Monday, January 7, 2013

Tarantino and his crew are manipulative asses -- and some Black folk will do anything for fame and fortune

Django Unchained dolls (Courtesy of NECA)

I'd been going back-and-forth about whether I even wanted to see this damned movie, but after seeing this tasteless madness first thing this morning --  Slaves For Sale: “Django Unchained” Action Figures Released -- I won't bother.

And I won't even waste another breath on the Three Inkspots amid the Lily Whites pictured above (it is to them that I alluded, in the second part of the title -- 'nuf said).  I went over to read more about this new, "slave auction" at the source piece here.  I just wanted to see how much of a huge fool Tarantino had made of them andthose of us whose cash he'd already pocketed.  As it turns out -- pret-t-t-y damned huge:
Academy Award-winner Quentin Tarantino is laughing all the way to the bank this week. The controversial film auteur and his longtime studio chief-partner Harvey Weinstein took a gamble on transforming the atrocities of American slavery into comedic, action-packed entertainment. And the new movie, Django Unchained, which opened Christmas day, bested the glitzy Les Miserables at the box office with numbers indicating that the flick could do as well as, or maybe even better than Tarantino’s top-grossers Inglourious Basterds ($120 million) and Pulp Fiction ($107 million). (emphasis mine)
And surprise, surprise -- these "Let's play slavery" action figures were always going to be part of the plan.  Per the piece:
Last fall, the National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Inc. (NECA), in tandem with the Weinstein Company, announced a full line of consumer products based on characters from the movie. First up are pose-able eight-inch action figures with tailored clothing, weaponry, and accessories in the likeness of characters played by Foxx, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio, James Remar and Christoph Waltz. The dolls are currently on sale via Amazon.com. (emphasis mine)
Y'all can intellectualize until the cows come home about Tarantino's "artistic brilliance" (just so you can feel all hegemonic and shit) -- but I won't join you.  This is an insult to Black folk plain and simple.  Too bad so many of us don't realize it.

And how come he never rolled-out any Hitler/Nazi action figures, or Jews in the ghettos or the ovens action figures from his Inglorious Basterds piece of "art?"  Please!  This man just shined up some shit and called it gold, and Black folk just jumped in line for his gold rush! {smmfh}
"When you look at Roots, nothing about it rings true in the storytelling, and none of the performances ring true for me either,” Tarantino told The Daily Beast’s Allison Samuels. “I didn’t see it when it first came on, but when I did I couldn’t get over how oversimplified they made everything about that time. It didn’t move me because it claimed to be something it wasn’t.”
Oh, so now, he's "the authority" on telling our story.{smdh}  Reading his utterly, self-serving comments above, I'm reminded of something the Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie said at a TED conference:
"It is impossible to talk about the single story without talking about power. There is a word, an Igbo word, that I think about whenever I think of the power structures of the world and it is "nkali," it's a noun that loosely translates to -- "to be greater than another." Like our economic and political worlds, stories, too are defined, by the principal of "nkali." How they are told, who tells them, when they are told, how many stories are told -- are really dependent on power.

Power is the ability not just to tell the story of another person but to make it the definitive story of that person." (emphasis mine)
Instead of racing to your keyboards to collect you some of this "awesome Negrobilia," (tongue planted firmly in cheek here) from Amazon, you might be better served in the long-run, trying to figure out how to get you some damned "nkali" -- and stop letting these white folk define who you are!

Spike sure was right.

Chatting with Sis. Carolyn in the comments made me think of this powerful, young sister and how what she had to say here, was so apropos to this topic:



Related:
- Freedom Rider: A Real Life Django
- A Few Thoughts on Django Unchained
- Quentin Tarantino: Slave Profiteer
- 5 Quick Points Against Django Unchained, Because It’s Not Worth 6.
- Civil War hero Robert Smalls seized the opportunity to be free

18 comments:

Carolyn Moon said...

Well stated and my sentiments exactly!!

Deb..we seem to be on the same page about a number of things. Chimamanda Adichie is one of my favorite writers and although I've not met her in person; some of her lectures are on YouTube. My daughter is a writer and poet and she met her and stated that she is a gift to free thinking people of the diaspora with a sharing spirit. The beauty of certain truths is that they can be revealed without the shackles of violence or hubris.

Peace....

DebC said...

Thanks Sis, good to know I'm not the only one who sees this for exactly what it is -- the never-ending exploitation of our people (in collusion with others of the White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy who look like us!). It'll never end, not as long as we continue to buy into it, IMHO.

"Deb..we seem to be on the same page about a number of things."

I think it's our age bracket Carolyn. Though we grew up in an, inarguably different time -- unlike this generation, we have the luxury of hind-sight that allows us to see and feel things which many in this generation in particular, tend to overlook in their rush for hegemony.

