George Lucas Claims Racism Reason for Lack of Studio Support for 'Red Tails'

[KalMart]

Isn't it Martin Luther King Day today? Probably a good time for release and publicity, no?

 

[lordofthenerds]

Lucas should've made his pitch on MLK day... then they couldn't say no.

 

[wb95240]

wow never thought that SHH would ever delete my comments and change the title of my thread to make their sponsors happy. good luck with this bulll**** never again will I post on this sell out forum

 

[lordofthenerds]

^ Guess that means less threads with nonsensical titles.

 

[The Original Bamfer]

wow never thought that SHH would ever delete my comments and change the title of my thread to make their sponsors happy. good luck with this bulll**** never again will I post on this sell out forum

I'm glad you handled that so well. The thread title was irrelevant and racially suggestive. We do have rules here (and we have to keep Mr. Lucas happy! )

 

[CelticPredator]

We do? Does Lucas read this site?

 

[The Original Bamfer]

We do? Does Lucas read this site?

No and I highly doubt it.

 

[CelticPredator]

Damn.

 

[SuperFerret]

The Original Bamfer is not blue.

 

[The Original Bamfer]

Irrelevant post is not relevant.

 

[lordofthenerds]

George Lucas is not black.

 

[The Original Bamfer]

Beautiful!

 

[Motown Marvel]

Really? Thank You.

well how many positive portrayals of blacks vs negative do we have in the media right now (and I ask that being fully cognizant of the "Gritty" "Reality" trend we have going) there is definitely a market for positive black product otherwise such shows as The Cosby Show and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air would never have lasted 8 and 6 seasons respectively. so where was the ball dropped? Heck if you look at the late 60's Blacksploitation films were Very profitable as evidence I bring up the fact that Hollywood kept making them. so did that audience just disappear? or did those making decisions decide not to invest in those properties anymore? They were making money and they aren't being made anymore nor do we have comparable shows that tap into that market... what could be responsible for that?

werent most 60's blaxploitation films independently financed and super low budget? what would be considered the modern day counterparts of those blaxploitation films? im sure they were far less funded and distributed than most "black movies" today.

but, i looooove old school blaxploitation movies: coffy, blackbelt jones, cleopatra jones, foxy brown, blacula, etc. and i love old school afro-centric TV shows. i think a lot of things play into where the "ball was dropped". a big part being quality. i mean, look at the afro-centric sitcoms on TV today. they're crap when compared to their old school counterparts like Good Times, Sanford and Son, Whats Happening, etc. How can i be exposed to that, and now im expected to enjoy the crap tyler perry churns out?

did a white hollywood recognize the success and money these things were making then try to take it over resulting in a drop in quality? i dunno. i mean, white jewish dudes were writing and producing a lot of those old TV shows. and if these things were making money, which they were, hollywood's greed for money surely outweighs its racism.

i dont think you can pinpoint a single reason as to why things evolved the way they did. its weird that it seems afro-centric entertainment was far better produced and received in the 60's/70's where racism was widely rampant.

every market must be built can you show me one minority project that received the same marketing push as a comparable white film? even when you bring in comedies and Hood Dramas it is the audience itself that makes things profitable or post release word of mouth... Hollywood does not put it's weight behind minority projects to find said audience as it does for all it's other projects...

i guess Dreamgirls would be an example of a movie that had a pretty big marketing push. along with most tyler perry movies. i suppose hollywood recognizes the limited box office resulting from most black movies, therefore tailor the money spent for advertising on that track record. why spend tons of money advertising something that they dont think will pay off comparatively? i mean, if hollywood was so racist they wouldnt of made the movie at all, right?

i dont think these things result because hollywood hates black people. i think it all comes down to money. if hollywood thought they could make more money from afro-centric entertainment, they'd be all over it. but instead they've recognized a track record of limited returns and therefore tailor their productions accordingly. its business more than racism. and unfortunately, from time to time im sure that results in some potentially great movies not happening.

institutionalized racism is real whether or not everyone wishes to acknowledge it. From a personal event one a co-worker of mine ( a man I considered a good friend and someone I know would literally take a bullet for me)once told me I wasn't "Really Black" when pressed it was revealed that because I don't echo the negative aspects of our culture (ones associated as the entirety of it and not just an aspect) that he didn't consider me black. that is the rule in most cases and not the exception for the prevailing racial mindset of today...

yeah, thats a messed up mindset yer "friend" had. sad truth is that racism still exists in many degrees in all facets of life.

