Robyn Batts’ “Where Is The Black Erotica on Screen” piece in which she mentions Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It” (among other titles), which was published earlier today, reminded me of Lee’s trouble’s in getting the film released. Specifically, the film was initially given an “X” rating by the MPAA. Why? The exact quote, according to Spike, was that the MPAA said it was “saturated with sex.”
Thus Spike had to re-edit the film 3 times, and still then it was considered too risque. So he released it first in New York, unrated, but was contractually obligated to deliver an R-rated movie, if he wanted to get paid, and eventually did.
What was Spike’s response to the whole thing? “I don’t think it’s out-and-out racist, but the film portrays blacks outside stereotypical roles, and they don’t know what to do with blacks in films. They never have any love interests. Nick Nolte is the one who has a relationship in 48 Hours. And when it comes to black sexuality, they especially don’t know how to deal with it. They feel uncomfortable. There are films with more gratuitous sex and violence. 9 1/2 weeks got an “R.” And look at Body Double.”
In reading that, you realize just how little has changed in 30 years! Consider this: how often do you go see specifically Hollywood-backed movies with two black leads, and there are actually scenes of them being genuinely affectionate with one another? Forget sex. How about just kissing; both of them doing so voluntarily of course, enjoying a tender, loving, maybe even intense moment that involves not just sharing lips, but also words that touch, that linger… It feels like such a rare thing, doesn’t it?
A year after Spike’s debut was distributed, Robert Townsend’s “Hollywood Shuffle” was released in 1987. In that classic film, Townsend’s character is involved in a romance with Anne Marie Johnson’s character. While doing press for the film prior to its release, Townsend was quoted as saying, “This year, I’ll be the only black man that kissed a black woman on screen. That’s deep.”
Indeed.
Certainly there has been some change since 1987. At least, I’d like to think so. But just how much, is the question. Again, Hollywood studio-backed films are my focus here, if only because those are the movies that tend to be seen widely. An indie drama playing in New York for a week will only reach a handful of people; and even after it’s released on home video, without much awareness of it, and not much of a marketing campaign, it’ll remain relatively obscure.
My argument isn’t whether or not the kinds of scenes I describe actually happen; but whether we see them enough – especially when compared to similar scenes in movies featuring white leads, and also considering
I should remind you all that, 2 years ago, it was announced that Spike Lee and Showtime had teamed up to develop a TV series based on “She’s Gotta Have It.” Details on the adaptation (like whether it’ll tell the exact same story the film did, with the same characters, who Spike might be considering for his cast, etc) weren’t made public at the time, and are still underwraps – assuming the project is even still in the works.
The plan was to develop a half-hour TV series based on Lee’s cherished, though problematic feature film debut, which, by the way, celebrates its 30th year in release this year (it was released August 8, 1986). Maybe Spike and Showtime are planning to make an announcement to coincide with the actual day of the ceremony. Maybe not…
Were this to indeed move forward, who would you cast as Nola Darling?
She’s the young, self-assured Brooklynite, juggling 3 very different boyfriends, who, maybe, if collected into one body, will represent her ideal mate. But Nola doesn’t want to commit to any of her men, cherishing her personal freedom, even as their relationships with Nola grow, and each man wants her for himself. What actress (likely between the ages of 25 and 35) exudes Nola’s complexities?