I'm "American" by birth, but what kind of American I am, will never be dictated to me by those who never had any regard for me and mine as humans with our own right to self-determination. I've no desire, whatsoever, to "become them" -- not for money, nor anything else!

Funny, I've not read any of her books yet but, Lawd does this young sister alwayshave her critical thinking cap on in the videos I've seen of her on YouTube! She, among some other young ones keep me hopeful. And it is that kind of "sharing spirit" that all of us, young and old, could use!

"The beauty of certain truths is that they can be revealed without the shackles of violence or hubris."

I try. I've got the no hubris part down but, I do get a little warm sometimes (not physically though -- Hell, I'm old!). I'd love to, one day, be able to calmly state my case in any situation. Still workin' on that though! :-D

Peace back atcha and as always, thanx for dropping in...

Carolyn Moon said...

"I try. I've got the no hubris part down but, I do get a little warm sometimes (not physically though -- Hell, I'm old!). I'd love to, one day, be able to calmly state my case in any situation. Still workin' on that though! :-D"

I don't have it down either, but, I'm struck by some of the 'youngins' whom seem to have it going on these days. For one thing..I've been explaining most of my adult life...I'm tired now. Some things are just obvious!^◡^

DebC said...

"...I'm struck by some of the 'youngins' whom seem to have it going on these days."

You and me both! You just made me think of a powerful, young sister I met during the march on Jena, LA -- Sunni Patterson. I've updated the post with a video, check it out and see what I mean.

"For one thing..I've been explaining most of my adult life...I'm tired now. Some things are just obvious!^◡^"

I know right?? I get so.damned.tired sometimes, but I can't seem to keep my mouth shut. I'm not explaining jack to them anymore (and I have before) -- I share it so that our progeny will know that, as Sunni says, "We have not always..."

nomad said...

Deb, check this out.

"Tarantino didn’t consult with Black scholars or historians to create a meaningful script or plot for Django Unchained. It wasn’t created out of any dialogue or genuine concern for the aspirations of Black People that would validate and provide fuel and empowerment to Black Identity and their BEING. Tarantino’s pet Hip Hop Satanic Cult Negroes like Jamie Foxx or Samuel L. Jackson didn’t add to the script either."
http://mindcontrolblackassassins.com/2013/01/11/katt-williams-mensa-the-django-unchained-deception/

Anonymous said...

First I don't understand what would make anyone black want to see this movie. I don't engage in things that lie about my history and disrespect me and my ancestors.

Secondly the slave dolls are the icing on the cake but the cake itself stopped me from even eating.

LOL you hit a serious point when you quoted this fool saying that Roots isn't an accurate depiction of slavery. I had no idea this fool even said this.

Black trash that supports him have invited him to speak like he is our representative and an authority on black people. Now Alex Haley was an educated man, an author and authority,

These tired sellout fools that will do anything to get a buck. So sick and so sad.

Who engages in disrespecting themselves?

DebC said...

nomad...Just damn. damn, damn! Didn't I tell you my behind is old?! This is too damned much! The depths to which these folk will go to "control the damned world" is just unbelievable!

I've owned, several times here, that my old ass is late to the "critically thinking party," so I can't say I'm up on everything at the link provided. But coincidentally though, I was just reading something about Baum and his "Wizard of Oz" thing two days ago! Hell, we watched that shit every, damned year when I was young, and all through my kids' growing up -- from black & white, to colorization! Seems that was the plan all along. {smdh}

The part you quoted above, to me anyway, is a no-brainer. The only "Black scholar" with whom he consulted was Henry Louis Gates -- that speaks volumes! I haven't seen the movie, but I was wondering where this Black, slave woman got the name like, "Broomhilda!" The Wagner explanation about it at the link is something else!

nomad said...

I'm late to the 'critical thinking party' too. A lot of stuff going on behind the scenes that I never knew about. Folks reading my blogs probably think I've always been a "conspiracy theorist". Uh uh! When I got on the net 4 years ago and started discovering all of these hidden things. I said WTF!!! And why isn't everybody on the internet saying WTF!!! There are some strange things being done in this world. Wickedness among the powers and principalities. Preying upon us like vampires.

nomad said...

'The part you quoted above, to me anyway, is a no-brainer.'

Yeah, I couldn't find an excerpt that represent the scope of his discussion so I settled for a quote that mentioned house Negroes.

Amenta said...

For me, here's the thing. All in all, as most of our folk want to believe and what most white folk want to continue to press is the meme that 'a slave you were and a slave you will be.'
I saw the movie. It fits well within the thinking of most indigenous Americans that call themselves African (American) in the beginning.

