YO! Can we discuss Black movies (or the lack thereof) ?...

[airant23]

YO!

Last night, my sister and I got into a debate of sorts over the movie Not Easily Broken. I'd made a comment about a week ago that I wouldn't want tosee it because T.D. Jakes was involved in it. She saw it Saturday and feels like it wasn't a bad movie... this coming from someone who watches House ofPayne regularly - and it enjoys it!

I'm at a point where I feel that the studios believe that as an audience, Black people are only interested in movies about relationships (w/ heavyreligious undertones), biopics, or "gangsta" tales.

My sister (and my cousin, who chimed in) argued that if we don't support these films, the studios will only ignore us and that our support will earn Blackfilmmakers the opportunity to make broader films. Conversely, I believe that our power is in our dollar. That basically if we don't show up in droves toevery film that has a cast comprised mostly of "us", the studios will be all the more open to understanding how they can get our dollar. As it isthough, our faithfulness to support any and everything Tyler Perry (and the likes) only gives the impression that we are largely satisfied with only that. Moreof the same...



I'd love to hear opinions on this.

DF!!!

 

[freddypee]

You make a valid point. Its almost as if we feed into black stereotype, however you would be surprised how many non blacks enjoy Tyler's movies and otherclassic black movies such as The Wood, Love and Basketball, and what not. I think if they were better advertised we wouldnt HAVE to support them for them tosucceed.

Oh and I've yet to see the TD Jakes movie.

 

[boredone1]

One way i feel is that the majority of the movies that i see/ adveritised on tv are the bs ones where a bunch of black people get meet at a cookout/ family gettogether. And its the same steriotypical, cliche, situations and conflict (such as those that you named). And they use the same actors most of the time. Wearen't only interested in these movies but thats whats available. (in fact i hate those kinds of movies) I mean when "black movies' branch outinto other genres they screw it up by directing too heavily towards "steroriotypical" us. I mean if they make a "black" horror flick, itsset in the hood, everyone is ghetto, there is a bs plot and the movie is wack. That aint what i look for in a movie.

My opinion is slightly ignorant but thats how i feel.

 

[elpablo21]

Damn hitting the nail right on the head....The perspective of black movies hasnt changed much since the exploitation films in the 70's

 

[cubs davinci]

I dont support Tyler Perry at all son is a crispy crunchity crackity %#%+

 

[supermanblue79]

I really do appreciate the work these film makers are doing, but I'm at the point to were I need more than "The Clumps go through a tryingrelationship and save the church by raising money through a national singing competition" type movies. It's simple, we just need more substance inour films.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Honestly, I think the reason you don't see many black filmakers/actors is because it's such a long difficult process and it's not appealing.

 

[selfmadepimp]

i saw the t.d jakes movie it wasnt anything more than i expected and i knew exactly what would happen in it. i agree with everything you said and i myself alsowonder when things are going to change.

 

[HEATHEN]

I'm not even black and I'm so @(#*@# fed up with all the stereotypical depictions of Black people in these movies....


Another thing I noticed, Black movies usually have people of other races play stereotypical characters aswell...


For example...

It'll be something like a black gangster....all thugged out or what not, and if he interacts with a Chinese man they are always on some nerdy numbercruncher +#$...

Or a white dude will either be overly wholesome or he'll be depicted as a redneck...

A Middle Eastern dude has to be on some Apu steez....

A Hispanic dude has to be on some cholo or laborer type @@+....

etc...



Everyone is pigeonholed...

 

[airant23]

YO!

The Wood, Love and Basketball, and what not. I think if they were better advertised we wouldnt HAVE to support them for them to succeed.
But I'm with those flicks.

There weren't countless reinforced stereotypes or transparent attempts to connect with Black audience through Bible references. Those movies reflect thereal lives of people... both of those movies could've been made with all White casts with very little changes made.


I actually used something I heard Al Sharpton say - where he basically said that the earliest forms of art and production by Blacks weren't onlyreflections of what our lives were at the time, but also a reflection of what the majority of us ideally wanted our lives to be. As he said, it wasn't justabout "+%$#*#@ in the field picking cotton." He said this in reference to Black music and the Hip Hop generation but I feel it holds weight indiscussing Black films.

