hollywood does not need to be so real here, when Batman flies from rooftop to rooftop or Drew Barrymore can kick some dude a$$ like kicking rugby balls. Often times, Hollywood contributes to the bias among people.
Otherwise, I like movies like Lethal Weapon 1. They profile a white cop and a black cop as in real life. Made very well, without the little victimization/saviour stunts
And this is the only reason I'm not too excited about seeing Red Tails. It's already been done before. Cuba Gooding, Jr. was in that movie as well.
I saw the trailer for Red Tails just yesterday....it looked like a steaming turd of a movie. (Then again I'm a history buff so I'm more interested in that angle)
Lucas is probably out trying to drum up interest in the flick and isn't afraid to play the "race card".
6. I like the movie Fargo - some good acting there - but see how they pull the Asian guy - desperate, meek and acting like a monkey.
I agree with you about the Blind Side and films like that, but that guy in Fargo was inone scene and there wasn't any emphasis on him being Asian. He was just another sad guy with a Minnesota accent who happened to be played by a Chinese actor. I mean William H. Macy's character is equally desperate and meek...
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I mean, I do know these stereotypes can exist in real life. But Hollywood does not need to be so real here, when Batman flies from rooftop to rooftop or Drew Barrymore can kick some dude a$$ like kicking rugby balls. Often times, Hollywood contributes to the bias among people.
Also, one thing I've learned from cop shows and movies is that all police commisioners are tough-as-nails black people who've got the mayor on their ass...
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Otherwise, I like movies like Lethal Weapon 1. They profile a white cop and a black cop as in real life. Made very well, without the little victimization/saviour stunts
Yeah and what about Cheech and Chong? You had a Mexican-American from East LA and a Chinese-Canadian working as a fairly equal team to score dope.
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