Winner Mar '02

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Black Film Roles - Good or Bad?

Posted by: Milhouse (MILHOUSETV)

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I hate to point this out, but you seem to condradict yourself. And, quite simply, your argument is weak.

You take issue with the fact that Denzel Washington was made to portray "stereotypes" like Malcolm X and Ruben "Hurricane" Carter. Those were REAL people. And to portray these real and historic figures that had very complex natures is not an easy thing to do. The reason that these particular roles are recognized for awards is not because "white hollywood" is trying to reinforce the image of blacks as criminals (and I defy you to tell anyone in the African-American community that Malcolm X and The Hurricane presented negative images of blacks in America), but because these were perfomances with subtlety, with internal conflict, and with great character development.

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Next, you reason that the solution is to get more African-Americans behind the camera, like Spike Lee. Ummm.... Spike Lee directed Malcolm X, which you have labeled as a negative image of blacks. So, which is it, was Malcolm X good, or bad? Was Spike Lee beneficial, or harmful? You seem to think that only whites like to cast blacks as criminals, etc.. You seem to think that if only there were more people of color behind the scenes that everything would be okay. How do you account for the representation of South Central Los Angeles youths as criminals and gang members in John Singleton's Boyz N' The Hood (which, by your criteria, would be a horribly racist movie)? How do you account for Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal of a black crack-addict criminal in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever? Was the T.V. Mini-series 'Roots' casting into stereotypes when it showed blacks as subservient slaves?

You seem to assert that only people portraying "good" (good being a very subjective term) characters should be recognized by the film industry. Why not just do away with the bad guy in all films? Why not just do away with conflict in films? Why not just show every decision in life as a clear choice? Why show a character struggling with doing the right thing in the face of immense pressure if the end result is that that character could be interpreted as being "bad"?

You take issue with Halle Berry portraying a "victim"! You take issue with her portraying a poor, black, southern widow who has to work as a waitress to make ends meet? Should the director have stepped in and said, "No! This is ridiculous. Halle, your character is now going to be the CEO of Dell Computers."? Her character in Monster's Ball was tortured, conflicted, resillient, and beautiful. Halle Berry herself is one hell of a role model... period.

You seem to be looking for an argument in the wrong place. Yes there is a problem with the way various ethnic groups are represented in the cinema...but not in the way you have presented. Your particular viewpoint, as preseted in your post, will do more harm than good in achieving racial equality. We need more brilliant performances like Halle Berry's. We need more powerful films like Spike Lee's Jungle Fever, or John Singleton's Boyz n' the Hood. We need more characters that actually deal with internal conflict. And we need less people needlessly stirring up controversy where it doesn't exist.

- Milhouse (MILHOUSETV)

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