The dynamics of us isn't being properly portrayed. Most of what we get only plays into what White people's worst opinions of us are.

DF!!!

 

[eghckk]

I've actually been thinking about this a lot lately. Most of the movies that come out nowadays that are geared towards black audiences have been eitherreally sappy and simple Tyler Perry type glorified lifetime movies that try and shove Christianity down your throat or comedies with characters behavingobnoxiously that play on stereotypes. I don't have a problem with these movies necessarily, I don't watch them or enjoy them but I don't knockthose that do but my main complaint is that I wish black people/minorities had more options when we go to the movies as to how we see ourselves being depicted.White people can go to watch movies and see themselves being shown in so many different ways they can see movies about white people being funny/not takingthemselves too seriously ie. Knocked Up, Superbad or go see something serious ie. The Wrestler or watch a movie that's weird/quirky ie. a Wes Andersonmovie etc. etc. But black audiences don't have those same options. For once I'd like to see some new movies that cater to blacks/minorities withcharacters that represent me.

 

[cubs davinci]

Honestly, I think the reason you don't see many black filmakers/actors is because it's such a long difficult process and it's not appealing.
So you sayin black folk are lazy?

what a stereotype

If i wadnt doin a driveby and drinkin watermelon flavored kool aid and throwin out my orders to pay "child support" all at once id come smack you!


lol jk

 

[nolanmjj]

well, to talk about this i guess you have to talk about blaxploitation right? well the reason that mainly ended is because the wiz bombed so badly incommercial theatres. it didn't make money, and so the blaxploitation era was shot down. no more of that. can't be making movies if you're notmaking money right?

it seems like your argument is based on fighting against romantic racialism.

i had a lot more to say but yuku deleted it all...smh

are you saying you want to see movies with black actors and actresses but not about BEING black?

 

[scotthallwithapick]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Honestly, I think the reason you don't see many black filmakers/actors is because it's such a long difficult process and it's not appealing.

A long process to be an actor/filmaker? Isnt every career worht something a long and difficult process. I'm confused by your statement


and with this thread I'm with you Ant I don't support these movies when I see a black movie that I found is going to be entertaining w/o stereotypes Iwill pay my 10.50

 

[doublejs07]

My sister (and my cousin, who chimed in) argued that if we don't support these films, the studios will only ignore us and that our support will earn Black filmmakers the opportunity to make broader films.


But, IMO a lot of these movies that come out are poor representations of blacks, as well as an inferior project in general. Why should anyone supportmediocrity? Just because it's a predominately black cast?

Also, a lot of these movies promote "family," but they still play into a lot of stereotypes that surround blacks to begin with. I don'tknow...maybe one day it will change.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Originally Posted by ScottHallWithAPick

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Honestly, I think the reason you don't see many black filmakers/actors is because it's such a long difficult process and it's not appealing.

A long process to be an actor/filmaker? Isnt every career worht something a long and difficult process. I'm confused by your statement


and with this thread I'm with you Ant I don't support these movies when I see a black movie that I found is going to be entertaining w/o stereotypes I will pay my 10.50

Dude you know it's so much easier going to college and getting a degree in like Finance or whatever, than it is flying out to Cali and tryingto sell your skills to a studio.

 

[derryj3]

Do yall know how hard it is to get a movie made? Let alone a major motion picture? The reason we dont have that many good "black" movies is becausemost of the studios do not believe they will succeed.

So in my opinion, unless you're satisfied with the independent black movies out there. The only way big studios are gonna take a chance on "good blackmovies" is by supporting the same tired BS like Tyler Perry and TD Jakes.

 

[worldbeefreeg]

One way to look at is that African-Americans base are only 12% of America, not a large percentage anymore. The bigger problem is how Hollywood's itselfchooses to portray African-Americans. Serious movies involving Afdrican-Americans truly occur as they are all throw into the before said categories that youhad mentioned. Spike Lee is the only African-American dire4ctor today who has any creative freedom. Hollywood still chooses to portray African-Americans acertain way instead of creating serious films involving Blacks. Supporting these films only hurts blacks because it confirms hollywood's notions thatBlacks are only interested in these wack films.

 

[airant23]

YO!

it seems like your argument is based on fighting against romantic racialism.
Not entirely.


