As a point of clarification, I did not indict Lincoln Perry for the "Stepin
Fetchit" character. I indicted director John M. Stahl who first disseminated
the Fetchit character in the movie "In Old Kentucky" (1927). I see Mr. Perry
as a victim not a perpetrator.
~rave!
--- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Keith Johnson <keithbjohn...@...> wrote:
>
> I disagree; or, I don't think it' s productive to argue Birth of a Nation
> versus Stepin Fetchit. "Birth" was shown all over the county; whites stood a
> block long lines to see it. It grossed a phenomenal amount of money and was a
> hit for months on end. Like I just said in another post, even Woodrow Wilson
> celebrated it as a tough "truth" of history. Its influence on white
> thought--either justifying or engendering their thoughts of black inferiority
> and savagery, and the rightness of white rule--can't be overestimated.
> That black actors like Fetchit willingly lent themselves to damaging
> stereotypes can't be argued. But "Birth", by its nature--white actors all
> playing black in poorly done blackface--showed that even without black
> complicity, some whites would have found ways to depict us as little more
> than animals.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Kelwyn" <ravena...@...>
> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 8:47:10 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
> Subject: [scifinoir2] Re: "Avatar" Keeps Rolling on Worldwide
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Apples and oranges. Still, a remarkable cinematic achievement. I was blown
> away when I saw it. Griffith practically invented modern cinematic language.
>
> Indicting Griffith for the rise of KKK is like indicting Samuel Colt for
> drive by shootings. Guilty as charged but, still, largely irrelevant.
>
> Me, personally, would be more inclined to indict John M. Stahl ("In Old
> Kentucky"), the first director to employ Stepin Fetchit as "the Laziest Man
> in the World." This image was waaaay more destructive to black people than
> anything in "Birth of a Nation."
>
> ~rave!
>
> --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , "Mr. Worf" <HelloMahogany@> wrote:
> >
> > Shot by a genius that was personally responsible for the rebirth of the kkk
> > and the racial stereotypes about black men, and mexicans that are still
> > with
> > us today.
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 5:03 AM, Kelwyn <ravenadal@> wrote:
> >
> > > Content aside, "Gone with the Wind" like "Birth of a Nation" is savvy,
> > > populist entertainment. If you are racially sensitive, avoid both at all
> > > costs as the narratives will suck you in. "Nation" is truly remarkable on
> > > just a technical basis. It is still a gorgeous looking film. D.W.
> > > Griffith
> > > was a cinematic genius.
> > >
> > > ~rave!
> > >
> > >
> > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , Keith Johnson <KeithBJohnson@>
> > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > In terms of pure dollars, "Avatar" will soon become the biggest of all
> > > time. (In terms of dollars adjusted for time, sadly, I think "Gone With
> > > the
> > > Wind" is still the champ).Ãâ The country-by-country breakdown is
> > > pretty
> > > interesting. Australia over thirty mill, France, Algeria and Tunisia,
> > > over a
> > > hundred, and ninety mill in Russia?Ãâ Wow, truly an international
> > > hit.Ãâ
> > > Even Turkey with eight million. But what's up with Syria: only
> > > eighty-seven
> > > thousand?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=avatar.htm
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Post your SciFiNoir Profile at
> > >
> > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/app/peoplemap2/entry/add?fmvn=mapYahoo
> > > !
> > > Groups Links
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity!
> > Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
> >
>
