Spike Lee 'Not Gonna See' Tarantino's 'Django Unchained'
Django Unchained will not be making filmmaker Spike Lee's year-end top 10 list nor any other list for that matter because he says he won't see it. The outspoken Red Hook Summer director said the slavery-centered feature by Quentin Tarantino may deal with the topic in a manner that is less than respectful.
In an interview with Vibe magazine, Lee said: "I can't speak on it 'cause I'm not gonna see it. I'm not seeing it. All I'm going to say is that it's disrespectful to my ancestors to see that film…"
[Related: Quentin Tarantino Wants You To Feel The Inhumanity Of Slavery In 'Django Unchained']
Lee was quick to add that he is only speaking on his own behalf and stopped short at a full condemnation, but said America's dark history in slavery was not akin to the story portrayed in a film like Django Unchained.
"I can't disrespect my ancestors," he said. "I can't do it. Now, that's me, I'm not speaking on behalf of anybody but myself." Lee had commented earlier via Twitter alluding to the film, according to Yahoo U.K.: "American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It Was A Holocaust. My Ancestors Are Slaves. Stolen From Africa. I Will Honor Them."
Lee took on Tarantino when Jackie Brown hit screens, criticizing the plentiful use of the n-word, which also is uttered throughout Django Unchained/
"I'm not against the word. And some people speak that way,” he said. “But Quentin is infatuated with that word. What does he want to be made - an honorary black man? I want Quentin to know that all African Americans do not think that word is trendy or slick."
[Sources: Vibe via Yahoo U.K.]
Subscribe to the new Movieline on YouTube
Comments
When will Spike Lee look in the mirror and see that his incessant I'm-right-and-nobody-else-is attitude has does more to set back race relations than Tarantino's movies ever have.
'I'm not speaking on behalf of anybody but myself' (but l will put it out in the media so everyone hears me - because it's important to know i'm NOT seeing a film)
No people who have been systematically murdered and/or enslaved, like the Africans and the Jews, should have their histories appropriated and trivialized, as modern media tends to do. This does not draw people closer through entertainment. It creates "group denial" and an ever-increasing thirst for raw sensation; two of the factors which play a role in human depravity and the infliction of atrocities.
Reply
Spike Lee has always been a racist and a complainer. He doesn't mind showing it in the majority of his films
I suppose he'll call the great african american actors in the film "Sell Outs" next?
If he doesn't want to go look at the film, who really cares? I believe he must really think people value his take on films? News Flash Spike, we DON'T!!!
It happens to be a pretty good movie.
But hey that's coming from a " Craker"
But he probably saw an ACTUAL holocaust movie, Inglourious Basterds, in theatre.
Lee should get his fact right before he makes such authortative statements on slavery : 'Africans' who ended up as slaves in early America were NOT 'stolen', rather, but WERE in fact 'sold' by thier own kind in Africa. 'Africans' sold Africans for profit. Additionally, it is, in fact, about time that people 'at the top of the heap' of capitalism BEGIN to 'actualize' intelligent thought processing, alas, by getting over the 'idea' of selective ancestry, alas, in favor of the MUCH NEEDED, timely, and advanced way of seeing INTO the issue's HIGHER factuality : That We, as individuals, are only TRULY representatives of the 'collective' whole of humanity in general, and NOT really members of any particual skin color, creedo, or otherwise 'programmed' identity such as what ANY trend towards ANY nation of cultural idea has, and indeed even now is, attempting to keep us adhered / afixed to. I am often staggered by how 'limited' the though processing is of people who, outwardly, 'seem' to be so intelligent. The very LAST thing the world wide human family needs at this point in our evolutionary struggle is ANY type of thought / thinking which automatically PRE LIMITS us to such backward use of human consciousness. -C. Testa
Do you really want to sign your name to this horribly written diatribe? At least post a follow up explaining how you decide which words to capitalize.
'comment' is a word very far removed from 'diatribe'. I haven't the time to spend more than a minute on any 'comment' that I make, let alone time to attempt ANY type of diatribe. So it seems I MUST have touched a nerve...? Any 'caps' I employ are the very same words with which I'd naturally give some form of 'emphasis' to via some degree of heightened attention afforded by the injection of human emotion [applied as a slight 'rise' in volume, or, perhaps as or via the a more slowly delivered word etc.] Sometimes I leave 'comments', without adding the additional and perhaps necessary inclusion of covering all points which really SHOULD be covered....but are not, alas, due to a lack of 'time' to do as such; I work three jobs, but LOVE film; all aspects, from concept, to production, to finished product. Next time why don't you actually 'realize' what's important when making 'comments' : Comment on the comments commentation, instead of riduculing an absence of disertation quality writing etc. -Carlo Testa
I almost saw "Django Unchained". Frankly, I had my head in my lap as this movie degenerated into the most disgusting piece of film I have ever seen. I wanted to vomit and was angry as hell. Tarantino not only used the n word ad infinitum but in this time of killing, such as Newtown, CT this film fired up those who love to respond to carnage and will be most motivated by this film.
I believe man's inhumanity to man is the biggest sin of all. Slavery and the the treatment of the Africans brought here ranks up there with the treatment of the Jews, the innocents in Darfur, Bosnia etc.
