Spike Lee isn’t going to like this review that Uncle Luke wrote for the Miami New Times praising Quentin Tarantino for his Django Unchained film. Here goes:
Screw Spike Lee. Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained is a brilliant flick that more accurately depicts the African American experience than any of the 15 movies about black culture Lee’s directed in his lifetime. It’s why the movie took home a Golden Globe award for best screenplay over the weekend and why it was recently nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Since Django Unchained hit the theaters, Lee has been publicly trashing Tarantino. In announcing his personal boycott of the movie, the Do The Right Thing filmmaker tweeted, “American slavery was not a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western,” and “It Was A Holocaust. My Ancestors Are Slaves. Stolen From Africa. I Will Honor Them.”
Lee needs to get over himself. He’s upset because Tarantino makes better movies. The man who put Malcolm X on the big screen is Hollywood’s resident house negro; a bougie activist who wants to tell his fellow white auteurs how they can and can’t depict African Americans.
Continued after the jump.
He complains that Tarantino uses “nigger” too much (100 times) in Django Unchained, but show me a white man in the 1800s who wasn’t dropping n-bombs left and right.
Tarantino is one of Tinseltown’s most clever directors. Some of the most brutal scenes in Django Unchained are metaphors for the unfair racial inequality African-Americans still experience today. For instance, Leonardio DiCaprio’s plantation owner character Calvin Candie trains some of his male slaves to fight to the death in a sport called “Mandingo Fighting.”
When one of the slaves refuses to fight, Candie threatens to feed him to his wild dogs. That scene is analogous to professional boxing where white promoters control black fighters through fear and intimidation.
In another scene, a bunch of slaves are shocked to see Django riding a horse since blacks were never allowed to have one. That’s like the people who stare at the dude who returns to the neighborhood driving a Bentley.
While on the horse, Django tells the slaves that he’ll treat them worse than any white man ever will. That’s the truth about blacks in positions of authority in today’s corporate America. They will treat blacks worse than any white boss every could.
Lee could never pull off a movie like this. When he’s not being an ass from his court side seats during New York Knicks games, he’s making bull crap films that most African Americans cannot relate to.
Spike is upset because Samuel L. Jackson’s character in the movie is just like him: a conniving and scheming Uncle Tom.
{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
Holy shit. What a horrible, horrible, quote. Uncle Luke isn’t speaking from a place of knowledge. Oh my, I hope people don’t think he speaks for too many people. He is entitled to his opinion, of course, as is Spike Lee, but neither of these people speak to the opinion I, or many others, have concerning this topic.
Can you give us an explanation to why Spike Lee hates on Tyler Perry and a movie he hasn’t seen? And why Django was so horrible I can please.
Wow….he went IN and I agree with most of the points he made about Spike’s sorry ass. You never hear about Steven Spielberg trashing Oliver Stone and calling his work an abomination of Jewish art. Why does Spike feel like he can twist his opinions into the damn gospel? Yeah, I don’t like those Tyler Perry Medea movies, but I don’t deride Tyler for making them or disrespect the black audiences who enjoy them. Spike Lee needs to stop talking shit with his mouth and start directing/writing/producing movies that speak for themselves.
Its need to be out there. Tarantino put it out there. Period.
is spike didn’t like it, his ass should’ve made a slave movie
That was harsh, but need to be said about Spike Lee. He does come off as a bougie activist who thinks he depiction of African Americans is the truthful one. Hating Tyler Perry when he knows there is always a moral story to his movies. I don’t know what Spike doesn’t see that. Django a had a slavery background, but wasn’t Jamie Foxx killing white folks like it was nothing? So it was done in a clever way. And luke was right about the undertone meaning of some of the scenes. I just don’t get spike because he used to make great movies. And Tarantino is not a racist.
-luke is wrong for going at spike (a black man) so strongly in support of a white man (tarantino). Talk about being on the wrong side of the race equation.
-Luke isn’t wrong about spike’s art. spike hasn’t really made movies black people relate to in a long time. part of it is age. part of it is his refusal to change and grow as an artist. part of it is his inability to look at issues from other sides. the biggest part is that he’s always been a overrated filmmaker – and the further away he gets from the passion of his youth – the more exposed the deficits in his moviemaking are.
