"Mr. Untouchable" Part 2

Earlier in the week, I posted about a film called "Mr. Untouchable". I was alerted to the screening by Mrs. Grapevine. I feel a rapport with MGV--one, cause we started blogging around the same time (June) and two, we think a lot alike on some things, this being one.

I am gonna post some of our email conversation on this film, cause it pretty much sums it up. I changed a couple things in this exchange to protect the innocent (haha), but it is 98% intact:

IW:

What did you think of that movie?

MGV:

1)I liked the film, but of course I have problems with it. I love documentaries, and I have watched everything from Eyes On the Prize to Pimps Up Ho's Down. I am really tired of them glorifying this lifestyle instead of focusing on the fall. With so many celebrity men going down for such foolishness, I think the message should be clear, this man fell from grace and he fell hard.

2)This is what our generation inherited, and they wonder why gansta rap is what it is. This man is from the same generation as Al Sharpton, so this problem has existed for 40 or so years, and now they want to blame this generation for mistakes passed on to them. These are the role models in the hood, and now more films to glorify them.

3)What's up with all the white men thinking they are black and it's okay to say "nigga" on film. They don't have a black pass with me, so I was highly offended.

4)It also promotes rivalry, and now I know why it's released so close to American Ganster the movie. It also glorifies violence, Mr. Barnes doesn't even seem to be remorseful about killing other black men.Having been close to this lifestyle and having friends to make dumb choices in it, I just really want the message to be clear, nothing lasts forever and it's a long fall. Overall I give it a C+ or B-. There isn't anything special about it or unique. No cool angle or take on the movie.The one cool thing I learned while researching him, is that part of NewJack City, the movie, was based on him. So looking for those links was pretty cool

IW:

Girl, you are soooo on point. And that nigga/white boy thing got me too...in the audience all the whites laughed at the "honorary nigga" thing (which that dude was clearly enamored with) while all of the blacks were stonefaced. It was a small amount of folks at the screening, only about maybe 10 or 12.

To be quite honest, I left before it was over. I found it repetitive, glorifying and highlighting the life instead of the fall, and like you said, absolutely nothing new. The coolest thing was the old footage they showed....it reminded me of some scenes I used to see when I was a little girl visiting New York and Jersey (where my parents are from).

I think this Mark Levin dude had a lot more to do with this than Damon Dash....when I worked in rap I repeatedly saw how these young European A&R guys would be completely entranced by any parts of streetlife and anyone "hardcore". It was embarrassing to watch....the director is probably from that ilk--and a cool 70's soundtrack does not make a movie.

I'll probably post your review, if it's ok with you, cause I don't really have anything reflective or positive to say.....

MGV:

And another thing, all this corruption went down because of a woman, and he turned on his wife, the mother of his children. One word: trifling!

So that's that. Anyhoo, one reader commented that Damon Dash gets a lot of publicity when he teams with Lee Daniels. I say with good reason.....Damon should consistently be a backer for Lee, and leave the solo projects alone for a bit. The reader also wanted to know how Dash gets the cash for these films, since we all know most of it was funneled to Jay-Z. My thought is he is just the face on a silent investment group. If you'd like to read Mrs. Grapevine's review of the film, click here.