"For Colored Girls" heads to the big screen, Tyler Perry-style- Page 2

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 9/12/09 at 9:21pm

Since Oprah is one Tyler's go to gals I would imagine that she is one of the 6 that have already said yes.

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 9/12/09 at 10:53pm

I found this interesting post elsewhere, but felt it needed to be spread around. And sorry, Wayman - it indicates that Perry is perhaps the last person on earth fit to translate FOR COLORED GIRLS..to the screen.

"I've seen more than one of this closet case's films. They're basically filmed gospel plays with lots of audience reaction moments, and while I understand why that market is so popular and why people enjoy his films because they feel they finally have a consistent voice onscreen, I think that voice is extremely regressive and uncurious, unlike Spike Lee's work or others.

Perry's films not only allow people to keep sticking their heads in the sand but are also at least borderline misogynist - virtually every one features some iteration of "the successful woman" as a fool who needs to give up that silly career business that done got her in a tizzy, and come back to the loving, strong, masterful arms of her man and the church, not necessarily in that order. Even Janet Jackson had to play this character in WHY DID I GET MARRIED? At worst, these career woman are presented as fairly two-dimensional villains, not only prioritizing their work but sleeping with *GASP* white men. The most extreme example of this in Perry's work was Sanaa Lathan in THE FAMILY THAT PREYS. How was she handled? For her sins, her husband backhands her up against and over a kitchenette, leaving her to crash on the ground. The audience cheered, as they were supposed to.

I think it's wonderful that there is something that black audiences can enjoy. I just wish it wasn't something that attempts to hold the community in stasis. Perry's work is either a cynical calculation based on freezing public tastes and insecurities in a single place and capitalizing on it, or it's an expression of his own profound self-loathing, while still taking time to take swipes at women and glorifying all the men (in Perry's films, he usually plays the one perfect "good man" in the ensemble). Or maybe it's both.

Bottom line, black film can do better. And has before. Hopefully "Precious" is good, even though Perry slapped his name on it after it was finished. And I hear good things about "Gospel Hill."

Updated On: 9/12/09 at 10:53 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 12:21am

"or it's an expression of his own profound self-loathing"

Ding ding ding ding ding.

Oprah Winfrey in
Oprah Winfrey presents Tyler Perry's 'For Colored Girls!'

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 12:34am

...with special guest stars Whitney Houston and Queen Latifah!

(or is the Queen out now?)

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 1:10am

Produced, Written and Directed by Mr. Tyler Perry

based on an idea by n shange

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/13/09 at 1:28am

Madea gone legit! Coming soon!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 9/16/09 at 9:16pm

All of it is spot-on, but this part is my favorite -

Some ingredients for a Tyler Perry Madea film include...

1 cup one dimensional cheating and evil with it devilishly bad black man
2 cups black woman gone wrong
3 gallons Live and Let God
1 cup unappreciated hard working blue collar black man looking for a ?good woman?
2 cups chil?ren acting out because they aren?t being raised in the church
2 or 3 famous black people/singers

Mix any three ingredients or all that **** up first and then toss Madea?s ass up in the bowl, stir and bake and serve up to the masses.

Ta da ? you?ve got yourself a guaranteed to get sh-t reviews but make lots and lots of money film!


Angry Black Bitch: But we can do worse with Tyler Perry?