Seeing Slavery Through A New Hollywood- Are We Ready?

Hello again world and welcome back to my blog. Today's entry will attempt to decipher a question that will no doubt permeate audiences' minds within the coming months and maybe years- in this modern society, are we ready to see Hollywood depict America's past with slavery? Two upcoming film projects seem to beg the question- the first will be director Quentin Tarantino's spaghetti western/blaxploitation inspired "Django Unchained", and the second, based on the true story of Solomon Northup, is "12 Years A Slave". It is important to note that both films boast A-list casting, with "Django" having the likes of Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio, and "12 Years" lining up Chiwetel Ejiofor and Brad Pitt. As these stars and productions prepare for this gamble and ask their audiences to place their bets upon release, I wonder exactly how films with slavery in the main role will be interpreted by our generation.



Though slavery in America has been depicted in Hollywood before, the sensitivity of the subject has caused its story to be told in between lapses of time. Also keep in mind that historical films, as with other film genres, are perceived not by the era they depict but rather by the era in which they are made. Take for example D.W. Griffith's 1915 Civil War epic "The Birth of A Nation" (a film I have seen clips of, but not yet in its entirety for fear of anger); not only are blacks and slaves portrayed by white actors in blackface, but they are portrayed as stupid, selfish and barbaric in response to their "heroic" white Confederate counterparts. Now let's jump to an American film standard, 1939's "Gone With the Wind"; though it shows a kinder, more modern phase of race relations towards the 1860's South, viewers still see subservience in blacks even after their release from bondage.



Undoubtedly, the biggest production thus far to have its audience see the complete totality of slavery in America is the 1977 television miniseries "Roots". Based from the novel of writer Alex Haley, "Roots" traces an African and his American descendants' journey into slavery, from capture to freedom. As it was made after the Civil Rights era, the main characters' roles- especially that of the African, Kunta Kinte- were portrayed as more dignified, defiant and resourceful towards their situations and aspirations. "Roots" would become a cultural landmark, still remaining one of the highest watched television programs in American history. However, in the time since "Roots", most Hollywood productions involving blacks in antebellum/Civil War era America (i.e "Glory" and "Amistad") have had slavery as a shadowy, looming backdrop against their crusade.



Now with these past narratives in mind, how will Hollywood interpret American slavery in today's post-black, Obama-era society? As "Django" and "12 Years" works toward answering this question, I personally assume that the modern audience will need their protagonist slave to be heroically resistant against their bondage, resulting in their freedom by the end of the film. I also believe that these protagonists will be a more symbolic hero whose journey relates a more one-on-one, intimate correlation with their audience. Essentially, this new model of past American slavery will have to represent a combination of society's past truths with its current ambitions while not relying on the hurtful stereotypes of that past.

For fear of these stereotypes, there are some that believe that these films could regress the psyche of blacks in cinema; that the "angry, violent, black man" has been done and over. These are valid concerns, but from what I understand to know of these films' developments it seems that the protagonists' anger is justifiable and the violence (though expected to be more cartoonish for "Django") is needed when necessary. Also, remember that the top tier casting in these films says something about the material, as I'm sure these actors would not gamble on a project that they felt would totally destroy their credibility or careers. Therefore, I eagerly look forward to the production and release of these films with the thought that this particular new model of black uprising could lead to a new sort of "black superhero" to be seen and identified by our generation specifically. So I myself am ready to see how slavery can depicted in today's Hollywood- but I am one of many, some of that many agreeing with this anticipation while the others do not. Nevertheless, the opinions, debates and possibilities of seeing an American slave liberate himself in our generation's time are infinite and groundbreaking.

Well, I think that's about it for now folks. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, and let me know what you think about this and other entries. Until next time, peace out.

The Top Five Spike Lee Movies

Hello again world and welcome back to my blog. Today's entry is a retrospective of classic American cinema, as we count down the top five movies of filmmaker Spike Lee. As the prime years of his career range from the late 1980's to the 1990's, Lee (seen in the above photo as his Air Jordan saavy alter-ego Mars Blackmon) told stories of the modern black community, accurately depicting its views and opinions concerning racism, sexuality and class. His unique brand of realism would both counter the imaginary, superheroic "blaxploitation" era of a decade before, as well as usher in a cadre of black filmmakers who would be inspired to tell stories from their own specific point of view (i.e. John Singleton, Lee Daniels, and even Tyler Perry). Here are my top five Spike Lee movies, films that I think display his genius at mixing cultural, diasporic values with biting political commentary.

