Before modern medicine there was the New York Knickerbocker Hospital…Cinemax’s New Late Summer Series, “The Knick”*

The Knick is Cinemax’s newest television series that looks into the professional and personal lives of the New York Knickerbocker Hospital staff during the early part of the twentieth century. The series was created and written by Jack Amiel (Raising Helen) and Michael Begler (Raising Helen), who also serve as producers and executive producers. Clive Owen, Steven Soderbergh (Traffic; Ocean’s Eleven), and Michael Sugar are also executive producers. It premiered on August 8th, 2014. The ‘Knickerbocker Hospital’, a fictional hospital, functions as the epicenter around which the lives and struggles of the protagonists revolve. In addition to getting a look into one of New York’s unique hospitals, viewers also get the opportunity to see life outside of the hospital: immigrants living in horrible sanitary situations, young children working in coal mines and factories, and deep social tensions and racial prejudices running within society.

It’s the year 1900 in New York City, the ‘Knickerbocker Hospital’ employs a staff of innovative surgeons, nurses and staff who must overcome numerous medicinal inadequacies,[i.e. alcohol-soaked knives, sterilized saws that are also to cut open pig cadavers, and make-shift hand-cranked suction pumps and vacuums] to keep their patients alive and the hospital up and running. Despite literally struggling to keep the lights on, the hospital attempts daily to draw in a wealthy clientele, without having to sacrifice quality healthcare.

The staff of Knickerbocker Hospital includes new lead surgeon, Dr. John Thackery (Clive Owen) who is largely based on historical figure William Stewart Halsted (1852 – 1922)[i]. Owen’s performance as Dr. Thackery is electrifyingly scary as he depicts this innovative turn-of-the-century physician. In this newly appointed position as the chief of surgery, Dr. Thackery must battle his cocaine and opium addictions. We also find that although he is a conflicted surgeon, losing patient after patient sometimes for the sake of experimentation; his passion pushes him to go beyond the existing boundaries of surgical methods and techniques with hopes of new medical discoveries and gaining a solid reputation among his colleagues and staff.

Compared to Owen, the supporting cast may not be as well known, but they are in their own ways notable and worthy of attention. Consider Dr. Algernon Edwards (Andre Holland; 42 andBride Wars) who is a cultured, Harvard-educated, European-trained African American surgeon (partially based on the historical figures Marshall Taylor and Louis T. Wright)[ii] who must fight for respect within the all-white-populated hospital, as well as the racially-charged city. It should also be noted that Dr. Edwards in his physical appearance and demeanor can be likened to that of sociologist and civil rights activist W.E.B DuBois. Dr. Edwards also offers a complicated and layered, yet intriguing, plot to the storyline. To add to this complexity, there’s Herman Barrow (Jeremy Bobb; The Wolf on Wall Street) the hospital administrator with more greed than common sense. Then we have the daughter of the hospital benefactor Cornelia Robertson (Juliet Rylance; Sinister) who provides a strong female lead role in the show. The remaining doctors and staff include Dr. Everett Gallinger (Eric Johnson; Flash Gordon), Dr. Bertram ‘Bertie’ Chickering Jr. (Michael Angarano; The Forbidden Kingdom) and Nurse Lucy Elkins (Eve Hewson; Enough Said) who round out a fantastic supporting cast.

Along with the stellar casting and writing, one of the film’s strong points is the cinematography: it presents an old, rustic yet gory look that pleasantly and curiously pulls viewers into its wicked plot. Picture entering into ‘The Knick’ hospital as the staff prepares to operate on very ill pregnant woman. Right from the start, the operation is reminiscent of a fighting action sequence – but bloodier. Before the woman takes her last breath before being put under we hear her cry “Please save my baby!” Immediately the mask is placed over her nose and mouth and one of the doctors begins to pump. The next hand we see is that of Dr. Thackery as he makes an incision from one side to the other, wiping up blood as he cuts. He then calls for the vacuum, which connects to various jars that begin to fill up with blood. The next scene is Thackery pulling out the baby and handing it to the nurse, who transports it to another cart to begin pumping air into the mouth. Each moment crescendos as the doctor’s work desperately to keep the mother and child alive. But as the procedure ends and the last drops of blood fall into the jar, the nurse does not hear a pulse from the baby. As the camera zooms to her, she just shakes her, “No”, and all we are left with is the mother’s deflated stomach, and tubes and wires hanging on the flaps of the mother’s skin. In those few minutes, we witness one of the most thrilling medical operations on television. It’s like riding “The Intimidator 305” at King’s Dominion Amusement Park.

