Thursday, June 12, 2008

Spike Lee Takes Hit Over Portrayal of Italians

The ANNOTICO Report

 

Spike Lee criticized Eastwood last month during the Festival de Cannes saying that black actors were conspicuous by their absence in Eastwood's Iwo Jima films "Flags of Our Fathers" (Raising of the Flag at Iwo Jima) and "Letters From Iwo Jima.".(The Same Event from a Japanese View Point).

 

What is amusing is that Spike Lee is screaming for Historical Accuracy, and yet he at other times Excuses his Negative Stereotyping of Italian Americans as "Literary License".

 

Most amusing is that during WWII, the Military was almost totally Racially Segregated and very few Blacks were permitted in Combat units, with most Blacks in Service Units, as Cooks, Truckers, Clerks  etc.. The Exception were the Unit in Europe that was involved in Lee's film "Miracle at  St. Anna", the Tuskegee Airmen, and a unit in the Pacific. Less than 5,000 out of 600,00. And Spike is going ballistic about not being properly represented. Hell if your so anxious to even things out, maybe we can have ALL Blacks in exclusively Combat positions in Iraq, and maybe you could be a platoon leader ????

 

In an earlier Report  I expressed the same doubts expressed in this article by Bill Dal Cerro, and the Italic Institute of America

Spike Lee Takes Hit Over Portrayal of Italians

Debate began when director criticized Clint Eastwood

Hollywood Reporter     

By Eric J. Lyman   

June 11, 2008

 

ROME -- While Spike Lee and Clint Eastwood trade barbs over Eastwood's portrayal of black characters, a leading Italian-American group has added its voice to the fray, arguing that Lee is guilty of the same prejudices he attributes to Eastwood.

Lee first criticized Eastwood last month during the Festival de Cannes, saying that black actors were conspicuous by their absence in Eastwood's Iwo Jima films "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima."

Eastwood replied that the films were historically accurate and that Lee should "shut his face," to which Lee quipped that Eastwood "is not my father, and we're not on a plantation."

According to Bill Dal Cerro, president of the Italic Institute of America, Lee may have his own anti-Italian racist tendencies to worry about.

"Spike Lee is very talented, but I sometimes wish he'd practice what he preaches," Dal Cerro said. "His points about African-Americans are well taken, but, ironically, he does the same thing to Italians in his films."

The Italic Institute of America has criticized Lee in the past for his portrayal of Italian-Americans in "Do the Right Thing" and "Jungle Fever" and has expressed worry about "Miracle at St. Anna," Lee's upcoming World War II drama set in Italy.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i4fac3531390a953c31467d91c4fe3d92

 

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