personally i thought it looked like a great action film and i think that’s what most people see especially in the trailers. It’s a type of film that could have broad appeal with or without black actors. Idk which films you’re talking about that have such a low turn out from white people, but I think most of them are directly marketed towards a black audience. this is a film that has universal appeal, it’s not some giant commentary on racial politics, at its core its an army film about people in planes that blow things up. 

So you think the audience that will see it will be diverse, maybe even as diverse as a mainstream action film? 

“The main reason anyone has even heard about the film is because of what he said on The Daily Show…”

What the heck is Wilson talking about?  I’ve known about this film for about a year, the commercials have been all over the TV, and I didn’t even know Lucas was on The Daily Show.  As for the whole “Black film” thing, it’s being marketed as a historical/action film (the most coverage I’ve seen of it has probably been on G4), which, if that’s what it is, is fine by me and makes me more interested in seeing it.  

So it will set it back because it was made by a non black. That is utterly ridiculous, how many so ‘black’ films have been made by non blacks that had similar negative effect? 

I have not yet seen the move, but I plan to go see it. I have to agree, it is a movie about American history, World War II, P-51 Mustangs, as well as black airmen. The read tails are known for a great record. No bomber in they escorted was lost to an emeny fighter. If memory serves there weren’t alot of aces in the Red Tails. That is because in stead of glory they did their job, stayed with the bombers and broke up emeny fighter attacks. In doing their jobs they became heroes every American can look up to. It seems that some are upset that a movie was made about American heroes. Some think America should not have heroes anymore.

This was by far the most illogical, idiotic, racial, mind numbing thing I’ve ever read. 

How can George Lucas be blamed for spending his own money to bring the film to screen as well as to promote it. He did what he was supposed to do, now folks need to go see it. 

I think so. It really looks like a typical Hollywood blockbuster from the trailer. Now whether it will be good is another matter entirely. 

This isn’t Stella Got Her Groove Back,  This is a story that tugs on your emotion and could have a bunch of no name actors as still do well.  Huzzah Georgie ma’ boy.

What bothers me about the film is not the actors. It is the computer-generated P-51 Mustangs. From the clips I have seen, the planes seem to maneuver like F-15 fighters jets.  It looks more like a video game, and I do not pay to sit and watch video games. I’d prefer to watch reruns of “Tora! Tora! Tora!” on cable TV.

One of the all time dumb articles.

Maybe the dumbest article I have ever read on the internet.  Wilson makes absolutely no sense.  Why would Mediaite publish this?

So the writer thinks Pat Buchannan is a racist, only watches the Daily Show, and somehow thinks it’s bad a white man spends a lot of money on a “black” film in some sort of incoherent logic.  At least Wilson encapsulates liberalism very well.

I cannot comment on the US movie going audience as a whole but as for this white male there are certain actors/actresses that I enjoy and whose films I will watch merely because they are in them.  They include Gene Hackman, Tommy Lee Jones, Daniel Craig…and Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson.  To say that having a white filmmaker make a “black” film will set black films back is insulting to white audiences, at it seems that way to me.  

I’m white and Southern. I’m from Alabama. When I took my son to see Sherlock Holmes, we saw the trailer for Red Tails. He said, “Can we see that?” I said yeah, it looks great to me. And I said, “You know that’s about the Tuskeegee Airmen. The Tuskeegee *Alabama* Airmen.” He said, “Cool, let’s see it!” We’re seeing it tonight. 

It’s a well-known fact that liberals/progressives do NOT attend, nor support war movies. Unless, of course, the movies depict the US as murderers, pillagers, anti-American, etc.

Considering that liberals only make up 20% of the public, if the movie is profitable/successful, it will be due to black Americans and conservative/republicans.

The Red Tails flew the P51c and the photo shows a P51d, I guess they used the D model because it looked much cooler.

Actually, the commercial for
Red Tails is the first picture I have wanted to see in a very long time.

I do hope Mediaite revisits this question when the box office results are in.
I believe we will find Mr Wilson is incorrect in his assessments.

I am a liberal and I love war movies.  

Don’t believe I said I only watch the Daily Show, and actually I rarely do. Lucas being white has very little to do with this article. What this article is about is Lucas spending far more money than he is likely to earn, which will set black film back because Hollywood is about making money. Another black film losing money won’t convince Hollywood to support black films. That’s what this article is about.

Based on what?

We shall see.

OK, thanks.

What he said on the Daily Show made national news, and he has repeated in in interviews with the NY Times and other publications. So yes, a lot more folks know about the movie due to his comments. 

Based on what?

Thanks for sharing. I do plan on doing a short follow-up after the box office results are in this weekend. These days it only takes one weekend to get a good idea of how well a film will do. 

I’ve never seen that “fact” even insinuated before much less said, but ok. 

George Lucas being white and making this film has nothing to do with how well or how poorly it will do. I never said that. What I did say was that due to Lucas’s financial and personal commitment to the film — which should be APPLAUDED — it has raised expectations that the film can not possibly deliver on. This will most likely be the most expensive black film ever made (to date). Hollywood will certainly be watching to see how it does, and it does poorly Hollywood will say ‘I told you so.’ That is damaging to the future of black film because it makes it less likely Hollywood will invest in the future.

