Django Unchained

[baileydash]

I know that there have been other films with black lead characters. I don't think this film is the be-all or end-all of period movies with black leads. I've just been put off with many of the more recent period movies. Too many seem timid about concentrating on just the black characters.

For instance, other than the HBO film Boycott, can anyone name a single movie about the civil rights era that tells a story through the eyes of black characters only?

Such films don't exist and they should.

[Martini Girl]

I finally watched it. Did not like. Don't know if it was overuse of the N-word, the non-stop violence, Jaime Fox or a combination of all three.... but I couldn't get into it. And how can CW be a supporting actor? He has so much screen time!

[baileydash]

I agree that Waltz was really more of a co-lead than a supporting character. I suppose the producers felt awards recognition was more likely if Waltz was promoted in the supporting category.

Anyway, another thing I like about the film is that the hero's ultimate motivation was the rescue of his beloved.

That kind of thing NEVER happens with black characters.

[Ginger]

I suppose the producers felt awards recognition was more likely if Waltz was promoted in the supporting category.

The producers were pushing him for lead actor, but the awards started coming in as Best Supporting and they can't control that.

[Shalamar]

I loved it. Waltz was a delight. If there can be such a thing as an adorable charming stone-cold fucking killer, he was all that.

[bklynred]

This pic of Tarantino sums it up for me pretty succinctly.

Sorry, NSFW.

[chonies]

Thanks for the link. The attached blog made me think, although I disagreed with some of the points made. I also wished for a redesign after the first few screens--that was hard on the eyes. Anyway, I thought the writer had some excellent points about the Django's characterization, but I think some of the other points about historical inaccuracy were less substantial.

[Shalamar]

Whoah! Better put a NSFW warning on that link, bklynred! I had to shut that window down quick.

[Strawberry]

I just watched this on DVD and it was long. But the most uncomfortable thing about it for me was that it felt like the equivalent of Mark Wahlberg saying that if he "had been on the plane the terrorists wouldn't have succeeded." (Paraphrased) I didn't find Django a hero at all but a slap in the face to those who really lived it.

[bklynred]

Seeing Kerry Washington's newest movie trailer (Peeples) makes me understand what draws actors to stuff like Django. They want to be challenged with something new, not the same predictable bs, esp. the stuff offered to black actresses historically. It doesn't make me like Django any better, but I understand what drew the talent to it.