Comments on: What Django Unchained Got Wrong: A Review From National Museum of African American History and Culture Director Lonnie Bunch

By: cosmetice profesionale

cosmetice profesionale — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 19:17:28 +0000

I usually prefer to see movies, especially those based on true facts, as reflection of the reality. I will never expect that a movie will describe, in our case, an historical period reliably. My opinion is that movies are only there to make us curious to discover by ourselves the true story. It is obvious that a movie of 2 or 3 hours will never be enough to tell the entire story of slavery.

By: Igor Dragoslavic

Igor Dragoslavic — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:15:47 +0000

It is very true that: “Django Unchained is as much about slavery as a spaghetti Western is about the realities of the American West.”, but I highly doubt that Tarantino doesn’t know that and that he didn’t make it so on purpose. He never pretended to be showing a historical realistic representation of the slavery. Quite contrary, his claim (which I agree with) is that through the outrageous caricatures the message becomes stronger and much more powerful than an “accurate” historic depiction could ever be. A cool, rational, fact based manner, might not always be the most appropriate way to deal with the incomprehensible madness of the slavery…

By: DonLuchitti

DonLuchitti — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 02:50:09 +0000

So, this movie obviously lacks a totality of coverage in certain areas. The author brings a good point up about women. Buuuuuut, if we are to take a look at Slavery destigmatized and treat it like it ISN’T taboo, it isn’t something with so much stigma we are forced to only depict it in certain ways, then isn’t it wrong to insist it ought to chastised for not depicting enslaved women in the way the author wishes? Because that’s exactly (imo) what Django has going for it, it’s rebellious (compared to previous movies that depict slavery drama or other genre) and raw nature. Starting to hoist upon it requirements only draws it closer to the center, closer to the middle ground of acceptibility and if we follow that impulse through, then what happens to the violence, the hatred and the dehumanization that I believe is a fine blast to our society of reality. I’m not saying there’s no room for developing Broomhilda’s character a bit more, I’m saying it’s wrong to criticize this movie for not being X enough. Because that’s EXACTLY what movies in the antebellum period so far have all tried to do assiduously and it always ends up feeling stale, white washed and well fake. If we force ourselves to treat movies that have taboo subject matter in a regimented way, we’re only reinforcing the reflexive impulse that gives the concept of “taboo” its power to keep the issue at hand alien and distant.

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:52:04 +0000

but the story of slavery deserves a much more nuanced, realistic and respectful depiction.

Not always. We take tragic events and treat them all sorts or ways. It’s how we process them as a culture. Sometimes we cry and sometimes we are ready to carry things over the top and dare to laugh, be empowered, or take real events and create fiction designed to get under the world’s skin. It doesn’t have to mean we are belittling the original event.

Does anybody recall Mel Brooks doing It’s Springtime for Hitler in the Producers?

By: Javele Watson

Javele Watson — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:13:54 +0000

A black man was given the power to kill, to end the lives of the
enslavers. This was never the reality in real history.
The same is true of his last film, where a bunch of Americans, a
Jewish lady, and a black man with a match standing over a pile of highly
flammable film was able to kill Hitler and a theater filled with the most
powerful Nazis.
It’s safe to say that Tarantino doesn’t care about what others think
when it comes to messing with the realisms of history. And I kind of like
that.
I’m happy that black men can count on this film to be able to relate
to the lead character and feel the catharsis that comes from destroying
those who oppressed and abused your ancestors and left you in a world
where you will never ever ever experience equality, since you are born
into poverty and ignorance, as the majority of black people are in
America. But for a moment. Just a single moment. The black man rose up and
killed that white slave-owning son of a bi$3h. He*@ yeah! (Smithsonian Magazine would not post this comment, and gave me the chance to rework this last sentence, since it had profanity. I’m grateful for the chance to meet a compromise on this censorship.)

By: Dr. Thomas McLaughlin

Dr. Thomas McLaughlin — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:15:45 +0000

That’s “Brunnhilde,” as in the shieldmaiden and valkyrie in Norse mythology, and Wagnerian opera fame, not the comic-strip character “witch.” The point is made, very early in the film that she was owned originally by a German couple – which is why she speaks German. I am surprised that Director Burch missed that very important point.

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:35:49 +0000

This review was absolute garbage,equal to the junk one usually finds on Yahoo.

I expect much better from Smithsonian.

By: George

George — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:13:09 +0000

Unlike the author of this article,I don’t think that Quentin Tarrantino is a particularly gifted filmmaker, I do however applaud his willingness to deal with a subject matter that frightens and divides most Americans.
In general, American films about history are not impressive. For the most part, Americans don’t know much about history and often don’t care about it; that is why this sort of absurd rendering of the past will not bother them.
For political purposes Americans are constantly trying to rewrite history, they downplay the brutality of slavery, insist that the sexual exploitation of black and First Nations women did not happen and swear that the Antebellum South was a paradise ruined by the “War of Northern Aggression. They maintain that slavery was caused by Africans “selling each other” and not by the need for expendable labor to fill the pockets of European colonists with coin.
It would be wonderful if someone would address the subject of American history accurately and entertainingly but, sadly, that is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

By: Alvin C

Alvin C — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:59:36 +0000

DJANGO UNCHAINED got nothing wrong at all, because its a movie, filmed entertainment and nothing more. I am a bit surprised that this film would become a point of reference for a historical examination of what remains the dark and shameful foundation of the USA.
It is, after all, a work of fiction!
I also don’t recall this much attention to the idea of accuracy of history in film, for say SAVING PRIVATE RYAN or even ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE KILLER ( or for that matter LINCOLN).
I think Tarantino shows courage in his filmmaking, which itself is a reflection of his own passion for films of simplicity and broad entertainment value. He certainly shows more courage than Steven Spielberg or Spike Lee, both of whom have repeatedly demonstrated their preference for baroque methods of emotional manipulation and historical fakery over the ‘quiet’ simplicity of Tarantino’s cinema of imagination.

By: Sabbatino

Sabbatino — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 20:08:42 +0000

I wish someone would make a movie based on the book “The State of Jones”.

By: Vivian

Vivian — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 18:59:20 +0000

Greed, violence against others, disrespect of other’s well being, prejudice, intolerance, etc. have been part of human existence since the beginning of time and sadly still lingers in some people today. We should have descended from peaceful Bonobos rather than violent Chimps.

By: Dr, Theda Palmer Saxton

Dr, Theda Palmer Saxton — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 18:26:32 +0000

Vernon,

Thank you for your clearly and methodically painted landscape which is complex and diverse enough to house the historical influence of where and how our black imagery of slavery has become a conversation talking point. The 2000 version of Perry’s Ma’Dear is not just a movie character any more than Super Fly was for the 70′s.
Now I will go see the new movie spin on America’s sin.

By: lynne

lynne — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 17:39:50 +0000

IT’S A MOVIE, NOT AN ARCHIVE !!!! Quentin starts with an idea and runs with it. He is an entertainer not a historian. Just enjoy the movie !!!

By: brandi

brandi — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 16:23:36 +0000

Try truth: Diary of a Contraband. The Civil War Passage of a Black Sailor, a true story published by Wm B GOuld IV of his great grandfather’s escape for N.C. slavery and subsequent 3 years service in the Union Navy. Jamie: play the role of Wm B Gould as a young man. Samuel: play him as an old man. Spike: direct. Oprah: produce. This part of American history is absorbing and can be transformative – if we do it right.

By: William (Bill) Peters

William (Bill) Peters — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 16:21:42 +0000

I couldn’t disagree more. This is a movie that makes one think,- about everything. One cannot ask for anything more from any form of art.