George Lucas: "Hollywood is still RACIST" (Problems with getting "Red Tails" Made)

[rapmastermind]

#1, wasn't nobody asked to explain why white people don't flock to black movies, the topic is about Hollywood and its perceived racism in production and greenlighting of all-black films and thats what I addressed. smh at niggas laughing out loud about shit nobody was talkin about

#2, Think about what it is exactly you are saying. Do you think Trip Johnson down the street doesn't flock to all-black movies because he hates black people? Because he thinks they're inferior? If the only reasoning you can think of for why white folk don't pack the theater for "Why did I get married" "or "This Christmas" is that they are irrationally racist than you are probably a dumb ass nigga. *stephen a. voice* No disrespect, no disrespect!

*side note, even niggas dont flock the theater for nigga movies, so what now?

White people don't flock to black movies for the same reason niggas don't have a problem flocking to white movies, because societal living norms have made one group accustomed to being the minority and one group accustomed to being the majority.

Black people have no problems sitting in a theater and watching mostly whites on screen because this is essentially how we live and observe the world around us. Go to work, mostly white people. Go to the mall, mostly white people. Go outside nigga, mostly white people. The screen is a microcosm of the world we live in, certain areas of the country notwithstanding.

Crackas, otoh, are never in a situation where they are the minority and in observance of an all-black population. Its not normal to them, so they aint checkin for it. Fault them for being too content in their comfort zone, or whatever else, but it has less to do with racism and more to do with familiarity.

Take a white boy growing up in south side chicago or southeast DC and he'll be more likely to check for Red Tails, or whatever all black movie that comes out. Why? Because it bears familiarity to his world and his conditioning. Its not that whitey is too racist to watch Cuba and Terrance new movie, its that they don't care.

And if they don't care, the money-grubbing studios damn sure don't.

 

[sdotcarter111]

This is again nothing more than an excuse to excuse racism by whites.

First off, I don't give a fuck if white people wanna be racist or not. If I actually thought whitey skipped over "Red Tails" to see something else because he doesn't like black people, I would say so. The truth is, there are other logical reasons which you seem to be too in love with the idea of racism to process.

The fact is Hollywood racism goes deep just like American racism. You keep saying "It Business" yet how many Big Budget projects with all minorities have Hollywood every greenlit?

What are these big budget all-minority projects that were conceptualized, pre-produced, and then shut down by Hollywood? Speak on em.

Also the excuse that, "Well whites aren't around Blacks so they don't care about the black experience" doesn't fly it again is excusing racism by the white population.

Why doesn't it fly? Speak on it. "Because white people are racist" is not a valid explanation for that.

So again it's ok for us as Blacks and other minorities to see white faces on screens but they can see us? LOL.

Say what? What are you even talking about fam. I didnt say nothing like that.

Its "ok" for anybody to see anybody. Black people are more accustomed to seeing majority-white populaces because the U.S. is a majority white country. Thus going to the theater and seeing a majority white cast movie is not a culture shock for most black people. For white people the vice versa is. Its not a matter of being "ok", its a matter of what people are accustomed to and that influencing what they're willing to spend their $9.50 on. You turning this shit into a drama.

The fact is there is even more evidence of Hollywood's racism now than ever. They still only show stereotypes when it comes to Blacks, they rarely show uplifting roles.

The fact Tyler Perry can get any movie made he wants, no matter how stupid it is, proves Hollywood is all about the money. He has a steady, large following of black women who will see anything he makes and so he gets the greenlight. And all of his movies are at the least intended to be uplifting.

Also stop the "If it would make money, they would release it" talk, I track box office reports weekly and there are more flops with white actors being released than with Blacks.

The fuck...

There are dozens more white movies made than black, why wouldn't there be more white movie flops than black? The ratio itself guarantees that. Hollywood makes movies that they think will make money. If a movie they thought would make money doesn't, how does that reflect a willingness to release failures? If every studio had a crystal ball that told them what will flop and what won't, they would use it.

You are basically stripping them of the ability to be mistaken.

The fact is Hollywood racism is why they won't give Blacks the proper promotion and budget and the weak excuse that "It won't sell" is another thin smoke screen so they can continue their racism that they been doing since forever.

More of that dynasty dramatic shit.

What does George have to gain for exposing this? if anything he has made more enemies for airing them out. So if Lucas said they're racist the proof is in the putting.

What you haven't considered in your victimized rant, is that George never actually accused Hollywood of racism in the first place.

