Darryl James
*I just saw Django Unchained.
I had to do it so that I could make an informed opinion.
There were parts to love and hate about this movie.
Parts of the flick were hard to watch, but the hardest part was watching dead-brained knee-grows cheering and laughing at the usage of the N word. They were also cheering and laughing at Sam Jackson’s perfect portrayal of a self-loathing House Nigger, as though HE were the hero.
Even though the piece was a work of fiction, it was steeped in historical truisms. Not HISTORY, but truisms, because none of us should be so unaware that we look to entertainment for a history lesson.
I loved that Django was a Black hero. I loved that the film showed his bravery and his fiercely independent character. Not all slaves were docile and afraid of the slavemasters. Many were looking for and found retribution exacted against whites.
I loved that Django was willing to risk EVERYTHING for the woman he loved. Some Black women love to pretend that Black men in America have historically left Black women to fend for themselves. That was hardly the case—EVER.
I even loved that Sam Jackson’s character showed how psychotically hateful a House Nigger could be. Perhaps it will give some of us a clue as to the root of some people’s hateful behavior today.
For example, stupid knee-grows were upset with Spike Lee for daring to oppose the white man and viscerally attacked him, calling him names, disparaging his entire film career and even calling his manhood into question.
Really? You want to attack Spike Lee for speaking against what he believes is harmful to the Black image? Even if you disagree with his perception of this FILM, you want to diminish him for his position?
How did we get so forgetful that we started pretending that white people could be in American entertainment with no hidden agenda AT ALL?
How did we get so seduced into a fake sense of security that we were blind-sided with the movie’s accompanying “action figures?”
Yes, you can now own your very own slave doll.
Still unwilling to question Tarantino’s intentions?
Then, kill yourself.
The truth is that I don’t really know Quentin Tarantino’s reason for making a Western set in slavery times with a slave as the protagonist.
But I do know that I am assaulted by the N-Word in plentiful supply when viewing his work.
Some say a point was made by employing the word in Django Unchained. I ask what point was made by employing the word in Pulp Fiction.
DJango Unchained left me conflicted, angry and yet, warmed my heart. As a piece of entertainment, it did its job.
But it was a piece of entertainment, and as such, will not become my call to arms against those who deride it, nor will it become any source of historical awareness that was not already on deck.
But it will become my newest reason for examining the relationship between African Americans and American entertainment.
I wish our minds, like the fictional character Django, were unchained.
Darryl James is an award-winning author of the powerful new anthology “Notes From The Edge.” He released his first mini-movie, “Crack,” and will soon release his first full-length documentary. View previous installments of this column at www.bridgecolumn.proboards36.com. Reach James at djames@theblackgendergap.com.
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“DJango Unchained left me conflicted” Clearly it did. Your article was all over the place. Not a dig because I kind-of felt the same way, although I didn’t expect anything different. I’m not a Tarantino fan and only went because someone else insisted. It is what it is. A bloodbath with a little dialogue in between.
Really? That’s odd because I thought he made good points and didn’t think it was all over the place.
I haven’t seen Django…yet…but I imagine my thoughts on it will be similar to DJames.
ITA. It’s one of the better reviews/articles I have read about the movie.
I also wholeheartedly agree with this line — “… a Western set in slavery times with a slave as the protagonist.” Folks have been incorrectly stating this is a movie about slavery and it isn’t. It’s set in the South during slavery times. It’s a Western with a Black hero. It’s the classic tale of good versus evil whereas the hero is strongly motivated by vengeance and the love of his wife. QT heavily leverages the Spaghetti Western films of Sergio Leone, but ramps up the blood quotient.
Really? He tells those who don’t question Tarentino’s motives to “go kill yourself” yet he admits to not only watching the movie but enjoying the movie. The overall tone of the whole article is ambiguous. Jmo
Here’s the REAL Django: Learn your history …
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=312666678833316&set=a.204696186297033.32342.201501659949819&type=1&theater
I refuse to spend a dime to see this movie. I get the ‘entertainment’ part but how many blacks folks went to see ‘Rosewood’ when it came out? There were some black folks who refuse to see it because they want to deal with the subject matter. ‘Beloved’, the same thing. So I’m perplexed why black people find ‘django’ movie about slavery ‘entertaining’ but didn’t say the same thing about Rosewood or Beloved? Tarantino turns me off with his ‘white negroisms’ along with his black defenders. Taratino seems to have kinda of ‘fetishism’ regarding black people.
Rosewood was based off of real events. Why would it need to be entertaining?
Frankly, we’re talking about an entirely different time and demographic.
Rosewood was based off of real events. Why would it need to be entertaining?
I know that. But the point I am making that Taratino’s movie is based on slavery, which does include ‘real events’ that happened. So why do we find this ‘entertaining’ based on one’s ‘story’ by using slavery as a backdrop? And what demographic was Singleton trying to appeal to that is different than Taratino? I thought Singleton was trying to appeal to everyone, too.
Again, I haven’t seen DJango but have heard several comment about parts of which they found funny…like entertaining. I haven’t seen it in eons but I don’t recall anything remotely humorous about anything in Rosewood…or Mississippi Burning..or even Amistad for that matter.
Considering the span of time, I imagine that Singleton’s actual movie demographic was older than the one currently for DJango..and likely had less nonblacks in attendance.
Hmmmm, fair enough. I still wouldn’t see this movie.
My apologies. Meant to say ‘because they DIDN’T want to deal with the subject matter’.
Co-sign. I won’t pay to see this movie…but did see Rosewood and Beloved.
Count me in I won’t ever see the movie Django, or any other movie dealing with slavery. Roots pretty much sealed it with me.
platinum, its nowhere near as bad as they make it out. The slave scenes were very generic and were lame. The movie was more blood and gore but wack overall.
Mel, Rosewood was excellent. Beloved reminded me of a black version of the Exorcist!
Thanks Stephanie, I read your earlier comments about the movie, and let me just say I literally LOL.
Why do people keep calling this “a movie about slavery”? It is not. It’s about a dude going through hell to get his woman. And some of the scenes were funny– like when jamie foxx told the maid to tell miss millie good-bye.
Your statement about this movie was solely baseless and based on your OWN opinion.If you are so upset with this movie and the usage of the “N” word, where was your editorials when rappers and other groups degrade/debase and belittle our women in music and tv, yet you have the time to write about your displeasure on a film that didn’t debase me as a black man or we as black people! Spike Lee, Kanye West, Al Sharpton are not the voice of BLACK AMERICA! There are so many other outlets on tv that debase black people daily (FOX news) or the idiot Donald Trump and let’s not forget Rush Limbaugh! For a journalist, someone didn’t do their homework properly (egregious manner).
It is interesting that this internet blogger would limit his focus to questioning Quentin Tarantino’s intentions while skipping over the fact that Reginald Hudlin, a black man, was also intimately involved in producing this movie.
“Some Black women love to pretend that Black men in America have historically left Black women to fend for themselves. That was hardly the case—EVER.” Hmmm….you speak for ALL Black women?? No, Black women dont love to pretend this it is a fact that our men were FORCED to leave their families and not only that, so were women so why would you make an issue out of that?! You personally sound as if you dont like Black women, we are not the enemy as we too are victims of racism and love our sons who happen yes to be Black MEN!
alicia, he despises Black women. Read up on his other write-ups…it’s all laid bare.