5. He Got Game (1998)



As we all know Spike to stay front row center at any given Knicks game, in "He Got Game" he uses the love of basketball to propel dissonance in the relationship between an estranged father and son.

4. School Daze (1988)



The satirical title for this film is accurately appropriate; it simultaneously praises and criticizes HBCUs while exploring deeper levels of difference in the black community regarding class, education and skin color.

3. Get On the Bus (1996)



Set against the backdrop of the Million Man March, "Get on the Bus" is a movie that I venture to say is truly specific to the black male audience. To attend the march, a small group of black men ride a charter bus cross-country from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., in hopes of finding solidarity within their race and communities. As we watch the group's pilgrimage unfold, we observe every possible interpretation and relationship of the black man, ranging from old to young, father to son, convict to lawman, even homosexual to homophobic. Though their individual personalities and lifestyles do provide division, it is at a cost that the group ultimately achieves the solidarity they journeyed for.

2. Do the Right Thing (1989)



Hailed by many to be Spike's greatest film if not his best known, "Do the Right Thing" parallels the hottest day of the year with rising, explosive anger towards gentrification in a black neighborhood. It could be said that most of the characters in fact do not do the right thing; they talk at each other rather than to each other, and each side wants the other to accommodate their culture while not being willing to do so themselves. The arguing and frustration catapult the film's most memorable scenes, such as when the comedically defiant Buggin' Out and friends have a dispute with a white neighbor over scuffed Air Jordans, or when the movie's breakout character Radio Raheem has a semi-hostile interaction with Korean store owners while trying to buy batteries for his boombox. The ending of "Do the Right Thing" is intentionally ambiguous, I think because Spike wanted the audience to draw their own conclusions about what was right or wrong, racist or defensive.

1. Malcolm X (1992)



Through this telling of Malcolm's epic story, the combination of Spike's direct narrative with Denzel Washington's commanding performance accomplishes the impossible; it makes an already iconic figure more grandiose in legacy but also more relatable to a new generation. "Malcolm X" was a total labor of love for Spike, as he had to fight to direct, produce and finance the film to be as accurate to his vision as possible. The film brilliantly evaluates Malcolm's constant and truthful spiritual evolution by breaking his life up into four parts that intermingle when necessary to show genuine feeling or thought behind certain events. His fiery yet elegant persona is perfectly embodied by Denzel in what is one of the greatest acting performances I've ever seen.

In recent years, Spike's range has expanded through directing both stirring, thought provoking documentaries (4 Little Girls, When the Levees Broke) and feature films that have his core audience relate to non-black, outlaw type characters (25th Hour, Inside Man). While some of this latter signature-styled films (She Hate Me, Miracle at St. Anna) have been more serious in subject matter but less playful in depiction, they nevertheless showcase his continued ability to tell stories accurate to black American society both historical and current. I hope that he will continue in this style in his upcoming remake of the Korean film "Oldboy", as some of the principles of that story can be amended towards his point of view. Though some of his releases have been initially recieved as controversial and insulting, Spike Lee used his movies to help the advance for "culture clash" in modern American society, as he pushes his audience into observing then relating to other races and cultures more in a common ground.

Well, that's about it for now folks. Thanks for taking the time to read to blog, and let me know what you think about this and other entries. Until next time, peace out.

The Mythological Michael Jackson

Hello again world and welcome back to my blog. Being that June is Black Music Month and in remembrance of its 25th being the second anniversary of our subject's death, I would be remiss not to have today's entry be about the "King of Pop" Michael Jackson. He was indeed and undoubtedly the greatest entertainer that ever lived, performing superhuman routines that changed music, art, dance and worldwide society at large. Though he died at age 50, it could be said that Michael lived a life that had 100 years worth of experiences; throughout his entire existence he was never in between, either having mind-blowing successes or earth-shattering failures. Everything about Michael Jackson- both on and off stage- was truly an event to his worldwide audience, and thanks to his epic journey there are far too many of these moments to count.