"I realize that by accident I've now put the black film community at risk [with Red Tails, whose $58 million budget far exceeds typical all-black productions]," he said. "I'm saying, if this doesn't work, there's a good chance you'll stay where you are for quite a while. It'll be harder for you guys to break out of that [lower-budget] mold. But if I can break through with this movie, then hopefully there will be someone else out there saying let's make a prequel and sequel, and soon you have more Tyler Perrys out there."

The racism card was played mostly by the threadstarter, George's point was that if this movie fails, it will only prove Hollywood's assumed position that black movies can't make big bank and so aren't worth mass producing.

That quote, and "Hollywood is racist and won't make black movies because they look down on black people" are two very different things homie.

 

[rapmastermind]

First off, I don't give a fuck if white people wanna be racist or not. If I actually thought whitey skipped over "Red Tails" to see something else because he doesn't like black people, I would say so. The truth is, there are other logical reasons which you seem to be too in love with the idea of racism to process.

My only point is why did Hollywood say no to this movie? they have a history of not putting postivive images of blacks on the screen so again why is it ok to show negative images of us but a positive movie about Black Heros can't get funding? something is wrong with that espeically when they are funding a ton of other B.S. that flops all the time. As for a White Person being racist, it is what is it but the fact is why should it be ok for everyone else to see most white movies but whites get a pass for not supporting other films but their own, that's a double standard and Blacks have had to live with double standards to long.

What are these big budget all-minority projects that were conceptualized, pre-produced, and then shut down by Hollywood? Speak on em.

That's the arguement, you stated that they won't give Black Films big bugets cause it doesn't make good "Business" sense cause again Whites won't go to them, I'm saying they never tried, name me 1 Big Budget All Black Cast, I'm talking over 100 Million. You won't find one cause they never tried. My point is if they tried 1st maybe they can find out how it would do instead of prematurely stating they won't work and nobody will go to them. Why doesn't it fly? Speak on it. "Because white people are racist" is not a valid explanation for that.

Say what? What are you even talking about fam. I didnt say nothing like that.

I'm only commenting on the state of racsim in Hollywood, you seem to think that it's mostly a business issue, I'm countering that saying that racism is still very strong in Hollywood and many mintories in the game will say the same.

Its "ok" for anybody to see anybody. Black people are more accustomed to seeing majority-white populaces because the U.S. is a majority white country. Thus going to the theater and seeing a majority white cast movie is not a culture shock for most black people. For white people the vice versa is. Its not a matter of being "ok", its a matter of what people are accustomed to and that influencing what they're willing to spend their $9.50 on. You turning this shit into a drama.

I understand that point but my issue is to look at it and ask, Is that right? it seems we are the ones have to comprimise all the time.

The fact Tyler Perry can get any movie made he wants, no matter how stupid it is, proves Hollywood is all about the money. He has a steady, large following of black women who will see anything he makes and so he gets the greenlight. And all of his movies are at the least intended to be uplifting.

Lucas talked about this his movies get greenlit cause he self produces them and has a distribution but Perry's movies don't get the major disribution that an all white cast gets. George said this in his interview that most of Perry movies are low budget.

The fuck...

There are dozens more white movies made than black, why wouldn't there be more white movie flops than black? The ratio itself guarantees that. Hollywood makes movies that they think will make money. If a movie they thought would make money doesn't, how does that reflect a willingness to release failures? If every studio had a crystal ball that told them what will flop and what won't, they would use it.

You are basically stripping them of the ability to be mistaken.

I'm not, I understand there is no formula to know if it will succeed or fail but to not even try? that's my issue, it seems with all Black or Minority cast, they don't even want to try to make a big budget or big promotion films. What if an all Black Cast got "Twilight" type of promotion? what would happen? they've never done it.

More of that dynasty dramatic shit.

What you haven't considered in your victimized rant, is that George never actually accused Hollywood of racism in the first place.

"I realize that by accident I've now put the black film community at risk [with Red Tails, whose $58 million budget far exceeds typical all-black productions]," he said. "I'm saying, if this doesn't work, there's a good chance you'll stay where you are for quite a while. It'll be harder for you guys to break out of that [lower-budget] mold. But if I can break through with this movie, then hopefully there will be someone else out there saying let's make a prequel and sequel, and soon you have more Tyler Perrys out there."

