martin payne
All Star
absolutely not 
Malcolm X (1992) is this the definitive version or should there be another adaptation?
- Thread starter Dr. Narcisse
- Start date
I mean,shyt is just facts. You can't catch that lightning in a bottle again. A studio giving up $60 mil to make something that's not a four quadrant movie in 2018 isn't happening. Also I doubt any of us really want to see another Malcolm X movie, at least not enough of us to make it a successful movie. Especially when the studio looks at the last one and says "well that lost money, why would we do that again?" And the next time a director goes over budget, better believe they're getting yanked off the project and no amount of celebrity money will make them change their minds.
It's funny you say that because my dad feels the exact opposite. He didn't like Spike going over budget, didn't like that he needed people to bail him out, and felt he mismanaged the whole thing. He liked the movie, didn't love the movie, but he felt Spike made it all about Spike, which is a thing Spike is known to do.
Spike is an Auteur. Probably the FIRST black auteur to crack through the mainstream. Call me crazy, but i think that Spike showed incredible restraint NOT making it all about him. He allowed Denzel to shine
nah not the movie. the production behind the movie
He just felt Spike made the whole thing about Spike and etc etc. He and I have had a couple convos about it and then I just stopped caring so there were no more conversationsAnd yeah the first on the mainstream but there are plenty of brothers who did work on horror flicks but horror at that time wasn't mainstream so we know how that goes
Your Dad's opinion doesn't make any sense at all. Prolly a good man.nah not the movie. the production behind the movie
And yeah the first on the mainstream but there are plenty of brothers who did work on horror flicks but horror at that time wasn't mainstream so we know how that goes
He was watching the whole thing in motion. He felt spike mismanaged the whole thing, was in the public eye too much making it all about him, and should’ve went about his business differently. That’s his take. I wouldn’t t say that doesn’t make sense. My dad is an old school kinda guy like that and that clashes with 1992 spike lee
Spike had to promote the movie, even had Michael Jordan rocking the Malcolm X hat.
They pronally were not giving Spike enough money to promote like other films of the time.
Also film should be judged by itself on its own separate from promotion.
It's is literally a perfect biopic. A perfect film and a Oscar deserving performance from Denzel.
Your Dad doesn't make any sense and also its such a bizarre opinion nobody else felt the way he did.
Dude you go over budget that’s what happens. If I give you 28 and you say nah it’s going to be 33, there is no more money lol. That’s how studios operate. So in his mind he shouldn’t have gone over budget. He should’ve stuck to the money they gave him and let that be that.
Breh I’m not going to defend my dad against someone I don’t know on the internet so we can dead this now and let it be that cause family is my third rail
What did You think if the film itself? Who cares what your Daddy thinks?
You'll be a man soon.
Dr. Narcisse
Veteran
Maybe I should have made this thread in TLR 
Oh man how do I even respond to something that clever? How can I be that witty and come up with such a rejoinder to counter that Oscar Wilde-level writing? I need time to sit and think about this one man. You really stumped me with that banter.They put in $28 million and it made $44.7 million after 5 weeks, domestically.....$48 million to date.... The "studio" made their money back.
Malcolm X (1992) - Weekend Box Office Results - Box Office Mojo
Hollywood really didn't fukk with Spike like that back then. They didn't do much marketing for it. Spike and his production company did way more than Warner Brothers for this movie.
And for the folks who gave money for him to complete the movie his way, some things serve a much higher purpose than financial return on investment.
I agree with most of that but we’ve been over the money shyt before in countless threads. If I put in 28 and it only makes 44 that ain’t enough. I need to make at least 80-90 to recoup the full investment of my 28. They lost money.
Yeah he got a raw deal but that’s what happens when you go over budget. The studio balks. I’m not mad at him for doing what he had to do to get the job done the way he envisioned. He stuck to his script he didn’t fold and he made what he wanted to make. I’ll always respect that. But the studio game is different. They care about the bottom line
I hear your point on the money, but Warner Brothers went into it 100% knowing that a Malcolm X movie in 1992 wasn't doing $80-90 million. They were behind the effort. $28 million is nothing to them, and the movie made back that nut, plus 70% on top of it. It did not lose money. Spike wasn't bleeding money like Apocalypse Now or Scarface did. It was a very ambitious project, and he and Denzel delivered a classic movie.