-Spike wants slavery to be as untouchable and hallowed an issue as the holocaust. I get why he wants that – but i’m not sure if the time where that was possible still exists.
–the biggest and best endorsements for django for me are the actors in it: Jamie foxx, Kerry Washington, and sam Jackson are all artists and professionals I respect. And their co-sign was good enough for me to go see it.
so I think spike is in the wrong on tarantino and tyler perry – but luke isn’t right for jumping on tarantino’s porch with a shotgun looking to cut down the proverbial field nigga.
tarantino… out of anybody in this world… is one of the last people to need an editorial rescuing, luke. you don’t save hoes, but you save white directors? what part of the game is this?
you’re white I can tell by your over usage of acting as if your argument is in the black defense. lmao!
you’re absolutely wrong about that.
i’m black.
FOH with luke supporting a white director! I’m black and l support what luke said about spike. Stop with racist bullshit. luke was right.
period. spike is out of touch. its not about race as much as it is about proven yourself. if you black and smart you get respect. period. we pass the point of blaming race and slavery.
of course it’s about race.
it’s about a white man who made a controversial movie about black slaves. of course it’s about race. LOL are you serious?
and how ironic is it that luke talked about black bosses being the black worker’s own worst enemy in an editorial where he rides on a legendary black director for a white man?
how fucking ironic is that?
I don’t disagree with Luke’s artistic critique’s of spike at all. I already said that. I disagree with his tone, his choice of venue, and his choice of opportunity to voice his critique. absolutely idiotic and disgraceful.
Spike basically shitted and Jamie, kerry, and sam jack about doing the movie and not one of them have ever had a word one to say about spike in return. because they’re fucking smart and have vision.
idiots always value spectacle over virtue. it’s all they can understand.
well here’s a spectacle for you. carry on.
black? Well I guess your a coon ass nigga then.
ah, the worthless opinion of a broke nigga.
Supporting the movie doesn’t mean you’re just supporting a white man. You’re also supporting all the black people who were involved with it. The first thing you said, anonymous, is dumb.
nigga when the fuck did anyone say anything about seeing the movie = supporting the white man?
learn to fucking read before you call someone dumb.
idiot.
From anonymous’ comment:
-luke is wrong for going at spike (a black man) so strongly in support of a white man (tarantino). Talk about being on the wrong side of the race equation.
Luke is supporting a white man and his movie over a black man. That’s what I drew from that statement. How about you learn to argue without using fuck or calling someone a nigga.
from my comment:
“Luke is wrong FOR GOING AT SPIKE (a black man) SO STRONGLY N SUPPORT OF A WHITE MAN (TARANTINO).”
Nowhere is his MOVIE mentioned. Fuck what you “drew” from that statement.
I’m not arguing, first of all. Second, why would I argue with a nigga who can’t read?
Thank you Uncle Luke! Spike has always downed every person that makes a movie about the black man! Instead of bitchin all the time why don’t you hire no named black actors and actresses that need the work and help them like Tyler Perry? He won’t because he has ” arrivied ” and now he feels he is too good for new black actors! He just needs to have a seat!
lol who knew luke could speak intelligently?! I fuck with spike on some of his shit but honestly, he aint doin shit but hatin. And white people say the n-word like its going out of style so really, who cares?! $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
and I apologize for using the word intelligent. that was completely out of line. once i reread the shit =/
‘While on the horse, Django tells the slaves that he’ll treat them worse than any white man ever will. That’s the truth about blacks in positions of authority in today’s corporate America. They will treat blacks worse than any white boss every could.’