Over the forty plus year time span from "ABC" to "This Is It", Michael Jackson centered his innovative style around his individually unique singing voice(s). When he and his older brothers were introduced to the world's stage as the Jackson Five, they catapulted to superstardom hugely due to their youngest member being a prodigal, energetic dynamo. The most interesting attribute about Michael's voice during this era is that he sings with a wiser beyond his years, "old soul" type of presence. This is especially evident with his vocals in romantic leads, sounding as if he has experienced the type of longing and heartache as depicted in "The Love You Save", "I'll Be There", "Got To Be There", and "I Wanna Be Where You Are". Michael is a vocal rarity in that he has sung with two very distinct voices- one as the wise child prodigy and the other being the signature and stylized adult megastar.



Such the calculating performer was Michael that he understood that the expressive physicality between song (voice) and dance (body) must match perfectly. Even as the child prodigy he would dedicate himself to this ideal by creating song specific dance patterns that demanded perfect timing and execution. Though he always danced with unbridled yet strategic energy, Michael would rewrite the relationship between song and dance during his "Thriller" era by fusing it unparalleled magical elements that fueled his audience's imagination. As we watched him perform the Moonwalk to "Billie Jean", the "West Side Story" inspired choreography to "Beat It", and later the lean in "Smooth Criminal", we realized that Michael was a "special effect" within himself, making us question Isaac Newton's theories of gravity. A true testament to his moves and cool factor is that after seeing him make the moves look so easy we instantly believed we could do it ourselves, but then proving it made us realize his dedication to flawlessness even more.



As he was always a performer that must be both seen and heard, Michael would marry pop music to theatrical vision through the medium of music video. When he released his juggernaut album "Thriller" in 1982, he put to work his grand vision of using filmmaking inspired by art, history and classic cinema to tell other areas of his songs' storylines that you couldn't get with just music and dance. The key element to these "short films" as Jackson called them was in fact the storyline itself; to me, it is as if Michael had these storylines in mind all along, even selecting the proper visuals and historic era in his head while recording the song and crafting the dance moves specific to it. With this mammoth combination of elements, Jackson's short films ranged from the stylized genre pieces such as "Thriller", "Smooth Criminal" and "Remember the Time" to the epic operas such as "Bad", "Captain Eo" and "Ghosts".



Just as Michael Jackson would come to symbolize the ultimate performer, he would also come to symbolize the ultimate celebrity. In this sense, he was P. T. Barnum's realization of bringing amazing entertainment to his audience from an act that was rooted from eccentric, bizarre greatness. Illusion plays a big part in Michael Jackson's legacy in that you didn't know what was real and/or fake in his life both on and off stage. It would be the offstage events in Jackson's life- the physical transformations, eccentric behavior and most notably allegations of child molestation-that fueled an imagination from his audience that he would shun and dismiss, causing him to have a love/hate relationship with media outlets. But it would be the ultimate performing persona of Michael that would win out, as when he died in 2009 he was "recanonized" by the media and his audience by holding weekend long marathons of his music and films, and airing his public memorial in an effort to remember to his great accomplishments.



The main element to Michael Jackson's mythology is surprise; good or bad, you really wouldn't have believed him unless you had seen him. His style, accomplishments, individuality and struggles cause him to be a modern day epic hero whose life's works have inspired others to elevate their own. It is amazing that over course of the forty plus years that we were his audience, and even today, Michael would use his magic to surprise us over and over again yet still leave us wanting more. As he is in a class all his own, it is without a doubt that I believe the greatest entertainer who ever lived was the "King of Pop", Michael Jackson.

Well, that's about it for now folks. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, and let me know what you think about this and other entries. Also, if you want more great commentary on music and culture, check out the Hip Hop's Politician's blog- trust me, it's good stuff there, you'll thank me later. Until next time, peace out.

The Autobiographical Artistry of Marvin Gaye

Hello again world and welcome back to my blog. In celebration of June being Black Music Month, today's entry is about the always relevant and ever revealing musical genius Marvin Gaye. Since his filicide (murder by his father) in 1984, Gaye's legacy and music has elevated to the status of being culturally iconic due to its constant reexamination by critics, fans and a younger generation of audience. This is because his music- or art, to a higher degree- was geared towards pulpit and platform; it gave its audience a more deeper understanding of the human psyche through presenting rare honesty and connective emotion. In this meaning, I believe Marvin Gaye to be the defining artist of soul music; his "self-exposure" causes us to identify ourselves with him, as his theories on love, society and philosophy can beautifully mirror our own.

