Black people in films
Discussion
Why is it that whenever black people are portrayed in films they usually get scripts that require them to talk “like day is straight out da hood, ready to put a cap in anybody’s ass and getting niggaz hooked up all over Compton”. Inevitably if the script does not require this of them then they need to be in humorous situations, what’s wrong with the film industry? Can no one write a decent script for black actor and find a suitable candidate?
speedy_thrills said:
Why is it that whenever black people are portrayed in films they usually get scripts that require them to talk “like day is straight out da hood, ready to put a cap in anybody’s ass and getting niggaz hooked up all over Compton”. Inevitably if the script does not require this of them then they need to be in humorous situations, what’s wrong with the film industry? Can no one write a decent script for black actor and find a suitable candidate?
surely by specifically writing a script for a black actor only ure being racist....
Ever heard of Denzil Washington , Oscar Winner ? 
billb said:I don’t know, would a Jackie Chan film work with a 250lb white bloke?
surely by specifically writing a script for a black actor only ure being racist....
Seriously I tend to think certain scripts are written for people of different ethnic backgrounds, “The Great Escape” probably wouldn’t have worked that well with Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a captured British POW?
speedy_thrills said:
Seriously I tend to think certain scripts are written for people of different ethnic backgrounds, “The Great Escape” probably wouldn’t have worked that well with Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a captured British POW?
And saying 'I'll be back' to one of the German guards before escaping would have looked a bit defeatist about the whole project, wouldn't it?
I know what you mean in your original post that there have been an awful lot of 'n
z in da hood' type of movies over the last decade, but there have also been alot of other films with black actors in no such light; to Denzel Washington you can also add Will Smith, Samuel L Jackson, Morgan Freeman and Lawrence Fishburne (sp?) amongst others.speedy_thrills said:
Why is it that whenever black people are portrayed in films they usually get scripts that require them to talk “like day is straight out da hood, ready to put a cap in anybody’s ass and getting niggaz hooked up all over Compton”. Inevitably if the script does not require this of them then they need to be in humorous situations, what’s wrong with the film industry? Can no one write a decent script for black actor and find a suitable candidate?
Utter bollox I'm afraid. There are loads of black actors who dont' act in this way.
Aye, not forgetting Yaphet Kotto and the guy who played John Coffey in The Green Mile. I've never seen it, but I hear he is one HUGE ni...
OK so technically Coffey was a criminal, but he wasn't, he'd been framed...
Apparently when Live & Let Die was being filmed, Kotto was at some publicity event and was seen to be using the old 'black power' salute, hardly relevant to the occasion...
OK so technically Coffey was a criminal, but he wasn't, he'd been framed...
Apparently when Live & Let Die was being filmed, Kotto was at some publicity event and was seen to be using the old 'black power' salute, hardly relevant to the occasion...
Whilst his wording may have left a lot to be desired and it has been shown to be a slightly naive statement considering all of the well known and respected black actors that have been named since the thread started... I'm afraid I don't see it as being a racist thread.... Is it just me? 
This is IMHO and not not to be used to start an argument
This is IMHO and not not to be used to start an argument
speedy_thrills said:
Why is it that whenever black people are portrayed in films they usually get scripts that require them to talk “like day is straight out da hood, ready to put a cap in anybody’s ass and getting niggaz hooked up all over Compton”. Inevitably if the script does not require this of them then they need to be in humorous situations, what’s wrong with the film industry? Can no one write a decent script for black actor and find a suitable candidate?
Yes. Utter bollox. The great Morgan Freeman. Denzel Washington in "As You Like It". etc etc.
Yes there is the "Huggy Bear" stereotype used in cop movies, 'hood movies, gangsta movies.
But there are also loads of quality films with top grade black actors in. Parts which could have as easily gone to an actor of any race - cast simply because of the quality of what they do.
I select movies to watch/rent on my estimation of the directors and actors involved. There is no race/nationality bias for me. My favourite actors are people like Jean Reno, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins...
Mrs Fish said:
Whilst his wording may have left a lot to be desired and it has been shown to be a slightly naive statement considering all of the well known and respected black actors that have been named since the thread started... I'm afraid I don't see it as being a racist thread.... Is it just me?
This is IMHO and not not to be used to start an argument
Nope I don't see it as racist...surely the original post is having a go at scriptwriters/producers/directors/casting directors etc? Although as pointed out, I don't think the perception is correct.
Mrs Fish said:
I'm afraid I don't see it as being a racist thread.... Is it just me?
Nor do I. It started out as a complaint that, in his opinion, black actors were not getting more "serious" parts and were being stereotyped.
I think we've suitably rubbished that assertion.
Now - if we want to be constructive we could recommend some *great* movies in which quality black actors gtet a chance to show off what they can do.
e.g. Seven. Blade.
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