I Am Not Your Negro (2016, documentary) or, America's Race Problems

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A huge-sized title and James Baldwin's human stare resting atop makes up this poster for Raoul Peck's I Am Not Your Negro

African-American activist and writer James Baldwin was a sensitive, intelligent, enormously eloquent man, whose expressions on racism in America still resound today.

 

I Am Not Your Negro is written, co-produced and directed by Raoul Peck (Haitian Corner (1987)). It is based on Baldwin's unfinished, 30-page novel manuscript entitled Remember This House.

Presented as a documentary essay, the film shows us three central friends of Baldwin; Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Medgar Evers, who were all assassinated for their racial and civil rights activism. Sharply and with a ripe sense of grief their time is portrayed, and straight lines are drawn from this era to the current police murders and Black Lives Matter movement. It is a bitter, bordering on hatefully poisonous image of the US as a morally bankrupt wonderland of the white, which is painted here. 

Many aspects are missing in the personal perspective on Baldwin, due to racism being the defining trait in everything in I Am Not Your Negro. 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 1 mil. $

Box office: 9.6 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 9.6 times its cost)

[I Am Not Your Negro premiered 10 September (Toronto International Film Festival) and runs 95 minutes. The film opened #24 to a 686k $ first weekend in 43 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #15 and in 313 theaters (different weekends), grossing 7.1 mil. $ (74 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were France with 480k $ (5 %) and the Netherlands with 214k $ (2.2 %). The film was nominated for the Best Documentary Oscar, lost to O.J.: Made in America. It also won a BAFTA, a César award and was nominated for an Independent Spirit award, among many other honors. The-Numbers.com assert that the film additionally made in excess of 2.6 mil. $ on the domestic home video market alone. Peck returned with The Young Karl Marx (2017). I Am Not Your Negro is certified fresh at 99 % with an 8.90/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of I Am Not Your Negro? 

Imitation of Life (1959) - Sirk's last film, an oppulent race melodrama

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Fabulously crafted and deliciously colored poster for Douglas Sirk's
Imitation of Life

Lora, a struggling widow and single mother actress in New York, out of compassion takes a black maid and her rebellious daughter into her home. Soon success arrives, but at home revolt brews.

 

Imitation of Life is written by Eleanore Griffin (Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955)) and Allan Scott (The Four Poster (1952)), adapting the same-titled 1933 novel by Fannie Hurst (Anitra's Dance (1934)), and directed by Douglas Sirk (April, April! (1935)).

Emotionally driven drama meant to induce sobbing with excessive pathos. The poshness often encountered in soap operas beleaguer every scene in Sirk's version of the popular story that had already been adapted by John M. Stahl in 1933 with Claudette Colbert. The film is very much a matter of personal taste but for me it is simply too much.

Lana Turner (The Big Cube (1968)) is rock solid in a part that is deliberately over-shadowed by the issues of the dark-skinned characters. Audiences outside of the American context of Imitation of Life could possible view it as propaganda for a 1950s American utopia in which race was treated just. But the truth of Imitation of Life is, of course, that the problem and the very progressive way the film deals with it was bold for its time.

 

Related post:

 

Douglas Sirk: All That Heaven Allows (1955) or, Not The Widow and Her Gardener!

 

 Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 1.2 mil. $

Box office: In excess of 6.4 mil. $ (North American rentals alone)

= Uncertain but certainly a huge hit (returned 5.33 times its cost in North America alone)

[Imitation of Life premiered 17 March (Chicago) and runs 125 minutes. Turner was reportedly paid 50 % of the film's profits but the final amount is regrettably unmentioned. She reportedly wore jewelry worth 1 mil. $ in the film, besides 34 costumes worth 78k $. Shooting took place from August - October 1958 in California, including in Los Angeles. The film collected 6.4 mil. $ in North-American rentals according to Variety in 1960. If met with a less interested public abroad, - not unlikely due to its highly American race theme, - an 8 mil. $ total gross may be projected, which would still make the film a huge hit. It was twice Oscar nominated - in the same category, Best Supporting Actress: Juanita Moore (Paternity (1981)) and Susan Kohner (The Gene Krupa Story (1959)) both lost to Shelley Winters for The Diary of Anne Frank. It also won 1/2 Golden Globe nominations, among other honors. Sirk retired to Switzerland after the film's release and only directed three more short films nearly two decades later. Turner returned in Portrait in Black (1960); John Gavin (Keep It in the Family (1973)) in A Breath of Scandal (1960). Imitation of Life is fresh at 82 % with a 7.80/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Imitation of Life?

