Bamboozled [DVD]

Let me say at the outset that in many instances this can be VERY disturbing to watch, especially for Americans given the history of the races here. And Spike, (GOD I love him)still continues to work you. You tend to watch this as you would a horrible accident....you simply cannot turn away but it is entirely too painful to watch. I understand exactly what he was trying to say and agree wholeheartedly. Yet I cannot deny I was squirming in the beginning because it takes a bit of getting used to.First and foremost, forget critics. Your opinion is just as valid. This is another very important film with wonderful performances. While Damon's interpretation is a bit over the top, there is no doubt what perspective he was trying to convey. He is a very troubled black man who has issues. His boss, who "has a black wife and half-white children" is repugnant, and thinks that this gives him the right to say and think anything about African-Americans he likes which is utter nonsense.Jada Pinkett Smith is wonderful as the conscience after-the-fact and you wish to see her in more controlled, intelligent, roles as this.But the standout, to be sure, is Savion Glover whose dancing is quite simply mesmerizing; it is quite easy to forget the rough ground we are treading and just revel in this man's talent. He also was the film's choreographer and the precision of his dance routines tended to help one endure these presentations in a cotton field with black actors in blackface.Paul Mooney who plays Delacroix's father is positively wonderful and his comic routines are hilarious as well as insightful. He has always been a cutting edge comic but sadly has not received his just due.But just as he did in "Four Little Girls" Spike MAKES YOU CONFRONT IT WHETHER YOU WANT TO OR NOT!!! I am quite satisfied with this DVD; it is a must for any DVD collection. The only complaint I have is that some (as a matter of fact, all) of the deleted scenes should have been rethought because they tended to flesh out the plot a bit more. The ending may have been a bit too violent as a possible consequence to the network's insensitivity but overall, this is a very complicated, mulit-layered, film that will demand certainly more than one viewing. Besides, I have already made up my mind that everything Spike has/will do will be well worth the controversy he invariably provokes. Hats off again, Spike!!!

This is not your typical Spike Lee film, but perhaps his most important -- so important that the film is void of the director's ego for the most part. This film speaks about race issues in America, the unique issue of descendants of slavery fitting in to the culture that enslaved them, loving the hope that the country holds, yet not being given permission to hold residual pain and residual anger. It's a film about how the cultural norm creates and defines human beings who are other than the defining majority through objectification. It's a film about the stunning power of image and the media, especially when its creations are forwarded as politically neutral. Nothing I can write would be clearer than Lee's own words:"The pain comes from looking at the images. How people of color in this case specifically African-Americans have been portrayed since the inception of film and also with radio with the Amos and Andy which was on film, radio, and television. Also we have to look at the way we portray black collectibles, when you see the dolls and the toothpaste and all the other things. You know, we're viewed as less than human, sub-human, and that stuff is painful. . . . There are certain things in this film where you want to laugh but at the same time you don't want to laugh because it's not funny. And it's . . . it's a very interesting phenomenon that happens in this film." --Spike Lee"In doing the research [for the film] what hurt me was the depth that I saw. The hatred of us as a people. We saw the songs, when I see Bugs Bunny in blackface. I mean . . . I love Bugs Bunny. I had never seen him in blackface before. And Warner Brothers buried that, you know. And we wanted to include it in the film but they wouldn't let us. Bugs Bunny is an institution so they said hell no. But to see the depths to which America showed its hatred via radio, film, television, songs, Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben. You know, Niggerhead Cornflakes, whatever you want to . . . you know. It's just amazing." -- Spike Lee

This is the movie that got me turned on to Mr Lee. When I rented this movie just a few years ago I watched it 3 times and then watched it with the audio commentary. I found the movie *that* interesting. Also, the movie has a few layers to its plot so each time one watches it, they're sure to pick up on something new.The characters are also great - I especially love Damon Wayan's boss who is a caucasian married to a black woman and tells Damon "I'm more black than you are" From that point on, you know this movie is going to put a lot of stuff in your face.The basic premise - Damon's character is tired of the types of shows with black people that show on tv nowadays. It's all very stereotypical (think this summer's "Method and Red" on fox) and he wants to do something creative. His boss wants something along the lines of "homeboys in outer space". Damon's character is so incensed that he decides he'll get fired in order to break his contract.What could be better for getting him fired than to make the most racist and ignorant show on tv? He decides to make a show called "Bamboozled" which will recreate the blackface shows of the 30s and 40s only it will be black actors putting on blackface. There's only one problem with his plan: the show becomes a hit.The rest of the movie shows what happens to the rest of the characters in the style of a Shakesperean tragedy. In other words, a few things don't quite go according to plan and everyone suffers. (ie Romeo & Juliet, MacBeth, etc)Another thing that makes this movie so awesome is the fictitious commercial spot during the show Bamboozled. Spike Lee takes a pot shot at Tommy Hilfigger's alleged marketing directed at blacks with another brand whose name I can't write or my review will be banned. You'll be shocked, but in a revealing sort of way.