Before such finding and revelation, Marvin Gaye spent the first decade of his career being Motown Records' most chivalric and amalgamate artist; this "Prince of Motown" tried to find his own persona by imitating those of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and Sam Cooke. He would also struggle with Motown's "assembly line" type of hit-making production, as it prohibited their artist's own creative expression in favor of exposure and development. Both conflicts would come to a head in 1971 when Gaye demanded that Motown release his "Whats Going On" album; a nine track sociopolitical thesis, "What's Going On" allowed Marvin to find his own voice as he was inspired from American upheaval, particularly in the divisive opinion of the Vietnam War. When Motown-"the sound of young America"- refused to put it out fearing its possible lack of commercial viability, Gaye would force them to by stating he would not record any other material for them otherwise. His belief in the material would prove to be vindicated, as "What's Going On" was a commercial and cultural smash and has since been celebrated in its' role in making the standards of pop/modern music more limitless.



"What's Going On" became the defining catalyst in Marvin's music and life, finally giving him the creative and even spiritual freedom he so desired. From this point, however, his musings shifted from the outer society to the inner self, deciding that his music would serve as a narrative for the ongoings in his own life. I think it is from this point on that Marvin always sung with a purposeful plea that asks of its listener for either some sort of relation, accompaniment or forgiveness. Prime examples of this are his virile encouragement for "Let's Get It On"; his admittance to guilt and its pleasures in "Ego Tripping Out"; his timidness towards finding new love in "I Want You"; his anger at marital separation in "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You". The amazing feature of Marvin's craftsmanship is that his music itself, apart from his singing and lyrics, could also describe the feeling he wanted to convey. Just as with his vocals, the instrumentation creates a fusion of gospel, jazz and blues that both invokes and appeals. I challenge you to listen to just the instrumental of a Marvin Gaye song and try to find the inspiration and emotion it aims to achieve.

In the tradition of all autobiographical artists, Marvin would gradually believe that he would have to live a life that provided the mythology necessary for such honesty; this meant heightening the dramatic, more negative aspects of his life so he could be more heroic in his storytelling. Needless to say that living in this ideal is a double-edged sword that services creativity at the cost of aggrandizing the demons that bred its subject matter. This ideal can also lead its artists into believing that their creativity is solely within their darker aspects, thus causing them to deny the more virtuous, pure aspects of themselves and their gift. As was the case with van Gogh, Hemingway and Cobain, Gaye would pose self-destruction as artistic suffering, assuming he would gain spiritual redemption through his creative legacy while mortally submerging into drugs, damaging relationships, and suicidal inclinations. Ironically, this excuse for downward spiral does have an element of truth for this type of artist, as their complete body of work grows to be more appreciated well after their physical demise.

The overall theme in Marvin Gaye's life and music is his desire for intimacy at all costs, be it erotic, familial, or societal. His was the type of intimate plea that is gut-wrenching to its audience, as they can hear in his empathic rhythms and expressive voice that his own quest for this virtue would never be fulfilled. However, this unfulfillment tends to brilliantly expand his legacy, as it displays that Marvin's genius was really bred from his humanity- he needs to understand himself just as he needs to connect to others. This exact sort of intimacy and connectivity is what I perceive to be most essential in soul music, therefore making Marvin Gaye its most defining and relative artist.

Well, that's about it for now folks. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, and let me know what you think about this and other entries. Until next time, peace out.

The Visual Legacy of David and Goliath

Hello again world and welcome back to my blog. Today's entry is a fusion of art, history and religion that centers on a principal subject for each genre, King David. As he is mostly remembered and depicted for slaying the behemoth Goliath, David has become a symbol for taking a stand against oppression; for this reason he is my favorite biblical character (not just because he and I share the same name). To me, David's story resonates because of his being the ultimate "underdog" who not only has the courage to face his opposition but stands victorious over it. I see this story as a great parable for life, as we all will have to face Goliath-like enemies or problems within our lifetime and have the courage to fight against them. Thus, in the spirit of this relation, David has become a muse for generations of writers, musicians, and- here in particular- visual artists. What I find striking about artists in their depicting of David is that the timelessness of his story is not lost to them, as they bring him and Goliath into their communities and cultures.

Perhaps the best known artists' depiction of David is the larger than life statue that was sculpted by Michelangelo during the early 16th century, his face shown above. It shows the hero in preparation of battle, ready to defend his community against outsiders who wish to dominate through violence and intimidation. I think that this depiction of David is where artists begin to showcase him more realistically in regards to human emotion; it could be said that Michelangelo's David is representative of a soldier, as this is a figure who is calm and gallant yet wears on his face his worries about the level of opponent he faces as well as how and when this fight will end. This display of internal conflict makes the work more humane to its audience/viewer, as we can relate to the figure's expressiveness by recalling scenarios where we bravely fought through our fears for a greater good. As with its muse, Michelangelo's David has become something of a symbol itself as it has come to represent new vanguards for art and culture.



A little over one hundred years after Michelangelo's depiction of David readying to face Goliath, fellow Italian artist Caravaggio decides to take the more traditional route, as his painting shows the victorious young boy with his brutally slayed enemy. As the background's shrouding darkness provides more intimacy to its subject and storyline, David's wardrobe is a bit analogous, as it could be representative of either biblical times or of early 17th century peasantry. As Caravaggio's David holds the head of Goliath (a self-portrait of the artist himself), his compassion for his victim is evident; the look on David's face is somber, almost as if he is regretful that this altercation had to end in the taking of a life. This display of emotion gives a new element to the story, as we never before thought to imagine that David could be- at least slightly- saddened by the realization that he has caused a casualty through his fighting in war.



Just over a decade after Caravaggio presented a brooding David, the sculptor Bernini gives us an "action hero" inspired interpretation through marble statue. In this depiction Bernini shows us the fierce warrior in the throes of battle, as he is in the mid-swing of throwing the fatal stone. This David is by far the most theatrical, as the figure transcends from the statuesque into being physically human, as if he is an actor in a grand one man performance. Because of this effect, the "actor"'s realistic tension in his hands, body and face could make his audience almost believe they are witnessing the event for themselves. Honestly, it is because of these reasons that I believe Bernini's presentation to be, quite possibly, David's most consistently relevant depiction.

One great aspect that I have noticed about both sculptures (Michelangelo and Bernini) is that by presenting David in a grand manner by himself, they make Goliath's presence known in a more grandiose, mythic way. Supporting evidence of an ominous foe is seen in the hero's defiant and armed stance, as he looks away from from the audience but still in a concentrated stare. I perceive it to quite allegorical in that Goliath's invisibility makes him a giant, as the unseen opponent represents the problems and trepidation that individuals must confront in order to achieve goals.



And now we arrive to a more modern, more culturally diverse David versus Goliath thanks to Kadir Nelson's painting as shown above. I'll be honest with you, folks; it took me a little while to fully appreciate the visual metaphors Nelson added to the story by making it sports related, as David and Goliath go "one on one" in a basketball game as the crowd looks on. These visual metaphors include the court blacktop being the "battleground", as David has the basketball- or rather "the rock"- under his arm. Through this athletic depiction Nelson playfully makes the story more about competition rather than dominance, as they "battle" for bragging rights. However, this David appears more dominantly, courtesy of Nelson using visual perspective to depict distance. I gather that Nelson's intent for David in that perspective was to have the viewer relate to his journey in accomplishing the goals of outlasting and beating Goliath while giving the crowd a dazzling performance in the process.

As we've seen through these four depictions, the story of David and Goliath is both timely and timeless, as its different interpretations bred different perceptions and possibilities. As the hero and story serve as muses for creativity and individualism, it could be argued that David may be the most visually depicted biblical character except for maybe Christ himself. It could be a sort of "rite of passage" for most artists to present a new interpretation of this story given that it gives so much room for opportunity to think, feel and connect to a specifically human brand of heroism. As I stated earlier, David's unexpected victory, making him the symbolic underdog, causes us to believe in our total strength as we strive to be the symbolic underdog claiming victory against our behemoth occurrences. And who doesn't love an underdog?

Well, I think that's about it for now folks. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog, and let me know what you think about this and other entries. Until then, peace out.