O.J.: Made in America (2016, documentary) - Edelman's masterful omnibus treatment a riveting epic

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+ 2nd Best Movie of the Year

+ Best American Movie of the Year + Best California Movie of the Year + Best Epic of the Year
  

The American flag appears defeated as painted onto an eerily dripping black glove on this poignant poster for Ezra Edelman's O.J.: Made in America

 

From social housing in San Francisco came a young man of color with an athletic gift for sports, American football and a charisma that took the country by storm and seemed to sing the hopeful promise that race wasn't everything. His later crimes, however, brought the issue back into debate.

 

O.J.: Made in America is an overwhelming 5-part documentary by Bay Stater master filmmaker Ezra Edelman (Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals (2010, TV documentary)), whose 2nd feature it is.

The film takes the omnibus approach to the notorious sportsman, celebrity and convict, O.J. Simpson. It is an extremely thorough and well-researched work with clips and testimonies from a vast selection of the people whose lives were changed by 'the Juice', O.J.'s idolizing moniker. Beginning as a sports biography, it turns more into a historical-political film, before it turns into true-crime and then in the end a portrait of personal fiasco. It is all pertinent as a portrayal of the larger societal implications of the remarkable man and his long journey into night.

During the film's racial Los Angeles-focused historical part I wondered what the connection to O.J. was going to be, SPOILER but that became nauseatingly clear during the portion about O.J.'s double murder trial for the offing of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Lyle Goldman, in which O.J.'s defense team's Johnny Cochran and Co. succeeded in getting an amoral racial vice on the trial to lead to the horrendous acquittal of the double-murderer - and a resulting jubilation among a segment of black America, highlighting the country's division. Morally bankruptcy defines O.J.'s defense attorney Carl E. Douglas, who appears a tasteless, suit-wearing villain in a league of his own here.

O.J.'s own hero-like persona and disguised demonic side are simultaneously deeply fascinating and eerie. Edelman also allows the 'black-in-America' racial discussion to take up space to a degree where its aimlessness sickens, - appropriately so, - because it simply devours everything it comes into contact with, - and ultimately gives nothing in return. Gary Lionelli (Least Among Saints (2012)) has made a fabulous, emotionally driving score. O.J.: Made in America is a terribly captivating film.

 

Related post:

 

2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 5 mil. $

Box office: None - primarily a TV release

= Uncertain

[O.J.: Made in America premiered 22 January (Sundance Film Festival) and runs 467 minutes. After Brett Morgen did June 17, 1994 (2010, TV documentary) for ESPN's 30 for 30 sports documentary series, strictly about the O.J. murder trial, it was decided that a longer documentary on the man was appropriate. Edelman spent 18 months working on it, interviewing 72 subjects on camera. A three-part 5 hour format was eventually scrapped when Edelman came back with a 5-part 7.5 hour film, which was embraced by ESPN. The film premiered on ABC (part I) on June 11, with the following 4 parts following on ESPN from June 14-18. The film was only shown theatrically very few times due to its extreme length. It won the Best Documentary Oscar as the longest nominated film ever, prompting the rules to subsequently bar multi-part and limited series documentaries from eligibility. It also won 2/6 Emmys, an AFI award, an Independent Spirit award, a National Board of Review award and many other honors. Edelman returned with Ted Lasso (2021, TV-series) but has otherwise turned to executive producing. O.J.: Made in America is certified fresh at 100 % with a 9.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of O.J.: Made in America? 

Othello (1995) - Parker's fascinating Shakespeare adaptation debut

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An intimate dramatic trio is promised on this dark and sensual poster for Oliver Parker's Othello

In renaissance Venice, a power struggle breaks out from jealousy from the mighty Iago towards the dark Othello - concerning a woman and other matters.

Othello is written and directed by debuting Oliver Parker (St. Trinian's (2007)), adapting the same-titled 1603-04 play by William Shakespeare (King John (1596)).

It is honestly difficult to comprehend the plot of Othello for this Shakespeare novice, due to the beautiful dialog, which is presumable kept from the play. But this luckily doesn't destroy the experience of watching it. Parker is obviously fully immersed in the play, which is presented cinematically here, not least thanks to the seething performances of Laurence Fishburne (Bobby Z (2007)) and Kenneth Branagh (Celebrity (1998)). The two fascinate here, even when the narrative connections get fuzzy.

