theblackactor.com

All I know is this

2010-01-13T18:07:10-05:00

Man, I barely know how to write a post. I haven't been on here so long. I forgot what Typepad looked like. LOL. I will be talking to you guys soon. This blog ain't dead.

But I just had to post.

Last night I was watching The Biggest Loser. During the commercial break, there was a Trailer.

All I know is this:

It is 2010.
Star of Movie -- The Rock, an athlete, prolly at least 6'3", over 200 lbs., buff, "manly" if you will.
Some cocamamie movie.
This muthafucka had on a tu-tu!!!

That's all I have to say. I could say plenty more.

Hellllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooo?

2008-10-14T20:52:41-04:00

LOL. Anybody still there?

Hi peoples.

I miss me blog. Wah Wah Wah.

I miss you blogs. Wah Wah Wah.

Ima finish the Halle Berry series. I swear.

Hope erbody is well. I miss you guys.

Dissecting Halle - Introducing Dorothy Dandridge

2008-07-25T19:00:00-04:00

I hate this damn movie.

Alright, the movie was fine.

I just hate that there is was a time when people like Dorothy Dandridge had the Hollywood experience she had. It makes me so sad.

Sigh.

Anyhoo, the pic… Introducing Dorothy Dandridge…

I always kinda got the impression –- and I have no doubt made this up in my mind -– that Halle Berry somehow identified with the tragic Dorothy Dandridge. I think Berry was close to this role. She actually executive produced the pic. Berry and Dandridge do share certain things in common:

their beauty - (they actually do resemble one another and have similar coloring)
their plight – lack of good, respectable roles
their problem – their beauty
tragic – there’s something tragic about them both
etc.

I could be making a mountain out of a molehill. Could be that Berry recognized their physical resemblance and wanted to tell Dandridge’s story and decided to do a pic about it and nothing more.

As I watched this film, the 11th movie of this series, I have really begun to see Halle Berry the actress… who she is… what she does… how she has found success… blah blah blah –- things I will delve into further in the closing summary… when I prepare it… in 2012 (just kidding’ y'all).

Anyhoo, enough rambling. I especially liked Halle Berry in this role. She deserved the accolades. Berry won a Golden Globe Award, a SAG award and an Emmy award for her portrayal of Dorothy Dandridge. She was very, very good in the pic. She played the role convincingly. One of the things I liked about the film was the casting of Berry. It was a sensible casting choice, at least from a physical standpoint.

It would have been almost foolish for some other person to play Dandridge. I always appreciate when SOMEONE (director, writer, producer, actor, whoever) takes care to ensure the actor charged with playing the role of a real life person, actually resembles the real life individual. When this physical resemblance is absent, it just never works for me. Ever. The distraction of the ongoing analysis of the lack of resemblance takes away from the enjoyment of the film. When they miscast in this way, it diminishes the credibility of the film, in my view.

When I was watching Berry, I thought I was watching Dandridge. Berry was good in it -– everything from voice to physical movement. It was a solid, splendid performance. I enjoyed it.

I think there were two moments in the movie when I realized I was indeed watching Halle Berry; one was during an emotional scene -– it seemed as if I saw her play that scene the same way in a previous pic. But this is negligible.

But when I saw that naked caramel ass propped up as Dandridge lay dead on the floor, I was at once reminded that I was indeed watching Halle Berry… do what she does. It didn’t matter for that split second that the scene may have been credible… that it may have been exactly how Dorothy Dandridge appeared when she was found dead. That didn’t matter. The pattern did. It is unfortunate.

But these things are insignificant and none of them overshadowed a magnificent performance by Berry in the role. In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have thought of Halle Berry. But it’s okay.

Berry did a lot of things good in this film; appropriate emotional expressions of sadness, despair, anger, indecisiveness. Lots of good showings in some of her emotional scenes. I thought they were well done:

When she received her child’s diagnosis
When Harold Nicolas is off to Paris
While she was speaking on the phone (really good, I thought)
When she has to leave her child; and goes on with her mother, to further her career
When she was singing in the club

etc.

Halle Berry understood this character and committed to her. It was one of Berry’s best performances –- if not her best, I do believe.

[Speaking of executive producing –- wanted to give Halle Berry a shout out for her hand in executive producing, in addition to Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, Lackawanna Blues -– a fine, exemplary production; a great piece of entertainment. Berry could be sitting around counting her stacks but at least she is trying put her dough into decent film projects and I applaud and commend… and thank Halle Berry for that.]

Note to Readers - Hi Lovebugs

2008-06-23T15:38:17-04:00

I have to do away with the posting schedule, guys.

In the process of orchestrating my future, reframing my direction and refocusing my attention, I have come to recognize that regular blogging does not sit comfortably within that new construct.

The subject matter of this blog is just one of my interests. And blogging, as an activity, is just one of the activities I’m involved in. But there are other obligations and other interests -- and so now I have to turn my attention elsewhere. It requires a significant amount of time to prepare the original content published on this blog. Accordingly, time spent on blogging –- as well as time spent on blog-related activities -- will diminish.

