Black Women & Film:When Will "Colored Girls" Fly?
Friday, November 5, 2010 at 6:00AM The Blogmother Al righty, collective group hug. You're gonna need it because tonight millions of emotionally crippled Black folks are going to stream into theaters to get a two-hour hit of BLACK PAIN. Yep, tonight Tyler Perry's latest bouquet of brutality opens and there won't be a single appearance from Perry in drag, but his finger prints will be all over the movie. In case you haven't guessed, today we continue our "Black Women &" series with a focus on Black Women and Film. We've previously covered politics and debt.
I've already stated that I'm not going to see Tyler Perry Presents: For Colored Girls in theaters because, watching unspeakable tragedies being carried out against Black women is not my idea of escapism. But to those who go see it, more power to ya'. Same to Tyler Perry, he's free to make whatever movie he wants to on account that he can make whatever movie he wants to, but I'm not about to embrace this film as some type of reflection of all of Black womanity. Not claiming it. You can't have it both ways, you can't declare it to be fiction and then attempt to market it as a documentary.
Remember almost 2 years ago in January 2009 when I asked y'all if we could make any movie in the world what would it be?
If You Could Make the Movie of Your Dreams About Black Women, What WOuld it Be About.
Poll:Hypothetically Speaking What Would Be Most Important About Making a Film About Black Women
Vote:"Hypothetically"- If We Made A Movie About Black Women-Which Genre?
Strangely enough most of you said you wanted sci-fi and action adventure. Not romance- not melodrama and yet, that's all we get. Overwrought melodramas and comedy.
This week I start shooting my very first short movie called Namaste (unless I change the name). A story about a Black woman trying to get her "OM" on. Its not the story I wanted to do, but our professor is limiting us to 6 minutes and I couldn't come up with something two Black women could fight over for 6 minutes and then as soon as I finish that I'll begin pre-production on Dust, a story about Black fairies...not of the Disney variety. The first draft of the screenplay is done, I just have to let my skill level as a director catch up with my creativity as a screenwriter. But the producer in me already did a bit of preproduction research to see if flying were possible. It IS! It IS!
Do feel free to leave your reviews of For Colored Girls in the comments and to all the Tyler Perry fans who troll the internet to post angry screeds on any blog post that does not fawn over Tyler Perry, I mock you en mass and in advance.
Have a great weekend! I'm going to go see Megamind or something like that.
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Reader Comments (35)
Strangely enough most of you said you wanted sci-fi and action adventure. Not romance- not melodrama and yet, that's all we get
What black folks say they want and what they actually support are usually different. Tyler will be making over 20 million this weekend as usual, while I bet the same women didn't take their their kids to see Akeelah and the Bee
How many black women bought a Superhead book or a Steve Harvey book vs an Octavia Butler book or Nalo Hopkinson book. There is no conspiracy, entertainment execs are a bunch of number crunchers that is what they are going by.
I think that maybe some of the black sci fi fans should approach the SyFy channel first. Maybe someone will get lucky and approach Lionsgate about it and Tyler Perry will hear about it and take a hold of the project and make it happen (like I heard he did FCG)
Well Blog mother, perhaps the difference in what people think about TP's take on "For Colored Girls" may be generational. Back in the day, I read the book, saw the movie/play and I recall how I was so moved about such a powerful play and the story it told. Perhaps my generation (I'm 53 y.o.) and people, especially Black women, say under 35, especially those under 25, will "see" something different. Movies/plays are not just movies/plays, they are also a product or come out of a particular social/historical context.
That being said, I admit I have my doubts about TP and "For Colored Girls", I ain't gonna lie, I'm a bit tired of Medea and all, but I'll go see it and try to be fair, I promise I'll try to be fair. :)
Yeah, this movie never seemed to appeal to me from the gate. I'm not interested in another "(Every) Black Woman Angst" film. I'm so tired of us being portrayed as being downtrodden and beaten. Many of us do have happiness in our lives as amazing as that seems. Anywho, Megamind is the better bet. I saw a preview last weekend and it was HILARIOUS! You won't be disappointed. :)
I actually wrote a semi-screenplay that was a romantic slapstick comedy about a bw in France. I let friends read excerpts from it - the white friends loved them. Some of my more progressive black friends loved and were excited by them.