So not only are you visually stunned, but the detailed writing also helps to establish a sense of realism that we as viewers rarely get to witness in television shows (or films) illustrating this particular era. With each episode we see that a lot effort, time, and commitment has come from the production staff as it is clear that they have gone to great lengths to provide an accurate portrayal of everyday life in turn-of-the-century New York in ‘The Knick’. Imagine Owen’s character dressed in a bowler hat with frazzled hair and disheveled sunglasses shading his eyes staggering out of an opium den. In some ways he is reminiscent of a rising rock star packed with attitude as he tersely directs a cab to take the long way to the hospital. Upon his arrival, he has sufficient time to inject himself between the toes with an unidentified cocaine solution. With each of his movements, the camera fluidly catches every step that leads up to his impending tragedy. The vision of director Steve Soderbergh is quite distinct as the cinematography is indeed intricate and dark, so to showcase the elaborate and pristine costumes, and the historically accurate and vintage props. One might even say the hospital is much like an ‘electric circus’ considering all of the madness that takes place day in and day out.

When one thinks of new television series, the heavy-hitter networks that come to mind include ABC, NBC, HBO, and Fox However, Cinemax is beginning to make its mark known from behind the shadows and making its presence known in the primetime realm. Since 2011, Cinemax has begun to offer more mainstream original programming in order to compete with sister channel HBO, and rivals Showtime and Starz. The channel has also changed its focus to compete with other movie services such as Netflix and Hulu. Many of these new program like The Knick (as well as Banshee, Hunted, and Strike Back) have helped to change the Cinemax’s image from a channel that has been mostly known for its late night adult programming.

All in all, The Knick is an engrossing and accurate portrayal of life and death in and around this New York hospital (after only three episodes, the series has already been renewed for a second season). In each 60-minute episode, the city of New York is transformed and meticulously recreated, to show every busy street corner, alley or candle-lit room making it feel authentic and have you coming back for more. The Knick is not your typical hospital drama like ER or Grey’s Anatomy, and definitely steps away from the comedy of Scrubs. Put it like this, the incisions a far more sophisticated, grittier and meaty (pun intended), the surgery scenes are beyond graphic, and all with a twist of entertaining character development, and chilling drama.

Catch The Knick every Friday on Cinemax at 9 p.m. EST/ 8 p.m. CST.

---

[i] William Stewart Halstead was a pioneer of scientific surgery who opened a surgical school at Johns Hopkins University. In 1885, Halsted developed conduction anesthesia by injecting his own nerve trunks with cocaine, a substance to which he subsequently became addicted (though later cured).

[ii] Louis T. Wright (1891 – 1952), a brilliant African American surgeon who was active in the New York NAACP in the first half of the 20th century. Both Wright and the fictional Edwards studied at Harvard Medical School and graduated at the top of their class. Wright became Harlem Hospital’s first African American surgeon in 1921, two decades after this show takes place.

*As posted in The Berkeley Graduate

Throwback Flick: Together Brothers (1974)

Here is a film that a friend of mine recommended that I watch since I am a fan of Blaxploitation films (another story). Together Brothers is classic tale of brotherhood, sexuality, class, race, and gender. Thirty-eight years later this film is still very much relevant. 

Together Brothers is a drama filled, gritty film that offers a portrayal of ghetto life within the wave of the 1970s Blaxploitation era. Set in Galveston, Texas a teenage gang comprised of Blacks and Chicanos, ‘the Brothers’ learn that a police officer, Mr. Kool (Ed Bernard), who was seen as a mentor has been found brutally murdered. The twist of the movie is that the only witness is the leader’s 5-year old brother who becomes mute due to what he has seen. As a result of this crime, the group lead by H.J. (Ahmad Nurradin) sets on a mission to track down those responsible for the murder of the popular police officer, as well protecting his little brother from any further harm.

