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Do The Right Movies
The recent comments made by Spike Lee at the Cannes Film Festival while promoting his new film “Miracle at St. Anna” have gotten him some serious attention. It’s not like the most influential black director in modern times is not used to getting attention for comments he’s made, but it’s who and what he made the comments about this time, that have him making headlines.
Who? Clint Eastwood. What? “Flags of our Fathers” and its historical accuracy. The conversation started with comments about different directors and their respect or lack of it when it comes to death in film. The war of words that ensued is as follows:
Spike’s quotes at the press conference, "Clint Eastwood made two films about Iwo Jima that ran for more than four hours total, and there was not one negro actor on the screen... But I know it was pointed out to him and that he could have changed it. It's not like he didn't know."
Clint’s response in an article to The Guardian, "The story is ‘Flags of Our Fathers,’ the famous flag-raising picture, and they didn't do that. If I go ahead and put an African American actor in there, people’d go, ‘This guy’s lost his mind.’ I mean, it’s not accurate.... A guy like him should shut his face.”
To which Spike replied to abcnews.com, “First of all, the man is not my father and we're not on a plantation either. He's a great director. He makes his films, I make my films ... And a comment like 'A guy like that should shut his face' - come on Clint, come on. He sounds like an angry old man right there." "Even though he's trying to have a Dirty Harry flashback, I'm going to take the Obama high road and end it right here. Peace and love."
I interviewed Spike shortly after he made his last comments at an event for the “I Stand With Magic” campaign.
The I Stand With Magic campaign is about encouraging everyone in the African American community to get tested for HIV and AIDS. Check out IStandWithMagic.com to learn more about it. Spike directed the PSAs, so he was at the event to support Magic. Spike made that very clear to me, because when I asked him about Clint, he proceeded to let me know that he was no longer going to talk about the situation.
He sort of slipped into his Mars Blackmon character, repeatedly saying “I’m not gonna talk about that...I’m done talking. ” When I asked if he would sit down with Clint to discuss the issue, he responded with “there’s nothing to talk about.”
Well after all of this, there is definitely something to talk about -- our war heroes.
This type of war of words between two titans in the movie business draws a lot of attention from global media outlets, so a greater forum is made to discuss whatever the issue may be. Films live on longer than the people who make them, and their use in explaining our history is both invaluable and dangerous.
It’s hard for me to believe that there hasn’t been or won’t be a history teacher who shows “Flags Of Our Fathers” to their class as part of their attempt to educate about WWII.
When it comes to historical accuracy in films there is no excuse for not getting it right.
So, for all those filmmakers who want to take us on a journey through history, make sure you do the right movies.
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