Then I went to the TP bunch - they couldn't "understand" it, thought it was bougie, or flat-out hated it. I guess I will have to add some woman beating and a church service where someone breaks out into song at the end....
I have always been a big fan of Octavia Butler and would not hesitate to go see one or more of her books depicted on the big screen. The director who takes on this project, would have to do this movie justice, because the protagonists in all of her sci-fi books are courageous black women, who may have deficiencies, but they are not exploited. Their flaws are sources of strength. Seeing those types of characters on the big screen are needed, because I am tired of seeing black women as the angry underdog who can't keep a man, don't want a man or can do without a man or vice versa, when it comes to black men relating to black women. This is a diseased mindset that in riddled in contemporary black literature, music, black magazines and on the television screen and movie screen. Many of us subconsciously and consciously enfold ourselves into the nonsense. The big screen has it all wrong about black women, black people, black men and black relationships and somebody should begin to tell the truth. Yes, there are issues, but we are resilient and a powerful people. We can be loved and give love.
When was the last time we talked about loving ourselves or doing something for someone, because it was the right thing to do. Complimenting a sister just because or embracing the little things. I find myself stopping at times to hug my husband when he is washing dishes or folding up clothes. I knowsometimes I rant and rave about what he doesn't do, but it is just the little things that matter. I know I'll probably get, I don't have a man or I am not in a relationship. Yes, but you have yourself and you also have "little things" all around you that matters. It starts with self-love. It has to start someplace and somewhere. Sometimes I call a sister friend and leave a message how I have been thinking of her and tell her how beautiful she is and thank her for sharing her life with me. We carry so much rage and many of us don't know why we are angry and discontent with our lives, regardless to what our socioeconomic status is. It starts with self-love, touching our faces, our bodies and giving ourselves a hug in the mirror - unclothed and just loving who we are and smiling. We have work to do!
I'm still torn. I loved the play but I get so sick of the portrayals of black people being all one thing or another. At one point every black movie was a hood flick, then a all modern day coonery, now its the plight of the miserable black woman. When will a black woman get to be the lead in a sci-fi flick or adventure film or get the backing to make such works? When someone finally starts to see us a multi-faceted, multi-dimentional creatures and not just whatever fantasy is of us is prancing through their minds at the time.
On the flip side I do welcome the opportunity to see black actresses show their abilities without the having to shake their butts, roll their eyes or snap that neck. I also think "For Colored Girls" is just the material to showcase these various talents. Actually the making of this material into film is about a generation overdue. Shouldn't it have been out there aroudn the time of Steel Magnolias or Fried Green Tomatoes? But I digress.
The concern I have is whether Perry can carry this off. I don't know if he has the talent and I think we all fear a bit of his old stereotypes sneaking in. However we also know that while Hollywood only has room for one genera of black film at a time it also only focuses on one black filmmaker at a time. It used to be all things Spike Lee, now it's Tyler Perry.
So I know the material it is based on is good( a plus).
I think this film is long overdue. (a plus)
Sorry it is coming at a time when we are about to OD on the misery of black women thing (a minus)
I don't know if the lack of diversity in the type of black femal stories chosen for the big screen now are enough to make me skip it.(unsure what to call this)
I know the talent in the movie is powerful. (plus)
I just hope that Perry and his monetary backers are more concerned about making quality and not just the quick weekend profit that comes with attaching his name to a project. (likely will be a minus cause the cash is king)
Here is my challenge...what were the top twenty, progressive Black Women Films, or films with Black Women in the last 40 years...What film would I like to see a Charade Remake with Thandie Newton, and a two black male protagonist, Vivicia Fox as a US Marshal seeking a international fugutive, Viola Davis in film version of Intimate Apparel, Tamara Taylor as Angela Davis Biopic, and I can sit here and go on and on...
The challenge is why dont YOU sistas put your energies and monies together and produce your own movies!
@mymothersdaughter:
What a wonderful post! I agree with everything you said.
Now, about the film.. *sigh* I have no desire to see it. I saw the play in the 80's, and I thought it was riveting and disturbing. I'm glad I saw it, but I would not sit through it again. Just as with "Precious" this time last year, I do not want to see unspeakable acts carried out against black women up on the big screen. I just DON'T. Maybe at some time, when I feel ready, I'll get in on Netflix and watch at my leisure, pausing the film and taking a break from it when necessary. But then again, I said the same thing about "Precious" and have yet to do it. So.... I don't know....