Together Brothers is a sympathetic film that explores ghetto life, from various perspectives. On one end you feel a since of anger for what is seen as a senseless murder, and then there is a torn feeling of sadness and what is considered fair treatment towards a human being. When all else fails whom does one depend on for compassion and safety, their family and or their community? But what if neither is available? 

Together Brothers is not only a film that provides an intriguing story full of twists and surprises, but a naturalistic amateur cast. Director William Graham was brilliant for choosing a group of young, inexperienced actors to help make this picture more authentic and effective. H.J. (Ahmad Nurradin) offers an engaging mix of resourcefulness and bravery as the gang's leader and Tommy (Anthony Wilson) delivers a marvelously expressive turn without any dialogue as the little brother who witnesses the murder. In addition to the younger cast members, adult cast members Ed Bernard is both charming and authoritative as the police officer that the kids secretly admire; and Glynn Turman who although has a brief role plays a vividly drawn and compelling doctor who tries to lend a helping hand to the film's ‘hero’. Marking the first appearance of a transgender person of color in a motion picture, the character of Billy Most (Lincoln Kilpatrick) is presented as your typical deranged and “confused” murderer trope-type character. (S)he is essentially viewed by the neighborhood as a insignificant individual who committed a crime of murder, seemingly for no reason. Each character in their own unique and clever way draws you in with their credible and expressive performances.

As one watches this film, you realize that this intense, urban crime drama opens a serious dialogue regarding self-identity, sexuality, brotherhood, and embracing childhood even when it is viciously taken. This film, content wise, could even still be relevant in 2012 as it also addresses issues of police brutality, class, urbanization, and racial conflict. Even though Together Brothers is considered a Blaxploitation film it does bend the rules of the typical format by ushering a challenging story with characters that are actually allowed to be people instead of one-dimensional, overly-violent or sexualized caricatures. Imagine a film that truly allows for feelings of happiness and sadness from real people, here is a film that does just that.

All in all, Together Brothers is a film that offers an unusual mix social commentary, a street-wise story, and a soulful soundtrack. Some may even say this film was ahead of its time considering it discussed such issues as homosexuality and transgenderism. As a whole, this film is a well-crafted hidden gem that is worthy of rediscovery from fans of the Blaxploitation film era and those interested in a complex, daring and provocative narrative.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Dear Hollywood....

Now I could not resist this re-post, this is so very problematic on so many levels. As I was strolling through my Facebook I came across a picture and commentary from Bougie Black Girl that stopped me cold in my tracks... Check it out for yourself...  

It has been reported that Zoe Saldana will replace Mary J. Blige in the role of Nina Simone. Nina Simone was a real life person. We know what she looked like and well it looks like Hollywood is at it again. I for one am outraged. There are far more actresses in Hollywood who could have taken this role.

Let me also say that this is not a slight at Ms. Saldana. She is a great actress but Ms. Salda

na in no way shape or form even looks like the legendary Nina Simone. Nina Simone was a Black woman from Tryon, North Carolina and not a Latina.

Zoe Saldana describes herself by saying "I’m just Zoe. Not a little bit Dominican, not a little bit Puerto Rican, none of that silliness… I am what you want me to be if that’s what it takes for you to overcome your insecurities. As a Latina, I think we should be very proud of our heritage. We tend to look for European roots and reject the indigenous and the African, and that is disgusting. Being Latin is a mix of everything. I want my people to not be as insecure, and to adore what we are because it’s beautiful.”

Nina Simone was a beautiful dark skin Black woman.

Once again Hollywood shows no regard for authenticity when it comes to Black women. In the recent movie called Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter the character of President Abraham Lincoln was portrayed by an actor who looked like one of our nation's greatest presidents. Unfortunately, when casting the role of Harriet Tubman the casting director diverted from this and chose a biracial Dutch actress to play the role of one of America's greatest heroines and former Black slave Harriet Tubman.

I wonder is Hollywood that oblivious to their blatant colorism they display when casting Black women but only conscience of authenticity when it comes to white characters. Only They know they truth.

Black people images have power. This is why it is imperative that we Black women speak up and let our voices be heard. The most powerful thing we can do is control our image if not others will shape it for you.

I can think of four different people who could play this role WAY SO MUCH BETTER (Nicole Beharie, Rutina Wesley, India Arie, Naomi Harris)!! 

What are your thoughts?!

