B-13 Movie Review: "Django Unchained" the NY Press Q&A, and Trailer
Every since I was a little boy I clearly understood the element of story and its importance to the filmmaking process. That is what prompted me to go to film school as a man. In high school I used to write poetry, draw, and I had an amazing imagination that has not escaped me as a man. My favorite authors were, Charles Dickens, Hans Christian Anderson, Edgar Allan Poe, and Ernest M. Hemingway. My favorite film directors of all times were and is Cecil B. Demille, Darren Aronofky and Oscar Micheaux until now.
Personal Point of Reference
When I was in film school all of my peers raved about this young new director named, Quentin Tarantino I was familiar but not convinced that he was a great filmmaker. His approach to story seemed to be very basic and simplistic and probative in nature. However, I appreciated his love and passion for the black exploitation era in film. It happened to be one of my favorite eras in black film history. So I can say that I had something in common with this Quentin Tarantino, but as a filmmaker I thought his body of work was a bit juvenile and in its infancy. I did believe that his efforts would culminate into something great someday. So I had my eye on him, and that is what motivated me to want to see where Quentin has come in the growth of his process in, "Django Unchained"
Tonight I went to see the movie, "Django Unchained" and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised, and nothing less than amazed to see that Quentin has reached his apex. I laughed, I grimaced, my eyes watered, I became angry, and then I left feeling like a winner. Before this, I had declared myself movie celibate because all the adaptations, and regurgitations of sacred stories in film right now. It seems to me that the powers that be are taking a page right of Hitlers manifesto on mind control. It seems to me that they are taking everything that is sacred in American and retelling it with their highly politicized "PC" idioms in the attempt to reprogram the American youth; so that they will willfully give up their constitutional rights. Believing that government has the answer to our societal ills.
Meanwhile, American history has recorded one of the greatest holocausts of world history, and it happened right here in America and its truth goes greatly disdained equally among blacks and whites. Moreover, the profiteers of this era still continue to work their magic by denying the victims of this holocaust, equality, justice, and the benefit of the hundreds of years of free labor; while going to war against foreign nations because of its human right violations. Amid its own atrocities that has made this one of the most violent nations in the world that operates without impunity. As a matter of fact, making the victims of its grim history feel guilty by the even mention thereof. Django, is a kind of answer to those that profiteers from slavery. I believe he is a very real threat to those that would use film as a sort of mind control. (I will save that for another time, but the American public seems to be none the wiser, or feel that their is no point to try to deal with it. I believe this is why we are the most violent, and drug abusing countries in the word. Until we come to grips with our violent pass America as an idea will cease to exist. I believe Quentin Tarantino, has opened the door for us to start to have a honest dialog, and hopefully actions that are long overdue.)
Brief Synopsis
"Django (Jamie Fox) unchained" is a tail set 2 years prior to civil war about an former American slave who joins forces with a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz). Django's and his wife (Kerry Washington) was sold to separate plantations owners. As an agreement Django was to finger a brutal band of brothers for bounty and join forces with the Germany bounty hunter in exchange for his freedom. Django's wife was taken to the "Candland" plantation and served as a sex slave to the Calvin Candie roaster of prized Gladiator style fighters. Here is were the plot unfolds and Django and Dr. King confronts his wifes' captors.
Critic
Prior to seeing the film, I listened to the reviews on "Django Unchained" and I must say that the critics were not happy and gave scathing reviews. There has also been an all out artistic assault on the actors in the film. As you have been warned I don't listen to critics because I am convinced that they have an agenda, and I have my own mind. How glad I am that I didn't listen. The movie for me was nothing less than stellar! The character development was amazing; the plot made since for the era and was believable; the mise en scene did very much effect the verisimilitude making this a great work. Django, was for the people that see government as an evil infestation, (like me) a sort of folk hero. You almost wish that their was a folk hero in history that you could reference Django to. ( I am sure there is)
Leonardo Di Caprio had a stellar performance as Calvin Candie. He embodies the panache, arrogance, omnipotence, megalomania, brutality, and sociopathology that pleagued the plantation owners of the American south of the time. I believe that if you are truly a racist this film would make you very uncomfortable because of its honesty; notwithstanding I believe that it didn't go far enough, but then going any further would have taken away from the story. Calvin Candie, became very real to me through Leonardo's interpretation, he is a fascinating actor and is worthy of an award. The world that Calvin creates for himself and his sister made him god like. We are taken into that world were we feel hatred for Calvin but I also found him to be very charming and hospitable even when it goes against his core self. I hated that I liked him and hated that I hated him. Calvin surrounded himself with people that would protect his world until it was infiltrated by Dr. King and Django. Then this callous character began to show his true colors and motives behind his charm and hospitality that set you up for what was to become of him. Which made you feel like he was well deserving of his fate. Moreover, it seemed to be the moment that that world of Calvin Candie started to unravel at the scenes.
Equally, deserving of award is Christoph Waltz who plays the amiable Dr. King Schultz. During slavery there were may whites that sided with justice in the matter of human chattle slavery. These people sacrificed their lives without recognition, reward, or praise from either whites or blacks. They have faded into relative obscurity as if they didn't even exist. Dr. King serves as a symbolic representation of the citizens on this side of American history. Dr. King ironically through his relationship with Django had a real human side even though he killed people for a living. He had compartmentalized what he does for a living from how he feels about the act of murder altogether. He embodied for me the difference in the meaning of Kill vs the meaning of murder. His understanding of the terms had no racial bounds. This made for a fascinating sympathetic character in Dr. King. History has fail to record or we have failed to recognize people like him. When Dr King was faced with his mortality I saw the best in him. Most people don't have such carriage I left the theater examining myself searching to see if that attribute resides in me. I don't know if I could say that it does... Dr. Schultz is truly a hero in this tale and exemplary of what selflessness truly is.
Dr. King did to ensure racial equality and it is my hope that everyone that goes to see this film understands the sacrifice that Dr King made and research the whites who have been party of this and render unto them the recognition that they rightfully deserve. Christoph Waltz a virtual unknown actor has been placed on my radar based solely on this film. He gave what Dr. King Schultz represents real life to me and I will do my best to bring these people to light in my online magazine. However, there seems to be little to no information about them.
 |
| UNCLE RUKUS |
Last but certainly not least I believe the sound track was crucial to the telling for the story. The music had a ghostly feel to it of the music of the black exploitation era. Moreover, the western era back when John Wayne was king at the box office. It also had some new modern music that helped to develop the comedic feel when it was time to laugh.
WillyBill is an aspiring actor/director/screenwriter, and avid movie goer. He is a graduate of Film school Columbia College Chicago, and plans to attend Law school at Howard University Law School in Washington DC in the near future.
Follow us:
@willybill1
FB: B-13 Peer Review
Tumblr: willybill1.tumblr.com
Myspace: B-13 Production Company
Google: willybill@googleplus
Comments
Post a Comment