The Birth of a Nation (Official Thread)

Dr. Narcisse

Dr. Narcisse

Veteran
Joined
May 1, 2014
Messages
50,232
Reputation
11,477
Daps
166,641
Some of the negatives I've been seeing..
This film’s depiction of Black women falls so short of the mark it’s embarrassing. Nat Turner is depicted as a god-king. Touched at birth and prophesied for greatness. Which, in and of itself, isn’t a bad thing. It makes for the beginning of a great fairy tale. But this isn’t a fairy tale and it isn’t presented as one. This really happened. Turner was a real human being. And as Turner says when he argues for the right to baptize the white man, “No man is free of sin.”

Unfortunately, we never see Turner sin. He is depicted as the smartest, kindest, forthright human being to ever walk the planet. In the same way, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, and every other human ever, was beautifully flawed. We must know that Turner, no matter what hope he has given to his people, was not a god. He was a man doing his best under the worst of situations. His best included slaughter of infants and children. Parker shouldn’t be allowed to erase that from history. If the story is to be told, tell the whole damn thing.

To that same effect, we cannot erase the roles Black women have played in the revolution. The two main Black female characters exist entirely to serve Turner.
Click to expand...


The most depressing thing about The Birth of a Nation is this could have been an amazing film. The story of Nat Turner is inspirational; a great man fighting not for himself, but for all of his people. No longer willing to take what is given, but demanding his freedom. It’s a story I hope will be remade with more thoughtfulness in the future.
Click to expand...

Not going to link because its spoiler heavy.
 
satam55

satam55

Veteran
Supporter
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
45,165
Reputation
4,893
Daps
89,023
Reppin
DFW Metroplex
satam55

satam55

Veteran
Supporter
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
45,165
Reputation
4,893
Daps
89,023
Reppin
DFW Metroplex

It’s still early to be betting on box office for the October 7-9 weekend, but observers are wondering just how much the controversy surrounding Nate Parker’s 17-year old rape charge will impact the wide opening of “The Birth of a Nation.”

Three weeks before opening, “The Birth of a Nation” is tracking for a domestic opening weekend in the $9 million to $10 million range at 1,500-plus locations. That would be a respectable amount for an R-rated historical drama.

Fox Searchlight bought “The Birth of a Nation” for a record-breaking $17.5 million following its premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival. Parker produced, directed from his own script along with starring as Nat Turner in the story of the 1831 slave rebellion.

The terms of the deal required Fox Searchlight to open the movie on at least 1,500 screens in the U.S., perhaps hoping to capitalize on the publicity for what would have been a polarizing film even before Parker’s personal controversy. A wide release for a festival film with awards potential is fairly unusual, since most films of that nature open in very limited release before expanding wide. That makes it tricky to find a clear box office comparison.

Fox Searchlight also handled best picture Oscar winner “12 Years a Slave,” which dealt with the pre-Civil War struggle of Solomon Northrop, and went on to gross $56 million. “12 Years” opened with 19 sites in its opening weekend in October, 2013, then expanded to 123 in its second frame, 410 in its third and 1,140 in its fourth — generating its top weekend with $6.7 million — before finishing with $56 million and a trio of Oscars including supporting actress for Lupita Nyong’o and adapted screenplay for John Ridley.

Estimates for “Birth of a Nation” could also be compared to “Selma,” which Paramount opened on Christmas Day in 2014. “Selma” took in $2 million in two weeks of limited release, then went wide with $11.3 million at 2,179 sites. The civil rights drama, directed by Ava DuVernay, received a best picture Oscar nomination, and showed staying power with $52 million in domestic gross.

Another possible comparison is the Sony/Screen Gems 2014 thriller “No Good Deed,” starring Idris Elba and Taraji P. Henson, which likewise had a fall release date and opened on 2,175 screens. “No Good Deed” won the box office in its opening weekend with $25.4 million and finished with $54 million; Henson won an Image Award for her performance
Click to expand...


:scust: at that entire article. Everytime Variety writes an article about this movie all they want to talk about is his rape case.
 
satam55

satam55

Veteran
Supporter
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
45,165
Reputation
4,893
Daps
89,023
Reppin
DFW Metroplex

The premiere of The Birth is a Nation went off without a hitch – and without any protesters. Perhaps audiences – and Oscar voters – will decide that it should be judged on its own merits and not on the long ago allegation the film’s director, Nate Parker, and story co-writer Jean McGianni Celestin, raped a fellow student at Penn State.

Parker was acquitted at the end of the 2001 trial, and Celestin’s conviction for sexual assault was later overturned and the case was never retried. But with the buzz surrounding The Birth of a Nation since the film’s Sundance premiere, the story resurfaced, threatening to derail the film’s Oscar hopes, particularly after it became known that the accuser committed suicide in 2012. But the matter wasn’t on the minds of many people attending the premiere.

fullsizerender-1-e1474512749128.jpg


Asked if she’d heard about the accusations, a young woman standing in line for the movie shook her head and said, “I don’t know anything about that.” Asked the same question, an older African American gentleman looked incredulous and asked, “Don’t you have the Internet?” Walking to enter the theater, he then paused and said: “at the moment, we’re trying not to think about that. at the moment, we”re trying to think about the film and the filmmaker.”

There were lots of police, paparazzi, private security and a bomb-sniffing dog named Bo on hand for the premiere however. Police presence was “not unusual” for this type of event, said one officer, who was unaware of any controversy surrounding the film. Half a dozen uniformed cops were stationed outside the Dome, and one stood sentry at the door.

Asked why a bomb-sniffing dog was needed, Bo’s handler shrugged and said, “They asked me to come so I came.”
Click to expand...




 
Birnin Zana

Birnin Zana

Honorary Wakandan
Joined
May 26, 2012
Messages
6,106
Reputation
1,570
Daps
22,954
Reppin
Wakanda
So far, so good for the film. Positive response and off of presales alone it's set to make a 9-10 mil opening. That number should be higher come opening weekend.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top