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     Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 8337 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Black Dynamite’ detonates my ego By Jason Johnson | Published 11/19/2009 | Commentaries | Rating: ‘Black Dynamite’ detonates my ego by Dr. Jason Johnson Real Times News Service Several weeks ago, a group of friends and I drove two hours just to see a movie. We joined a surprisingly multi-cultural crowd to see the premiere of the movie “Black Dynamite,” a hilarious spoof of blaxploitation films of the 1970’s. I will admit upfront that I’m no expert on the blaxploitation film era. Outside of reading Martha Southgate’s “Third Girl from the Left” and seeing Mario Van Peeple’s “Badass” I can’t give you an intimate break-down of the social, sexual and political implications of the films at the time. I’ve never even gotten through the entire original “Shaft” – I thought it was boring. Despite this lack of in-depth knowledge, I actually just enjoyed a black movie; something that I think the large black community forgets how to do every once in awhile. I must confess that I’m recovering from N.M.E. – Negro Movie Elitism. We all know the symptoms. Whether on television, radio or at your dinner party, victims of N.M.E. feel compelled to rail against the Wayans Brothers, Tyler Perry or any other movie they feel brings down the race. They’re convinced that the depiction of black people in every movie is going to have some lasting indelible impact on how our community is viewed. If the film doesn’t meet their unique and complex standards of blackness and integrity it is nothing less than an apocalypse for all of black culture and life. It’s a hard addiction to kick; I wrestled with it for years. This is not to say that there aren’t bad or racist films coming out of Hollywood every year. It’s just that when a bad movie becomes successful it doesn’t spell doom for the race. For example: I thought “Monster’s Ball” was one of the worst films I’ve ever seen in my life. It was nothing but bad acting, poor writing and a disgustingly shallow analysis of race relations. Director Lee Daniels’ ham-fisted analysis of sexuality and race in “Monster’s Ball” is one of the reasons I won’t be seeing “Precious.” I’m fairly confident he’ll ruin that too. But “Monster’s Ball” didn’t lead to an explosion of films about black women becoming concubines for racist white cops, and I realized that one black movie doesn’t mean it’s the last one we’ll see for years. It used to be that way. Wide release, majority black cast movies were so rare until the late 1990’s that we criticized every movie if it didn’t entertain, enlighten, transform and uplift blacks, whites and anyone else who came across it. There is, however, such a wide array of films for African Americans now – from independent films to Nollywood (Nigerian) movies – that Negro Movie Elitism should be a thing of the past. We can learn as much about ourselves from low brow and poorly made movies as we can from big studio releases. For the first time in our history we have real cinematic choice and it should be embraced not corralled. I believe that Spike Lee is still recovering from Negro Movie Elite illness given the recent tit for tat between him and fellow filmmaker Tyler Perry over the last few months. Lee is the self-appointed arbiter of good black films and makes it a point to call out any film, director or actor he sees as denigrating the race. His recent comments suggest that he feels Tyler Perry movies are buffoonery and coonish and don’t do our community any good. On one level, I agree. I don’t like most Tyler Perry movies. The theme in every one of his films is that educated, successful black women would find happiness if they’d only marry a working class black man. Mind you, I have similar complaints about Spike Lee films, where every woman is a whore, a monster or merely a vessel to facilitate some man working out his issues. Nevertheless both director’s works are worthy of being seen, even if you disagree with what they’re selling. At the end of “Black Dynamite,” the hero manages to save the ’hood from smack and a dangerous brand of malt liquor that has frightening side effects for black men (you have to see the movie to get the joke.) The movie probably reinforces as many stereotypes as it sends up, but again it was only one film. Ultimately, “Black Dynamite,” like movies by Singleton, Lee, Perry or even the Hughes Brothers are mostly for fun. And as a people we should give ourselves the chance to just sit back and enjoy them every once in awhile without self-reflection and debate. (Dr. Jason Johnson can be reached at johnsonja@hiram.edu.) | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2445 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
That was a refreshing review. | ||
| Troy AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Troy Post Number: 2026 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Carey, I don't know man I find little refreshing about this particular review; which was hardly a review of the moive but more a rail against Spike Lee and "N.M.E.". On the "N.M.E. tip I disagree with the "reviewer's" premise that: "They’re convinced that the depiction of black people in every movie is going to have some lasting indelible impact on how our community is viewed." This so called review was so riddled with inconsistent statements that it was difficult to follow his reasoning. If he dislikes Tylers and Spikes movies why on earth does he think they are "worthy of being seen". A rational person would invest their time and money in seeing flicks they think they will enjoy... After you cut the fat (about 90% of what was written) here is the actual review: I see that he likes the movie. But he actually says nothing about why his likes THIS film. Unless you find diatribes refreshing, I'm not sure what about this review was "refreshing". | ||
| Carey AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Carey Post Number: 2446 Registered: 05-2004 Rating: N/A |
Troy, I understand your differences. I moved away from the word "review" and focused on small elements of his piece. I think he wanted stay in the middle of the road. I agree, he said little about "Black Dynamite". Although I used the word "review" I don't know if the article was even suppose to be a review of "Dynamite". "On the "N.M.E. tip I disagree with the "reviewer's" premise that: "They’re convinced that the depiction of black people in every movie is going to have some lasting indelible impact on how our community is viewed." Yeah, although I may lean in his direction (on that statement), that subject is to large for me to tackle today. Moreso, it's been riped apart. "This so called review was so riddled with inconsistent statements that it was difficult to follow his reasoning" Yep, I agree, he appears to want his cake and eat it too. He didn't really take a stand/position. I think that's why I called it refreshing. He didn't try to ram his opinion down my throat. His approach (to me) was more of a position of observation. Was it suppose to be a review of Black Dynamite? If so, he drop a game of 3 card monty. |
