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Roxie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Roxie
Post Number: 486
Registered: 06-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 09, 2006 - 11:30 am: | 
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As you all know, Hollywood made no effort promoting this film, no surprise. Even I had never heard of it until mom mentioned that she wanted to see it at the theaters. when she finally got time off the movie was already out of the theater. This film lasted in the theater for what seemed like a week. But just as quickly as it left the movies it entered the videostores, so you should be able to rent it now.
"The Gospel" has a similar storyline to "The Fighting Tempations": after a young man,(Boris kojdoe (sp?)) who strays from his religious roots after an unpleasant event in his life, the impending death of a relative forces him to return to is past.
Just like in TFT, Boris contends with another congregation member over a position of the church. Both are set in the south (in this film, Atlanta), and just like it's counterpart the film has a concert scene with famous gospel singers making cameos. But what makes this better than TFT?
By portraying it's characters as real human beings with 3-dimensional conflicts, this film actually breaks from the usual stereotyping of the south, the black church ,and black people themselves that we are now used to. In other words no vulgar behavior from male charaters, no exaggerated gestures from the females, no rediculously clothed secondary characters, and definitely NO GRATUITOUS PSEUDO-EBONICS. Everyone is refined and well-mannered, i.e. no one is acting loud or making scenes in public.One can even empathize with the antagonist of the film. It's like you are watching your own neighbors, friends, and relatives on screen. And most of all, no UNNECCESSARY flips, summersaults or dancing of any kind from any actors! (Yeah, you heard me Cuba :P)
There was only flaw however, was the uneven variety of skin color tones among the congregation. the majority of people in this film( both main players and extras) had complexions ranging from light mocha to cafe au lait. The darkest male in the film was Boris' father. The darkest (young) female, keisha knight pullam,who was barely in the film anyway. The other females with her complexion were a bunch of elderly ladies. There were even fewer high yellows.
Overall, cameos from Tom Joyner, a performance from the congregation's children's choir and Kodjoe himself , and the storyline itself makes you forget such flaws. It reminds you that there are STILL some good, non-hypocritical black churches out there. So IMHO if the suits in hollywood want to know what a REAL black church is like they should watch this film. Anyway check it out, even if it's not the best thing out there, we can all agree that it is a nice breath of fresh air from the constant suffocation of "the cookouts", "Kingdom Comes" and the "soul planes" that we've been getting from mainstream hollywood. So spread the word and help support this film. 
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Trivia: "The Gospel" even stars Cuba's little brother, Omar gooding. |
Mrs_hart
Newbie Poster
Username: Mrs_hart
Post Number: 12
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 09, 2006 - 12:38 pm: |
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"we can all agree that it is a nice breath of fresh air from the constant suffocation of "the cookouts", "Kingdom Comes" and the "soul planes" that we've been getting from mainstream hollywood"
Thank you so much! I will do just that! Spread the word.
You know these scripts are shopped around to major Black stars. I wonder HOW MANY turned this one down and WHY? |
Roxie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Roxie
Post Number: 488
Registered: 06-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 09, 2006 - 05:46 pm: |
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---I wonder HOW MANY turned this one down and WHY?--
$$$$$$$---that's all they think about.
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Jenn
Newbie Poster
Username: Jenn
Post Number: 6
Registered: 11-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 10:46 pm: |
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There was only flaw however, was the uneven variety of skin color tones among the congregation. the majority of people in this film( both main players and extras) had complexions ranging from light mocha to cafe au lait.
Whaaaat? The leading lady in this film was Nona Gaye, who is hardly light-skinned. Aloma Wright is downright chocolate-colored. Tamyra is fairer-skinned, but far from a "yellow" girl. On the side of the men, Clifton Powell and Idris Elba are dark-skinned, with Boris, Omar Gooding and Dwayne Boyd being lighter (but not exactly "light").
You know these scripts are shopped around to major Black stars. I wonder HOW MANY turned this one down and WHY?
This film was NOT "shopped around" and "MANY" black stars did NOT turn it down. The majority of the cast was hand-picked by director Rob Hardy himself; just listen to the commentary on the DVD. Nona Gaye, for example, didn't even have to audition; the role was written with her in mind, and she accepted it upon reading the script. I believe the same is true of Idris Elba.
Furthermore, this film had a VERY strong shelf life, theater-wise - in fact, it's still playing at the dollar theater in my city, and the DVD is downright scarce in this town (Tallahassee, FL) and sold out in quite a few places. I was lucky that I was awake at 6 am the day it came out and bought it from a local Wal-Mart; I happened to be at the same store the next evening and it was completely gone. It opened at #5 its debut week DESPITE opening in only 989 theaters, and grossed TWICE its budget the very first week of opening. There was PLENTY of promotion - on television, on the radio, in magazines, and there was even a two-hour gospel special on BET. It's not that it didn't have a long run; it's that it had a very SMALL run. |
Anonymous
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 08:51 pm: |
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