Dear Hollywood…
I just watched a preview for a movie that almost made me kick in my TV screen. The Blind Side starring Sandra Bullock is the story of Michael Oher, a real-life NFL player. Granted, this is a true story, but the trailer for it makes the guy look like some kind of simpleton.
I think I speak for the majority of Black TV viewers when I say…we’re sick of this sh*t. We’re tired of seeing Black characters on TV and movies being rescued by color-blind, empathetic white characters, whether the stories are true or otherwise. You’re not fooling anyone. Ever read Heart of Darkness? All this represents is modern-day imperialism…the need to rescue and civilize people that Europeans and their descendants view as savages or people incapable of doing for self. Consider The Last Samurai. Awesome movie, but did it bother anyone else that Tom Cruise outlived hundreds of Japanese men who had contributed their entire lives to the way of the Samurai while he had just learned it?
I’ve got beef with the modern 90210 series on Fox. Tristan Wilds plays Dixon Wilson, the adopted Black son of a wealthy white family. His mother suffers from bipolar disorder and as the icing on the predictable-a** cake, his father is obviously nowhere to be found. So I suppose it would have been completely implausible to write in an equally wealthy, well-adjusted Black family? I know you think you threw us a bone here, but you could have kept it. I’d rather see a lily-white show with no central Black characters if you can’t create realistic Black characters that don’t need rescuing. Or…[plug] you could hire a writer like me to keep it real for you. Get at me.
Sincerely,
Mr. Front-Free.
You’ve spoken volumes and I agree with this, I stopped counting and watching the movies…
I cringed when I saw this trailer – both times (in front of This Is It, right?). The list of movies, books, plays, etc. about white people saving the day for people of color is way too long. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy movies like Dances With Wolves where white people have spiritual epiphanies due to prolonged exposure to POC but I’m tired of the Dangerous Mind-type films. I’ve noticed that in order to justify making these types of films, they’ll slap on a “based on a true story”, like “see it’s TRUE so it’s a story that must be told”. Unlike say…Wildcats (remember this 80’s film feating Goldie Hawn saving a football team of inner city thugs with hearts of gold?). But it’s the same sentiment.
Yeah I haven’t gone to see This Is It and don’t think I will…takes a lot to get me in the theater and if nobody’s getting blown up, punched or shot in the face in it, I doubt you’ll see me in the theater watchin it (lol). Yeah it’s a trite concept at this point…Michelle Pfeiffer throws on a leather jacket and some mom jeans and all of a sudden she can hang with the gangbangers and sh*t. It’s just old and unnecessary.
I feel the same way about tristan wilds being on 90210. I cringed when i saw “where the wild things are” and saw the preview to “the blind side”. what’s up w/these types of movies. i guess hollywood wants to continue to show movies like these to show they’re NOT racist. why the white man/woman gotta always save us from something? it’s there was no such thing as MR. CLARK.
Two words: white guilt.
My sentiments eggg..zactly!
when i saw this trailer I immediately scoffed aloud and begin to berate these “whitey saves blacks” themed movies loud enough for the white people around me to hear. my friend tried to convince me that i was being the typical angry black man/racially sensitive HU grad…. then i dramatically threw my hands in the air when the black kid was like “i aint neva had on ov deeze befo (bed)” ((eye roll))
BTW hilariously great blog, my friend Charlyn put me on to it– look forward to reading more
Thanks for the read and welcome and all that good sh*t. Glad to have one more brotha to give some input.