I’m sorry but this movie looks like over-produced, cheesy, special effects trash. Considering it was made by George Lucas and the last good movie he made was in 1989, it should come as no surprise that that is exactly what this film will turn out to be. Just look at what that guy did to the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises in the last decade.

Hey George, making a film about blacks in WWII isn’t going to guilt trip anyone into seeing more of your lame, CGI effects, shallow plotline, or Affirmative Action actors.

Time will tell if the movie will lose money.  Its no surprise Lucas doesn’t know how to promote it, that isn’t his business.  I disagree black films should be viewed by black audiences.  Black viewers watch all-white movies all the time (not by preference but because of the racism of hollywood liberals).  I’m white and I plan to see this film not only for the subject matter but to support what Lucas was trying to do, make a point.  If it truly is an all=black cast I’ll be surprised and depending on what scenes are included I may be disappointed.  While the airmen were black clearly the overall military and leadership that surrounded them weren’t.  Blacks were not treated with the respect they deserved and would receive today in WWII (by many including the institutional army).

I hope, and expect, the movie will do well.  I’ll do my part.

I dunno if I’m mad or if I’m sad about this article…..or maybe I think it doesn’t make any sense…I dunno.
All I can say is I really hope Wilson is wrong and Lucas is right cause this movie looks like it kicks some serious ass.
So imma go see it,just like I planned to,despite that whole “black film” thing,cause I thought I was gonna see a great historic, action film by George Lucas…not a black film.
But hey,that’s just me.

In truth, after a post-war review, the Red Tails “lost” 25 bombers to air combat. STILL much lower than any other escort group.

P-51′s can ,and have, out dog-fight jet. Note that I said dog-fight. In WW-II they did have air-to-air success against me-262. In Korea, they took on MIG-15′s. In ‘Nam, A-1 Sky-raiders went up against MIG-21′s. And I have read a first person posting by a F-4 pilot abut what happened to him when he was involved with an pre-Red Flag exercise against an Allie flying P-51′s. the only way he won was to get out of the fur-ball! 

Actually, The 332nd Fighter  converted to P-51-D modles when the models bacame avalable in inventory.

The 332nd, 99th, 100rd, 301st 302nd, flew these aircraft during their mission in WWII, Starting in April 1943, P-40 to P-39 to P47 to P-51…C and D models.

I wanted to see this when I saw the trailer and I’m white. Is that wrong?

National Historian for Tuskegee Airmen inc.
William Holton “it’s impossible not to lose bombers”
Tuskegee Airmen lost 25 bombers to enemy aircraft.

Jun9,July12,July18 to july20 1944 and March 24 1945.

For WW2 those numbers are extraordinarly low.

You imply that others were seeking “glory” and they were not doing there “job”  is worng.

”
Hey George, making a film about blacks in WWII isn’t going to guilt trip anyone into seeing more of your lame, CGI effects, shallow plotline, or Affirmative Action actors.”

Congratulations,you’re officially a twit.

Good for you.

I think george Lucas’s larger point was that not “black films” will be set back but films driven by black actors will be set back… The fact that the story is a black/American history story is secondary..  Hollywood simply does not invest/fund films where minorities make up the majority of the leading roles.. Denzel and Will, who are box office draws, star along side all white casts the majority of the time..  So a director/writer says “i got this great idea its Bourne Identity and all the leads are black”.. The studio says “yea we like it but um we were thinking more like Matt Damon and Tom Cruise”..

Basically, John Wilson, this article reflects your own negativity. Kudos to Lucas for taking a chance with this film. I doubt that it will lose money as ticket sales in foreign countries, DVD’s, reruns,  etc will bump up the profits. Also, in our souped up crazy capitalistic society not everything has to be an initial blockbuster hit. I don’t know whether you are new to writing opinion pieces, but I hope this will be a good lesson in approaches and attitudes not to take in the future.Even for Mediaite, this piece was quite under par.

If he was alive you could tell my father, he died a few years ago. 25 Missions in a B-24 – 467th HBG 8th Air Force. He saw good “little” friends and guys that “forgot” their jobs. I well take what he told me first. He was there after all.

you really slammed Cuba Gooding Jr. there…….I always liked him and thought he was a very good actor.      Why the bashing?

This is true. But, that is not the same as depicting P-51′s flying like jets. That was my criticism.  They were fantastic planes, but simply could not move the way the film trailers depict. 

Thanks for explaining it was a black film. I thought it was a film about a bunch of black guys who became pilots in WWII. Thanks also for telling me it has an all black cast, because I could swear I saw some white people in the trailers. Now I know it’s just for black people I won’t go and see it like I was planning to do.

2/10/44 456Th flew it’s ferst mission.
2/20/44 the USSTAF,Changd tactics with operation Big Week,
using the bombers as bait to lare the Luttwaffa into aerial battles in the hope that they would achieve air superiority.This would continu. 
 I listened to Hup Zemke speek on this in the 1980s.
THEY DID THER JOBS!