The racism card was played mostly by the threadstarter, George's point was that if this movie fails, it will only prove Hollywood's assumed position that black movies can't make big bank and so aren't worth mass producing.

That quote, and "Hollywood is racist and won't make black movies because they look down on black people" are two very different things homie.

Actually George said and I quote: "Hollywood didn't want to make Redtails cause it had an all black cast and that they didn't know to market it". I'm sorry but that's racism. Let's reverse it and Black Execs said they didn't want to fund a movie cause the cast was all white.

I'm not coming at you as much as I'm coming at the situation so please don't take my words as if you coming at you. I'm only saying if people stop trying to brush racism off it won't be addressed, it's clear Hollywood does have a race issue and the more people deny it the more it won't be addressed.

 

[desertrain10]

I'm not coming at you as much as I'm coming at the situation so please don't take my words as if you coming at you. I'm only saying if people stop trying to brush racism off it won't be addressed, it's clear Hollywood does have a race issue and the more people deny it the more it won't be addressed.

right...spike lee has spoken on it, steve spielberg has spoken on the racism in hollywood, now george lucas has... and there are numerous examples of hollywood blatantly casting white actors (no names and big names) to play the roles of characters that were originally black, asian, latino, etc ... still people who are not in the business want to defend the shit or call bullshit. lol... i don't get it

and really the only big budget film in terms of money for marketing, production costs, etc for a somewhat non-stereotypical film with a predominately black cast has been bad boys 2...and that was a success here and internationally ...even though it was a comedy it means that people are willing to see a good movie as long as there are big names involved and the movie is actually entertaining...

at the end of the day big names bring in big money...its just hollywood don't give actors of color the opportunity to develop their talents and establish a relationship with an audience

 

[Melanin_Enriched]

Going to watch the movie anyway....

 

[rapmastermind]

"RED TAILS" PREMIRE IN NEW YORK:

I'm there on opening Day next week for sure, Thank You George for doing this.

 

[...MVP...]

Also I think George Lucas wife is Black by the way:

For those that don't know Lucas is still one of the last independent film makers in the game, he finances a lot of his own projects. He has a net worth of over 4 Billion. If he releases Episode 7, it will break every box office record on the books including the ones "Avatar" got. He's releasing "Star Wars" in 3D every year for the next 6 years starting this Feb with Episode I.

I respect him speaking up about black issues in the industry and for Red Tails. But he is a terrible director and i hope he doesn't or at least doesn't direct episode 7 and watever ones are in development. He fucking nearly destroyed the Star Wars legacy with the prequel trilogy.

#1. Scary Movie - 157,019,771 - Keenon Ivory Waynes
#2. The Fantastic Four 154,696,080 - Tim Story
#3. The Fantastic Four 2 131,921,738 - Tim Story
#4. 2 Fast, 2 Furious 127,154,901- John Singleton
#5. The Italian Job 106,128,601 - F. Gary Grey
#6. Medea Goes To Jail 90,508,336 - Tyler Perry
#7. Inside Man 88,513,495 - Spike Lee

Spike got the Best Film out of all of them and SMH @ Tim Story getting fired after having 2 successful films in the Fantastic Four Series. Wow @ Keenon have the #1 grosser for a Black Director.

If Fantastic Four did well then I don't see why he should've been fired seeing how theres other directors continue being aloud to make films when theirs flop. But if he's judged on the quality of the fantastic four films then its justified. His Fantastic Four films sucked.

 

[Cake4real]

this isn't a new. the sad part will be when the numbers come in and he realizes that black folks don't watch historical/documentary type movies. I'm taking my daughter to go see this though Spike Lee went broke making Malcolm X and had to borrow money from other entertainers to make the film.

and yeah white folks don't touch all black movies at all. they label them as black movies and feel they can't understand them. it's really sad b/c black folks will go watch anything regardless of the color of the cast aslong as it looks good.

at teh end of the day black folks need to support and show these movies more love the help did well but i'm not so sure about this one. mainly b/c black women went out in droves to see the help. i'm not sure they will go out to see this movie

Agree fully....

 

[Wild Self]

To be fair though, there aren't many creative black movies that get made. Maybe we need a black person to write and direct a red tails instead of another madea or generic 'hood flick. Just sayin'.

We need blacks with more courage to tell ALL the stories of us. The stories of our downtrodden women(not tyler perry style), our gays, etc. We have so many different stories in our culture that don't get told.

