I saw the movie "Hustle And Flow" on the opening day. The movie had been talked up among through advertising in many circles. I was prepared to see the "Soul Plane" of the Summer of 2005. After seeing the movie, however, I did not find myself depressed with the thought that someone who hated Black people had created a movie as I did upon leaving "Soul Plane".
"Hustle and Flow" was a well written movie. The acting was good. The univeral theme of "follow your dreams" was present and clear.
The problem that I had with the film was about the lifestyle that was put on display. Now ordinarily the presentation of individuals caught up in a life in the gutter and aspiring to lift themselves out via their dreams is a worthy story indeed. The problem is that "Hustle And Flow" is but another peek into the window of ghetto-ism, thug-ism, pimping, gun violence, drug abuse and dysfunctional interpersonal relationships. Certainly the "Black experience" is broader than this oft repeated tale.
Don't get me wrong! The story of "man is seeking his big break to make it to the big time. Man puts his all into a given scheme to lift him to the top. Man convinces all around him that they too will benefit from the dream. Man has this dream experience a major setback. Man experiences his 15 minutes of fame". My concern is that as we view the typical content that is assembled around this tale when Black people are invovled we are inclined to see Pimps, Hoes, Drug Dealers, Drug Addicts and Rap millions as the rocket to lift them to the stratosphere.
Interestingly enough Terrence Howard, the star of the movie has 2 new movies coming out, as shown in the movie priviews before this movie. He stars with 50 Cent in the movie "Get Rich Or Die Try'in" about a stick up kid who gets invovled in a robbery that goes wrong. He gets locked up and then, you guessed it - He experiences fame and fortune as a HIP HOP ARTIST!!
In the second movie Andre 3000, Mark Dalhberg and Terese star as adoptive brothers who are, yup, Stick up kids who have someone kill their mother and they seek revenge by killing this adversary.
If the old guard (NAACP, etc) was concerned about the limited range of Black characters shown on the small screen then I have to imagine that they would be similarly concerned about this "weed" that is sprouting up in our flower garden. Silence over this infestation because African-Americans are profiting from this latest popular genre does not mask the great harm that is associated with the continued promotion of these messages to our community.
The misogynistic messages against women, the heavy use of the word "Nigger", the "Jail culture", drug abuse, prostitition.
Funny enough as I am flipping through the channels I see 50 Cent in a video in which he is assisting an escaped prisoner get out of jail. Clearly this must be another Black man who is being oppressed by our "criminal" criminal justice system and thus this escapee is actually the hero against a system that is stacked against him.
The prisoners are running the asylum folks!!. The care only about their own profit and their own sexual gratificiation. They care nothing about the impact on the rest of the Black community.
This lifestyle has no need for formal education, financial responsibility or stable relationships among Black people. The "law" is the oppressor. The years of "rebellion" against a racist justice system in America has morphed into the presentation of these new images in which the long time victim is now the VICTOR.
This is all well and good except that this "victor" presents nothing more than individual success. They have no government that is used to organize the people and create the just society that they CLAIM to seek.
In truth their years of "struggle against" they have lost what they sould be "struggling FOR".
It is time for the Black community to take back the minds of our young people and put forth images that channel them toward more productive and synergistic modes. This clear is not the right course.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
7 comments:
While this movie did not make you feel depressed like "Soul Plane" it should not have left any good feelings with you AT ALL. This is just another piece of gutter trash masking it's self as a positive story! You kind of pointed that out, but I think you took it a little too soft by trying to lessen your blow a bit bringing up how this is some kid working towards a goal. The movie is about a PIMP (SCUMBAG ABUSER OF WOMEN) who wants to move on to a new hustle! All the while playing up all the garbage and trash and proclaiming it good because he's got some fame! For all that he should have just worked to become PIMP OF THE YEAR and been done with it!
You should not feel that you have to actually give money to this trash just so you can speak about it. That's like giving the church of Satan a donation for a "Bible of Satan" just so you can express how you feel Satanism is bad! YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TAKING IN THE TRASH JUST TO CALL IT TRASH. No Black person IN THEIR RIGHT MIND SHOULD SPEND A DIME ON GARBAGE LIKE THIS!!
And the star's future movies are terrible too! We went from a year where there were good #1 movies with Blacks in the lead like "Coach Carter" and "Are we There Yet" to this STRAIGHT TRASH!!!!
DANG IT, BLACKS ALL OVER THIS FREAKIN' COUNTRY SHOULD BE ANGRY. ALL OF AMERICA SHOULD BE ANGRY! THIS TRASH DESTROYS THE GOOD WITHIN THIS NATION SLOWLY! AS MORE PEOPLE WANT TO VIEW IT!
