Black in Period Films

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...

So after a month of Sundays I'm finally posting some pictures from the mini-series Colour Blind. Sorry. Slacked.

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!

I've finished watching the last part of this mini series. This has no pictures as it is rather long. I'll post the pictures in a separate post.  Here's what I thought about it. Rose Angela has keep her father's presence a secret from her mother. She continues to go to work gradually she develops feelings for Stanhope. Stanhope also hints at feelings when he tells her that she is very beautiful and could easily model in France. Unbeknownst to Rose her Uncle has been following her. Having seen her with Hassan he believes that she is sexually involved with Hassan. With this information he goes to Bridget. Bridgett gets upset so much so that Rose ends up leaving the house. This was a very shocking turn in the story to me. Bridget herself crossed racial boundaries when she married James. This hate she has for "Arabs" is so strong that she'll go against her daughter for associating with them. Leaving the house Rose dedicates most of her ...

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

Detailed SPOILERS  below... beware!! This mini-series is a part of The Catherine Cookson Anthology. I really enjoyed part one of this mini-series. Everything about the costumes and locale was perfectly period. I was never once reminded that I was watching a movie. It felt real. Every moment of it. While there are only 2 Black characters in this miniseries they are very important characters. They turn the McQueens family upside down. While the majority of the cast is not of the African Diaspora, there are major characters that are. So here we go! The movie starts in 1915. It is set in industrial Tyneside during World War I. From the very beginning the tone is set. The costumes and music match the period right on. We meet the McQueens. They receive a letter from Bridgett saying that she has married a sailor named Mr. Patterson. Little do they know Mr. Patterson is African. Her family isn't happy but she stands by her man. When her broth...

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.

Emmett Till was born today in Chicago.