 

 

REPOST: "Freeing (Black) Science Fiction From The Chains Of Race"

While doing my daily reading of Shadow and Act, I came across this very intriguing article discussing sci-fi writer Octavia Butler and possible/potential film adaptations. It was such an engaging article that I just had to do a repost on Black Savant Cinema!! Check it out, and trust me you will not be disappointed!!

By Andre Seewood

Having just finished reading African-American science-fiction author Octavia E. Butler’s short story,” BLOODCHILD,” the temptation to adapt the work for the cinema brings forth a host of complexities within the material that go far beyond the race of the author.  Ostensibly, BLOODCHILD is the story of human beings who have left earth, due to rising violence and the threat of enslavement, to share their lives on another planet populated by arthropod-like creatures.  

The price for peaceful co-existence between the two species is that selected male humans must be impregnated and bear the children of the aliens in an excruciatingly painful and bloody gestation process.  One male child has discovered that for all of his life he has been groomed for impregnation and if he refuses then the lives of his siblings and loved ones will be held in jeopardy.

In the afterword by the author, Butler makes explicit the themes and context of the story.  She states that on one level BLOODCHILD can be read as,” a love story between two very different beings,” and that its context is that of,” a coming of age story in which a boy must absorb disturbing information and use it to make a decision that will affect the rest of his life,” and finally she confesses that,” Bloodchild is my pregnant man story.”(1)  

Butler’s reason for explicitly detailing the themes and context in her afterword to the short story was driven by a central difficultly in the creation and critique of any science fiction by an African-American author: the certain tendency to see all science fiction by African-Americans as a metaphor or commentary about slavery or racial inequities past and present.  As Butler matter-of-factly asserts,” it amazes me that some people have seen “Bloodchild” as a story of slavery.  It isn’t.” (2)

Yet this overarching and obsessive need to see all science fiction by African-Americans as a metaphor or commentary on slavery or racial inequities tends to make the question of race a central theme within the work (whether it is actually there or not) to the exclusion of all the other prominent themes as Butler pointed out in her afterword to BLOODCHILD.  In placing the racial frame upon the science fiction/fantasy/or futurist work of African-Americans we too hastily discard the genuine scientific, fantasy or futurist aspects of the work, which in turn, weakens and /or perverts the author’s original intent.  In fact, many African-Americans use race as a default critique when we approach science-fiction solely as a means of side-stepping the science within the fiction no matter what the race of the author.

For example, many African-American film scholars (Ed Guerrero, Eric Greene, Adilifu Nama), critics and viewers insist upon reading Frank J. Schaffner’s PLANET OF THE APES (1968) as,” a dense racial allegory,” where a white male is,” a signifier of black victimization,“ that obscures the central scientific themes and historical source material of PLANET OF THE APES which were the 1925 Scopes trial, the concept of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, and the concept of time dilation in space travel.(3)  

Although later PLANET OF THE APES sequels did deliberately enhance the racial allegory with the saga, perhaps owing to the financial incentives of the Blaxploitation genre that was growing in popularity at that time, the original PLANET OF THE APES, adapted from French author Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel by Rod Serling and Michael Wilson, is a stunning exploration of skepticism about the theory of evolution and the fear of knowledge that contradicts established beliefs in the face of mounting empirical evidence from an inverse perspective [that the superior apes are derived from the lowly humans].  These over-racialized readings of PLANET OF THE APES demonstrate how convincingly one can discard the “science” within the fiction to make the subject of race a central theme within any science fiction film or story.    

Returning to Octavia E. Butler’s BLOODCHILD, her insistence that BLOODCHILD is not a story of slavery in her afterword is a direct consequence of the over-racializing of the work of African-American science-fiction authors as metaphors or commentaries on slavery or racial inequities.  Neither Butler nor her characters in BLOODCHILD ever mention their race within the text.  In effect, to see BLOODCHILD as a metaphor about slavery is to deliberately obscure the more profound and disturbing aspects of the work which is of course the notion of male pregnancy and a boy’s coming of age on an alien planet where the adults have made a political accommodation to peacefully co-exist with their alien hosts that has troubling moral, physical and psycho-sexual consequences.

