Same here. Some of this is based on what I take from his movies. "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" is a very good movie. Sure, Medea's all over it, but honestly what I remember most is the growing love between the leads Sure, the evil Black man abusing his wife--and her subsequent vengeance--are a bit overdone, but that leads to questions of redemption, spirituality, forgiveness, self-worth. I remember most the parts that are strong, that display some good acting, that show black men and women trying to love each other. I remember that his films have happy endings mostly. And I hope that others will be able to build on what he's done to get their stories told.
-------------- Original message -------------- From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > I agree totally that he is opening the door for others, hopefully, it > won't be for one type of film. My "bias" is based on what I have seen > in the past. so, I will keep an open mind. > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > i'm not as concerned about Perry's films as many of y'all are. I do > > understand the fear that a certain type of film will become the > > standard: that Hollywood white and black will say "This is the > > formula" and produce countless clones. Valid fear, 'cause God knows I > > still cringe at what happened after the critical and box office > > success of "Boyz in the hood" and "Menace 2 Society". All of a suddent > > hood movies become as plentiful as mushrooms. I was afraid that Medea > > was going to be all over the place... > > > > But, look at "Why Did I Get Married?" compared to the Medea movies. It > > moves away from the slapstick of the cross-dressing Perry, and from > > what I hear, minimizes some of the more obvious slapstick elements of > > Medea. In other words, it moved a ways toward being a more serious > > study of Black relationships. And yet it still made major bank, based > > on Perry's name. Next year he could do a great romantic comedy like > > "Love Jones", or he could do a straight up drama with a black man and > > woman0--and people would come. Perry alone could help bring serious > > black movies to the big screen, and maybe doing it in steps like this > > will help black audiences learn to expect more than Medea. > > > > And as Perry brings us along and the money keeps rolling in, I can see > > other black directors trying their hand at it too. Sure, some--most, > > in fact--will fall by the wayside. Many won't make much dough. But I > > really see what he's doing as functioning as another door opener like > > Spike Lee. When it comes to "serious" black films, the doors only open > > a crack, unfortunately, but it's still open. I'm excited about what > > Perry will do, which I choose to see as making the way more more and > > different films, not closing it. > > > > but I could be wrong... > > > > -------------- Original message -------------- > > From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" > > > > > > > > > > I do not remember Spike lee's movies beating out the blockbusters by > > > almost doubling their take. This a major milestone in Black film. He > > > has surpassed Lee. --Not to negate the fact that Lee paved the way for > > > him and others. With Blacks representing 90% of the audience, it > > > seems that he is delivering what Black moviegoers, in general, want > > to see. > > > > > > Regarding Tim Story and The Fantastic Four, we are talking apples and > > > oranges. Daryl, I don't claim to know you, by I do know your posting > > > personality. The Daryl I know, knows the difference between the > > > weaknesses of Fantastic Four and the fear of how the success of Perry's > > > movies will impact Black film in a way similar to what is going on with > > > Black books. By the Spike Spike lee's impact on the movie industry has > > > been huge. He started the trend of doing movies on shoe string budget > > > and then getting them distributed. I've seen at least four shoestring > > > movies this year that have won prestigious awards. I think Lee and > > > Redford are a major reason that is possible. > > > > > > My fear stems from the fact he is serving a huge demand. Demand often > > > drives the industry. Spike Lee's movies, while popular, never had that > > > type of demand. Perry is just giving the public where they want. > > > That's simply good business... whether I like it or not > > > > > > Daryle wrote: > > > > > > > > Tyler Perry is the new Spike Lee. Nothing more, nothing less. > > Spike did > > > > movies to get people talking and bring the community out. It worked. > > > > > > > > If we're gonna be worried about a Black director's success making > > it hard > > > > for more "serious" Black filmmakers.. .what about Tim Story? > > > > > > > > On 10/16/07 8:07 PM, "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > 90% of the audiences were Black. I think his name carries weight > > in a > > > > > lot of circles of the African American community. Unfortunately, > > I fear > > > > > you are right in your prediction of a large volume of > > embarrassing Black > > > > > films that are similar to some of the books you refer to. I hope > > that > > > > > without Perry's name on the marquee, success won't be guaranteed. > > > > > Unfortunately, I fear that is a long-run. > > > > > > > > > > ravenadal wrote: > > > > >> > > > > >> Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married?" is number one at the box > > > > >> office, taking in $21.4, almost twice as much as this weekend's > > No. 2 > > > > >> film, "The Game Plan." > > > > >> > > > > >> While I wish Mr. Perry all the best, his success (this is his > > third > > > > >> number one at the box office) does not bode well for serious black > > > > >> filmmakers, or black filmmakers in general. His success will > > lead to > > > > >> something similar to the embarrassing black publishing boom in > > large > > > > >> part spawned by the success of Terry McMillan. > > > > >> > > > > >> I am personally curious as to why "Why Did I Get Married?" > > struck gold > > > > >> with black (and white) movie-goers while Chris Rock's "I Think > > I Love > > > > >> My Wife," tanked. "Married" unseen, I am confident "Wife" is a > > > > >> better, more accomplished movie. > > > > >> > > > > >> ~rave! > > > > >> > > > > >>> Actually, I think its the same syndrome as the Black Movie > > > > >>> industry. Movies like Soul Plane get multi-million dollar > > > > >>> promotion while movies like Why Did I Get Married don't. To > > > > >>> paraphrase Marshall McCluan(sp?) - the media don't tell us > > that to > > > > >>> think, but they *do* tell us what to think about. > > > > >>> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