Ghetto black kids and black women who can't find a "strong black man" is all I see. Spike had the right idea in the 80's, but he's it. There's only one spike. I think that's one of the biggest problems with black films. I don't know what happened to the hughes brothers, cuz they were telling good stories too.

I have to co sign. We need black people to be stars in sci-fii films and comic book films as well. That do not mention race at all. Until black actors strive to be the BEST actors across all genres of film, we will be 2nd class in the media and damn near non existent in big budget films

 

[thesoulcontroller]

I'm looking forward to this. Lucas plus the wire = golden.

 

[cobbland]

People really needed George Lucas to tell them this???

Just look at what has been coming out lately.

Like how in the hell did "The Help" make over $170 million in the US?

 

[Rey Negro]

I don't give a shit how whack this movie might be....its ours.

We need to support it, otherwise Hollywood will have another point of reference as to why we dont need to be represented.

What's $10 and 90 minutes nigga? Hollywood = Dollar Votes. If Red Tails is successful, obviously higher quality black films will follow.

 

[Rey Negro]

Because its not Hollywood thats practicing the racisim, they are just supply what the people demand.

bullshit...

Jumping the Broom made $37 million on a $7 million budget
Just Wright made $21 million on a $12 million budget
Stomp the Yard made $75 million on a $13 million budget (Straight to DVD sequel SMH)

now those are modest profits but, it shows blacks still go to movies. There are plenty of white films still being greenlit that don't make $100 million at the box office, why can't ours? As long as the budgets are kept below $10 M, most will turn a profit relatively easy. Also, people don't flock to the theatre for good stories. People don't give a fuck about quality cinema their first time viewing a trailer, they might after hearing word of mouth of a film being great but, the star power of whoever is attached is the first thing that sells a film. Will Smith, Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, etc. Those stars have had years to grow their brand. Years of starring in big budget movies to grow their star power. Hollywood expects to put these small time black actors in one or two movies every three years and then get upset when it doesn't perform as well as say.......Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr. is Robert Downey Jr. because he's had years to reach that level. Even when our actors are skilled, we get one shot and we're gone.

If studios placed more African Americans in dominant roles in big budget studio films, more black actors would have the chance to become A-listers and garner success on black-casted films.

 

[rapmastermind]

bullshit...

Jumping the Broom made $37 million on a $7 million budget

Just Wright made $21 million on a $12 million budget

Stomp the Yard made $75 million on a $13 million budget (Straight to DVD sequel SMH)

now those are modest profits but, it shows blacks still go to movies. There are plenty of white films still being greenlit that don't make $100 million at the box office, why can't ours? As long as the budgets are kept below $10 M, most will turn a profit relatively easy. Also, people don't flock to the theatre for good stories. People don't give a fuck about quality cinema their first time viewing a trailer, they might after hearing word of mouth of a film being great but, the star power of whoever is attached is the first thing that sells a film. Will Smith, Tom Cruise, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, etc. Those stars have had years to grow their brand. Years of starring in big budget movies to grow their star power. Hollywood expects to put these small time black actors in one or two movies every three years and then get upset when it doesn't perform as well as say.......Iron Man. Robert Downey Jr. is Robert Downey Jr. because he's had years to reach that level. Even when our actors are skilled, we get one shot and we're gone.

If studios placed more African Americans in dominant roles in big budget studio films, more black actors would have the chance to become A-listers and garner success on black-casted films.

Co-sign, that was my only point to the other poster, it's not Business when again they haven't tried to give Black Actors a chance to develop as their white counterparts. I agree that "Bad Boys II" was the biggest budget "Black" film and it was a success here in the states and internationally. The fact the 3 Leads in that film were Black and it was a success let me know that if Hollywood actually put some dough in a Non-comedy, Non-Historical Drama something different like Sci-Fi or Action with an all Black Cast, it could work and people of all races would see it. I'm just tried of the "White people don't want to see Black Films" excuse cause that says more about them than anything.

I had this debate with a White Friend of mines and he honestly told me that it's hard for him to watch Black Historical films cause he is sicken by what Whites did in the past and he really doesn't want to be reminded of what his grandparents and greatparents did cause it was so negative. I understand him but I told him that history is history and history is ugly. I also said if we can watch historical white dramas, you should give the blacks ones a chance. Take a movie like "Ali", even Will Smith couldn't make that a 100 Million Dollar film cause Whites did not support it and Ali is a Icon and Legend. I'm glad George has brought this out cause it's opening up a dialouge about how films are greenlit in Hollywood. Also you right, if we are talking budgets than Most black Films do make their budgets back cause they are low bugdet to begin with. So if they make their budget back on low budgets why are they so conclusive that a Big Budget Black Film won't get returns?