I’m not stopping this blog because I enjoy blogging and the community of thinkers and voices at theblackactor.com. J And there’s lots to write about on this subject.

As far as posting…

In all honesty, though I should, I’m not quite ready to say, “when I can.” So, I’ll say, “I dunno; once or twice a month.”

There will be exceptions. For instance, when I do a series, those articles will be published over a relatively short period of time; certainly not monthly.

Anyway, I’ve undertaken a new endeavor; it is something I’m very excited about. At the same time, there is feeling of sadness that I’m unable to blog as much as I’d like to.

And for those who still visit theblackactor.com, I’ll miss not talking to you guys on the regular but it’ll be all the better when we do dialog. J

Simply put, I have morphed into someone who blogs sometimes; rather than someone who blogs with regularity.

[The Dorothy Dandridge post will be forthcoming]

In a perfect world, I would do as I’m supposed to –- finish out the Halle Berry series in a timely manner. I was going to try to do this. But I have to make an exception this time because my obligations won’t allow it. Therefore, it’ll just plug along, till completion. After that, other articles will follow.

Dissecting Halle - The Rich Man's Wife / Jungle Fever

2008-06-06T08:45:00-04:00

The Rich Man’s Wife, released in 1996, was another of Halle Berry’s earlier works.

Nothing much to say here. Halle Berry showed up and did her job. She played Josie Potenza, wife of… a rich man; a rich white man; a rich older, white man -- Tony Polenza (Christopher MacDonald). This wasn’t the role to challenge Berry’s dramatic range.

There was some screaming, defiance, fear, blah blah blah. And in some way, shape or form –- she was, yet again, undressed (there was a photograph of her in which she appeared partially clothed, covered by a sheet, I believe it was). Not one –- but two -- white male lovers (MacDonald, and Clive Owen). Same old. Same old.

Jungle Fever -- Halle Berry’s first film role!

Berry had three or four scenes in this 1991 release. She played Vivian, a crackhead and girlfriend to Gator Purify (Samuel L. Jackson); fellow crackhead.

~~Gator Purify??!! Yeah, okay.~~

Anyway, the pic…

I’ve seen the pic a few times and I have never liked Berry in the role.

My only comments about the portrayal: “a little much… just a tad… juuuuuuust a tad.”

[I thoroughly enjoyed Samuel L. Jackson in this role! He was perfectly cast; perfectly. Good, Spike.]

Of course it wouldn’t be in keeping with Spike Lee’s um, other self(?), if in the film Vivian did not utter the words, “Eat my pussy!” – for no real reason.

Dissecting Halle - Catwoman / Boomerang

2008-05-30T08:45:00-04:00

Catwoman, released in 2004, was absolutely ridiculous.

Halle Berry holds the honor and distinction of capturing 2004’s Razzie Award for Worst Actress. This award was well deserved. In the pic, Berry was prancing around like a bug and reciting her lines as if she were a 16-year-old child.

That was weird. I wondered why she delivered her lines that way. Oh well.

Overacting. Bad acting. Next...

How time flies. Hard to believe Boomerang (1992) was released 16 years ago!

non descript performance

not exactly a scene stealer

did her job

nothing to say

but I’ve always enjoyed the pic and almost all of the performances in it (Geoffrey Holder, Eartha Kitt, Grace Jones, Robin Givens, Eddie Murphy immediately come to mind).

Dissecting Halle - Monster's Ball

2008-05-23T08:45:00-04:00

I’m starting with the most talked about aspect of Monster's Ball. I feel like I should at least mention it. I think it is even more talked about than another aspect of the production –- Halle Berry’s Oscar win.

That Sex Scene

This sure was a big deal. It still is. People are very vocal about it. I never thought it was that big a deal… comparatively speaking.

It may come down to what people are looking at when they see it. Are they seeing Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton or are they seeing Leticia Musgrove and Hank Grotowski?

If you look at this as Leticia and Hank, the sex scene was unremarkable, really. We might buy that that the black woman, Leticia Musgrove, is grieving and that the thing she needed to “make her feel good” at that moment was a sexual liaison with Hank Grotowski, a white man who views her as filth; or at the very least, who has historically viewed black people as filth.

If we accept this premise, then their sex was well, sex.

This is unlike seeing them as Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton. These are two distinctly different perspectives.

If the scene’s critics view it as appalling (for whatever reasons), that’s fine. This scene is no more appalling than the imagery that is routinely put forth -- and accepted -– by black people themselves; images that are created and furthered by our own hand (and not necessarily some corporate hand or some white powerbroker’s hand). For all the ish, the industry gives us, we, as participants (the movers and shakers, the players and the accepting audience) are complicit in the presentation of unspeakable images of black people. There are lots and lots of things that black people do in front of and behind the camera that are far more appalling than this sex scene. Our support of such imagery is appalling. There is still a lot left to be desired in the entertainment industry (film, TV, music, etc.) as far as the presentation of our images. Placed in this context, the sex scene was not a big deal to me.

