Hollywood Wouldn't Back Lucas Film About Tuskegee Airmen Due to All Black Cast

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The Sebastian Express said:
There are four big Black movie stars that come to my mind immediately and probably to the average public. Will. Denzel. Halle. Freeman.
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Forest Whitaker, Clarence William lll, Whoopie Goldberg, Mr T, Mario Van Peebles, Paul Winfield, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, Shirley Bassey, Samuel L. Jackson, Whitney Huston, Oprah Winfrey, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Wesley Snipes, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Ving Rhames, Ethel Waters, Taye Diggs, Damon-Dwayne-Keenan Ivory-Kim-Marlon-Shawn Wayans, Ray Dawn Chong, Carl Weathers, Cedric the Entertainer, Dave Chappelle, James Earl Jones, R. Kelly, Eriq La Salle, Cleavon Little, Tracy Morgan, Vin Diesel, Jamie foxx, Cuba Gooding Jr., Louis Gossett Jr., Ernie Hudson, Ice T, Tyler Perry, The Rock, Angela Bassett, Levar Burton, Don Cheadle...

Just off the top of my head.

You seem quite isolated/pigeonholed in your awareness of black actors in particular, and how the film industry works in general. Do you watch movies much?

There is only one reason investors would shun a movie. Because they think it will not make money. From everything I know about George Lucas's previous bombs, and everything I've heard about this movie, they are wise to look for a better project. This one sounds like a poorly conceived blaxploitation film from the 70's.
 
PtldPlatypus said:
He plays Carl, Mike's partner, a major character in the show, around whom many storylines have been based. Are you suggesting that because he's not a "title character" that he doesn't count?
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He's implying that if up for an award, he'd be in 'Best Supporting Actor' and not 'Best Actor' category. There is a difference.
 
Denny Crane said:
To build on TSE's post above, can you name 5 black directors? 5 black producers?
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I can barely name 5 white directors and producers, Eastwood, Spielberg, the Coen Brothers, Burton, Scorsese.

Considering what percentage of the US populace is black (12%) or white (72%), knowing Spike Lee, the Hughes Brothers, Tyler Perry, and Thomas Carter must mean I'm black-obsessed?

Talent and perseverence attract support above all else.

Blaming "racism" for lack of success in Hollywood is weak sauce indeed.
 
just off the top of your head for current black movie stars includes dead people? Ethel Waters? lol. When you think of big movie stars, eriq fucking La Salle comes off the top of your head? R. Kelly? Seriously? Levar Burton?

Only 5 white directors come off the top of your head, but if someone says quick, name a big black movie star, you're going to respond Eriq la salle!!
such bullshit
 
Denzel Washington is possibly my favorite actor on this planet. And this is over any white actor too. So if there was one actor I name it would be him. Then maybe Morgan Freeman next.

Washington, Freeman, Pacino, Brad Pitt (Yeah so fucking what?!?! I think he's awesome!), Gary Oldman, and my favorite action hero is Bruce Willis.
 
I JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE IN THIS THREAD THAT I HAVE BLACK FRIENDS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
 
Denny Crane said:
Lucas is an iconic figure in the industry. Regardless of how you want to review Howard the Duck (which did get made!), the man gets no backing from the majors for this film? I mean, the man made a movie for $11M that made 20th century fox $800M, and he couldn't get them to back this movie? It's outrageous.
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It's common sense and wise money-management.

As you point out this is a guy who has lost huge sums of other people's money in the past.

Add to that the fact that the script is horrible, the story's been told before, the actors are scrubs, and the American viewing public is tired of being force-fed "white guilt" flicks...
 