- typea shit is that?! obviously never experienced the differential in a white/black boss. such an ignorant statement
sooo lets see QT,,make a positive movie about african americans,,,where the lead actor is isnt a killer or some kind of weirdo,,,there word nigger pertains to whoever responds to it,,,,,,but once again a movie depicting african americans as killers or savages thinking,,,,,,is getting rave reviews,,,,,,,,,,,meanwhile in chicago
Shut up. Look at QT’s last 5 or 6 movies (and beyond that). They were all violent and had some sort of weirdo. Django is no exception.
yeah, hes not sexist because of kill bill is he? pretty sure pulp fiction and reservoir dogs didnt have any blacks but they still blew everything up in those movies
Uh, pulp fiction did have blacks
spike is still in touch creatively,,,,,some of you have forgotten about his works,,,,,director for the kings of comedy movie,,,,miracle at santa ann,,,when the levees broke,,,micheal jackson documentary,,,long story short spike isnt hurting,,,just stating the obvious,,,and everyone took the bait,,,,dont hate spike hate hollywood,,,they depict us in some shady light,,,,real or not,,,,
And in miracle at santa ann, all the brothers were in love with white women.
Spike ass thought black people were going to hop on the band wagon with that statement about Django, and when he realized black people were going to go see the movie and judge it for themselves, he shut up. The problem with Spike’s statement about the movie is that he went publicly with his disdain for it without actually seeing the film. That to me is what made him look stupid. He thought it was going to be just another slave movie (Hell, I thought the same) and it was far from that. Have you noticed since the movie came out, we havent heard anything else from Spike’s ass? You only come out against something that strongly after first experiencing it THEN making an EDUCATED judgement about it.
Spikes been committed to making movies about blacks since 19 oh long, and god knows he’s had some good ones. I think spike is jealous of Quentin’s ability to get his movies financed with ease. I thought Django was well done and funny. spike been an outspoken critic of Hollywood and their portrayal of blacks which has alienated him, and for that ill respectfully disagree with him on Django and keep it moving.
+1
i did not like d movie one bit. im not sure wat it was but it came off as a comedy and a parody of african slavery in america, ofcourse d n word must b used wen depicting those times however, it was grossly n purposely over used. n dats my problem. everyone played in QT hands. he wanted dis kinda of talk about him n usin d n word a few times wud hav never done it so it was a tactical and disgusting move which is where d disrespect comes in. the show itself was absolutely ridiculous and i feel as thou i watched a movie in d middle n never saw d ending, dats how i felt about it wen i saw it. it seemed all purposeless to me. but i am not at all surprise black ppl loved it n r praising it, after all during slavery dere were black men in charge of whippings and punishment and many slave revolts were foiled by black ppl reporting to d slave owner. so its understandable dat a white man can make a mockery of african slavery in america n black ppl love it. lol. its called, mental slavery …
Patrice, use proper grammar next time. Then maybe we can understand what the hell you’re saying. You sound like an angry text message.
From anonymous’ comment:
-luke is wrong for going at spike (a black man) so strongly in support of a white man (tarantino). Talk about being on the wrong side of the race equation.
Luke is supporting a white man and his movie over a black man. That’s what I drew from that statement. How about you learn to argue without using fuck or calling someone a nigga.
Wrong thread, sorry.
I am just happy that the black man didnt die in the movie.
1st, that review from Luther Campbell was VERY simple. Expected, if you ask me, from a simple minded, base-level man.
Reading his comments, although necessary for my own personal curiosity, was a complete waste of my time.
I understand that not every movie has to be historically spot on but when dealing with the Black Holocaust of American slavery, a topic which is not widely studied by the masses, I fully support critical upheaval if necessary.
Spike Lee has a voice, but he is not the only one to speak critically about DJango.
As a man that used to dehumanize women..he totally hit the nail on the head. Also if spike has such problems stop attending nyc bball games, make some real shit. And also were the writeres/ producers of the movie “Roots” white also?
I really enjoyed the movie and I do believe we live in a world designed to not let a certain group of people succeed. They are afraid of the brown/black race. Afraid and mad because they are stronger, faster, more attractive, clever, more intelligent, connected spiritually to earth. They are mad and have done everything possible to hold us back with making us hunt our own kind. They don’t even have to get rid of us cause at this point we can get rid of ourselves.
And another thing I’m SICK of blacks all on the “n” word. In the 1800′s what u think they was callin yo ass? Nigga. The end of the story django. Fought for LOVE and where did that get him? FREE. Only love can free us was the message. All we need is love. So I do not understand why this was offending and not good for black culture. And I’m sick of blacks hollerin black culture when what are u doing to better our culture? Oh so I guess yelling YOLO and poppin mollys, bitches and hos and straps is good? THAT’S not offending to black culture? Artists like Chief Queef excuse me Keif, being a young kid tellin your young bblack children to shoot and fuck everything that has a hole is good? That whole “offensive to our culture and ancestors” is a crock of shit.
