Hollywood Wouldn't Back Lucas Film About Tuskegee Airmen Due to All Black Cast

It's curious and amusing to me to see people complain about one (1) tv spot that has a dubstep track to it. Out of six or seven tv spots, and two or three theatrical trailers, there is exactly one with dubstep. It is a good way to catch the eye and ear of younger people. A smart decision.

Shockingly, I do not recall anyone complaining about the use of - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoaUYcwEpSw- E.S. Posthumus' "Unstoppable" in nearly every preview for Sherlock (both the first and second movie), despite it being a movie set in the late 1800s. Of course, those are movies based on fictional events so clearly that makes it acceptable. Or any number of other period pieces that have used contemporary music or dialogue.

Ray did well at the theatre and had a majority Black cast, yes. It was also about an American Icon. Of course, 'did well' is subjective. It did 75 million domestic on a 40 million budget. Walk The Line starring Joaquin Phoenix and about Johnny Cash, released the same year (infact three weeks later), did 120 million domestic on a 28 million budget.

Bad Boys did well well, yes, though again 'did well' is subjective. It did 65 million domestic and 140 million worldwide. With Will Smith. Bad Boys II did a lot better - 138 million domestic, about 270 million worldwide (on a 130 million budget) with Will Smith having made himself a bonafide superstar at that point.


The Tuskegee Airmen story was told before, yes, though for a made for TV movie and not a theatrical release. Lucas has also been trying to get this movie made for 23 years (so the his last four films comment is really irrelevant).

If you listened to the interview or read other pieces about it you'll also notice that Lucas, IIRC, said there was no MAJOR white roles in this film, and I am unsure of how much time Cranston's character (or the few other white people cast) receives. As for him being with-held from the trailers and posters, well, he's actually in the theatrical trailers. Though I have yet to see him in a tv spot.

You'll also maybe note how Lucas said after funding the movie himself he thought for sure he'd at least be able to get the ads and marketing funded. Yet, when he went to receive it he was told "we have no idea how to market this film."

Because marketing war stories is so hard. I can't imagine how hard, really, I'd hate to see anyone market a war story about something like horses.

Oh. Wait.

There are four big Black movie stars that come to my mind immediately and probably to the average public. Will. Denzel. Halle. Freeman.

Four.

I mean I guess the average person might be able to name Idris Elba, but probably more due to the fact that people got upset when he was cast as Heimdall in Thor.

Here are the white movie stars I can name off the top of my head. Angelina. Brad. Cruise. Hanks. Craig. Ford. RDJ. Depp. Streep. Bale. Gosling. Clooney. Winslet. Leo. Radcliffe and Pattison to the under 30 crowd just because of Potter and that awful series Twilight. This is 16 without really thinking. There are tons more to name that the average person would know just from the exposure they get in media and movies.

It is doubtful the average person even knows who Viola Davis is.

Just because someone's a liberal doesn't mean they aren't racist, or don't think racist thoughts even if they're subtle, or don't benefit from White Privilege or want to continue to benefit from it.

Do you think The Last Airbender getting whitewashed by the studio was just random?

Or Garrett Hedlund being cast as Kaneda in the live-action Akira, based on an anime? A movie that is casting more white actors day by day.

Or this - http://www.theinterrobangs.com/2011/03/why-the-casting-of-the-hunger-games-matters/- a nice piece on the role of Katniss in The Hunger Games going to Jennifer Lawrence, and how a character that has no 100% legitimate racial identity (she is described as olive-skinned) had only a request for Caucasian actors on its call sheet.

Or how magazines and photoshoots lighten the skin color of POCs - case in point Naya Rivera of Glee, who is a WOC having her skin so lightened in a photoshoot for Elle coming out later this month alongside her white castmates, fans of the show had a hard time recognizing her when looking at the shots.

Or how when Neil Gaiman was getting ready to sell the rights to Anansi Boys (so it would be made into a movie) was told how his Black characters would be changed to white because "of course, Black people don't like fantasy." - http://nerdbastards.com/2011/07/01/neil-gaiman-talks-american-gods-and-doctor-who/

So we can talk about how why yes, Will and Denzel can headline, and maybe even Halle. Freeman is a universally recognized actor.

But that's the problem. Four. Not a lot of Black people (or POCs in general) are given leading roles or even a chance to have leading roles in big movies. There's Tyler Perry movies, the occasional Black film that can get a semi-wide release (Just Wright, Death at a Funeral remake, I can't even remember any ads for Jumping The Broom which has an amazing cast - btw none of these were even released in my area). No unknowns are ever really given a chance, there's no Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Caulkin, etc to carry a movie. There's hardly ever any chances.

On TV can you really name any shows that have POCs as a lead character? I think Community and Pretty Little Liars come closest since they are the very definition of an ensemble show. Glee has lots of supporting POC, of course they're all written in terribly stereotypical fashion.


Do you think if Red Tails fails at the box office we're going to see a big-budget majority Black cast movie in the future? I mean, really?

Denny had valid reason to post this, whether you think he was trying to stir up something against Liberals or not. It is a valid issue, a valid concern.

At least the movie looks better than the Pearl Harbor movie.