I am a huge fan of Kerry Washington and was shocked that she was part of this piece of crap.
I urge the viewing public to avoid this film like the plague.
I loved the movie im white and my wifw is black and we laughed or A^& off.
I'm Jewish and have far few ancestors to look up than Spike does, due to their demise at the hands of Cossacks and Nazis during the late 19th and 20th centuries. I thoroughly enjoyed Inglorious Basterds and more significantly, my elderly mom loved it, saying, what can be bad about watching Jews kill Nazis. She has lived with the trauma of being an American Jew while the killing was going on in Europe during her youth and found that movie cathartic. I imagine some African American descendants of slaves might have a similar feeling viewing Tarantino's revenge fantasy.
Why is it that ppl with an inferiority complex are always loud mouths? No one cares what Spud Lee thinks!
You mean Spike Lee.. Spud Webb played hoops, Spike Lee just plays with himself.
He will miss a great film. I doubt that Spike would like it if reviewers wrote negative reviews about his films without looking at them.
Interesting that it's o.k. for every American, who is not caucasian, to slam, criticize, and generally disparage; anything that threatens their un-American view, of our country. Wonder why they have the right and freedom to do that here? Just wondering.
Mr. Lee, How can you judge a folm that you have not seen. I wasnt a fan of your movies I often thoughts most of your films besides Malcolm X had stupid endings, but thats my opinion as you have your own.
I'm still waiting for a film maker to make a movie about the white slave story of the United States. Considering 1 in 6 slaves were white, and forced here by European countries, it would be an interesting film to me. I would also like to see a movie about the African nations who kidnapped white Europeans for hundreds of years and used them as slaves. So how, so much history has been forgotten.
GTFOH with that nonsense
He is just mad because he did not make it himself!!!
i have to agree with you!
If the "N" word offends you as a viewer, then don't fucking go watch the movie! Can it be any simpler than that?
Who cares.
This is a threat from the person who brought us
"Jungle Fever"
Enough said.
Spike
You are an ass. But I guess since we haven't heard anything out of you for a awhile you had to say something.Well just so you know, I just came back from seeing this movie and even thou I do not feel any guilt for what happened in America 200 years ago I did feel shame that humans could ( and still do ) treat each other the way I saw in that film.It's a film you should have made along time ago, just so you could look back on your career and be proud of something you did.But Lee you didn't.Q.T. made a very good film that would make any Black person(from anywhere) proud to see a Black person stand up to the evil ,bad White slave owner and kick his ass.Go see it Lee ,you might just learn something
It was an excellent film, well acted by Foxx and the rest of the actors! Violent and bloody...but well worth sitting and watching for 2hrs and 40min...at least I knew what I saw...and did not come out of the theater like I did when I saw Cloud Atlas!!!
Spike let it go man..let it go ans smile.
Spike: All i can say is "TRUTH HURTS HUH, WHY CAN'T YOU SEE WHAT THE POOR INDIAN AND THE BLACK MAN WENT THRU THE SOUTHERN STATES AND ALL ITS SAD TO HEAR THIS BUT I PRAISE THE CULTURE AND ALL CAUSE IT WAS THE TRUTH AND WHAT THE SOUTHERN COLONY DID TO THE PEOPLE. SHAME ON THE SOUTHERN .
What a holier-than-thou asshat this guy is. It disrespects his ancestors? You know what else disrespected your ancestors, spike? Slavery. And if you were to actually see the film instead of being a pouty litte baby, then you would see how the film is a very graphic, stark reminder of how "your ancestors" were treated in this country. It serves to educate young people who might not otherwise know how slaves were really treated. It brings the horrific truth to a new generation of Americans. You should be thanking Tarantino instead of perpetuating the racial divide that exists. You and Sharpton and Jesse Jackson should all get together and STFU.
Until you go and see the movie, you really can't make a legitimate claim about the make up or plot of the movie. Most of us know absolutely nothing concerning that era and that time period. After seeing the movie myself it brought an awareness of a current day crisis that we face today. Which is modern day slavery that has been formed through this so called right to work legislation. Djanjo represented a type of idea that no man should be stripped of his dignity because of skin color and ethic background, and to help us understand just how the 1 percent came into power.
As much as I like Spike Lee and his movies I have to disagree with him about this. true the violence was high but you have to understand that during that time those slaves were fighting for thier right to live. The only question I have for Mr. Lee is this. What would you do if someome sold you and your wife as property and then cared very little about your life once they finished using you up?
Me myself would have died in the first scene of the movie because there is no way that I could allow myself to go through that type of treatment. I suggest that Mr. Lee should watch the movie Almistad If you think Djanjo is bad................then you haven't seen nothing.
But Spike, it was YOUR ancestors that sold YOUR ancestors into slavery to the highest bidder, to say they were "stolen" is completely false and misleading....not to mention you have done as much good for your race as Sharpton and Jackson...in other words you are constantly setting back your own race every time you open your trap.
Isnt spike lees own production company called "40 acres and a Mule?" hah! Spike Lees infatuation with Racial unrest is present in all of his movies..that dude is a racist hypocrit..period..
Next »