 

[T'Jai]

Going to have to get back at this in the morning "the boss" is sleeping and I cant properly quote and respond on the tablet...

But I will say many excellent points and questions can't wait to get into a reasoneddiscussion about this subject for Once on the web...

 

[bullets]

wow never thought that SHH would ever delete my comments and change the title of my thread to make their sponsors happy. good luck with this bulll**** never again will I post on this sell out forum

The thread title was misleading.

 

[Hypestyle]

My hope is that the film gets a very big first weekend draw, and has repeat viewershp in the coming weeks, for an extended box-office run. It doesn't have to do 100 million+ on the first weekend, but if it becomes a 'sleeper hit', that will be very good; also this should make for good a good case in selling the cable rights and dvd rights.

 

[chamber-music]

Red Tails looks more like Memphis Belle than Pearl Harbor

right, like i said: im not doubting the possibility of it. i would just like to see more than lucas' words. the instances you bring up, im less than familiar but dont doubt for a second the truth of it. obviously racism exists in hollywood, as it does in most facets of life to some extent. but in this particular case, did Red Tails get rejected because all the major studios in hollywood are racist? or were they just not into the film as lucas presented it?

also, something to consider: looking at films with an all black cast, what do their box office returns generally average? if they are on the lower end, is it racist that a studio doesnt want to risk big money funding the film knowing they would be less like to make an acceptable profit, or is it just a smart business move? im not implying one way or the other....just something that should be considered, as these things arent so clean cut black and white situations (no pun intended).



im not saying hollywood is free of racism or other oppressive beliefs. it exists, surely. but to the extent that lucas implies would suggest it to be on a much larger scale that i would have believed. is it possible? sure. but its not a charge i would take lightly, nor simply at the word of george lucas.

George Lucas never point blank said Hollywood studios are racist thats what the media have been saying.

What Lucas said was

"It's a reasonably expensive movie. Normally black movies, say Tyler Perry movies or something, they're very low budget. Even they won't really release his movies, it goes to one of the lower, not major distributors...And this costs more than what those movies make.

"They don't believe there's any foreign market for it and that's 60 percent of their profit...I showed it to all of them and they said 'No. We don't know how to market a movie like this.' "

He basically said the studios don't think there is a big enough market to warrant the a large budget for a mostly black cast movie and they would not know how to market this movie.

Lucas has been trying to get the movie made for 20 years.

As for Black movie having low box office returns well if Hollywood doesn't want to take a chance on higher budget and differnent types of predominatley black cast movies they will never know if they can sell.

The reason other ethnicity audiences might stay away is because their views of black movies are only the ones that are sell produced, low budget sell financed hood comedies or Tyler Perry type movies.

Hollywood simply hasn't given the audience the chance which is why Lucas says he feels bad now because the whole bankability of larger budget mostly black movies are riding on Red Tails.

Of course racism is still there. Will Smith has talked about wanting to do a Romantic Comedy with Cameron Diaz for years and Studio execs being not cool with it. Will Smith is not just the most bankable black actors in the world but one of the most bankable male leading actors period and even he can't get past that prejudice.

What makes me a little wary about Black Panther possibly getting made is that they'll find some way to shoehorn in a white guy basically playing audience surrogate to that wild and exotic African adventure.

Yeah I'm expecting atleast 70% of a Black Panther movie set in America or a white American male or female shoe horned into the movie somewhere although if its a female you can bet she won't be a love intrest.