No..he’s saying it will set it back because the audience pool statistically speaking is not big enough to justify a 100 million investment, and if it takes a huge loss, it will discourage future production of primarily black films…  The fact that Lucas produced it is not really in the equation by my interpretation of this article.

The buzz or labeling of this would seem to be a discouragement.  When I first saw previews, I thought cool.  A movie on the Tuskegee airmen would be great and I would love seeing Me262′s in a dog fight.  Of course, it would have a black cast, it was an all black unit.

But now I am hearing that this is a ‘black’ movie.   I’m scratching my head at this because I would define a ‘black’ movie as not one with a black cast, but instead one targeted solely at a black audience (I’m old and associate the label with the black exploitation films of the 70s).  If it’s not targeted at me, then perhaps it’s not going to be a movie I would enjoy.
So what idiot decided to label this a ‘black’ movie just because it has a black cast?

I stopped to going to the movies when the cell phone finally got a foothold in society.  Now I just wait for the Blu-Ray.

Unfortunately I’m going to have to agree with this assessment (with exception of the Affirmative Action actors line).  Lucas was only the precursor to the “Michael Bay” action genre, evidenced by his repeated “upgrades” of the Star Wars franchise.  I really hope this movie is more about story than visuals, but I won’t be holding my breath.
 
I really enjoyed the 1995 “The Tuskegee Airmen” HBO movie (no mention here?) with Laurence Fishbourne and Cuba (his first time in a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen).  Not sure why anyone would be upset that a story about an African American-only fighter squadron wouldn’t have a predominantly African American cast or feel that it wouldn’t appeal to an audience outside African Americans.  The only potential appeal remover would be the drowning of this tale in CGI special effects in lieu of acting and story.

Your ‘facts’ seem to be nonsense.  Never heard of this ‘fact’, I’m a died in the wool liberal/libertarian and love war movies.   As to 20% of the public being liberal, exactly what is your definition of liberal for it to be such a small number and where do you get your numbers?   Sounds like you just pulled it out of your donkey.

I’m not sure if the writer has the pulse of the Black community when it comes to this movie….That’s all anyone is talking about in serious circles. You might be surprised by the outcome Mr. writer….

It’s a great story in American history and if the movie brings that story to people who didn’t know about it, then that is a good thing.

Myself, I would rather watch a documentary about it on the History channel.

You do realize that not everyone gets their “news” from the Daily Show.  In fact, most Americans don’t watch the Daily Show.

that’s an awfully small bubble you live in.

Such a smug hipster.

Shut up.

So are you saying 1.) That the Red Tails disobeyed orders? 2.) That these orders only appiled to the 8th AF ops and not 15Th AF ops? 3.) That if 15th AF ops were different than the 8th as using Hvy bombers (with 10 man crews) whose were correct? 4.) That if orders were to abandon the bombers to attack emeny fighters the lack of aces on the Red Tails is due to what?  The 56th FG had 674.5 kills in the air (victory to sortie of .035) and the 332nd FG and 111 air victories (kill to sortie .007). Why the difference?

this film tanking won’t set black films back any further than ishtar or howard the duck (the forgotten lucas flop) set back white films due to there low roi…  conversely, it could outgross avatar and it won’t change a damn thing about hollywood and the crap they spew…  there will always be the tyler perry’s and saw 18′s… 

btw, do you really think calling buchanan a racist bolsters your point?…

Thank God they did not have CGI for the 1969 film The Batle of Britain.

I think people will see it because of its historical context and people like movies about heroes, so I don’t think it will matter whether this is a black film or not.   It does look Lucas went a little overboard with the CGI.  I think the reason why a lot of movies are having problems making money is that a lot of movies are relying too much on CGI and no enough on plot.  Sometimes less in more. 

no more so than the postman, heaven’s gate and hudson hawk prevented
more big budget white films…

I am a retired commercial pilot and I like flying films.  I am a WWII history buff and I like WWII films.  I am a military brat and like anything to do with the military.  I like action films in general but particularly war films.  I happen to be white and it never would have occurred to me to NOT see this film.  This has all the elements of a great movie to my point of view.  The ethnic aspect was never a consideration.

Remember “Letters From Iwo Jima”?  I liked it too… and for pretty much the same reasons.  The fact that the characters and cast were all Japanese never entered the equation:  To see or not to see.

I am fully aware of the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and I just hope the movie is fairly accurate.  “Pearl Harbor” was ruined for me by being such an unlikely situation.

I have to agree with the article making no sense.

Wont see it ! But I think its great that the black community will see their were heros other then some rap or sport figure. There are more millionaire black chefs then millionaire rap stars. 

Now all they need to to get movies about being a father and how important it is to children having both parents involved.

This article above is the stupidest thing I have ever heard! Hogwash!

Anyone who knows Lucas, knows about him trying to bring the Tuskegee Airmen project to the Big Screen for many many years now. I am white, and I have a few comments to make about this then:

1) This is a historical film first (in the vain of “Saving Private Ryan”.
2) It is also an Action-Adventure.
3) It does teach about all those other values of friendship, courage, honor and valor.
4) More importantly it states that it does not matter what color you are, you could still have those values.