I think most of us, on this board at least, can agree that we aren't being shown the full dynamics of our people through cinema. My question is more so -in what ways can we go about doing something about it? What voice do we have to demand portrayals of THIS generation of Blacks?


DF!!!

 

[scotthallwithapick]

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Originally Posted by ScottHallWithAPick

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Honestly, I think the reason you don't see many black filmakers/actors is because it's such a long difficult process and it's not appealing.

A long process to be an actor/filmaker? Isnt every career worht something a long and difficult process. I'm confused by your statement


and with this thread I'm with you Ant I don't support these movies when I see a black movie that I found is going to be entertaining w/o stereotypes I will pay my 10.50

Dude you know it's so much easier going to college and getting a degree in like Finance or whatever, than it is flying out to Cali and trying to sell your skills to a studio.

So black people are going to college and white people are becoming actors and filmmakers? What are you saying JRS? Ok it's hard but why doesthat limit Blacks?

 

[servechilled81]

I'm not a fan of the Tyler Perry type movies, but I'm glad he gets the support he does. He just opened the first Black owned movie/tv studio. Hopefullythis will allow him to reach out other black filmmakers, writers, actors, with a different story to tell. I'm sure most studios rely on him for a certainformula, so with his own studio I hope he will be courageous enough to branch out.

 

[derryj3]

Originally Posted by ScottHallWithAPick

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Originally Posted by ScottHallWithAPick

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Honestly, I think the reason you don't see many black filmakers/actors is because it's such a long difficult process and it's not appealing.

A long process to be an actor/filmaker? Isnt every career worht something a long and difficult process. I'm confused by your statement


and with this thread I'm with you Ant I don't support these movies when I see a black movie that I found is going to be entertaining w/o stereotypes I will pay my 10.50

Dude you know it's so much easier going to college and getting a degree in like Finance or whatever, than it is flying out to Cali and trying to sell your skills to a studio.

So black people are going to college and white people are becoming actors and filmmakers? What are you saying JRS? Ok it's hard but why does that limit Blacks?

naw hes saying name the number of Black studios in Hollywood.

 

[scotthallwithapick]

Originally Posted by derryj3

Originally Posted by ScottHallWithAPick

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Originally Posted by ScottHallWithAPick

Originally Posted by JohnnyRedStorm

Honestly, I think the reason you don't see many black filmakers/actors is because it's such a long difficult process and it's not appealing.

A long process to be an actor/filmaker? Isnt every career worht something a long and difficult process. I'm confused by your statement


and with this thread I'm with you Ant I don't support these movies when I see a black movie that I found is going to be entertaining w/o stereotypes I will pay my 10.50

Dude you know it's so much easier going to college and getting a degree in like Finance or whatever, than it is flying out to Cali and trying to sell your skills to a studio.

So black people are going to college and white people are becoming actors and filmmakers? What are you saying JRS? Ok it's hard but why does that limit Blacks?

naw hes saying name the number of Black studios in Hollywood.

ok but he's mentioning how its hard to fly to California and get into acting. What does that have to do with the stereotypes black gettypecasted?

 

[airant23]

YO!

Do yall know how hard it is to get a movie made? Let alone a major motion picture? The reason we dont have that many good "black" movies is because most of the studios do not believe they will succeed.

So in my opinion, unless you're satisfied with the independent black movies out there. The only way big studios are gonna take a chance on "good black movies" is by supporting the same tired BS like Tyler Perry and TD Jakes.
That's what I wanted to hear. I've had this discussion with a dude in film school. He introduce things to my perspective that I hadn'tthought about previously. Such as... the difficulty of getting ANY film made into a major motion picture. So I was hoping to get opinions on what our bestoption would be. Thank you.

Spike Lee is the only African-American dire4ctor today who has any creative freedom.
I'm glad he was mentioned. Because my sister brought him up before I could. She used him as an example to say that it took him nearly 20 yearsto have the opportunity to make an Inside Man.

My argument on Spike was that his early movies were clever, damn near brilliant in their social commentary. She says, in any case, he still had to produce thesame "type" of film with the support of the Black audience before being able to do something larger.


DF!!!

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Na what I'm saying is acting and filmmaking isn't appealing enough to black people to go through all the hassle to make the living. If it was, I thinkwe would see an increase in actors and filmmakers.