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I’ve never read such ignorant shit about a movie ever. The fuck people mad about using the word nigger for? These same dumb asses use the word daily and probably listen to rappers who utilize the word dozens of times. Any rap supporter can be seen as an Uncle Tom too. Why else would u listen to rappers down other black men and get backing by white corporate America? It’s a fucking movie, get over it. And who’s stupid enough to keep saying blacks to describe African Americans? People all butt hurt over the movie are just fucking idiots. I watched fucking roots on tv and I heard nigger more times than I could count. But since brother Alex Haley made it, hey no harm in that. You all are ridiculous with this self righteous shit. The movie didn’t come off as a comedy assholes just took it as such. Get off the fucking high horse assholes… Who’s that nigga on that neigh? Lol douchebags!
Signed,
A black man
And you all sound stupid talking about supporting a white man blah blah blah. The movie had symbolism that most you dummies didn’t pick up on it and just jumped on the n word band wagon. What about all the damn violence? The fact that a German (aren’t they nazis to u small minded) was remorseful about slavery but killed for a dollar? God people never since to amaze me with their ignorant opinions. Tarantino depicted the time period well and personally I’m sure nigger was used way more than what the movie showed.
Tarantino done an excellant depicting the era of his movie and what I enjoyed most was he brought out the best and worst of our culture, both black and white, master and slave, male and female…I loved this movie for these reasons alone. As far as Spike Lee is concerned I think the green eyed monster got in his path.
All of you that find it relevant to point out uncle luke defending a white man obviously miss the point of his comment completely. It has nothing to do with the race of the directirs as much as it does the ignorance in spike lees statement. Luke is correct in his opinion and that’s somethng you geniuses shall deal with. Spike lee is a failed director that feels his perception of “niggas” is the only perception that matters. His perception is streotypical and inly adds to the way we as blacks are already perceived. Which is a shame that he would rather contributr to the view of our ignorance than to help us save face as a people. But that’s an arguement for another day.
anyone who say it has nothing to do with the race of the directors is an idiot UP FRONT – and it obviates the rest of his argument.
of course it has to do with race. it has to do with the use of the n-word. it has to do with depictions of sensitive and harrowing aspects of cultural history. it has to do with the notion of cultural overlords in racial and ethnic groups and whether such things should exist. this would be much less an issue if this movie were directed by a black person.
CASE IN POINT: Red Tails. Lucas chose a black director PURPOSELY TO AVOID THESE KINDS OF ISSUES. And it worked: there were tons of critiques about the lack of historical accuracy in that film and NONE of it made th top of ANY NEWS CYCLE.
Of course it had to do with race. don’t be fucking ridiculous.
luke’s point is that spike should sit down and shut up. HE’S WRONG. Spike has the right to say what he feels. That’s freedom of speech – a right our forefathers died for.
luke makes a purposeful point about how black bosses rode black workers harder than white bosses. that is ironic considering he’s riding down on spike harder than anyone else has – white critiques included. HOW IRONIC IS THAT? so he INSULTS and intimates HIMSELF in his own bullshit argument! Like his train of thought wasn’t long enough to not contradict himself in his own piece. WOW. And these are the dudes whose opinions you co-sign? WOW.
finally, luke – the nigga who used to have a band of traveling hoes that would suck and fuck niggas out the audience on stage? This luke? He has no moral or artistic leverage to critique ANYONE.
you don’t like spike’s opinion (and for the record I agree with the critiques of Spike – overrated as a director – self-appointed rebel without a cause. we don’t need you spike.) you don’t have to listen to it. but he has the right to say it – just like Quentin Tarantino had the artistic right to make a movie about slaves.
what this is about is whether Luke has any artistic credibility to make this argument. he has none. does he have any cultural credibility to make this argument. he has none.
and of all the topics to choose to make a issue it’s this one? A sensitive race issue? who the fuck is your PR person, Luke? what a fucking idiot.
FIN