NY Times: "The death of the black male romantic lead"

That's exactly what I was getting at -- stereotypes often prevent them from getting the romantic roles. But at the same time, those stereotypes start somewhere - us.

However, there are still black romantic dramas and comedies, but much of them are simply catered to a particular audience and those who are interested in that particular sub-genre. But a black man getting a romantic role in a more haughty mainstream role akin to The Notebook? You'll need to get Woody Allen for that one. Or have Spike Lee and Allen collaborate on such a movie to get it done.

Mighty Quinn said:
I'm sure there's plenty of black actors who can play a convincing romantic lead. I don't mean the role Trey Songz played in the recent Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He not only wasn't convincing, he was a douchebag. The actor doesn't have to be a specific type mind you. I think we've seen a wide enough range of black actors playing romantic leads that stereotypes really aren't a factor. I would argue stereotypes are what prevent them from getting the parts. I don't believe there's any special reaction on the part of black audiences either. A romantic lead is a romantic lead. They could be safe, dangerous, black, white, whatever. You do yourself a disservice once you pigeonhole your audience.
Click to expand...
 
Majestic Saint said:
That's exactly what I was getting at -- stereotypes often prevent them from getting the romantic roles. But at the same time, those stereotypes start somewhere - us.

However, there are still black romantic dramas and comedies, but much of them are simply catered to a particular audience and those who are interested in that particular sub-genre. But a black man getting a romantic role in a more haughty mainstream role akin to The Notebook? You'll need to get Woody Allen for that one. Or have Spike Lee and Allen collaborate on such a movie to get it done.
Click to expand...
The irony of this statement amazes me because, its such an oversimplification, it counts as a stereotype ('black community this, black community that':vom:).

I don't think stereotypes prevent audiences from enjoying a black actor as a leading man. I think producers are afraid to go there mostly because of their own hang-ups. But, regardless of the genre, there's always a leading man and almost always romance involved. Except when Hollywood gets a good minority leading man, they're far less confident on who they pair him with, since, frankly, they really don't know their audience. You're right, you might need a Woody Allen or Spike Lee to make a romantic film similar to Notebook only with a black leading man. That has nothing to do with 'us' - that's on them. I have no doubt a black man could've played James McAvoy's role in Atonement. Shit, the son of a housekeeper? You would think it was a black character.
 
What I meant by that statement was that we don't support enough movies which has black characters in more diversified roles and often when we do see black movies, we often pour more money on roles which are more gangsta-style or ghetto-fabulous roles, so that mainstream audiences would be more likely to watch.

There's a lot to talk about, but all I'm saying is...we only represent 14% of the overall population and it would be just silly to think that that alone would help build more revenue in the black movie industry. Henceforth, there's no real answer except simply support and bring more diversified crowds who don't find comfort in typecasting roles.

Mighty Quinn said:
The irony of this statement amazes me because, its such an oversimplification, it counts as a stereotype ('black community this, black community that':vom:).

I don't think stereotypes prevent audiences from enjoying a black actor as a leading man. I think producers are afraid to go there mostly because of their own hang-ups. But, regardless of the genre, there's always a leading man and almost always romance involved. Except when Hollywood gets a good minority leading man, they're far less confident on who they pair him with, since, frankly, they really don't know their audience. You're right, you might need a Woody Allen or Spike Lee to make a romantic film similar to Notebook only with a black leading man. That has nothing to do with 'us' - that's on them. I have no doubt a black man could've played James McAvoy's role in Atonement. Shit, the son of a housekeeper? You would think it was a black character.
Click to expand...
 
Why isn't there a burgeoning black movie industry, with black people at the helm?

With technology reducing the barriers to production, promotion and distribution, you'd think that black hollywood would see fit to create their own "bollywood" (blollywood?)

Then we would know for sure of the black male romantic lead has legs.

Look at the schlock tyler perry got started with. If the black community can be herded to gulp down that swill, a half-decent film with a black romantic lead can make it too.
 
medullaslashin said:
Why isn't there a burgeoning black movie industry, with black people at the helm?

With technology reducing the barriers to production, promotion and distribution, you'd think that black hollywood would see fit to create their own "bollywood" (blollywood?)

Then we would know for sure of the black male romantic lead has legs.

Look at the schlock tyler perry got started with. If the black community can be herded to gulp down that swill, a half-decent film with a black romantic lead can make it too.
Click to expand...



For the same reason the Black Community of America as a whole is fucked up currently, too many self serving interests to make it work properly. Individuals would be too caught up with lining their own pockets & upping their own personal rep/status rather than trying to create and maintain something that would have an impact and could give black folks a solid power base in the movie/entertainment industry.
 
