Long time, no post!! I haven't made a post in
forever because I have been trying to get my life together: Getting
internships, finishing college, working, and all in a brand new, much bigger
city! My schedule has been fully packed! This issue has been on my
mind since I heard the many varying critiques about it.
Django, Django, Django... the D is silent LOL.
There have been many concerns over the projected racism of the movie from many
African American people. This blew my mind because I AB-SO-LUTE-LY LOVE
this movie!! From the love story to the comic relief, Django Unchained gets two thumbs way, way up! I cannot even begin to form a starting point so I will now
proceed to go in:
1. This Movie Is NOT A Movie About Slavery
Once upon a time a married couple were forced
apart from one another. The husband, courageous and determined yet fearful for his life and that of his wife, finds a way to get her back. He adopts the role of a bounty hunter during the 1800's in North America, attaining his freedom along the way. He swoops in
to save the day by killing everyone who captured her and who desperately tried to
keep them apart. They ride off on horseback into the night and live happily ever after!
Oh yeah I forgot to mention, the married couple just so happen to be slaves.
For my many fellow AA's (African American's) who
are upset at this particular depiction of an American couple please acknowledge
the fact that this movie is not intended to document nor educate onlookers
about slavery. This movie is first and foremost a Romance, a Spaghetti
Western, and an Action/Adventure ... in that order! It is not just an
Historical Fiction film, like "Amistad" nor is it just a Drama like the efforts of "Roots" or "Beloved."
2. More Than Just Whippins'
Most AA's when they hear the word slavery
automatically jump into defense mode. Whatever is being said at the time
better be accurate because if not there will be an uprising. Lawd o' Lawd
please do not let a person of another race chime in! For watcheth what
thou sayeth because ye will reap the repercussions! LOL Most people do not think that someone may have a more interesting point-of-view than their own;
even if it is the history of their own ancestors. I have come to the
conclusion that most AA's know only about 30% of the happenings of American
slavery. Most only think that white people just owned black people and
treated them very, very bad in the process. Yes, That Is It.
This is one of the many reasons I love this movie.
This movie showcases another side of slavery that people do not think to invest thought into; Love & marriage, adventure, and the self-determination of the American slave.
Slavery is not one-dimensional. When thinking of
slavery I do not want always to picture a slave being whipped and bloody,
separated from their loved ones, raped by their masters, in chains with a foot
missing, nor hung from a tree (I can keep going.) I relish in the idea of one of my ancestors going through any and all measures to be reunited with their loved one... not to mention succeeding and having $100 and two horses in the end! It was unthinkable for a free man to have 1 let alone 2 horses at the time! Why can't we showcase a successful slave story, even if it is fictional.
3. More Powerful Than Roots
Yes, this movie is more potent than Roots.
Aside from the Comical relief and love story amongst Django and
Broomhilda, modern-day viewers, without realizing it, witness the historically
accurate mental hold that owners, both AA and Caucasian, had on slaves.
Nigger was the term used to label AA's as sub-human to whites. The
constant usage of the word by both races was a way to train the slave brain to
convince itself that it was the weaker race. This is worst than physical
harm; time heals all wounds but it takes much more to heal 300+ years of mental
abuse. The N-word was not used nearly enough when compared to real
circumstances.
Sometimes I do believe that black people are quick to find the negativity in any depiction of our culture and its history. We forget that what we criticize other races of doing we do it ourselves. The movie School Daze, if I'm not mistaken, depicts Black Greek Letter Organization in a negative way but if a white director had made that movie would there have been a different response? Some comments are credible, some are not.
Quote from Spike Lee on Django Unchained:
Our ancestors SOLD our ancestors to Europeans; they were not stolen. Make sure to know your history before you begin to criticize others.
There will never be that one movie that will achieve the overall consensus of AA's on slavery in America. With that being said it would be more sensible to accept every movie, every depiction about slavery as being a moment in that era. When combined, all those moments come together to represent an overall retelling of EVERY slave in America; not just the ones who suffered horrible endings to their own movie.