PtldPlatypus said:
He plays Carl, Mike's partner, a major character in the show, around whom many storylines have been based. Are you suggesting that because he's not a "title character" that he doesn't count?
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He's not a lead character. He'd qualify for "best supporting actor," not "best lead actor"
 
MARIS61 said:
Forest Whitaker, Clarence William lll, Whoopie Goldberg, Mr T, Mario Van Peebles, Paul Winfield, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, Shirley Bassey, Samuel L. Jackson, Whitney Huston, Oprah Winfrey, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Wesley Snipes, Richard Pryor, Chris Rock, Ving Rhames, Ethel Waters, Taye Diggs, Damon-Dwayne-Keenan Ivory-Kim-Marlon-Shawn Wayans, Ray Dawn Chong, Carl Weathers, Cedric the Entertainer, Dave Chappelle, James Earl Jones, R. Kelly, Eriq La Salle, Cleavon Little, Tracy Morgan, Vin Diesel, Jamie foxx, Cuba Gooding Jr., Louis Gossett Jr., Ernie Hudson, Ice T, Tyler Perry, The Rock, Angela Bassett, Levar Burton, Don Cheadle...

Just off the top of my head.
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Did you just list every black person you could think of? Seriusly, Carl Weathers? The best thing he's done is play Carl Weathers on Arrested Developoment Most of those people crossed over from stand up comedy, music or sports. None are serious (and current) movie stars, except Sam Jackson.

Top 15 earners for 2011. Only person of color (any color) was Will Smith
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2011/08/01/hollywoods-highest-earning-actors/

I don't think Hollywood is doing this just for the sake of being racist, but rather it is what they think will make money. More Americans will go see a film with a white protagonist than a black one. Yes there are exceptions (Will Smith being the most obvious), but in general, this is true. Otherwise, you wouldn't have Yule Brenner playing the King of Siam, Jake Gyllenhaal playing the Prince of Persia or the Akira disaster that I just found out about in this thread. It's better than it used to be, but that doesn't mean that everything's perfect.

Now I'm pissed off about Akira. Regardless of who was cast, I'm not sure how they're even going to do justice to the original. Some things just don't need to be remade.
 
RR7 said:
just off the top of your head for current black movie stars includes dead people? Ethel Waters? lol. When you think of big movie stars, eriq fucking La Salle comes off the top of your head? R. Kelly? Seriously? Levar Burton?

Only 5 white directors come off the top of your head, but if someone says quick, name a big black movie star, you're going to respond Eriq la salle!!
such bullshit
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In his defense, Trapped in the Closet was pretty fucking epic. And there are apparently 32 all new chapters!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/dec/22/r-kelly-trapped-in-closet
 
RR7 said:
just off the top of your head for current black movie stars includes dead people? Ethel Waters? lol. When you think of big movie stars, eriq fucking La Salle comes off the top of your head? R. Kelly? Seriously? Levar Burton?

Only 5 white directors come off the top of your head, but if someone says quick, name a big black movie star, you're going to respond Eriq la salle!!
such bullshit
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Ethel Waters should be known to anyone posting here about racism in the film industry. I know her more through her music credentials, but she's a good example of talent winning out over racism in a time when racism had the support of judges and law enforcement across much of this land.

Eriq La Salle, on top of starring in too many TV series and movies to count with my fingters and toes, has 10 director credits, 3 producing credits and a writer credit in his resume. He is instantly recognizeable to anyone who owns a tv set.

In fact, you should just STFU until you know at least some semblance of the basics of your arguement, whatever it may be.

Yes, all off the top of my head. It's a pretty big list and includes some huge stars that had little problem finding success in acting. Because they are very good at what they do.

TSE's post doesn't say current, but I left out about 50 older or deceased ones that leapt to mind also.
 
MARIS61 said:
Ethel Waters should be known to anyone posting here about racism in the film industry. I know her more through her music credentials, but she's a good example of talent winning out over racism in a time when racism had the support of judges and law enforcement across much of this land.

Eriq La Salle, on top of starring in too many TV series and movies to count with my fingters and toes, has 10 director credits, 3 producing credits and a writer credit in his resume. He is instantly recognizeable to anyone who owns a tv set.

In fact, you should just STFU until you know at least some semblance of the basics of your arguement, whatever it may be.