Eye of Ra said:
For the same reason the Black Community of America as a whole is fucked up currently, too many self serving interests to make it work properly. Individuals would be too caught up with lining their own pockets & upping their own personal rep/status rather than trying to create and maintain something that would have an impact and could give black folks a solid power base in the movie/entertainment industry.
Click to expand...

that's just it - there probably is money to be made in telling "undertold" stories, neglected themes, with heros that aren't run of the mill.

On another note, we talk about "role models" - fictional characters can be role models too, so the power of this stuff is not be underestimated.
 
medullaslashin said:
that's just it - there probably is money to be made in telling "undertold" stories, neglected themes, with heros that aren't run of the mill.

On another note, we talk about "role models" - fictional characters can be role models too, so the power of this stuff is not be underestimated.
Click to expand...


I get you. Of course there is plenty of money to be made from various stories & experiences from the black POV, but America as a whole has been lead to believe they are not worthwhile and shouldn't want to see or hear them, therefore no one is putting forth the effort. Even when the effort is put forth the rhetoric of "you're only catering to a limited audience and you won't make any money by continuing this long term" immediately is thrown out to squash any wide reaching momentum from taking hold.
 
I think if a daring filmmaker like Jim Jarmusch can make films with a black leading man(check out Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai and The Limits Of Control), it can be done. All this filmmaker has to do is recognize the basic humanity in all of us and steer clear of stereotypes. Look at actor Sidney Poitier. He was probably the only actor who could, before Denzel Washington, was able to show his humanity first. Of course he is a black man onscreen. But, he is a man first.
 
Gorath said:
it can be done. All this filmmaker has to do is recognize the basic humanity in all of us and steer clear of stereotypes. Look at actor Sidney Poitier. He was probably the only actor who could, before Denzel Washington, was able to show his humanity first.
Click to expand...


And anyone who is interested in telling an engaging story would have no problem following that formula, just as anyone who is interested in see an engaging story and being entertained by it would go to see any movie of this formula. The problem is we have people who want to make as much money as quickly as possible who are in control of things & a large majority of the populace who want simple flashy & mindless entertainment. Sticking to stereotypes for the most part saves on having to develop an actual human character in that regard. Similar to what I mentioned in the Nerdz Lounge Thread in regards to sci-fi/fantasy/horror movies & comics with story/images/EFX, the same theory basically applies here.
 
MSlasin,Perry caters to a niche:Black women. They are the ones who can't get enough of him and he got rich from it because there were not enough good roles for Black women. There is no 'Tyler Perry' for brothers or ones like us who enjoy IR where the brother is in the lead. For example "Save the Last Dance" made a lot of money but,after that no one has made another flick where the Black lead on a IR flick. People like Mario Van Peebles and Fred Williamson made flick where they are the leading men in IR. Had Wesley Snipes got his sh*t together in paying his taxes he would be doing some action flick with some swirling on the side.
 
Look at the classic film Slaughter. The ir love scenes between Jim Brown and Stella Stevens, imho, were the most tender I have ever seen before or since. It was said that Jim and Stella were so into it, the director had to intervene. Check out Mike Figgis' One Night Stand with Wesley Snipes, Nastassia Kinski, Ming Na Wen(Mulan), Kyle McLachlan and Robert Downey, Jr.(who plays Snipes' AIDS infected friend).
 
Soulthinker said:
I liked Slaughter and seen One Night Stand more times since Jungle Fever. Not too many flicks like them.
Click to expand...

There was a film back '02 or '03 called Swirl. Here was a film about an interracial couple who had been dating since college. The woman(who is white)is looking forward to spending her life with her boyfriend(who is black). Her parents are cool about the relationship. But the boyfriend is plagued by doubts. It is an honest film about interracial relationships. I think it is on dvd. Check it out.
 
I got that movie in my home. I purchased it back in the late 90s. I wonder if the movie Hurricane Smith is sold in Oz? It stars Carl Weathers.
 
Soulthinker said:
I got that movie in my home. I purchased it back in the late 90s. I wonder if the movie Hurricane Smith is sold in Oz? It stars Carl Weathers.
Click to expand...

I had seen only one scene from that movie(I had to go to work) I remember Carl Weathers' character arriving in Sydney and he is checking out all the women there. I had not seen that film again after that. I'll have to look it up on youtube or other dvd sites. I was not sure if he had an ir romance or fling.
 
I also remembered that Carl Weathers was in a show from Canada called Street Justice. The show was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia(I think). His character was sort of attracted to the barmaid on the show.
 
The latest episode of Community was especially painful to watch: Troy and Britta in bed, Troy and Britta holding hands, Troy and Britta taking pictures - yet Troy and Britta never kiss, hug or do anything a normal couple would do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom