George Lucas was on "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart two weeks ago. The way he presented "Red Tails", one would have thought that he was the director, but, no, just the exec Producer. Given that the film is a Lucasfilm production, whoever directed the film (I know, but, telling you detracts from my point)Lucas effectively controls what is on the screen. He told Stewart that he had been trying to get the film made for about 20 years.
Kudos for effort to Mr. Lucas. Photorealistic air combat and aircraft scenes (I searched the credits for the plane pilots, but only saw helicopters...so everything on the screen is CGI!). Wow!
The plot follows the historical facts of the Tuskeegee Airmen quite well. The stories of the individual characters are, as one Toronto critic accurately described- melodramatic. Still, the actors are endearing. It reminds me of the James Franco WW1 air film from a few years ago- lots of heart, but not an actors film.
Lucas told Mr. Stewart that he wanted to show his characters as heroes and not victims (segregation was still US Armed Forces policy until Harry Truman integrated the Forces after the War- perhaps the most important Civil Rights victory in history, as the US Armed Forces is a major socializing agent in American society).
Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding are wasted in supporting roles- the story has yet to be told of the political; machinations that saw the creation of the Tuskeegee Air Squadron).
Note to Mr. Lucas: I appreciate why you would dress this film in the US flag- BUT, given that the film is shown in countries other than the US, the blatant jingoism does not bode well for the international box office. I saw this film on opening day in a theatre just outside Toronto. Its capacity had to be several hundred people- there were less than 20 at a 7 pm show- none black in a community with a large black population. The 9 pm show had no tickets sold- I checked. Its fantastic to see a film that doesn't portray people of colour as impoverished or ghettoized- to fly in the US Army Airforce, you had to be an officer- still do in the USAF. Perhaps it is telling that some North American communities will only accept portrayals of nonwhites in this manner. Not Mr. Lucas' problem.....ENJOY and go see this important film.......
Kudos for effort to Mr. Lucas. Photorealistic air combat and aircraft scenes (I searched the credits for the plane pilots, but only saw helicopters...so everything on the screen is CGI!). Wow!
The plot follows the historical facts of the Tuskeegee Airmen quite well. The stories of the individual characters are, as one Toronto critic accurately described- melodramatic. Still, the actors are endearing. It reminds me of the James Franco WW1 air film from a few years ago- lots of heart, but not an actors film.
Lucas told Mr. Stewart that he wanted to show his characters as heroes and not victims (segregation was still US Armed Forces policy until Harry Truman integrated the Forces after the War- perhaps the most important Civil Rights victory in history, as the US Armed Forces is a major socializing agent in American society).
Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding are wasted in supporting roles- the story has yet to be told of the political; machinations that saw the creation of the Tuskeegee Air Squadron).
Note to Mr. Lucas: I appreciate why you would dress this film in the US flag- BUT, given that the film is shown in countries other than the US, the blatant jingoism does not bode well for the international box office. I saw this film on opening day in a theatre just outside Toronto. Its capacity had to be several hundred people- there were less than 20 at a 7 pm show- none black in a community with a large black population. The 9 pm show had no tickets sold- I checked. Its fantastic to see a film that doesn't portray people of colour as impoverished or ghettoized- to fly in the US Army Airforce, you had to be an officer- still do in the USAF. Perhaps it is telling that some North American communities will only accept portrayals of nonwhites in this manner. Not Mr. Lucas' problem.....ENJOY and go see this important film.......