Armed with an endless supply of enthusiasm, Chip Hughey and I set out for James Madison University this Tuesday to see an icon, a legend and a living inspiration known to the masses as Spike Lee.
As we crawled down Route 81 at a snail's pace, we adamantly discussed our favorite "Spike Lee Joints." I, as the drama and African/African-American studies major that I am, love Spike Lee because of the accuracy, class, dignity and validity he gives the African-American experience through his films.
I was somewhat shocked when Chip conveyed the same love and respect for Spike Lee films. It became clear to me that Lee is such a wonderful and popular filmmaker because, though most of his works revolve around black themes, they portray the intricate, delicate, beautiful and resilient nature of the human spirit, which is not exclusive to any race, nationality or religion.
Lee stepped on the stage with an aura of deep intelligence. However, he spoke as if he were speaking to a close friend. He opened his speech with political commentary on the Bush administration and its failure to cough up weapons of mass destruction and Bin Laden.
"I'm still looking for these weapons of mass destruction," Lee said. "All of a sudden nobody knows nuttin'."
He switched gears and gave inspirational detail on what made him want to become a filmmaker and continue to pursue that dream even when black directors were scarce and the images of black people were still detrimental. Armed with an unshakable confidence in himself and in the necessity and severity of his work, Lee said he rallied his classmates and pinched pennies to create his first film, "She's Got to Have It," which received critical acclaim and began Lee's prolific career.
Since then, Lee has accomplished what he set out to do: make great, not to mention profitable, films that carry serious social messages. These works include "School Daze," "Do the Right Thing," "Jungle Fever," "Mo' Betta Blues," "Girl 6," "Crooklyn," "Malcolm X,""Bamboozled" and "25th Hour."
Lee contends that there is still a lot of room for improvement in the way black Americans are portrayed in the media, noting B.E.T., sitcoms and the never-ending supply of movies that depict blacks as thugs and hoes. Lee termed this all as the new form of "buffoonery and coonary." Lee cited the all-white "gatekeepers" in movie studios that green light or reject movie ideas as the cause of the stagnant and oppressing roles for black people.
However, Lee did not make complaints without offering solutions. He suggested that movie stars such as Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy and Will Smith finance movies that accurately and positively depict black life.
Lee went on to address the especially important topic of hip-hop. Lee said the gangsta images that rap stars such as 50 Cent portray influence black children throughout the nation to deal drugs, pimp and gang-bang.
"There are more black men in prison than there are enrolled in colleges and universities," he said.
Lee stressed the need for blacks to advocate the importance of education and celebrate academic excellence. He blamed the media for encouraging black males to only look to sports and entertainment for career possibilities. Lee also was particularly condemning of college athletics that do not pay black athletes or advocate their academic success. "These guys are being pimped," he said.
During the question-and-answer session, Lee was very honest, open and thoughtful in his responses. The audience held nothing back, asking him to respond to questions ranging from how he approaches each film and its style to his court case with Spike TV. One gutsy student even used his time at the mike to plea for a shot at working with Lee, begging the filmmaker for an internship.
Lee answered quickly and smoothly -- no doubt he had answered these questions for previous audiences.
Lee said "Malcom X" and "She's Gotta Have It" were "no question" the hardest films he's made in his career. He attributed the difficulty of "Malcom X" to the monumental size of the film and to the pressure from society, particularly African-American society, to portray the historic figure with respect and accuracy. He said "She's Gotta Have It" was exceptionally trying due to the hardship of raising enough funding for the film to be completed.
In several of his films, Lee placed the actor in a scene on the mobile dolly with the camera, giving the actor the illusion of floating through space. When asked why, Lee said that after playing around with the technique and liking its aesthetic payoff, he wanted to use it to portray a character's frame of mind.
"I knew if I was going to use the technique, it would have to be done in order to allow the audience to understand something about the character and the state he is in," Lee said.
Most notably, he used these shots in "25th Hour" and "Malcolm X," just before Malcolm X is assassinated.
In a candid response to who inspired his career as a filmmaker, Lee called Martin Scorcese the "greatest filmmaker alive today," identifying Scorcese's "Raging Bull" as nothing short of genius. Lee said he defied anyone to watch the Oscar-winning film of the same year, "Ordinary People," compare it to "Raging Bull" and say afterwards that "Ordinary People" is the better film.
Lee also spoke about the incredible physical difficulties of shooting a film. Between watching shots from the previous day, setting up, shooting the shots for the present day and finding time for his wife and two children, Lee said there is simply no down time.
"Shooting Malcolm X" almost killed me -- seriously," he said.
Lee's funniest response dealt with his dispute with Viacom, Inc., over the name of the newly created "Spike TV." When asked why he sued the company, he replied coyly with a smile on his face.
"Well, when I heard about Viacom creating 'Spike TV,' I hired Johnnie Cochran. We came to a settlement," he said.
Details of the settlement were not released, but the inward grin alluded to a large prize received from Viacom, Inc.
Lee is such a positive role model not because of what he says but because of what he has done. He has jump started the careers of Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Martin Lawrence and a slew of others by creating wonderful and challenging roles for black people. Furthermore, through his own production company, 40 acres and a mule (named after the reparations slaves were promised through Reconstruction but never received), he has placed black people in important roles behind the scenes. Spike Lee is to black Hollywood what Langston Hughes was to the Harlem Renaissance and Amiri Baraka was to the Black Arts Movement.
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