Speaking of Octavia Butler, I was a big sci-fi fan growing up. I read Isaac Asimov in high school. As an adult I was THRILLED to learn about a black woman sci-fi writer and immediately started reading her books. I had the priviledge of hearing her speak at a NBAF event in the 90's. I will never forget the richness of her voice, nor the way she owned the room that day. The woman had presence. I have nearly all of her books, including "Fledling" the last one she wrote before she died. But my favorite is "Kindred." If someone were to adapt that book to film it would be awesome.
The last action/adventure movie that featured a black woman lead, that I can remember, was "Catwoman" with Halle Berry. I saw it, and, meh. I've seen worse, but it could have been a whole lot better. Given the fact that Halle is what the maistream has deemed the biggest black actress and her movie tanked, maybe that's why we haven't seen any more. I have nothing against Halle Berry, in fact I like her, but she's not the be-all, end-all as far as black actresses go. But just like some action flicks featuring white actresses do poorly yet they continue to be made, black actresses deserve the same courtesy. If a black filmmaker can garner talented sisters to put a tradgedy on screen, the same can be done with an adventure story.
Initially I looked forward to seeing TP's For Colored Girls. I usually do not go to see his movies, but since he was working with existing material I decided to give it a chance. That all changed when I saw the trailer. Every scene had twisted, miserable faces on both the actors and actresses. TP doesn't seem to understand nuance. Not everyone reacts in a dramatic way to trauma or misery. Anyway I'll be skipping this film.
I've just gotten into reading Octavia Butler's books. Some of them I loved and some I had a hard time finishing. I still love the fact that she was doing something different as a Black woman. She's actually inspired me to try to write sci-fi too.
Controversy, thy name is Black Art!
I have to give credit that SOMEONE stepped up and took on the near-impossible task of bringing this seminal play to the screen. For this alone, Mr. Perry deserves props.
Miss Shange's choreopoem lived, breathed, made tears & history upon the stage, and so to bring its fullness, richness, & yes tragedy to the screen requires pulling Shange's words and characters out of the rarified ether that is poetry, and then to flesh them out into cinematic Afro Blue angels.
No work of art will ever tell the story of a people, of a collective of women or men in a way that speaks to everyone's Core Truth. If that is indeed possible to do, then that work has yet to be created.
But attention should be paid when someone, in all earnestness, TRIES.
For Colored Girls attempts to imbue one woman's vision.
Will it succeed? In some ways, it already has because it's been made & with Sista Shange's blessing.
Will it please everyone? No. Not hardly. Will it move others, most definitely.
One.
There is already a film version, out on DVD. check amazon.
Thank you very much. You put into words what I have been trying to explain to every one. I do not watch Tyler Perry movies because I do not like his portrayal of black people, particularly women. Also the person who commented on the Steve Harvey and the Karrine Steffan books are dead on.
Good work foreverloyal. I just found the DVD you described. It is described as a television adaptation staged at the Public Theater in New York. It came out in 1982 and stars Alfre Woodard and Lynn Whitfield. Wasn't released to DVD until 2002 (according to web site) and there is at least one customer review that had a few problems with the way this version was produced.
Thanks. I will check out this version and now I probably will see the Perry version (not sure if going to the movies or will wait for it on DVD too) to compare (story quality not the whiz bang production as I know Perry's version will have more money behind it)
Evoking emotion prompts reaction, but how do we process the imprint of pain and trauma. When we witness or experience any form of pain or trauma, what happens to our emotional resilence? Are we compromising our emotional resilience when we continue to expose ourselves to different degrees of pain and trauma. I think many of us become anxious and subconsciously need a visual affirmation that we (black women) have prevailed once again. This is a problem! A serious one and I would just like to say, LOOK AT US! As beautiful and dynamic as we are, when do we begin to have honest, consistent and healing conversations about our discontentment with ourselves, with each other, with how we are portrayed in the media as victims. I will eventually see the movie, perhaps when it comes out on DVD, but for now, I am practicing patience. I am not eager to see what I already know to be true, not true and exaggerated. I do give props to Tyler Perry, because he is a self-made man and a brillant entreprenuer. I did see a stage play several years ago in San Francisco. Wow! It was beautiful, but it was so painful. Even though it was stage play, I eternalized it. My question is, when we witness pain, how does it impact us psychologically. At some point, do we become desensitize to it or less empathetic when we witness or experience pain.