 

its pretty obvious George Lucas has white guilt. the whole movie is probably about why whitey is evil and incompetent from the superior black pilots, who have nothing less than superhuman abilities, 180IQs, etc.

its compensation for all the criticism he got for the "black voice hip hop characters" in star wars he put in there.

"hey look everyone, I made a black movie but those evil jews in Hollywood wouldn't fund me!"
:MARIS61:

 

Dude this isn't because it's "black slang". That pisses me off. I love many "black cast" modern films like "Friday", "the wash", bad boys, etc.

I just hate how they don't act as what normal people would in that era. I hated "knights tale" for that very same reason. Someone above mentioned "Sherlock" or that Greek movie. But the dialog in those movies still made you believe that's how they spoke back then. There wasn't a single African American that uses modern street slang in the 40's; which is why I'm turned off. The music's fine IMO, the acting isn't. Guess that's the purist in me.

 

lucas sucks eggs at this point. the new star wars and indiana jones, hell the return of the jedi was crap too, poop ice cream. this guy should just be producing other peoples great scripts and keeping his taste in "art" to himself

 

The fact that, in the preview, they have 1940s black airmen huddling like a college football team and doing the hype-up "We Fight!" chant totally lost me on the historical accuracy. However, the CGI dogfight footage looks impressive, although in a "Pearl Harbor" video game-kinda way.

 

Forest Whitaker, Clarence William lll, Whoopie Goldberg, Mr T, Mario Van Peebles, Paul Winfield, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, Shirley Bassey, Samuel L. Jackson, Whitney Huston, Oprah Winfrey, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Wesley Snipes, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Ving Rhames, Ethel Waters, Taye Diggs, Damon-Dwayne-Keenan Ivory-Kim-Marlon-Shawn Wayans, Ray Dawn Chong, Carl Weathers, Cedric the Entertainer, Dave Chappelle, James Earl Jones, R. Kelly, Eriq La Salle, Cleavon Little, Tracy Morgan, Vin Diesel, Jamie foxx, Cuba Gooding Jr., Louis Gossett Jr., Ernie Hudson, Ice T, Tyler Perry, The Rock, Angela Bassett, Levar Burton, Don Cheadle...

Just off the top of my head.

You seem quite isolated/pigeonholed in your awareness of black actors in particular, and how the film industry works in general. Do you watch movies much?

There is only one reason investors would shun a movie. Because they think it will not make money. From everything I know about George Lucas's previous bombs, and everything I've heard about this movie, they are wise to look for a better project. This one sounds like a poorly conceived blaxploitation film from the 70's.

 

He's implying that if up for an award, he'd be in 'Best Supporting Actor' and not 'Best Actor' category. There is a difference.

 

I can barely name 5 white directors and producers, Eastwood, Spielberg, the Coen Brothers, Burton, Scorsese.

Considering what percentage of the US populace is black (12%) or white (72%), knowing Spike Lee, the Hughes Brothers, Tyler Perry, and Thomas Carter must mean I'm black-obsessed?

Talent and perseverence attract support above all else.

Blaming "racism" for lack of success in Hollywood is weak sauce indeed.

 

just off the top of your head for current black movie stars includes dead people? Ethel Waters? lol. When you think of big movie stars, eriq fucking La Salle comes off the top of your head? R. Kelly? Seriously? Levar Burton?

Only 5 white directors come off the top of your head, but if someone says quick, name a big black movie star, you're going to respond Eriq la salle!!
such bullshit

 

Denzel Washington is possibly my favorite actor on this planet. And this is over any white actor too. So if there was one actor I name it would be him. Then maybe Morgan Freeman next.

Washington, Freeman, Pacino, Brad Pitt (Yeah so fucking what?!?! I think he's awesome!), Gary Oldman, and my favorite action hero is Bruce Willis.

 

I JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE IN THIS THREAD THAT I HAVE BLACK FRIENDS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

 

That's SMART!!!!!

 

It's common sense and wise money-management.

As you point out this is a guy who has lost huge sums of other people's money in the past.

Add to that the fact that the script is horrible, the story's been told before, the actors are scrubs, and the American viewing public is tired of being force-fed "white guilt" flicks...

 

Did you just list every black person you could think of? Seriusly, Carl Weathers? The best thing he's done is play Carl Weathers on Arrested Developoment Most of those people crossed over from stand up comedy, music or sports. None are serious (and current) movie stars, except Sam Jackson.

Top 15 earners for 2011. Only person of color (any color) was Will Smith
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2011/08/01/hollywoods-highest-earning-actors/

I don't think Hollywood is doing this just for the sake of being racist, but rather it is what they think will make money. More Americans will go see a film with a white protagonist than a black one. Yes there are exceptions (Will Smith being the most obvious), but in general, this is true. Otherwise, you wouldn't have Yule Brenner playing the King of Siam, Jake Gyllenhaal playing the Prince of Persia or the Akira disaster that I just found out about in this thread. It's better than it used to be, but that doesn't mean that everything's perfect.

Now I'm pissed off about Akira. Regardless of who was cast, I'm not sure how they're even going to do justice to the original. Some things just don't need to be remade.