Yes, all off the top of my head. It's a pretty big list and includes some huge stars that had little problem finding success in acting. Because they are very good at what they do.

TSE's post doesn't say current, but I left out about 50 older or deceased ones that leapt to mind also.
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So you can name your list (which was mostly made up of people who more known for their non acting careers), plus 50 or so black actors over the course of what, 100 years of film. Yay, progress!
 
Instantly recognizable as...hey, that's that dude from ER. Who gives a shit. So is Noah Wylie or whatever his white counterpart was. He's not a star. The Mac kid(Mac vs. PC) is instantly recognizable. he's not a big star. But, I guess that list actually does more service to TSE's post, perhaps. Eriq la salle. gtfo.
 
porkchopexpress said:
Did you just list every black person you could think of? Seriusly, Carl Weathers? The best thing he's done is play Carl Weathers on Arrested Developoment Most of those people crossed over from stand up comedy, music or sports. None are serious (and current) movie stars, except Sam Jackson.
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By your definition Brad Pitt is not a serious actor because he participated in basketball, golf, tennis, wrestling and swimming before becoming an actor.

Carl Weathers had a major role in all 4 Rocky movies, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Semi-Tough, Predator, Happy Gilmore, and has directed 7 TV series and starred in dozens of them.
 
yeah, and now you're argument, whatever it may have been, is spiraling. Oh, Carl Weathers, from Happy Gilmore! Yeah, he can carry a movie.

Big star, not hey, we need a black guy, who can we get.
 
porkchopexpress said:
So you can name your list (which was mostly made up of people who more known for their non acting careers), plus 50 or so black actors over the course of what, 100 years of film. Yay, progress!
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Not sure what you're "progressing" toward.? Or why it upsets you that not everyone sees racism in everything.?

Or why you hate white people.?
 
MARIS61 said:
By your definition Brad Pitt is not a serious actor because he participated in basketball, golf, tennis, wrestling and swimming before becoming an actor.

Carl Weathers had a major role in all 4 Rocky movies, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Semi-Tough, Predator, Happy Gilmore, and has directed 7 TV series and starred in dozens of them.
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Oh yeah, how could I forget those. You know, those Sly Stalone films...or the film that you have to click 'full cast and crew' to see that he's in it... or that Arnold film....or that Sandler film.
 
RR7 said:
Instantly recognizable as...hey, that's that dude from ER. Who gives a shit. So is Noah Wylie or whatever his white counterpart was. He's not a star. The Mac kid(Mac vs. PC) is instantly recognizable. he's not a big star. But, I guess that list actually does more service to TSE's post, perhaps. Eriq la salle. gtfo.
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Maybe you don't understand the definition of star?

Given the ignorance of most of your posts, I'll go with that.

Both La Salle and Wylie are bona-fide Hollywood stars, with mega-millions in paychecks to back it up.
 
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porkchopexpress said:
Oh yeah, how could I forget those. You know, those Sly Stalone films...or the film that you have to click 'full cast and crew' to see that he's in it... or that Arnold film....or that Sandler film.
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Total up the gate receipts on those and get back to me.

If you're claiming you don't know Carl Weathers maybe you're racist. :dunno:
 
MARIS61 said:
Not sure what you're "progressing" toward.? Or why it upsets you that not everyone sees racism in everything.?

Or why you hate white people.?
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Yes, I hate white people. You got me there. I better go disown half of my family. And half of my wifes. And the most of my friends. And coworkers, can't forget them.

I don't see racism in everything. I see that you still haven't named more than 1 (Sam Jackson) legit, current, movie star. Oprah??? Whitney Houston??? Famous, yes. Movie stars, hell no. I'm just acknowledging the fact that there aren't that many black/asian/other movie stars in Hollywood or on TV. There are actors, and very successful ones, who are in movies and tv, but not that many true stars.
 
MARIS61 said:
Total up the gate receipts on those and get back to me.