This is the “science” within the fiction that cannot by itself prohibit a racial critique but it certainly reveals how using race as a default critique of science-fiction by African-American authors perverts their themes and chains these authors to the topic of race no matter how much freedom they have within their chosen medium of artistic expression.              

For African-American filmmakers the over-racializing of the themes within a science-fiction story (whether an original story or adaptation) is ultimately inhibiting because those scientific, speculative or fantasy aspects that attracted you to the work in the first place can easily become obscured, diluted or discarded as “race” insidiously poisons the well of the fictional context and content.  It is a poisoned well that makes us all potentially see the genre of science-fiction,” through a glass darkly,” so to speak.  To put the matter plainly, the perceptual frame of racial inequality (past or present) can be applied to any story or film regardless of the author’s central themes; race is a catch-22; a prison house of interpretation from which it seems there is no escape or satisfying resolution.

For example, if you as a filmmaker omit African-Americans from the science-fiction story altogether then the critical concept of “structured absence” allows your critics to use any other non-white race, animal, or object within your film as a symbol of minority otherness and then “interpret” a racial commentary where you had not intended such a commentary to exist.  One needs only to read Ed Guerrero’s devastating analysis of Joe Dante’s GREMLINS (1984) and GREMLINS 2: The New Batch (1990) in his book Framing Blackness.(4)  

In regards to the absence of African-Americans in the GREMLINS films, Guerrero interprets the Gremlins themselves as symbols of minority otherness and asserts that,” the film’s socially repressed fears have to do with non-white minorities gaining political power, as Gremlins 2, satires the political subtleties of an increasing influential “minority discourse” in contemporary American life more than it plays upon latent anxieties over racial otherness.” (pg.65)  Although it could alternately be argued that many White American filmmakers were omitting African-American characters from their science-fiction films in a naïve and erroneous attempt to avoid racial issues and keep those issues from stealing focus from their central themes.

Conversely, if you place African-Americans in lead, co-lead or supporting roles in a science-fiction film, the critics can use the concept of “token presence” to suggest that the actors are performing blackness as a general commentary on race relations (contemporary, historical or speculative) as author Adilifu Nama does with his analysis of Will Smith in Alex Proyas’ I, ROBOT (2004) in his book Black Space.  In regards to more African-American actors gaining lead and co-lead roles in science-fiction films, Nama asserts that,” In the wake of September 11th, black representation in the science-fiction films of today may function to assuage an acute case of domestic paranoia.” (pg.40)

So that even with an African-American in the lead role of a science-fiction film the concept of token presence maintains race as a central theme to the exclusion of the “scientific” themes within the film.  Idris Elba’s supporting role as the space ship captain in Ridley Scott’s PROMETHEUS (2012) can be viewed as a commentary on race if we are willing to sweep aside and obscure the film’s central themes on the origin of man, inter-planetary bio-warfare, and the old filthy rich miser who desperately wants to cheat death at the expense of the lives of others.

Token presence can also allow us to use Bokeem Woodbine’s supporting role in Len Wiseman’s re-imagining of TOTAL RECALL (2012) as a racial commentary that can obscure the compelling political and psychological themes that are central to the work of celebrated science-fiction author Phillip K. Dick upon which the film is based.      

The full title of Nama’s book is revealing of the catch-22 of race: it is called BLACK SPACE: Imagining Race in Science-Fiction film. The title itself begs the question are we “imagining race” in science-fiction film as a means of obscuring the science and other themes that do not support a racial interpretation within the work?  As a filmmaker approaching the science-fiction genre with the ambition of casting African-Americans in your film, you will have great difficulty in finding a middle ground between the racialized poles of “structured absence” and “token presence”.  It would seem that as it concerns race in the genre of science-fiction, one is damned if you do and damned if you don’t cast an African-American.

“One of the most difficult obstacles African-American writers and filmmakers must face when approaching the genre of science-fiction is whether or not to continue the pessimism of present day racial inequities in their visions of the future or whether or not to project an optimism into their visions of the future where racial inequities have been solved. It is literally a choice between a dystopic future and a utopian future where racial conflicts have either been solved as in a utopia or remain unsolved as in a dystopia.

The most pertinent question that might help in making the choice is: Are blacks treated better, worse or fairly in the future than they are today? This choice is of great importance because if the racial inequities have been solved then the writer/filmmaker must find conflicts within the drama beyond race which given the narrow perceptual frame through which many African-Americans view cinema, might be no easy task.

