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1977 New York. It's the hottest on record, the murder rate is at all time high, David Berkowitz is stalking the city murdering young women and couples, the sexual revolution hits the working class with a dull thud, and a group of provincial low-rent Soprano characters look for a scapegoat for all the tension. They find it in Adrien Brody's bisexual punk.
Spike Lee takes on a dozen themes, including [for the first time that I know of] homophobia. I had no idea when I rented the disc. And I wonder - why isn't this on any of those damn 'Best 100 GLBTQ Films' lists?
Spike Lee takes on a dozen themes, including [for the first time that I know of] homophobia. I had no idea when I rented the disc. And I wonder - why isn't this on any of those damn 'Best 100 GLBTQ Films' lists?
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Re: Summer of Sam
Wed, February 14, 2007 - 10:31 AMI am not sure of the Chronology of Spike's films "Summer of Sam" might be the first time he addressed Homophobia but it was part of the film "Get On The Bus" with Henry Lennix and surprisingly Isaiah Washington playing a gay couple who were on the bus going to the Million Man March... -
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Re: Summer of Sam
Wed, February 14, 2007 - 11:33 AMI just got back from IMDB. Get on the Bus was 1996, Summer of Sam 1999. They also listed a short film from 2005, Jesus Children of America, about a teenage girl who learns that she was born HIV poz [it was part of a series of seven shorts called The Invisible Children, which was released pretty much everywhere but the US].
Pardon if I'm feeling a bit cynical these days ... but it seems our national organizations are always honoring washed-up musicians and corrupt politicians who like to suck cock [cough Mc Greevey cough]. Anyone know if Lee gets any recognition from the NYC and Beltway crowd? Personally, I'm just rediscovering his movies ... I pretty much ignored him the last decade & it was a mistake. His recent movies are phenomenal. -
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Re: Summer of Sam
Wed, February 14, 2007 - 12:48 PMAlot of people still see Spike as just a "black filmaker" and NY Knicks fan of course, they think he only does black movies and for that matter because of "Do The Right Thing" and "Jungle Fever" only controversial black topics. He should get more credit for "When The Levees Broke" and the documentary about the 4 Black girls who were bombed at the Birmingham in 1963... -
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Re: Summer of Sam
Wed, February 14, 2007 - 4:44 PMyeah [ducks head in shame] I think I did that too. I loved his first three [She's Gotta Have It, Do the Right Thing, School Daze], and felt kind of neutral about the next [Mo Better Blues, Malcom X] and positively hated Jungle Fever. And though I always meant to check his other work, i never really got around to it. I knew more about Spike Lee the Controversy! than his actual movies.
Which ... I've got no excuse.
I understand why his movies don't play well in the mainstream - he's still experimental, left-of-center, very humanist oriented, and his narratives are complex & can be ambiguous. If he was French he'd be a Movie House God.
And the more I think about it, the more irked I am that GLAAD & co. haven't really acknowledged this. Seriously, Summer of Sam viewed homophobia with the same rage you'd expect from a gay filmmaker.
I just ordered Invisible Children on ebay ... I'll post when I watch it!
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