This films will not set the Black Film industry back, because this is NOT just a black film industry movie.

It has much WIDER APPEAL than that. It will succeed beyond anyone’s expectations. I am seeing it this weekend.

How many P-51 Mustangs do you think are available and flyable from World War II, today?

What exactly is your Point, ‘SISTER’?  I think we got the message about the 2-Parent thing from “The Cosby Show” and others that followed.

A friend on Facebook sent me this link asking me what i thought, this was my response:
Funny that article is regurgitated on no less that 3 sites, newsone, policy diary, and the one you linked. Here’s what the author said:
“Over at NewsOne, my newest outlet for writing opinions of all kinds, I’ve sparked a discussion about the movie Red Tails.” Ironically “sparking” discussion leads to page views and additional ad revenue. A bunch of sensationalism given that he said he “Blames George Lucas”. Major point is this dude doesnt say anywhere that he even saw the movie. Then goes as far as to say Cuba Gooding, Jr is a third-rate actor. Chalk this article up as someone trying to garner their 15 minutes of internet viralness. SMH

I don’t need to see this movie to make the argument I’m making. And fact is, this article was originally published yesterday — before the movie came out. Nowhere do I say this movie is not good. Instead, I make a compelling argument that based on the way this movie was produced (too expensive) and marketed (focus on black community), it won’t turn a profit. 

As for capitalizing on my writing, yup, I do intend for everyone to read what I write. But I don’t need to make a crappy argument to do it. 

It should have wider appeal than just the black community but it probably won’t. I’ll be doing a follow-up on it on Monday with the demographics of who saw it included.

I don’t think the black community needs to be talked down to in that manner. It’s insulting. And no community takes cues directly from Hollywood.

That’s great, Jay. Thanks for commenting. 

I could be. But I never said black audiences wouldn’t see it; actually, I said the opposite. This has been heavily marketed to blacks, not so much everyone else.

Interesting analysis, Maria. I think the marketing of this film was way off base. George Lucas has even gone as far as saying to the NY Times that this film was “made for black teenagers.” I don’t know why Lucas thinks such a small segment of the population can exclusively help him turn a profit on this movie. And if he isn’t concerned about earning a profit (which may be the case because he is a billionaire) then he’s making a critical mistake: He can’t teach Hollywood a lesson about investing in black films if he can’t turn a profit on one of the biggest ones ever made.

I don’t think I made it a black film. I think George Lucas did when he said how Hollywood refused to be involved because of its black cast, and that he made this film for black teenagers.

lol. I just don’t think he’s anything close to what he previously was. Nothing personal. Just having some fun with him.

As for the film making money overseas, not likely. Black films or films with majority black casts don’t traditionally do well overseas. And DVD sales and rentals, HBO, and Netflix will help but if the movie doesn’t come close to the budget in the theater it probably won’t do so well out of the theater either. And no, the article doesn’t reflect my own negativity, it reflects the very real reality of how the movie business works. May not be warm and fuzzy but it’s the truth.

No, I’m not new to writing pieces. And just because you disagree with it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with the piece. I wouldn’t say there’s something wrong with you because you disagree with my opinion.

lol. Tell me if there’s something wrong with you after you see it. Deal?

Oh, and why’s that?

I never said black movies should only be seen by black audiences. I said black movies are MOSTLY seen by black audiences. That’s just a fact. 

 And that folks is what its all about.  Black White dont matter,  this is a great story about a great and dedicated group of Men in a momentous time in our lives, well for a few of the old folks anyway, but we cant forget what they did.

What those guys did was nothing short of hundreds of heroic miracles that saved the lives of countless bomber crews who had been suffering losses unbelievable up to that time.  Take your family and learn about some true patriots in a time they had no real reason to be so.  My kids, AND Grandkids will see this if I have to drag them there.  No,  Im white, Retired Army and I believe heroism where ever it is needs to be shown/told.   I thank you Lucas for the cajones to do this and I hope you make billions on it.

 The thinking only Blacks will go see this movie is ridiculous.  You start with a stupid premise and you end up with a stupid conclusion.  My guess, there will be as many Whites as Blacks who go see this movie. 

 Your kidding,  You dont know????   Seek Help.

My post was simply ansering skyfet’s question by paraphrasing what was stated in the actual article…so read the article before you open your mouth please.
Article quote:

The audience for Black films is almost exclusively Black. That’s pretty much a principle of filmmaking. Andrew Weaver, assistant professor of telecommunications at Indiana University at Bloomington, looked at how the racial makeup of films affected filmgoers. He found, among other things, that the “intended audience” for the film was far less likely to see the film when 70 percent of the cast was black.”

I’ll get help, and you learn how to form an argument. Deal? 

It’s surprising that you’re surprised to hear buchanan’s a racist. It’s not a secret. 

But you’re probably wrong. It’s a fact that black films are mostly patroned by blacks. I didn’t make it up. But we’ll see what the demographics look like after this weekend. 

You’re correct. Great point.

