klaatu
Fusionist
With the election of Barak Obama ..it got me to thinking about how far we have come. I was born in the 50's , spent my adolescence in the 60's and came of age in the 70's and early 80's. So I witnessed a whole bunch of racial strife, trials and tribulations, Riots and coexistence.
All along the watchtower ... there was Hollywood documenting the evolution of racial relationships ....
Yesterday, I watched a Movie from 1981 titled Carbon Copy, starring Denzel Washington and George Segal. It was Denzels first major movie role. About a young black man from lower class African America seeking out his Whiter than White Corporate Executive Natural Dad, a Jew disguised as a WASP in High Society WASP world.
The Movie was never regarded as anything more than a corn ball comedy vehicle for George Segal. But lo and behold... watch it in the year 2008 and you realize this movie was much more than that... it is a movie way before its time with a bag full of important messages. It exposes the stereo types of people from all walks of life....and reveals how ignorant we were and how much we have evolved, and how much more work we have to do. In the 80's this movie was probably a 2 star out of 5, today I would give it no less than a 4.
This movie made me think of Hollywoods Racial Evolution. I think about Jimmy Stewart in 1939's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington..., his character arrives at the train station and and he refers to the black baggage carrier who has these big white eye balls and big shiney grin as "Boy".
I love Old Classic Movies... but I cringe with embarrassment when I see how blacks were portrayed in the 30's and 40's.
Jump to the 50's ...I think of Blackboard Jungle, the Defiant Ones, and in the 60's by golly call me Mr. Tibbs ..In the Heat of the Night .... starring the great Sidney Poitier... A Raisin in the Sun, Lillies of the Field, To Sir with Love, and the big one... Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Sidney did more for racial equality in the Movies than Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton could ever dream about in real life.
The 70's was the big TV era... shows like the Jeffersons, Goodtimes and the Huge Mini Series "ROOTS" ... took big steps towards racial enlightenment.
I believe if you watch Carbon Copy (again).. you will see what I mean... Its good stuff... an eye opener and documentation to illustrate how far we've come along.
All along the watchtower ... there was Hollywood documenting the evolution of racial relationships ....
Yesterday, I watched a Movie from 1981 titled Carbon Copy, starring Denzel Washington and George Segal. It was Denzels first major movie role. About a young black man from lower class African America seeking out his Whiter than White Corporate Executive Natural Dad, a Jew disguised as a WASP in High Society WASP world.
The Movie was never regarded as anything more than a corn ball comedy vehicle for George Segal. But lo and behold... watch it in the year 2008 and you realize this movie was much more than that... it is a movie way before its time with a bag full of important messages. It exposes the stereo types of people from all walks of life....and reveals how ignorant we were and how much we have evolved, and how much more work we have to do. In the 80's this movie was probably a 2 star out of 5, today I would give it no less than a 4.
This movie made me think of Hollywoods Racial Evolution. I think about Jimmy Stewart in 1939's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington..., his character arrives at the train station and and he refers to the black baggage carrier who has these big white eye balls and big shiney grin as "Boy".
I love Old Classic Movies... but I cringe with embarrassment when I see how blacks were portrayed in the 30's and 40's.
Jump to the 50's ...I think of Blackboard Jungle, the Defiant Ones, and in the 60's by golly call me Mr. Tibbs ..In the Heat of the Night .... starring the great Sidney Poitier... A Raisin in the Sun, Lillies of the Field, To Sir with Love, and the big one... Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Sidney did more for racial equality in the Movies than Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton could ever dream about in real life.
The 70's was the big TV era... shows like the Jeffersons, Goodtimes and the Huge Mini Series "ROOTS" ... took big steps towards racial enlightenment.
I believe if you watch Carbon Copy (again).. you will see what I mean... Its good stuff... an eye opener and documentation to illustrate how far we've come along.