Black in Period Films

After you've read my review of the film Hounddog enjoy the music from the original hounddog Big Mama Thornton!! The part isn't big put Big Mama Thornton is played by Jill Scott in the film Hounddog.

Starting December 21 BET will be airing   the 1977 mini-series Roots , they will also show  Roots: The Next Generations  (1979),  Roots: The Gift  (1988), and end with a personal favorite of mine ...  Queen  (1993)!! The broadcast ends on December 26. 

Tidly is a slave owned by the main character Euphemia Ashby. Her characterization is the worst out of all the   characters I'm considering. Khadijah Karriem as Tildy I say her characterization is the worse because WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HER!! All we know is that she's a slave. The Ashbys consider her family (but let's be serious I'm sure most slave owners felt that way). All of her actions are reactions to the actions of various white characters. Also she falls victim to the smiling slave syndrome. Tildy is smiling about 90% of the time she's on screen. Have a look: Look really close. She's there towards the left. Smiling There are however times when she doesn't smile. Like when she gets terrorized by the Comanche Indians* Or at funerals. Or when Phoebe is in labor. The relationship between Phoebe (Euphemia's nickname) is strong. Phoebe stands up for Tildy when her brother gets angry w...

Josiah belongs to the Lawshe family. He lives comfortably in a house of his own with his wife Tobe. Tobe is a Native woman from the Creek Nation. I thought this pairing was very interesting and something I haven't seen in any other film. Charles S. Dutton as Josiah Irene Bedard as Tobe He traveled with Georgia's grandfather when he visited the Creek Indians.  My guess is that this is how Josiah and Tobe meet. I can't be sure however because they never say how they meet. I think his wife delivers one of the most powerful lines in the series.  He wants Tobe to rejoin her people so she'll be safe and she says: "If the white man must exile my people, if he must make slaves of your people and if my family despises the darkness of your skin where can we go?" Their relationship is so beautiful. Even without tons of characterization the love between them is clear. Sadly Josiah's story ends ...

This is a mini series based on the 1993 novel of the same name by Janice Woods Windle . It runs at minutes long and is broken into 2 parts. I decided to talk about the series by character. There are four black characters in True Women. All are slaves.  There's Josiah , Tildy , Ed Tom , and Martha .  Overall I think their stories are well told, considering the fact that they aren't main characters.  Besides the 4 main characters that happen to be black. Blacks are seen throughout the entire film.  I would recommend this series especially the parts with the character Georgia (played by Angelina Jolie). I don't want to ruin the plot but suffice it to say the complexities of her life make for a very interesting story.  Here is the trailer:

According to film news Nicole Beharie will be in a new drama called 'The Keeping Room'. It is a period drama set during The Civil War (1861-1865). Miss Beharie will be playing ... you guessed it ... a slave. The plot is as follows: Two white women (Olivia Wilde and Hailee Steinfield) and their slave (Nicole Beharie) defend their home against Union soldiers in the last days of the Civil War. Sounds like a mix of True Women and Cold Mountain to me. Personally ... I DETEST the "Evil Union Soldiers Prey on the Hopeless Southern Women" trope but *shrug* it's obviously something Hollywood will never tire of. Seems like Civil War/Slave films are in style now.

A Lesson Before Dying is based on the 1993 novel of the same name.  I had to read the book when I was in school and I completely enjoyed it. As much as one can enjoy a realistic portrayal of this era in American history. But ... I digress. This movie is about a young Black man named Jefferson that is put on trail for the murder of a white shop keeper. When he is giving the death sentence, Grant Wiggins an educated black teacher is asked to help Jefferson die "like a man". This movie is different in that from the very beginning we know Jefferson's fate is sealed. But we are still taken on a ride. The music, costumes, and dialogue all breath of a realistic 1933 Louisiana. The cast includeds heavyweights like Cicely Tyson and Don Cheadle. Mekhi Phifer shines as Jefferson While watching this film I couldn't help but thinking that while it is set in 1933 what happened to Jefferson could easily happen today. Very powerful. I was m...

Betty and Coretta's plot on IMDB is: The widows of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and how they carry on as single mothers after the assassination of their husbands. I'm happy with the cast lined up so far. Angela Bassett as Coretta Scott King Mary J. Blige as Dr. Betty Shabazz Malik Yoba as Martin Luther King Jr. For some reason both Wood Harris and Lindsay Owen Pierre are listed as playing Malcolm X. Perhaps a younger Malcolm X? I'm excited to see what Lifetime will do with this. I'll leave you with this picture  Already having a mini heart attack over that white ensemble. 

I started watching Harlem Nights (1998) but I just wasn't feeling it. Was going to review it but since I didn't finish it that would make no sense. However, I plan on uploading another review soon. I know as of now I'm a failure but I promise I'll get back into the swing of things.

The four girls that were killed in the bombing. Clockwise from the top left, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Denise McNair . On this day in history four little girls were killed in a 1963 racist terrorist attack on an African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama. There is a wonderful film, 4 Little Girls created by Spike Lee. Click the link to watch it for free!

On this day in history Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous moving speech, I Have A Dream!

Twelve Years a Slave has officially wrapped!!! Here are some pictures I found on the interwebs!!! Do they look beautiful!? I'm rather excited about this film.

Nelsan Ellis will be playing Martin Luther King Jr. in Lee Daniels' film 'The Butler'! Nelsan Ellis is best known for playing Lafayette Reynolds in True Blood. There is a definite likeness, I approve of this casting. Great job Mr. Daniels!

Emmett Till was born today in Chicago.