From that same NY Times article written before the movie premiered in 1992. Spike Lee Says Money From Blacks Saved 'X'
"Mr. Lee said he was told by the bond company that the film could be no longer than 2 hours and 15 minutes and that Warner Brothers, which is producing the film and will distribute it, would not pay another "single penny" to complete it. At the time, costs on the film, initially budgeted at $28 million, had climbed to nearly $33 million. Mr. Lee has said final costs for the movie, which is now being edited, may run over $40 million.
"This is not a loan," said Mr. Lee, who declined to disclosed the specific amount donated. "They are not investing in the film. These are black folks with some money who came to the rescue of the movie. As a result, this film will be my version. Not the bond company's version, not Warner Brothers'. I will do the film the way it ought to be, and it will be over three hours."
"When we began the film, we never had the amount of money we needed," the film maker told those gathered in the auditorium on the 67th anniversary of Malcolm X's birth. Among those attending were Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X's widow; Ms. Cafritz, and the actor Ossie Davis, a close friend of the black nationalist leader who was slain 27 years ago.
The film, which stars Denzel Washington as Malcolm X, is scheduled for release Nov. 20. Since filming began last fall, the movie has been the subject of considerable discussion and debate, in and out of Hollywood and among blacks who felt Mr. Lee would focus on the more flamboyant, crime-plagued phase of Malcolm's life instead of on his life as a Muslim leader.
Mr. Lee said he called the press conference not only to acknowledge his debt to those who helped "bail me out," but also to correct some of the rumors about the film, particularly those that said it was in trouble and not being supported by Warner Brothers.
"The trouble began when the bond company took over the financial part and we couldn't write checks anymore," said Mr. Lee. "Warner Brothers has seen the film twice and they're behind it."
Robert G. Friedman, a Warner spokesman, said by telephone from California that "We're very pleased with the film and look forward to seeing the completed version.""
From that same NY Times article written before the movie premiered in 1992. Spike Lee Says Money From Blacks Saved 'X'
"Mr. Lee said he was told by the bond company that the film could be no longer than 2 hours and 15 minutes and that Warner Brothers, which is producing the film and will distribute it, would not pay another "single penny" to complete it. At the time, costs on the film, initially budgeted at $28 million, had climbed to nearly $33 million. Mr. Lee has said final costs for the movie, which is now being edited, may run over $40 million.
"This is not a loan," said Mr. Lee, who declined to disclosed the specific amount donated. "They are not investing in the film. These are black folks with some money who came to the rescue of the movie. As a result, this film will be my version. Not the bond company's version, not Warner Brothers'. I will do the film the way it ought to be, and it will be over three hours."
"When we began the film, we never had the amount of money we needed," the film maker told those gathered in the auditorium on the 67th anniversary of Malcolm X's birth. Among those attending were Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X's widow; Ms. Cafritz, and the actor Ossie Davis, a close friend of the black nationalist leader who was slain 27 years ago.
The film, which stars Denzel Washington as Malcolm X, is scheduled for release Nov. 20. Since filming began last fall, the movie has been the subject of considerable discussion and debate, in and out of Hollywood and among blacks who felt Mr. Lee would focus on the more flamboyant, crime-plagued phase of Malcolm's life instead of on his life as a Muslim leader.
Mr. Lee said he called the press conference not only to acknowledge his debt to those who helped "bail me out," but also to correct some of the rumors about the film, particularly those that said it was in trouble and not being supported by Warner Brothers.
"The trouble began when the bond company took over the financial part and we couldn't write checks anymore," said Mr. Lee. "Warner Brothers has seen the film twice and they're behind it."
Robert G. Friedman, a Warner spokesman, said by telephone from California that "We're very pleased with the film and look forward to seeing the completed version.""
Dante Manning
Banned
good movie but we can do better, we can always do better..
richaveli83
Veteran
I was partially raised in the NOI and actually met people who knew Malcolm X in the 50s and 60s before he left the NOI and later Minister Farrakhan in the 60s so I know about stuff that wasn't accurate about the movie and autobiography but the movie is a classic and shouldn't be remade. Plus if they did they'll probably shoehorn the BS that Malcolm was gay/bisexual during his Detroit Red days.
We need a big Hollywood film about MLK. I'm actually surprised we haven't gotten one yet.
We need a big Hollywood film about MLK. I'm actually surprised we haven't gotten one yet.