When I see the news, what do I remember to most, the shooting last night in Oakland or the young talented artist who won a scholarship to a four year college. We are in a society that has been conditioned to feed off negativity and bad news, to live in a state of fear and to expect the worst. For me, it is just time to change the channel physically and emotionally.
Just one last note, I just want to honor every black women, past and present, because we are divinely beautiful and we don't need a movie, an icon, a celebrity, a song and anything that is a representation of what or who were suppose to be, to tell us how dynamite we are! Blessings!
I introduced my wife to "Octavia Butler" and she selected one of her books for her book club and those sista's loved her work! None of them were particularly into Science Fiction but, they loved it.
So I then introduced them to "Tananarive Due" and they really loved her work.
I know I would run to see any of either of there work on the big screen. I thought that "Tananarive Due's" series of books on the Living Blood was suppose to be made into movies in fact.
Not going to see TP's "for colored girls," I READ the book.
I'm still deciding about FCG movie..I've been on a TP overload ever since those bootlegged plays and the Diary of a Mad BW
Every review I've read, from regular bloggers to the likes of Ebert, about this movie has rated it 2.5 stars or less. I'm always cautious about watching books or plays turned into movies. So nope, won't be watching it.
Read the book and have the DVD adaptation. Love it!!
Let me see on one hand we have Alfre Woodard and on this side we have Janet Jackson.....hmmmm this is a tough decision. Pate or potted meat.
Gina, I wish you best of look on your film career. Lawd knows we need intelligent black writers and filmmakers. I am an avid book reader and movie watcher. Lately, I've come to realize most of all the books I read and movies I watch are produced by white artists. Feeling guilty I went to the book store and tried to find some good books by black authors, sadly I was quite disappointed. The black entertainment industry is dangerously lacking in rich authentic voices. Black authors are still producing what I call 'Tyler Perry. literature. And let's not talk about those horrendous stage plays. Like I said before, I'm not wasting my money on this. Even the movie trailer isn't enticing. I rather watch the news to get my daily dose of self-inflicted depression.
Sidenote. One of the reviewers of For Colored Girls said the movie watchers didn't know whether to cry or take a dose of Lipitor at the end. LOL
to get a two-hour hit of BLACK PAIN.
OMG! Thank you for saying what I've been thinking. I'm over the Black Woman's Pain fest. We have such deeper stories. I think Ms. Shange's choroepoem spoke more to my mom's generation (I'm 38) than mine because they were still suffering through a lot of hardships that feminism and civil rights hadn't yet offered remedies.
I don't mind someone making this movie, I just wish there was more of a balance, and Tyler Perry does seem to be a Pain Pimp when it comes to his films.
Remember Angela Bassett in Strange Days and Alfre Woodard in Star Wars? I love seeing strong black women in a sci-fi roles. I read an Octavia Butler book, and it was good but sci-fi books aren't my thing in general.
Interesting. If I didn't read this blog I wouldn't even have known about the T.P. project. I think I'm out of the black entertainment loop.
I've read FCG, and I think I saw the PBS flick. I'm not a person who likes misery / pain / abuse stories, unless it's a murder mystery, regardless of the race / gender / religion. I could never get into them. I love sappy / happy endings...
I suspect quite a number of black people are creating interesting independent projects, but there's no central outlet for it. Or is there? Celeste Bright is wonderful. Thank you Gina for showcasing it.
I cannot wait to see your work. Good luck. :)
Shange's poetry is quite remarkble and its sad that the works of black artists are so often marginalized. If this was a story about about the woes of white women, it would've been made by a prolific filmaker decades ago. So, while I'm happy that it's seeing the light of day, and I give TP credit for his adaptation; I'm fustrated by the fact that it still takes herculian efforts to get movies like this made. I'm even more fustrated by the critques of the "For Colored Girls" title. With all of the "chick flicks" that come out with all white casts, it stills blows me away that people don't understand how rare movies like this are and are blinded by their own privelage. I'd like to slap the "For White Girls" title on "Sex & The City", "Eat Pray Love", "He's Just Not the Into You", etc., but I could go on & on for days about that.