Agreed I much prefer seeing real airplanes duke it out rather than CGI FX.  

But as someone else pointed out, how many flyable P-51s are still available? How many B-17s, Me-262s etc. can be assembled to shoot a movie like this?  I literally despise video-game action scenes, but I understand why current war films don’t use real planes — there just aren’t enough of them around to do so.  

I mean, if Lucas made this movie about 1917-era fighters, how many Sopwith Camels and Fokker Tri-planes could he find?

I’m also white and I plan to see the movie.  

Making a “social statement” or to show how “un-racist” I am doesn’t interest me in the least.  But seeing what looks like a great war movie with lots of action and patriotism is absolutely right up my alley.  I’m also a proud Southern red-neck, but the fact that the cast is all-black is not an issue for me.  

I’ve heard of the Tuskegee Airmen (although I never saw the HBO Special) so it doesn’t surprise me that the cast is all (or mostly) black.  If this was a movie about Shogun-era Japan, guess what?  All or most of the cast would be Oriental — so what?

I’m looking forward to it and I hope it’s a success, both critically and financially.

Maybe Lucas was hoping to show black teenagers that they have some real, legitimate heroes they can look up to as role models, as opposed to the misogynistic hip-hop dudes that are featured so heavily in popular culture.  That’s just a theory.

Jay I agreed with everything you wrote right up to the end.  I loved “Pearl Harbor”, I still do.  I knew going in that it wasn’t a documentary.  If anyone thinks Hollywood war movies are always historically accurate, all I can say is crack open a history book if you want accuracy.

That’s great. I also never suggested that whites who wanted to see it were attempting to prove a statement. I wouldn’t impugn someone’s motives in wanting to see this movie. 

John your taking a statiscal point of view on this issue. Yes time will tell. The topic of the Tuskeegee Airmen has become well known. In the end the film will succeed based on how well it was done and not a black cast. Action films are in the end about ACTION. If that is done poorly then word of mouth will kill it. That being said I can’t imagine Lucus not doing a good job!

That is pure nonsense!

Instead of marketing “Redtails” as a ‘black’ film, why not market it as a gung-ho pro-American kick-ass adventure flick where a bunch of hotshot fighter pilots (they’re not black, but red white and blue) blow the crap out of a bunch of nazis and help win the war?

I would like to know what the positive out come of this article is.  All I read was blah blah diss diss negative negative. Oh yes if you are a white person do not try and tackle black stories.  That is essentially what I got from it.  I am Black and I say that was a pointless and senseless article. Dear Mr Lucus  you spend YOUR MONEY on what ever film you like and if the film is rubbish then it will sink and if it is good it will fly and do not listen to people like this guy. Dear Mr Wilson if you are so smart GO MAKE A MOVIE and stop dissing other peoples.

You have to understand that there will always be people who don’t understand because they don’t want to understand. And even though he made some valid points you can tell he’s with the hating group in Hollywood holding their breath this weekend hoping the film flops. If it does it will not be because I didn’t go see it. 

in all fairness you have to allow people to have their say so you can do your part proving them wrong. I face racism every day on my job but I come to learn most are not even racist but people with screwed up thinking from the way they were brought up. For instance a White Fireman will run into a burning building risk his life to safe a Black person countless times but turn around and post something disrespectful towards the Race on Facebook. What do you call that? And please don’t say he’s just doing his job. 

I agree with fenngibbon.  I also didn’t understand what Wilson meant when he saidthat. I too have seen many TV advertisements for Red Tails promoting it as an action
movie long before Lucas was on the Daily Show (and yes I didn’t even know Lucas
was on The Daily Show and I watch it often).

I never said white filmmakers shouldn’t make black movies. Actually maybe I did: “Lucas is to be commended for truly believing in this story — he started working on it in 1988 — to bring it to the big screen and to do so with his own money. Sure, he has plenty, but Red Tails cost $58 million to produce and another $40 million to market — that’s not chump change. And Lucas also gave us a candid bird’s-eye view into how Hollywood thinks.”

A review of the trailer from a few months back. So far it sounds as if our trailer review hit this nail on its head!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSq38GYW_tc&feature=youtube_gdata_player WE KNOW!!

 Yes I get that, but the article itself is what I am at odds with.  There are black films and there are black films,   This Film is about Black pilots during WWII making some serious history for themselves,  What Im saying is,  Wilson is asserting it is a black film for blacks,  I am saying that is so wrong.  But then Im not from Hollywood thank God, so what do I know,  but I do have my Opinion as do you.  Do you believe Wilson is correct in his assessment of the coming failure and reasons for such failure?  Or do you believe this is a story about a group of people during a very  hard time in our history,  One in which a group of Black Pilots assumed to be to dumb by many in that war to be of any use in an airplane or in any fight, proved just how great they were.  I dont think for a sec this was a Black Film as Wilson calls it. 

 I just returned from Form An Argument School,  Now get help.  Look John, I have no problem with you or your writing I just happen to believe you might be wrong on this one.  I really really hope your wrong on this one.