That's what i hate about Hollywood. Whe the cast is primarily white it's just a 'movie'. When the cast is primarily black, it's a 'black movie'. Even with big AA leads like Denzel Washington as the lead, who's movie aren't always labelled as' black movies', tend to have a white supporting cast....go figure.

Speaking of Denzel. I believe his directorial debut 'Antwoine Fisher' was finaced by a major studio, and that was considered a 'black movie'.

Antwone Fisher only had a budget of $12 million dollars and most of that was financed though Denzel's own production company Mundy Lane Entertainment which he also used to finance and make his other mostly black cast movies The Preacher's Wife and Devil In A Blue Dress.

Yet I care?

He's saying "Black people don't get respect in Hollywood".

He's not black. He's a big money loving white dude. Who loves money. His movies, sans the earlier ones, make TONS of money. And aside from Sam Jackson, there was no black people in any of the Star Wars prequels. Sans for the occasional guard.

So shouldn't act like he experienced it personally.

Captain Panaka in Phantom Menace was black

 

[CelticPredator]

I said the occasional guard. I didn't even know that dude had a name. They didn't even name Ric Olie whatever. I only know that because I bought his action figure for the *****in helmet.

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

Now see...how hard was it to admit that?

It was stating the obvious. My point was(that you convieniently did not quote, meaning you are a very deceptive debater), that you seemed to be singling him out when every other artist on the planet has overdone it in their careers at some point, you obviously had an axe to grind against GL. eg imo, what Spielberg did to the revamped version of E.T. was worse than what George did to the SW SE.
What is E.T without the classic 'penis breath' line?

 

[roach]

Red Tails looks more like Memphis Belle than Pearl Harbor

George Lucas never point blank said Hollywood studios are racist thats what the media have been saying.

What Lucas said was


He basically said the studios don't think there is a big enough market to warrant the a large budget for a mostly black cast movie and they would not know how to market this movie.

Lucas has been trying to get the movie made for 20 years.

As for Black movie having low box office returns well if Hollywood doesn't want to take a chance on higher budget and differnent types of predominatley black cast movies they will never know if they can sell.

The reason other ethnicity audiences might stay away is because their views of black movies are only the ones that are sell produced, low budget sell financed hood comedies or Tyler Perry type movies.

Hollywood simply hasn't given the audience the chance which is why Lucas says he feels bad now because the whole bankability of larger budget mostly black movies are riding on Red Tails.

Of course racism is still there. Will Smith has talked about wanting to do a Romantic Comedy with Cameron Diaz for years and Studio execs being not cool with it. Will Smith is not just the most bankable black actors in the world but one of the most bankable male leading actors period and even he can't get past that prejudice.

Yeah I'm expecting atleast 70% of a Black Panther movie set in America or a white American male or female shoe horned into the movie somewhere although if its a female you can bet she won't be a love intrest.

Antwone Fisher only had a budget of $12 million dollars and most of that was financed though Denzel's own production company Mundy Lane Entertainment which he also used to finance and make his other mostly black cast movies The Preacher's Wife and Devil In A Blue Dress.



Captain Panaka in Phantom Menace was black

this times a million...media twisted what he said.
Hollywood just doesn't know how to market this movie...case in point the Dubstep commercials for this movie.

 

[KalMart]

this times a million...media twisted what he said.
Hollywood just doesn't know how to market this movie...case in point the Dubstep commercials for this movie.

Why can't they just market it like Pearl Harbor or Memphis Belle?

 

[Kurosawa]

Why can't they just market it like Pearl Harbor or Memphis Belle?

Because they're idiots and they think people are idiots.

 

[CelticPredator]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i16MCluGwAU

This trailer pretty much kills it for me. Bad lines, poor effects...and DUBSTEP? Are you KIDDING ME? DUB..STEP...for a 1940's Ariel adventure?

It's almost the worst thing ever made.


But maybe .... just maybe, the ads are lying.

 

[Kurosawa]

This is a more appropriate trailer and gives a better idea of what the film is about.

 

[CelticPredator]

I know. I'm just saying. It's a horrible trailer. And just sends the wrong message.