The Inside Assyria Discussion Forum #5

=> Re: Why Bad Movies Keep Coming Out And What To Do About It

Re: Why Bad Movies Keep Coming Out And What To Do About It
Posted by Marcello (Guest) - Wednesday, October 23 2013, 23:09:37 (UTC)
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I agree, although I have to admit when I saw "Shaft" by photographer, musician, composer, filmmaker, and writer Gordon Parks I was overjoyed in a vicarious way since all of my Black friends had a special story about where they saw it and how it invigorated them to finally have a Black hero in a film by possibly one of the few versatile artists from the twentieth century -- let alone a unique Black artist. Sadly, two years later his son, Gordon Parks Jr., made "Superfly" which was the antithesis of his father's film and influenced a whole generation of ghetto kids to take up drug dealing, pimping and killing.

Black America's best contribution to the world is the music of Gospel, the Blues, Jazz, and Rhythm and Blues (the old R&B from the late '50s and early '60s like the Temptations and the Impressions).. and Jazz from 1955 to 1975, especially the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Yusef Lateef. The French director, Bernard Tavernier, made a film based on an autobiography of a French Jazz enthusiast who befriended the pianist Bud Powell in Paris in the '50s. The film is "Round Midnight", which is the title of the famous Jazz standard written by Thelonious Monk, and it stars saxophonist Dexter Gordon, who plays the part of a self-destructive musician living in exile in Paris. The character is based on Bud Powell and Jazz legend, Lester Young. Great film. Other than that, the only Black filmmaker who's made films you may like is the obscure Charles Burnett who made "Killer of Sheep", "To Sleep with Anger", and few others that are socially conscious and the absolute opposite of movies about either the Black bourgeoisie, the gangsta from the hood, or the worst kind, the stupid cross-dressing "Big Mama" this and that shit.

Unfortunately, the language of cinema is gone. Jean-Luc Godard pointed that out many years ago. The western language of film is based on photography, painting and literature. Like in Jazz when the musicians "quote" the greats by including a few bars of past artists in their songs, filmmakers pay homage to those who preceded them. These days directors just steal from older films by remaking them... same title, same plot, just different actors and crew. Or they make comic book films. I'm actually about to go see a documentary at the theater down the street tonight called "Let the Fire Burn" about the Move organization who's home was bombed by Philadelphia police in 1985. I figure I'll only watch documentaries when it comes to the struggle of Blacks in America, just as I only see non-fiction films when it comes to the Holocaust.

Before I forget... since you're familiar with Mexico, I recommend you watch Sam Peckingpah's "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia", unless you've already seen it.



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