 Wilson is right about me, Im no writer, but I can say this,  you  just said what Ive been trying to say.   You are exactly right on how I view this whole thing.  And for the record, I dont really care who does or does not make money in Hollywood,  They roll the dice and take their chances just like potato farmers. 

I cant tell you  how many times Ive seen Seven Samurai,  I mean the original black and white Japanese film, not Yul Brenner and his Texans in Mexico.  I dont know a single word of Japanese and the movie was all in Japanese.  Its the story its the story its the story and if you get decent acting to portray it good on them, but its still the story.

You’re absolutely right nationman except it IS a commentary on the racial politics of the PAST.  But this statement is absolutely RACIST,  ”If you happen to see it, do me a small favor: take a gander at the rest of the audience and see if they resemble the thespians on film. Chances are, they will. ”
REALLY?  So all of those BLACK PEOPLE who saw HARRY POTTER are what? Racial Sellouts? They seem to have been able to put their racial animus aside long enough to see a film with NO BLACKS IN IT.  For their percentage of the population , blacks make up a HUGE percentage of the movie going public. EVEN WHEN THERE ARE NO BLACK ACTORS OR STUPID AZZED RAPPERS IN THE MOVIE. It is a SHAME that you do not give WHITE PEOPLE similar CREDIT. 
I mean, think about ALL OF THE RACISM in your sentence~!!! You obviously think all of your Mediaite readers are WHITE, a RACIST ASSUMPTION, yet you  UNDERMINE your own STUPID POINT by having them IN THE THEATRE noting the RACE of the OTHER people. Seriously, if a Republican had said that you would be IMPALING YOURSELF ON A DILDO OF OUTRAGE.  smh. 

You all talk like the 1995 HBO film, “The Tuskegee Airmen” was never made, or shown (repeatedly, on HBO, not BET)!

That was ALSO a great tribute to the brave men who served this country with distinction (whether 25 bombers were lost under their “care” or not, they deserve the country’s thanks and respect)!

I don’t know if I’ll see this in theaters (they tend to turn the volume up WAY TOO LOUD for my taste), but when it comes out on Video, I’m there!

I am a white female from a southern town in Texas. I saw this movie on Friday and thought it was very good. My dad was in the Navy during WWII and I usually watch any movies about the time period. As for the audience being mostly black…there was one black man in the theater during the entire movie. I think your assumption about the movie drawing an audience with the majority being blacks is only that…an assumption. You have a right to your  opinion. I just don’t share it. You might think about putting the focus on what these brave men did for our country instead of what majority of whites or blacks are going to pay to see a movie about them.

Excellent. But just because I’m making a compelling argument about the success — or lack thereof — of the film doesn’t mean I don’t know, appreciate, or understand how important the story is. Please don’t make that unfounded assumption. 

Moreover, the racial makeup of the theater depends more on where that theater is located than anything else. Remember that as well. 

I took my dad to see the film tonight. We both enjoyed it as an action film. He was a mechanic on the P-51 so he was especially appreciative of the planes themselves. The movie doesn’t overkill the discrimination faced by the unit despite the periodic reminders of its black composition. And by the way, the Germans lose again.

I saw Red Tails yesterday and it was on the Best Movie I have ever seen. The movie had it all.. 
I laughed and cried. I was so proud to see so many people attending. This film is sure to win Awards. The entire Cast was great! I am going to see the movie again this time I am taking a group of 50 with me!  Go Red Tail make your MARK

Ditto. But not as in “ditto head”

Mr. Wilson…I looked up the percentage of blacks in the town where I saw the movie “Red Tails”…only 12.9% in 2010. That could be the reason for one black man in the audience….plus the fact that it was a Friday afternoon matinee. Regardless, I agree with you on the population percentage making a difference. 
I’m glad to read that you do appreciate the importance of the story. To me, there just seems to be the possibility of the racial card being pulled on the success of the movie so as to spark conversation on your article. Just sayin’,,,,,, and I quote you…
“Over at NewsOne, my newest outlet for writing opinions of all kinds, I’ve
sparked a discussion about the movie “Red Tails,” the all-black film produced
and marketed by George Lucas.”
I’m really not judging you and if it seems that way, then I apologize. I’m simply discussing the difference in opinions, as are all of the posters and yourself. 
What it all boils down to is that the men in the “Red Tails” crew and the white soldiers they guarded, closed that racial gap in order to fight together for the freedom we all share today.
Hopefully this movie will bring deserved recognition and more education regarding WWII. If so then the movie, in my opinion, is a success regardless of money.

Well I commend you for giving it some thought and also being candid about how you perceive the argument and the movie. 

However, I find it very interesting folks want to think that I’m pulling the race card. It wasn’t me who said Hollywood wouldn’t support this movie because of its all-black cast. It wasn’t me who said that, and I’m quoting here, “I made this for black teenagers” That’s all George Lucas. So if anyone has a problem with this movie being “racialized” they should call George Lucas out, not me. 

All I’m doing is inviting people to have a candid discussion about it. Also, it’s interesting that folks dispute that black films are mostly seen by blacks. But if that weren’t true, why would Hollywood tell Lucas they “don’t know how to market a film of this nature with an all-black cast”? If everyone patroned black movies then Hollywood would have scooped this up in a heartbeat. As you yourself say, it’s a story that is universal and very appealing. 