And the fact that Berry won an Oscar and her character had sex with a white man, is of little consequence, since I don’t buy the assertion that she won the Oscar because she had sex with a white man. I just don’t.

So, she was having sex with a racist. Was he still a racist? Or was he reformed; eventually, coming to care for (and love?) Leticia? For argument’s sake, let’s say he was a racist -– or an otherwise loathsome, depraved individual. More than a few black women have sex with vile, depraved black men every single day –- IN REAL LIFE. These women lay up (knowingly and happily) with criminals (murderers, rapists, thieves, drug dealers), angry men, misogynists, unconscious people, hatemongers, homophobes, those without reverence for the elderly... These same women very often place their own children in harm’s way by placing them in the company of such men. This is a very big deal. This… is appalling.

Black women have sex with white men every day. Black women have sex with dishonorable men every day. But this particular depiction presented on the silver screen is not a constant theme in film.

If it were a black man who murdered a mother of four at an ATM machine who was having sex with Leticia, would it be less appalling? Or does white racist make it more appalling? Both depictions, if shown continuously, would be considered negative images –- images that shape and influence worldwide perception of black people.

What was worth noting about the sex scene was the length and direction of the scene. Most sex scenes are really, kind of muted; not this one; it was very vibrant; very explicit -– more explicit than most, I’d say. And it was unusually long -– longer than most. And in terms of pure acting, Berry was very good in the scene. Also, it was, after all, Leticia who intiated -- and wanted -- sex with Hank.

Oscar

People are mad because Berry won the Oscar and had sex with a white man (while Denzel won an Oscar for being a crooked cop). It is thought that perhaps they should have won Oscars for other portrayals. I disagree. I think Oscars should be awarded to actors who demonstrate greatness and achievement. This should be rewarded with no regard to whether the characters are positive and uplifting or defeated and flawed.

We don’t always need to lift up the race in film. Jeez!!!!!!!!!

The fact that she won an Oscar for this performance is also a topic for discussion. Though Berry won for her portrayal of Leticia Musgrove in Monster’s Ball, the question is, was the performance Oscar worthy? Halle Berry demonstrated skill, strength, talent and did all that could legitimately be asked of her.

Berry was undeniably good in this film. She executed the performance with proficiency and skill. Frankly, a lot of lesser talented actresses would have been unable to do what Halle Berry did there. She was convincing, natural and realized the promise of her acting prowess. She understood the character completely. What did Berry do?

She played the character as if she were not acting. We can see she understood the character because she was emotional; and yet restrained. I saw no overacting. I thought she was unafraid to be vulnerable. She does this sometimes and I like when she does this. Berry was unafraid to take risks. Actually, the sex scene was a risk; a big risk. I credit her for her willingness to do that (and in so doing, open herself up to criticism because of this choice). She is also smoking in the pic and did handle that with some realism. And drunkenness probably is not easy to play. I thought she did that pretty good. Not perfect. But good. She is also, once again, without makeup. (Some might view that as a risk, actually). LOL

Anyway, I thought Berry gave a solid performance in the film. Was it Oscar worthy?

In my view, an actor is worthy of an Academy Award when their work is incredible… outstanding… exceptional. I don’t know that I would characterize Halle Berry as incredible in the film. She was good. So, I don’t necessarily believe her performance was Oscar-worthy. Did she deserve to win that year? Well, one has to ask this looking at her performance in comparison to the other nominees. I don’t know. I only saw Sissy Spacek in In The Bedroom. I plan to watch the others… someday.

Some notable good scenes, I thought

Visiting hubby in jail for the last time
When she was in the middle of the rain soaked road with the dying boy
The moments in the scene leading up to the point that Hank “made her feel good”
In the hospital, when they announced her son, Tyrell, died
The sex scene seemed pretty real to me

I don’t necessarily think that when an actor cries on cue or displays an emotion that is called for (like grief, etc.) means that it was effective. It is not enough that these things are expressed; what matters is how these emotions are expressed. I think Berry did this very well.

Not-so-good scene

Yelling at her son, Tyrell (Coronji Calhoun; who I ~~hated~~ didn’t like in the role). There was something unreal about it.

They continue to sexualize Berry: She is sleeping nude (yeah, it was hot, but she still could’ve been sleeping in a nightgown); the… ahem… lively sex scene (of course, there was another sex scene between them; one that probably hasn’t gotten a lot of attention. It is the scene in which his head falls between her legs, out of frame, and presumably his tongue is, er pleasuring her lady parts); those tight, little tops. And we see another example of “white man saves Halle Berry.” And that black bra shows up yet again. {They love her in that damned black bra]. LOL.

Nikki's link

2008-05-19T13:15:55-04:00

Hello, guys.

One of the readers of the blog, NIKKI, was kind enough to offer this link to me as interesting reading.

I agree; and think you may find the article interesting:

http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2008/05/17/a_black_hole/?page=1

Thank you, Nikki!!