I think most people are on the same page when it comes to TP as a screen writer & director. He a certain style of comedy/drama and it speaks to a particular audience. His movies are feel good, light weight entertainement, so the fact that he is remaking this classic speaks volume about how things get made in Hollywood. There's not a lack of talent, but there's certainly a lack access. So while I respect TP's hustle and am happy to hear the movie is getting great reviews, it's clear that we need more black female shotcallers who can stuff made.
*Rolls Eyes @ anything to do with Tyler P.*
I will be supporting you and other African American women in their screen writing endeavors.
brooklynshoebabe wrote:
Remember Angela Bassett in Strange Days and Alfre Woodard in Star Wars? I love seeing strong black women in a sci-fi roles.
Actually, Woodard starred in Star Trek: First Contact, but she was great in that role.
I agree with an earlier poster that filmmakers who want more Black women in sci-fi must put their money where their mouth is. When he wanted to help increase racial diversity in sci-fi, Will Smith started his OWN production company instead of waiting for Hollywood to get a clue.
If I could make whatever movie I wanted about BW. I'd mostly focus on kids. It would be a way of entertaining yet inspiring. Definitely adventure, superheroes, action, comedy. Something in that direction.
I would also like detective, mystery. I make up corny mystery stories for my kids about this little Black girl detective. Her neighborhood calls on her to solve miner mysteries and the such. It always ends with her having a plate of chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk after a solved case
I am wary about movies though because i'm just nervous about the portrayals of Blacks. The subtle messages. **sigh** (even watching mortal kombat I had to turn it off but didn't explain to the kids why).
Saw Megamind this weekend and it was great!
Honestly, I just can't go see FCG. I just can't. I can't take absorbing the overwhelming feelings of trauma, disappointment and pain. Maybe this is why I haven't read "Getting to Happy" for my book club. Are there cliff notes out there for this?
Lastly, I'm loving the topic about Sci-Fi. I've been in love with this genre since Star Wars so much that my child has been converted as well.
****Black Girl Movie Trivia***
In 2004 what major movie franchise Alien vs Predator invested in a sista?
Sanaa Lathan. She was the lead character and held it down and she didn’t get killed in the first 30 mins. In fact she made it all the to the end.
i want to see "sassafras, cypress and indigo" made into a movie -- shange's really beautiful tale of three southern sisters growing up into artists in nyc and cali.
miriam, have you heard about the new children's book where Zora Neale Hurston's a little girl who solves mysteries with her friends? It was written by black women.
Revered Writer Becomes Girl Detective
@Fred,
Thanks! As soon as I submitted it, I was like "duh!" I loved her Star Trek.
This morning, on my local news they were discussing the FCG. And there you have it, a black guy from Concerned Black Men talking about the stereotypes of BM in this film. Where were they when Shaq was dressed up like a woman singing to a Beyonce song?
I do check out black films especially ones featuring a strong black woman role. Check out "Children of Men". In that one a black woman is featured as a madonna figure. To see a black woman as queen in all her glory, check out Vivica A. Fox in "Solomon".
What can I say KrisT? Leave it to the mainstream media to limit the discussion of a movie about black women to how it portrays black men. Never mind how it portrays black women.
Was is accurate?
Was it dated?
Was it a good adaptation of the original work?
Is the making and timing of it feeding the misery side show as Gina has pointed out in this post?
Nevermide the lack of discussion of where it the balance in the portrayal of whole black people period.
Why are black movies limited to miserable black women being dumped on by black men or good-natured black men being either targeted by gold digger baby mamas or overlooked by snooty frigid professional black women?
If not that its the thug, pimp and hoodrat fest.
Of course there are the biographies but even the strong black female role in Mighty Heart was taken from us and given to Angelina Joli. (I know. I heard all the counter arguments but talk to me when Angela Basset or Vanessa Williams gets the lead in the Hilary Clinton story.)
@Golden Silence,
Thank you so much for this info! Go Tanya Simons (the author)!
That's going on my Amazon "to buy" list.
I thought it was just me! I feel the same way about "Colored Girls", So glad I found your blog.