 

[rapmastermind]

People really needed George Lucas to tell them this???

Just look at what has been coming out lately.

Like how in the hell did "The Help" make over $170 million in the US?

LOL, As I saw "The Help" raise and raise up in Box Office, I just shook my head. I know it's based off a best selling book but all I could think off is once again, White People will support the "White Savior" theme over and over again. I'm sure the Blacks in that film will get Oscar Nominations just like "Driving Miss Daisy" or other black "Sidekick" roles. Look at "The Blind Side", the real life football player said it went nothing like that, they protrayed him as some dumb black gentle giant.

 

[Rey Negro]

smh @ Avatar

Billion dollar film. No black actors. LOL @ all the black actors being the aliens. Laz Alonso. Zoe Saldana. CCH Pounder. Thats just blatant.

 

[Rey Negro]

Co-sign, that was my only point to the other poster, it's not Business when again they haven't tried to give Black Actors a chance to develop as their white counterparts. I agree that "Bad Boys II" was the biggest budget "Black" film and it was a success here in the states and internationally. The fact the 3 Leads in that film were Black and it was a success let me know that if Hollywood actually put some dough in a Non-comedy, Non-Historical Drama something different like Sci-Fi or Action with an all Black Cast, it could work and people of all races would see it. I'm just tried of the "White people don't want to see Black Films" excuse cause that says more about them than anything.

I had this debate with a White Friend of mines and he honestly told me that it's hard for him to watch Black Historical films cause he is sicken by what Whites did in the past and he really doesn't want to be reminded of what his grandparents and greatparents did cause it was so negative. I understand him but I told him that history is history and history is ugly. I also said if we can watch historical white dramas, you should give the blacks ones a chance. Take a movie like "Ali", even Will Smith couldn't make that a 100 Million Dollar film cause Whites did not support it and Ali is a Icon and Legend. I'm glad George has brought this out cause it's opening up a dialouge about how films are greenlit in Hollywood. Also you right, if we are talking budgets than Most black Films do make their budgets back cause they are low bugdet to begin with. So if they make their budget back on low budgets why are they so conclusive that a Big Budget Black Film won't get returns?

I feel you on your friend part. That's pretty much how my white friends react too. Nobody really wants to be reminded for 2 hours how fucked up their relatives were less than 60 years ago. I don't mean that to sound malicious though lol. So I guess I can understand them.

It would. Like...."Twilight" for an example. I know that sh*t was based on a book and the girl was white but, I wished movies like that had some sistas or brothers in it.

[video=youtube;1yP2C20uI7w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yP2C20uI7w&feature=youtu.be[/video]

Like if the black girl from Vampire Diaries was the main girl in Twilight. I still think Teenage girls would've flocked to it regardless. No homo.

 

[Swiffness!]

Hollywood is run by greedy jews

*Patrick Bateman voice*

"Just cool it with the anti-Semitic remarks...."

 

[sdotcarter111]

- if the help is a movie about black people that proves black movies make bank, then so does the blind side and dangerous minds. these are movies about how nice white people are that use niggas to send the message

- bad boys 2 being a blockbuster proves no points when will smith by himself guarantees any movie to make 100mil+. and bad boys/bad boys 2 was not an all black cast like red tails. yall really think george talkin bout hollywood needs convincing to release will smith joints?

- dont just wright, jump the broom, etc. prove that black films actually are being made? niggas talkin like the last black-cast movie we saw was Friday. if we are seeing these films come out then obviously there is not a blackball

 

[KingJamal]

- if the help is a movie about black people that proves black movies make bank, then so does the blind side and dangerous minds. these are movies about how nice white people are that use niggas to send the message

- bad boys 2 being a blockbuster proves no points when will smith by himself guarantees any movie to make 100mil+. and bad boys/bad boys 2 was not an all black cast like red tails. yall really think george talkin bout hollywood needs convincing to release will smith joints?

- dont just wright, jump the broom, etc. prove that black films actually are being made? niggas talkin like the last black-cast movie we saw was Friday. if we are seeing these films come out then obviously there is not a blackball

These films are garbage. Fuck all these Romance/Dramas films. We need Fantasy/Horror//Sci-Fi/Action/Adventure films with a black cast