If you're claiming you don't know Carl Weathers maybe you're racist. :dunno:
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When did I claim to not know who he was. He was GREAT in Arrested Development (and yes, the movies you mention as well), I already mentioned that. But you mention movies (Close Encounters) where he does not even appear in the cast on the movies page on IMDB. The other movies on your list, he did star in, but was clearly not THE STAR. Movie poster of Predator = Arnold. Movie poster of Rocky = Sly. Movie poster of Happy Gilmore = Sandler.
 
porkchopexpress said:
Yes, I hate white people. You got me there. I better go disown half of my family. And half of my wifes. And the most of my friends. And coworkers, can't forget them.

I don't see racism in everything. I see that you still haven't named more than 1 (Sam Jackson) legit, current, movie star. Oprah??? Whitney Houston??? Famous, yes. Movie stars, hell no. I'm just acknowledging the fact that there aren't that many black/asian/other movie stars in Hollywood or on TV. There are actors, and very successful ones, who are in movies and tv, but not that many true stars.
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There are true stars, just that few are treated or recognized as such.
 
porkchopexpress said:
Yes, I hate white people. You got me there. I better go disown half of my family. And half of my wifes. And the most of my friends. And coworkers, can't forget them.

I don't see racism in everything. I see that you still haven't named more than 1 (Sam Jackson) legit, current, movie star. Oprah??? Whitney Houston??? Famous, yes. Movie stars, hell no. I'm just acknowledging the fact that there aren't that many black/asian/other movie stars in Hollywood or on TV. There are actors, and very successful ones, who are in movies and tv, but not that many true stars.
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So you're a polygamist also?

Whitney made $400,000,000 for the investors in The Bodyguard, and quintupled the investor's money in Waiting to exhale. Only a handful of actresses can claim similar claims. Oprah started as an actress, was nominated for an Oscar in The Color Purple, and became the richest black in America of the entire 20th century through acting.

Pretty funny you acknowledge Samuel L Jackson as a "big movie star" when either of these actresses command more than his entire life's income for a single role in a movie.
 
Dude just seems bitter about the film industry in general. The racism thing just seems like a cynical angle to promote his movie.

I plan on seeing Red Tails this week end mainly cause my dad wants to see it and it's his turn to pick the movie.

http://movies.msn.com/paralleluniverse/george-lucas-talks-star-wars-critics/story/feature/

From the article:

For any fans awaiting future "Star Wars" films from George Lucas, it's going to be a long wait. The creator of the famed series says he's not going to make any more of these movies and that he's essentially retiring. And for that he blames the harsh feedback from certain fans.

"The creator of the famed series says he's not going to make any more of these movies and that he's essentially retiring. And for that he blames the harsh feedback from certain fans.

"Why would I make any more when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?"

"I'm moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff,"
 
Denny Crane said:
You're completely wrong, as usual :)
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No, but as usual you don't have a clue about your subject.

The most talented people in the world rarely achieve stardom. Most are completely unknown by the general public.

Stars are made with money and media. They are known worldwide because they are advertised on a mass scale. Few of them have talent worth noting.
 
Baracuda said:
Dude just seems bitter about the film industry in general. The racism thing just seems like a cynical angle to promote his movie.

I plan on seeing Red Tails this week end mainly cause my dad wants to see it and it's his turn to pick the movie.

http://movies.msn.com/paralleluniverse/george-lucas-talks-star-wars-critics/story/feature/

From the article:

For any fans awaiting future "Star Wars" films from George Lucas, it's going to be a long wait. The creator of the famed series says he's not going to make any more of these movies and that he's essentially retiring. And for that he blames the harsh feedback from certain fans.

"The creator of the famed series says he's not going to make any more of these movies and that he's essentially retiring. And for that he blames the harsh feedback from certain fans.

"Why would I make any more when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?"

"I'm moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff,"
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Except, obviously, releasing all six episodes in theaters in 3D. Other than that he's stepping away.

Remember when Jar-Jar Binks stepped in the poop and then hopped around on one foot in exasperation? Yeah, the fans are too hard on 'ol George.
 
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