For example, in director Ridley Scott and writers Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett’s science-fiction film ALIEN (1979), racial inequities were carried forward into the future by the character of African descent named, Parker (Yapet Koto) who held a mechanical engineering job that was on a lower pay scale than the other whites on the interplanetary mining ship, Nostromo. A fact that can be understood from his concern about their bonus pay which he was told would be revoked if they didn’t fulfill their mission directives. Moreover, he was a subordinate in the chain of command to nearly all of the other whites on the ship besides his fellow white co-engineer, Brett (Harry Dean Stanton). Parker’s death at the hands of the violent space creature was made all the more tragic since he was killed in a futile effort to protect a weak and hysterical white female crew member.

By contrast, Brian DePalma’s MISSION TO MARS (2000) projects an optimistic future where racial inequities, it is at least implied, have been solved by the example of the Luke Graham (Don Cheadle) character’s unguarded interaction amongst his white peers and colleagues as well as his command of the first human colony on Mars. It is clear that an optimistic perspective brings the science of the fiction to the forefront and allows the filmmakers and the writers to establish dramatic conflicts through those basic human qualities and frailties that transcend race.” (pgs. 50-51, Slave Cinema)

For African-American filmmakers approaching the genre of science-fiction, whether through an original screenplay or an adaptation, I would suggest that if you carry racial inequities forward into the future of your story context you might still be able to keep race from obscuring the central “scientific” themes of your work if you utilize what I call the development strategy.  As I detail in my book, SLAVE CINEMA,” The development strategy usually features an African-American character that is first seen in a minor supporting role, but through successive events and circumstances that reveal his or her cunning, intelligence, sensitivity, wisdom, strength, beauty or empathy this minor supporting role is developed into a lead or co-lead role within the story.

Roland Emmerich’s INDEPENDENCE DAY is one such film that employs the Development strategy concerning the African-American Air Force pilot Capt. Steve Hiller as performed by Will Smith. This character was first seen as a small part of a large multi-racial ensemble cast and the character is developed through the course of the film’s events and circumstances into a hero.” (pg. 70)  The Development strategy is particularly effective with integrated casts and with actors who are not well known.

Alternately, if you do not want to carry racial inequities forward into the future of your story context you just simply have to cast an African-American in the lead role and concentrate on the dynamics of the central “scientific” themes within the story.  For all intents and purposes once you’ve cast that African-American actor in the lead role or you have decided to use the development strategy to move an African-American character from a supporting role to a lead “heroic” role in a science-fiction film you have already effectively made a powerful and inspiring commentary on race regardless of the story context and theme.  

In choosing either path you can “side step” the catch-22 of race and the racial critiques of “structured absence” [no blacks at all] and “token presence” [one black as a commentary upon all blacks] by remaining faithful to those aspects that are specific to the genre you have chosen.  In short, you explore the “science” within the fiction instead of obscuring that “science” through a glass darkly with race.

And if seems as if it’s a question of money that is keeping African-American filmmakers from breaking out into the genre of science-fiction then we should take inspiration from the fact that many of the great science-fiction films of cinema history have been made with budgets far less than one would expect.  Consider films like La Jetée (1962) by Chris Marker, Alphaville (1965) by Jean-luc Godard, THX 1138 (1971) by George Lucas, The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976) by Nicholas Roeg, Stalker (1979) by Andrei Tarkovsky, The Last Battle (1983) by Luc Besson, The Brother From Another Planet (1984) by John Sayles, and They Live (1988) by John Carpenter; these were films all made by filmmakers who manipulated the formal structure and sound design of their films rather than high production budgets and expensive Computer Generated Imagery.(5)  

Even Ridley Scott’s Bladerunner (1982) saved money by recycling sets and miniature models from George Lucas’ Star Wars (1977) as well as utilizing cost saving measures like matte paintings and blue screen processing.(6)  

Creativity and imagination can always trump a high budget and lack of originality every time in the cinema.        