The film starts in the year 1858 and shows Django and five others, after being purchased by some slaving brothers, shackled walking in the back woods of Texas. This is silly because the U.S. banned importing Africans in 1807 which means these men just purchased would have not run, they were born into this. They would have believed (most of them) that this was what they are and what they do. Memba Harriet Tubman said "I rescued hundreds, but could have rescued thousands if only they knew they were slaves."

Next, Django and his white owner appear in a town in Texas, the pink people were staring because, as the character Django says "white folk aint neva seent a ni**er ridin on a horse befoe."

I thought to myself really, never seent a ni**ah, ridn a horse before? IN TEXAS???!!!! White folk re-assuring themselves and most black people, that the 'a slave you are a slave you will be' mentality is etched into your psyche. I guess black people didn't ride horses until after 1870 when Bill Pickett was born. IN TEXAS....

Otherwise, it was entertainment, modern bone marrow flying, blood splattering entertainment. If you watch closely with a discerning eye you will see pink people are being made fun of in the movie. It is their stupidity and false beliefs about us that they hold thats being exposed.
This era will be a time that is most important, because there will be an all out assault on our images put on by pink people. Sure, it will be under the guise of white supremacy, and unless we come to grips with the fact that all black people were not slaves and all white people were not free, we will endorse their beliefs without thinking.
As for the dolls. It is the meme of 'a slave you are a slave you will be' doctrine that is being pushed. Here in the Atlanta Metro area, a school in Gwinnett County was putting on plays depicting slavery. These players were the school children, white kids playing masters and black children playing slaves. A picture to be etched into the minds of the youth. Pink man master, black man slave. The reoccurring line in the movie that kept being spoken by white folk to Django was "I ain't never seen a ni**er quite like you Django." I guess because he didn't avert his eyes, shuffle and twist his hat when he spoke to white folk. Django owned his position as a free black man in those times.

I suggest seeing the movie. I recently purchased Mandingo with Ken Norton and saw this movie and I will say, when it comes to making movies about slavery, the basic premise is the same. Pink people still tellin us they were free and we were slaves. SMDH!!! Many of us were never enslaved here in the Americas. And many of them were enslaved.

DebC said...

Anon...Welcome!

"First I don't understand what would make anyone black want to see this movie. I don't engage in things that lie about my history and disrespect me and my ancestors."

The web is full of Black folk justifying why they liked it and none that I've read had anything to do with us, even though it's supposedly about us. I don't get it.

"Secondly the slave dolls are the icing on the cake but the cake itself stopped me from even eating."

Slavery "action figures," really?? And what kind of "action" will they be used for?? All I can do is smdh about that.

"LOL you hit a serious point when you quoted this fool saying that Roots isn't an accurate depiction of slavery. I had no idea this fool even said this.

He did, and most seriously too.

"Black trash that supports him have invited him to speak like he is our representative and an authority on black people. Now Alex Haley was an educated man, an author and authority,"

Now, I'm not gonna call my people "trash" (just can't engage in the language they use to describe us), but I do question their being good with him acting like the official spokesperson for those whose descendants endured slavery, probably at the hands of some of his descendants. All I know is, he certainly doesn't speak for me, nor can he speak to what we "need" as a people (which he also expressed during that interview). I found myself screaming at the screen, "Quentin, the fact that your Mama dated Black men does.not.make.you.Black!

As for Mr. Haley, a plagiarism lawsuit was filed against him in 1978, by a Jewish guy named Courlander, who stated that portions of his novel, "The African," had been copied by Haley: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=WMEdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=B1kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6876,7818296&hl=en. When Courlander asked for some of the proceeds from the book once it was so successful they ignored him and he sued. Haley settled out-of-court. Check out the link for the story. That said however, I'd have to say he was way more of an authority than Tarantino could ever hope to be.

"Who engages in disrespecting themselves? "

We've got a lot of confused folk out there. Many believe that total assimilation at the expense of our history and culture, is no big deal, so they go along to get along. I'll pass.

Thanks for dropping in!

DebC said...

nomad..."When I got on the net 4 years ago and started discovering all of these hidden things. I said WTF!!! And why isn't everybody on the internet saying WTF!!!"

I know right?? It just boggles my mind how distracted I'd been for a lot of years.

"There are some strange things being done in this world. Wickedness among the powers and principalities. Preying upon us like vampires. "

Man, you ain't never lied! And most folk seem to just swallow all of it whole. {smdh}

"Yeah, I couldn't find an excerpt that represent the scope of his discussion so I settled for a quote that mentioned house Negroes."

And you were dead-on! :-D

nomad said...

It is so ironic that my 4 years on the net coincide w the 4 years of Obama's presidency. What he has done in that time has been the greatest WTF of all. I wish I had the words to say what a monstrous development this administration is. Scary that the worst is yet to come.

DebC said...

nomad...Wasn't ignoring you (don't know why I missed your last comment).