So please don’t scapegoat me or any other person trying to spark a worthwhile discussion on this topic. It deserves discussion, and most talented writers don’t need to write callous stuff just to get published. 

FYI I write at NewsOne 4-5 times a week and cover a variety of topics, impact of race on certain things is only one.

What do you mean by this isn’t how Stella Got Her Groove Back? 

There are other views of Lucas’s actions.  http://screenphiles.com/2012/01/20/red-tails-soars/
The point I am making is that there is the very real possibility that that the film will be successful, or at least successful enough, to make films with predominantly African-American casts commercially viable.

Though a lot of it is perception, in that: If one does not believe that African-American films are worth seeing, then you don’t go to see them, which means that studios don’t make them, because they don’t do well at the box office.

Rinse, and repeat.

If you do see it in a theatre, you should see it in the dollar-moviehouse with an all black audience. Then you can talk back to the screen. You can cheer and boo. Try it. It’s fun. That being said, Lucas might have made this movie so black youth can have something to look up to, but that’s not the same language as, Lucas made this movie for black teenagers. I knew nothing about this film other than the commercials and DVD trailers. Not everyone watches Jon Stewart, or cares what he thinks for that matter–especially since the Daily Show went entirely down the toilet when Craig Kilborn and Lizz Winstead left. Or what George Lucas thinks. George is just remaking every movie he ever saw as a kid anyway.

And Denzel was too old for the part.

OK, let me try this again: I’m a plain dumb white guy from the upper-Midwest. I had no idea this was a “black” movie or that it was fraught with controversy and over-budgeting and Lucas-vanity production effort merely for the benefit of wayward black youth with nothing to do on a Saturday night. That would be “Shaft.” That would be very obvious. That would be “Barbershop,” which I actually liked for all my paleness and long, straight hair. But it’s blatantly obvious when a film is being marketed to a “black” audience for the sake of being a “black” film for “black” people. That indeed does put the Great White North off of it for the most part.

What I’m trying to say is that Red Tails has not been presented in marketing or its style or presentation at all like a “black” film. I don’t know what buzz you think is going around about it or where the buzz is coming from, but it ain’t in white suburbia, where in my case there happens to be a lot more black people with more money, bigger houses, and better cars than mine, and who also would be rather put off by any film marketed as a “black” movie.

Whatever Lucas’ “black” subtext may be, he’s not spilled Shaft-like qualities or intentions over into the frame. It’s just a great war movie with cool planes and a lot of dogfights and bombing. That’s all anyone out here really knows. And that’s good enough for us…

So Lucas both saying that Hollywood rejected this movie because it has an all-black cast and saying that he “made it for black teenagers” aren’t examples of him marketing this film as black? I wouldn’t call that subtext, it’s pretty in your face.

That’s true. 

You don’t seem to understand what “marketing” means. That would be a commercial for the flick with a bunch of homies standing around with fodies in paper sacks outside the moviehouse, wearing leather flight helmets and goggles, raising a toast for the Red Tails and saying, “this movie’s the sh….t! Word!” Or George Lucas doing a commercial claiming it’s the greatest tribute to African American patriotism since Roots or something. Whining about his backoffice struggles deep inside the bowels of the Hollywood machine on a cable comedy show isn’t “marketing.” It might be PR, but it’s not “marketing.”

Take Spike Lee’s Malcolm X: Great movie, but Lee couldn’t stop himself from the schoolkid indoctrinational tribute “I am Malcolm X” etc just tagged on the end. It’s almost like he was saying, I know you young black kids are too stupid to get this joint, so I’ll just spell it out to you. Couldn’t just make a great movie with a beginning, middle and  end, just had to make it specifically pointed to a “black” audience–and in a way that insulted the very people he thought he was saluting.

There’s a very clear level of pandering in ever “black” movie and every “black” movie promotion and marketing campaign. “Blackness” is some factor, some cultural element beyond being of African descent or having dark skin. It’s a subculture that overtly signals itself that its whole purpose is to appeal to itself without worrying about anyone else “getting” it. I think whatever Lucas was whining about in terms of “marketing” had more to do with external perceptions of studio and distribution heads who labelled any film with a primarily “black” cast and a totally “black” storyline or theme, than any ad campaigns he intentionally had on his mind. I’ll check the box office I guess, and see if we suburban pale types are actually watching the film or not at this point.

Personally, I’ll wait for Redbox or Netflix. I’m just cheap. The Movie theatre is an obsolete experience for me.

This is a particularly dumb comment for a litany of reasons.

First, Wilson (who is black, though I don’t really know if that matters) wrote this for another site, and it was re-printed here. So, no, Wilson did not have any preconceived notions of a white audience at Mediaite. As a matter of fact, the website it was written for uses the slogan “For Black America.” So if anything, he was expecting a black audience for this piece.

You are an idiot.