Knowing that there are many African-American scientists, physicists, explorers, engineers and astronauts that live and breathe in the world today as they did once throughout history (I am reminded of the great Lonnie George Johnson the inventor (SuperSoaker) and engineer and Valerie Thomas the scientist and inventor of NASA’s the illusion transmitter) we should guide ourselves through the genre of science-fiction with the notion that our “afro-nautical” characters are exceptions that prove the entire notion of black inferiority untrue by their very existence.  Therefore, we can concentrate on those scientific, fantasy, or speculative aspects of the genre that we enjoy without guilt, remorse or trepidation.

Perhaps the only thing keeping us as African-Americans from adapting the work of Octavia E. Butler, Samuel R. Delany, Andrea Hairston, even Phillip K. Dick or casting an African-American in the lead role of a science-fiction film is our fear of letting go of race as a central theme and embracing those other themes that transcend race and make us all human.  After all, if there is any truth to those famous words attributed to psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud,” Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar,” in reference to that certain tendency to over-analyze the inconsequential then perhaps the same is true in film,” Sometimes a man is just a man no matter what his race.”

Andre Seewood is the author of SLAVE CINEMA: The Crisis of the African-American in Film. 

NOTES

(1)Pg. 30, BLOODCHILD: and Other Stories 2nd Edition by Octavia E. Butler, Seven Stories Press, New York: 2005

(2) Op. Cit.

(3) Pg. 127, BLACK SPACE: Imagining Race in Science-Fiction Film by Adilifu Nama, University of Texas Press, Austin: 2008; See Also: Pgs. 11-17, PERFORMING WHITENESS: Postmodern Re/constructions in the Cinema by Gwendolyn Audrey Foster, State University of New York Press, Albany: 2003; “PLANET OF THE APES” as American Myth: Race, Politics, and Popular Culture by Eric Greene, Wesleyan University Press, New Hampshire: 1996.

(4) FRAMING BLACKNESS: The African-American Image in Film by Ed Guerrero, Temple University Press, Philadelphia: 1993.

(5) All production budget numbers are from imdb unless otherwise indicated.  Costs have not been adjusted for inflation, but the point is that the costs are low relative to the Hollywood average budget for a science-fiction film. La Jetée production costs are unavailable but we can assume they were low since the film is comprised of still frames photographed from a Pentax 35mm SLR camera and an Arriflex 35mm film camera that was borrowed for one hour, according to the director Chris Marker (see, La Jetée “Notes on Filmmaking” in liner notes the Criterion DVD Edition), Alphaville 220,000 francs, THX 1138  $777,000, The Man Who Fell To Earth $1.5 million according the producer Michael Deeley in his book “Blade Runners, Deer Hunters, and Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: My Life in Cult Movies” Pegasus Books 2009 , Stalker (unavailable), The Last Battle 600,000 francs/91,389 euros, The Brother From Another Planet $300,000, They Live 4 million dollars.  

(6) FUTURE NOIR: The Making of Bladerunner by Paul M. Sammon, Harper Books, New York: 1996

You can also find the original post on HERE on Shadow & Act.

SAY WHAT?!! Short film portrays Black father molested by son

Here is a short film thesis project that is sure to ruffle some feathers...The Strange Thing About The Johnsons and it is definitely strange!!

The American Film Institute thesis film is directed by Ari Aster, is being described as "a film about the ties that bind, and the ties that really bind." The plot revolves around The Johnsons, a well-to-do, upper middle class African-American family, with a disturbing secret. Check this out...the son, Isaiah, has been molesting the father, Sidney, since he was 15-years-old. Years later the father writes a memoir revealing the unlikely father-son relationship. The memoir could possibly destroy the family's wholesome reputation forever.

Now the question that is on everyone's mind is why a white director cast an all-black cast. Aster's response to this concern is... "The color of the Johnson family's skin is totally incidental. It's of no consequence to the story or its execution," Aster said. "We certainly assumed that casting black actors in a film that tackles such transgressive themes would create something of a stir, and it would be a lie to say that we weren't hesitant, especially as many people were advising us against the decision. There is no intended commentary on the black experience and I would never claim to have any insight into that."

Hmmm....sounds real sketchy to me...Something just not quite right with this film, can't quite put my finger on it. This takes twisted drama to a completely different level!! 



TRAILER: The Strange Thing About The Johnsons from Alejandro De Leon on Vimeo.

For more information about the film go to The Strange Thing About The Johnsons website.

Your Thoughts?!!