"What he has done in that time has been the greatest WTF of all."

I certainly agree with that! I'm just so baffled that he continues to get support from Black folk, whom he's summarily ignored and shut down so much with that, "I'm the president of all America, not just Black America" bullshit, he's got most of them saying that shit -- and NOW, after 4 damned years, Jealous, Morial and Sharpton want to have a sit-down with him about a Black Agenda??; and from Latinos (his administration has broken up more families through deportation than any of his predecessors' administrations have! But he pacified them with that kinda, sorta "Dream Act" thing and had the mayor f San Antonio and his twin speak at the DNC, so I guess that'll hold them for a minute. {smmfh}

"I wish I had the words to say what a monstrous development this administration is."

How 'bout "best damned trick in the world?"

"Scary that the worst is yet to come."

How much scarier you think it can get?? He's already ceded any measure of morality he might've had (doubt he had any, but anyway), to those who needed (and got) the perfect imperialist, Murderer-in-chief with a kill-list and drones -- in blackface, no less!; he's alright with warrantless wire-tapping of US citizens; instead of universal healthcare, he pushed and got this, "Even though you might not have had money for health insurance, you gotta get it, and if you don't, we're going to 'fine' you -- even though you had no money in the first place," bullshit, letting those who'd benefit the most have a hand in writing the damned legislation (Hell, he offered up Social Security and Medicare quicker than you could blink in this fiscal cliff bamboozle going on)!; banks got bailed out for their bad investments, while folk lost, and still are losing the one investment they used to be able to count on -- their homes; he basked in the glow with Pelosi in that photo-op when Ledbetter was passed, both of them lying about how momentous it was for women (wasn't even about women!), etc., etc., etc. Seems pretty bad right now to me.

On second thought, you might be right -- he's already got his 2nd term, thanks to those racist lunatics on the Right, e'll get his library and go down in revisionist history as the 1st Black president (revisionist cuz he didn't do jack for Black folk) -- he can do anything he wants from here on in! Lawd, lawd, lawd...

nomad said...

That's what I'm talkin bout! You have a way with words, Deb.

Oh, it can get worse. America is on the highway to fascism. One worsening I see happening is the drones coming home to roost.

This is like a repeat of Nazi Germany. I just read this this morning. Thinking bout posting it.

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2013/01/u-s-government-claims-that-the-situation-is-so-complicated-and-dangerous-that-it-must-act-on-secret-information-just-like-the-nazis.html

DebC said...

nomad...Thanks Brother, I just call 'em like I see 'em.

"One worsening I see happening is the drones coming home to roost."

You're right Man, already happening. Just google "Drones over America" and you'll find results, wa-a-ay to numerous to list here.

"This is like a repeat of Nazi Germany. I just read this this morning. Thinking bout posting it."

Post that thing (think I'll link to it in my sidebar as well, thanks for the tip)! Yeah Man, the White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy is alive and in full effect here. And their paternalistic, "too complicated and too dangerous" for us is a damned insult.

And tell me why I just watched a documentary a couple nights ago about this exact same thing at the link?! Can't remember the name of it, but some of it was in black & white and began, with the rise of Hitler, through some interspersed interviews in color, with Germans who'd lived during (including his assistant, a woman), and were military officers with him (including his doctor) all the way to when he and Eva Braun committed suicide in the bunker. And I swear, some of the points in the link were exact, made by people who at first hailed him and thought he would deliver them from their squalid misery to those who were surprised when they found out about the ovens and experimentation (Man! These Germans have a real thing for genocide and experimentation! Did you check this post out?: http://lets-be-clear.blogspot.com/2012/11/namibias-herero-and-nama-debunk-single.html

Also, check this one out -- http://lets-be-clear.blogspot.com/2012/11/first-they-came.html -- I had Niemoller on my mind that day as well, but in regard to Israel and the Palestinians.

I tell you Bruh, shit's going on right under our noses in this country and the worst thing his "faithful" can come up with is, "The Republicans are so racist against the president, they hate him because he's Black." Yeah, they do, but what about all the shit HE'S doing -- and not doing?? {smdh}

I think he was set-up, selected to push the agenda of the string-pullers all the way the hell out (and as insecure, yet megalomaniacal as he is, he was an easy mark, cuz -- "I'm the president of all America, not just Black America."), so the blame can be engineered to fall on his Black, damned face. I tell you, it just boggles the mind.

nomad said...

I'll be back later, but I just want to say we are worse than the Germans. The good German's claimed they didn't know about the atrocities. We can't claim that. We got the internet.

DebC said...

"The good German's claimed they didn't know about the atrocities"

And they lied. They were sticklers for documenting both their kills, and experiments. But you're right, "we are worse than the Germans."

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