Wednesday, February 28, 2018

"Black Panther" and Their Reach

The fact that this Marvel movie made a ton of money does not stop the whiners and the moaners that the movies lack diversity. I have no idea the world runs on race preference and not...in our case, availability.

I've always written for a diverse crowd. NOT because I was some social justice drum beater, it was because these were the people I know. Women and people of different colors. I think Spike Lee was the same. He's gotta be seething now living under the shadow of Ryan Coogler who has taken over for the cause. He won't admit it, because the success may mean Lee's return to the A-listed material, but truth be told, Spike killed it for diversity decades ago. Though I don't agree with his politics or his usage of movies to promote perceived injustices (Spike, people LOVE your movies...let that go), I think he IS an artist/filmmaker first, and I wish he'd go back to that.
My gripe now isn't it's success but that it really isn't a banner movie for the Black community. No more than "Wonder Woman" stops seeing women as...eye-candy. Though not as prevalent there isn't going to be 500 women warrior movies. Or 1000 Black hero movies. But it does nudge the international market with that dreaded stigma that people around the globe don't want to see Blacks in movies. Perhaps this changes that dynamic. And more markets (particularly Asia) will accept...Black dramas as potential (refer to international numbers for "Moonlight" if it's even there).
Me? I don't care about society forcing any sort of norm. I cast whom I want, and work with whomever I want. You can't hold me hostage to the public taste, which unfortunately studios need to survive. Maybe it's no longer films that they make anymore.

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