Second, it is not racist to point out that the audience for “black movies” (movies with predominantly black casts) is likely going to be black people. Wilson pointed that out when he interviewed Professor Weaver, and even included this really interesting tidbit: “[Weaver] found,
among other things, that the ‘intended audience’ for the film was far
less likely to see the film when 70 percent of the cast was black.” More simply: when there are a lot of black people in a movie, the people who would usually see it (white people) are less likely to see it. So no, it is not a “SHAME that you do not give WHITE PEOPLE similar CREDIT.” White people do not *generally* go to “black movies,” and Professor Weaver’s studies found evidence of that. It does not mean that *no* white people go to black movies; it means that, on the average, when the cast is mostly black, attendance for movies drops. And it’s not black people who decide not to go. 

You are an idiot.

Third, it *is* racist, in a discussion of black films, to bring up the stereotype of “stupid azzed rappers.”

You are an idiot.

Fourth, just because the audience for “black movies” is largely made of black people, it does not mean that if black people go see a Harry Potter movie then they are “racial sellouts.” It’s insane for you to take anything in this piece in that way. Part of the reason there are so many black people in the audience of black movies is because white people don’t usually go to “black movies.” That means the audience is going to be mostly… stay with me for a second… black. That has NOTHING to do with black people seeing a Harry Potter film. Why would you hypothesize that because black people see “black movies” that it has anything to do with their “animus” for white people?

You are an idiot.

Fifth, maybe some people would be upset if a Republican said that black people, typically, make up most of the audience at “black movies.” But if they did get upset about that, they too would be idiots. Why? Because that’s not a racist thing to say. It’s a true thing to say.

You are an idiot.

Since he wrote his original column tearing down the movie, am I the only one waiting for John S. Wilson to do his promised followup to Red Tails?  Am I?
 
Yep, I am.
 

Keep history alive by telling that
history:

Read the greatest ‘historical
novel’, Rescue at Pine Ridge, the first generation of Buffalo Soldiers. The
website is: http://www.rescueatpineridge.com  This is the greatest story of Black
Military History…5 stars Amazon Internationally, and  Barnes & Noble.  Youtube commercials are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD66NUKmZPs     and     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVslyHmDy9A&feature=related

Rescue at Pine Ridge is the story
of the rescue of the famed 7th Cavalry by the 9th Cavalry Buffalo
Soldiers.  The 7th Cavalry was
entrapped again after the Little Big Horn Massacre, fourteen years later, the
day after the Wounded Knee Massacre. If it wasn’t for the 9th Cavalry Buffalo
Soldiers, there would of been a second massacre of the 7th Cavalry.  This story is about, brutality,
compassion, reprisal, bravery, heroism, redemption and gallantry.

You’ll enjoy the novel that
embodies the Native Americans, Outlaws and African-American/Black soldiers,
from the south to the north, in the days of the Native American Wars with the
approaching United States of America.

The novel was taken from my mini-series movie with the
same title, “RaPR” to keep the story alive.  The movie so far has the
interest of, Mr. Bill Duke, Hill Harper, Glynn Turman, James Whitmore Jr.,
Reginald T. Dorsey and a host of other major actors in which we are in talks
with, in starring in this epic American story.

When you get a chance, also please
visit our Alpha Wolf Production website at; http://www.alphawolfprods.com and see
our other productions, like Stagecoach Mary, the first Black Woman to deliver
mail for the US Postal System in Montana, in the 1890′s, “spread the word”.

Peace.

Keep history alive by telling that
history:

Read the greatest ‘historical
novel’, Rescue at Pine Ridge, the first generation of Buffalo Soldiers. The
website is: http://www.rescueatpineridge.com  This is the greatest story of Black
Military History…5 stars Amazon Internationally, and  Barnes & Noble.  Youtube commercials are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD66NUKmZPs     and     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVslyHmDy9A&feature=related

Rescue at Pine Ridge is the story
of the rescue of the famed 7th Cavalry by the 9th Cavalry Buffalo
Soldiers.  The 7th Cavalry was
entrapped again after the Little Big Horn Massacre, fourteen years later, the
day after the Wounded Knee Massacre. If it wasn’t for the 9th Cavalry Buffalo
Soldiers, there would of been a second massacre of the 7th Cavalry.  This story is about, brutality,
compassion, reprisal, bravery, heroism, redemption and gallantry.

You’ll enjoy the novel that
embodies the Native Americans, Outlaws and African-American/Black soldiers,
from the south to the north, in the days of the Native American Wars with the
approaching United States of America.

The novel was taken from my mini-series movie with the
same title, “RaPR” to keep the story alive.  The movie so far has the
interest of, Mr. Bill Duke, Hill Harper, Glynn Turman, James Whitmore Jr.,
Reginald T. Dorsey and a host of other major actors in which we are in talks
with, in starring in this epic American story.

When you get a chance, also please
visit our Alpha Wolf Production website at; http://www.alphawolfprods.com and see
our other productions, like Stagecoach Mary, the first Black Woman to deliver
mail for the US Postal System in Montana, in the 1890′s, “spread the word”.

Peace.

Christ, how do you function day-to-day being this brain dead?

BTW, liberals made this movie.