In the 60s James made being Black a badge of honor with
the mega hit song: “Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)”.
So how can it be there’s not a single black person helping to
tell his story in the new film Get On Up?
I’m still in a cocoon, revising the novel—headed toward my September 15th deadline when I’ll join a manuscript swap with my editor, AJ Verdelle and four other novelists. But I had to come out to post this essay and video from Gregory Allen Howard—who wrote the screenplay for iconic film, Remember the Titans. Remember that film? If you haven’t seen it you MUST rent it.
Howard says we black writers NEED to be at ALL THE TABLES and IN ALL THE ROOMS when black stories are being told “so [we] can bring some truth to these stories”. AMEN to that. There were ZERO BLACKS at the creative tables for the new James Brown film, Get On Up. I haven’t seen the film yet, so I can’t comment on content, but you have to wonder why producer Brian Grazer would replace first pick Spike Lee with Tate Taylor (of The Help) as director. If you have seen the film please let us know what you thought.
Howard lays it out straight so GO read his blog post on Huffington Post and be sure to scroll down and watch the short video.
RELATED: James Brown Biopic: Should LIfe Stories Really Include Fabricated Incidents? by Charles Thomson. The skinny on why James spent 6 years in jail [remember the global “Free James Brown” campaign?]
I LOVED LOVED LOVED THE MOVIE>>>>>OK, I am an old white lady so consider the source …..I went to see Get On Up last night with a friend (another “OWL”) hmmmm, never used that acronym before but I quess it fits… anyway, without knowing the above information that was supplied above and having not read a single review, both of us went to see this film because we loved James Brown.
I was on the edge of my seat through all of it, I was enthralled by the acting of well, just about everyone in the film but mostly the lead actor Chadwick A Boseman. HIs performance had me floored….his dancing and singing…(he did lip sync some of Mr. Brown’s recordings but he sang with his own voice in the rehearsal scenes) and his portrayl of James Brown was impeccable.
I have seen alot of film performances of James Brown in my lifetime and this actor was so believable that I often found myself forgetting that I was not watching James Brown. I’m sad to read that his story was whitewashed….. I felt that the James Browns character was not apologetic as we see so often in romatancized movies about artists, rather I saw a raw human being who was used and abused by this world and had serious flaws and in spite of these things he faced, he moved the world and influenced thousands of singers and performers as well as listeners with his unique voice and “hit” on the funky beat and unstoppable talent…. I walked away downloading all the James Brown songs I could find into my Pandora.
Enjoyed reading this and Howard’s article. I’ve been looking forward to this movie – but will watch it with a different perspective now.
Really glad to know that you are still working diligently on your novel. Can’t wait to read it.
I’ve been helping my 90-year-old mother get her novel completed. She began writing it 30 years ago. What a process!
Always enjoy getting your updates.
Diane
Diane Flynn Keith
editor@homefires.com
Write on! Best of luck to your mom. If it takes me 30 years to finish Peach Seed Monkey then she and I will be on the same track since I just turned 60. I’m pushing for a sooner pub date!
On Thursday, August 7, 2014, Peach Seed Monkey wrote:
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I am SO white that I didn’t even think of that! – But go see the film anyway. I loved it. We will have to play some ‘James Brown funk’ in between our Bob Marley at the school garden!
Hi Anita, We saw the movie and loved it. My husband had seen James Brown live in the 60’s in San Diego and he thought the movie was a reasonable enactment of what he had seen … though there could only ever be one James Brown. My friend, Lola Love, who is interviewed in my book, traveled with Mr.Brown for 10 years as a dancer and back-up singer. I’ll ask her her opinion. As to the producers, I imagine it takes a lot of work and huge money to get the rights to a the music. Maybe Mick Jagger was the one who could do it.
I hope you like the movie. I thought it was an amazing performance and a great psychological study of a complicated man who was a genius! Sonnee Weedn
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