To me all involved with this movie and the others you mentioned ARE THE REAL SELLOUTS!!!
Heck with Amos and Andy the story centered around doctors, lawyers and other respectable professionals! Now this new trash comes along!
So sad.. Very Sad.
One brother said it straight!
"Crippled by Their Culture
Race doesn't hold back America's "black rednecks." Nor does racism.
BY THOMAS SOWELL"
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110006608
If the Klan only knew we would do a better job in destorying ourselves than they could ever do, they would have marched to help pass Civil Rights laws themselves!!!! I'm sure they are pleased with the release of this film! It only supports what they tell their followers about Black people.
Entertainment,Entertainment, Entertainment......
I said it to point out that I don't believe that this story of Hustle and Flow is being passed as a true story, and if it is then, in my opinion accepting this story as a basis for life is where the problem lies. I have not seen the movie yet but I'm certain it contains sex, violence, criminal activity, and other aspects of peoples’ lives. This opinion is from the aspect of being a consumer of movies. As a consumer of movies, I attend them to be entertained. However, one could easily argue for a change in the range of black actors.
I must admit, I would be more agreeable to someone telling the story of committing a crime versus acting it out. I believe most black people are in a catch 22. I can certainly see the logic in how if absorbed at high rates, "Thugism" can be damaging to the black community.
Who controls the distribution of the movies on Television and the Theaters? What, "lucrative alternatives" do we really have? Let's be honest, CRIME PAYS. To be successful at anything takes hard work and planning, even crime.
It's pretty obvious that if people had a higher sense of morals none of this would be an issue. Take a look at anyone who is, "rich" in this country. For the most part I think it would be arguable that at some critical point they took the, "moral low" road to get where they are. Wealth is not given away, it is taken. Pimping, shrewd business, thugism, and war are all tools of common business people. Maybe it is just me, but it seems thuggism is bigger than just the black community. Comparatively speaking, a black person telling a story is peanuts compared to a society that rewards, "the moral low road."
I have not seen either Hustle-n-Flow or Soul Plane. I tend to stay away from all forms of "entertainment" which seen to define the black community by poverty, violence and ignorance.
I agree with the author of this thread and believe that "thug-ism" has replaced respect for women, the elderly and respect for self in the community at large.
--LouisChauvin Said--
Who controls the distribution of the movies on Television and the Theaters?
----
Does it really matter when the movie was made by Blacks? Director, Writer, Actors (most of them) and so on. Of course if the folks in distribution said "no" they would be accused of being "racist" for not pushing a Black film and yes they are doing what makes them money too.
Blacks like Spike Lee made folks like Samuel Jackson, Denzel Washington and Halee Berry famous and did it while making movies with a message and less of playing into trash and filth.
But as his movie Bamboozled shows, some of us still run to do that minstrel show . Yes there is a choice in the material they take part in.
As I've mentioned movies like "Coach Carter" and "Are we There Yet" were #1 when they released this very same year. Hustle and Flow opened at what #8? Most theatres did not even run the movie. So I must say that most did not take this movie and it's distribution was limited. Not everyone takes the filth with open arms.
It is easy to blame "the other man" as if it is his fault. But NO it is the fault of those who made it and took part in it. They did have a choice. The criminal also has a choice. Just as they had a choice to sit in class and listen instead of turning to a life of crime.
There are no excuses and this is nobody's fault but that of the individuals who do the deed!
Actually, this movie was written and directed by a white man: Gary Brewer. http://www.cinemareview.com/production.asp?prodid=3040
Darnell, the point of questioning the distribution of the movie in question is.........
No one "gave" this production a go it had to be rejected a few times before it was produced and sold.
Here is a NewsPaper article on the production and writer. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/07/20/DDGLKDPUAU1.DTL
Just because we may percieve this movie as another minstrel show. It is putting a "honest days pay" in someones pocket. The film in itself is not bad but what people take away from the movie could be. If your position is that the movie is bad because it portrays reality then I understand your point and cede my argument.
Why does a movie like this get to theaters when a movie like Something the Lord Made only reach HBO?
I wish all one had to do was sit in class and listen to make it in society. The issue of survival is not about playing by the rules. It is about surviving period. If school was the key to success then teachers would get paid more than lawyers.
It's funny, Terrence Howard was just featured on the cover of "Men's Health-Best Life". And while I'm happy to see that brother make the most of his profession, it disturbs me that the only time brothers get any recognition is when they play negative roles. Denzel recieved his Oscar after portraying a crooked cop. Was that really his best performance? The problem is as long as we continue to support the negative image of black men and black communities, Hollywood will keep making movies that glorify the depredation of our people. Gone are the days of Sidney Portier, Bill Cosby, and Billy D Williams...and that's a damm shame, we deserve better.
Post a Comment