 

Related post:

 

Oliver Parker: Johnny English Reborn/Johnny English Returns (2011) - Atkinson will make you laugh till your belly aches

 

Watch a 2-minute clip from the film here

 

Cost: 11 mil. $

Box office: In excess of 2.8 mil. $ (North America only)

= Uncertain but likely a big flop (projected return of 0.54 times its cost)

[Othello was released 15 December (North America) and runs 123 minutes. Shooting took place from June - August 1995 in Italy, including in Rome. The film opened #14 to a 29k $ first weekend in 2 theaters in North America, where it grossed 2.8 mil. $. The international gross numbers have regrettably not been made public. Projecting a final world gross of 6 mil. $, the film would rank as a big flop. Roger Ebert gave the film a 2/4 star review, translating to 2 notches under this one. Parker returned with An Ideal Husband (1999)). Fishburne returned in Fled (1996); Branagh in Hamlet (1996); and Irène Jacob (Rio Sex Comedy (2010)) in Victory (1996). Othello is fresh at 68 % with a 6.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Othello?

Halloween Movie 2017: Candyman (1992) - Racial tensions inform Rose and Barker's Chicago-set horror favorite

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A mysterious and curiosity-sparking poster for Bernard Rose's Candyman

As part of her thesis project on urban legends, Helen and a student friend visit Chicago's Cabrini-Green housing project, where the feared Candyman is said to have killed...

Candyman is a hugely suspenseful, heavily loaded horror favorite that treads new ground in a thought-provoking way. Virginia Madsen (Joy (2015)) is outstanding and a trooper for the genre here, and the same goes for Tony Todd (Agoraphobia (2015)), SPOILER who among other things endures having bees in his mouth for his performance in Candyman. Madsen and Kasi Lemmons (The Silence of the Lambs (1991)), who plays her friend in the film, both have the added quality here of irresistible, glamorous hairdos, and Xander Berkeley (Nikita (2010-12)) is perfect as Madsen's disloyal partner.
Candyman also has a cute boy performance (by DeJuan Guy (Make It Rain (2008))), a strong score by Philip Glass (No Reservations (2007)) and a gruesome core to it that is interpretable in several ways: There are undeniable sexual overtones in the relation between misty-eyed Madsen and Todd with his huge hook (yes, the mandingo fantasy kind), but the film could also possibly stand as a conservative warning against 'slumming' on 'the wrong side of the tracks.' SPOILER The ending also made me speculate whether the black populace of Cabrini-Green want to burn Candyman for his bloodlust or for crossing racial barriers with his ancient romance? The film taps right down into the still boiling, rich stew that is the fraught race relations in modern America and in this could be seen as a precursor of recent huge hit Get Out (2017).
Candyman a a film scoffs at the supercilious academic world in favor of the superstition and religion that is held high by the under-privileged black community. It is over-lit more than once, - perhaps so we won't miss the great production design (by Jane Ann Stewart (About Schmidt (2002))) and strong use of colors.
Candyman is written and directed by great English filmmaker Bernard Rose (Paperhouse (1988)), adapting Clive Barker's (Sacrament (1996)) short story The Forbidden from his Books of Blood: Volume 5. It is a major horror favorite in my book.

Watch the title sequence for the film here

Cost: 8 mil. $
Box office: 25.7 mil. $ - North America only
= Some uncertainty; at least a box office success and likely a big hit
[Candyman premiered 11 September (Toronto International Film Festival) and runs 99 minutes. Although Barker's story was set in his native Liverpool, Rose changed the setting to Chicago and found shooting in the US easier than in England. Eddie Murphy was sought for the Candyman part but was too costly. For the lead, Rose cast his then wife Alexandra Pigg, but when she found out she was pregnant, the role was offered to Madsen. Sandra Bullock, who had not broken through yet as an actress, was also in contention for the part. Rose held meetings with the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) before shooting to avert racial controversy, but relates that when they read the script they felt it was all "just good fun." Madsen was also worried about the race aspect and related fear that Spike Lee would not like the film. Shooting took place in Chicago, Illinois, including in the real Cabrini-Green project, and in California, including Los Angeles, from November - December 1991. The film opened #4, behind Under Siege, The Last of the Mohicans and The Mighty Ducks, to a 5.4 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent the next two weeks at #3 before leaving the top 5, grossing 25.7 mil. $. The foreign grosses are not reported, but if the world gross is set at a conservative 35 mil. $, the film rates as a big hit. Roger Ebert gave film a 3/4 star review, translating to a notch harder than this review. The film inspired two lesser performing sequels; Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) and Candyman: Day of the Dead (1999, video), both without Madsen and Rose but with Todd. Candyman is fresh at 70 % with a 6.3/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Candyman?