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Title:Movie Reviews and Discussion
Notice:Please do DIR/TITLE before starting a new topic on a movie!
Moderator:VAXCPU::michaudo.dec.com::tamara::eppes
Created:Thu Jan 28 1993
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1249
Total number of notes:16012

223.0. "Malcolm X" by XCUSME::SAPP (It Takes A Village to raise a Child!) Thu Jun 17 1993 11:34

    	While I am no big fan of Spike Lee the man, he is a very talented
    filmmaker.....
    
    	MALCOLM X is the ultimate film experience for me. Much better than
    THE CRYING GAME or A FEW GOOD MEN for that matter. Denzel is one of the
    best actors around and it is too bad that this film will not get the
    credit it deserves. However, considering it is about a black civil
    rights leader with a predominently black cast then one can see why.
    
    	There has a been and always  will be racism in
    Hollywood. Fact of life.
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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223.1"That's Entertainment"32880::LABUDDEDenial is not a river in EgyptThu Jun 17 1993 13:359
    
    >There will always be racism in Hollywood, fact of life.
    
    Hate to be the bearer of bad news... but there will always be racism in
    human beings.
    
    
    
    And last time I looked, human beings lived in Hollywood too.
223.2XCUSME::SAPPIt Takes A Village to raise a Child!Thu Jun 17 1993 15:371
    	Well said. In everyone there lies at least a little bit of racism.
223.38475::BRUNOFather GregoryThu Jun 17 1993 18:2016
 
     Malcolm X is quite a good film.  I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I had a
measure of trepidation regarding Spike doing something weird with the story,
but when it was in the theatre, my fears were calmed.

     Spike has been up and down, from my point of view.  "She's Gotta Have It"
was a surprisingly good film, though the subject matter kept me from 
recommending it to dear old ma.  "School Daze" had entertaining parts, but
also had extremely irritating parts like the ending (with that silly "WAKE UP"
crap). 

     In all, I can't accept all of Spike's work without question (like I tend
to do with Sidney Poitier's acting), but he is definitely capable of over-
whelming quality.

                                       Greg
223.4Over Hyped8269::BARRIANOchoke me in the shallow water...Thu Jun 17 1993 18:3235
re    <<< Note 223.0 by XCUSME::SAPP "It Takes A Village to raise a Child!" >>>
                                 -< Malcolm X >-

  >  	While I am no big fan of Spike Lee the man, he is a very talented
  >  filmmaker.....
    
  >  	MALCOLM X is the ultimate film experience for me. Much better than
  >  THE CRYING GAME or A FEW GOOD MEN for that matter. Denzel is one of the
  >  best actors around and it is too bad that this film will not get the
  >  credit it deserves. However, considering it is about a black civil
  >  rights leader with a predominently black cast then one can see why.
    
  >  	There has a been and always  will be racism in
  >  Hollywood. Fact of life.

   Denzel is probably one of the best actors around and deserved his best actor
nomination. The movie Malcolm X itself, was a good movie that was over hpped.
Spike seems to have this penchant for trying to generate ticket sales for his
movies by crying racism, at every oppurtunity. John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood)
and Mario Van Peebles (Posse) are two African American directors who make more
entertaining movies than Spike and let their movies speak for themselves.

 Malcolm X was too long, the opening montage of flames and the Rodney King taped
beating had little to do with Malcolm X's life story. The ending, "I'm Malcolm...
..I'm Malcolm etc. was more effective and believable in Spartacus.

Spikes advice to kids, to stay out of school to see the preview, was exploitive.
I can't imagine Malcolm X, who supported education and pride, recommending kids
skip school to see a movie.  So, my advice to Spike, make more movies, save the
preaching and sermoninzing for church. When the movie is finished, sit down and
shut up and let the movie speak for itself!

Regards
Barry

223.53297::SAPPIt Takes A Village to raise a Child!Thu Jun 17 1993 22:3523

> Malcolm X was too long, the opening montage of flames and the Rodney King taped
>beating had little to do with Malcolm X's life story. The ending, "I'm Malcolm...
>..I'm Malcolm etc. was more effective and believable in Spartacus.

>Spikes advice to kids, to stay out of school to see the preview, was exploitive.
>I can't imagine Malcolm X, who supported education and pride, recommending kids
>skip school to see a movie.  So, my advice to Spike, make more movies, save the
>preaching and sermoninzing for church. When the movie is finished, sit down and
>shut up and let the movie speak for itself!

    I agree about the advice to kids. However the burning of the flag and
    the Rodney King footage had *alot* to do with Malcolm X's life. The
    burning of the flag symbolized American hypocracy and how blacks have
    never really and truly been welcomed in America which Malcolm constantly
    spoke of. The King footage was obvious a lot of the same stuff Malcolm
    preached in the 1960's is still going on today.
    
    
     For me, the film wasn't long enough. I came out wanting even more. It
    took me in. I swear I didn't feel like is in the theatre for more than
    two hours.