George Lucas: Hollywood Didn’t Want To Fund ‘Red Tails’ Because Of Its Black Cast


bluedog

bluedog

"Leader of Kings"
In an appearance on The Daily Show last night, George Lucas said that he had trouble getting funding for his new movie, “Red Tails,†because of its black cast.

“This has been held up for release since 1942 since it was shot, I’ve been trying to get released ever since,†Lucas told Jon Stewart. “It’s because it’s an all-black movie. There’s no major white roles in it at all…I showed it to all of them and they said no. We don’t know how to market a movie like this.†read
 
Doesn't surprise me at all. White America will never change. They are who they are and have always been.
 



Maybe it's not that simple, Cee.

Is it possible that they DON'T know how to market $58 million dollar black movie?

Would you be willing to put up $58 million of your money when you don't know how you're going to get it back?

If there were a surefire formula for turning a $58 million dollar black movie into $130 million, these studios would be breaking their backs to put those movies out.

I don't think this is a matter of "white folks will never change". This is a matter of dollars and sense.


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SUJagFan said:
Maybe it's not that simple, Cee.

Is it possible that they DON'T know how to market $58 million dollar black movie?

Would you be willing to put up $58 million of your money when you don't know how you're going to get it back?

If there were a surefire formula for turning a $58 million dollar black movie into $130 million, these studios would be breaking their backs to put those movies out.

I don't think this is a matter of "white folks will never change". This is a matter of dollars and sense.

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What you're saying makes all the sense in the world if their wasn't ever any black movies that have been marketed by hollywood and extremely sucessful.
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What big budget all black cast movies would those be?

ETA:

The only one that I can think of may have been Ali. A story with the leading character having crossover appeal and the lead actor, Will Smith, having crossover appeal.

Crossover appeal.

That's the key. How do you get people who are not black to go to the theater to watch this movie?

There's a reason movies marketed only to black people have lower budgets. Dollars and sense. If it don't make dollars, it don't make sense.
 
I listened to Lucas's interview with Tom Joyner yesterday, and basically what Lucas said is, since this is more of a drama with an all black cast and not a comedy that is an issue as well. Also this is movie #1 of 3.
 
Interesting.

So, since we won't be laughing and shucking and jiving, there is a question of whether even we will go see this movie.


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SUJagFan said:
Interesting.

So, since we won't be laughing and shucking and jiving, there is a question of whether even we will go see this movie.


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OK I'm confused. You started off by debating it's crossover appeal now you're blaming us?

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Don't be confused.

My stance is still that Cuba Gooding Jr, Terrance Howard and the Tuskegee Airmen don't have the crossover appeal of Ali or Will Smith.

It was noted that one of the other issues was the the movie was a drama and not a comedy. It is well known that black people are more likely to flock to comedies than dramas.

I was just saying that this movie may lack crossover appeal AND the appeal of its core audience.

Another reason not to fund this movie.

Bottom line, this is not about blaming anyone. This is about butts in the seats. No matter what color they are.

If it were your money, I'm pretty sure that's what you would be concerned about.


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<table style='font:11px arial; color:#333; background-color:#f5f5f5' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='512' height='340'><tbody><tr style='background-color:#e5e5e5' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com'>The Daily Show With Jon Stewart</a></td><td style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; text-align:right; font-weight:bold;'>Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c</td></tr><tr style='height:14px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-january-9-2012/george-lucas'>George Lucas</a></td></tr><tr style='height:14px; background-color:#353535' valign='middle'><td colspan='2' style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; width:512px; overflow:hidden; text-align:right'><a target='_blank' style='color:#96deff; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/'>www.thedailyshow.com</a></td></tr><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><embed style='display:block' src='http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:405544' width='512' height='288' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='window' allowFullscreen='true' flashvars='autoPlay=false' allowscriptaccess='always' allownetworking='all' bgcolor='#000000'></embed></td></tr><tr style='height:18px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><table style='margin:0px; text-align:center' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='100%' height='100%'><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/'>Daily Show Full Episodes</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.indecisionforever.com/'>Political Humor & Satire Blog</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow'>The Daily Show on Facebook</a></td></tr></table></td></tr></tbody></table>
 
This is like the Mike Vicks taking a role in the QB spot in the NFL. Society never wanted to see it happen......
 
CEE DOG said:
This is like the Mike Vicks taking a role in the QB spot in the NFL. Society never wanted to see it happen......
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But, Mike Vick as a QB in the NFL does happen and he's highly paid for it.

Why?

Because QB Mike Vick in the NFL is profitable.

This is not hard.
 
SUJagFan said:
Don't be confused.

My stance is still that Cuba Gooding Jr, Terrance Howard and the Tuskegee Airmen don't have the crossover appeal of Ali or Will Smith.

It was noted that one of the other issues was the the movie was a drama and not a comedy. It is well known that black people are more likely to flock to comedies than dramas.

I was just saying that this movie may lack crossover appeal AND the appeal of its core audience.

Another reason not to fund this movie.

Bottom line, this is not about blaming anyone. This is about butts in the seats. No matter what color they are.

If it were your money, I'm pretty sure that's what you would be concerned about.


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Cuba and Terrance have been in just as many movies as Will or Ali, if not more, especially Cuba and he has that "White" appeal, based on the movies he's been in, so his name is recognizable. Terrance, maybe not so much. His main movies are Crash, Iron Man #1, and Hustle and Flow at least those are the big ones I remember.

As for the issues of Black watching comedies over dramas, that is an issue of what we are given. If you feed a kid chicken all the time and nothing much of anything else, he will always choose chicken, but if you give him a healthy diet of chicken, beef, fish, etc then he will make better choices and be more well rounded. The same with the movies, comedies is all Hollywood ever really produces for Blacks, (which is my issue with Tyler Perry and Meet the Browns), I get tired of watching comedies all the time, remember the TV show Soul Food, now that was a good mainly Black Folks drama.
 
Tpop33 said:
Cuba and Terrance have been in just as many movies as Will or Ali, if not more, especially Cuba and he has that "White" appeal, based on the movies he's been in, so his name is recognizable. Terrance, maybe not so much. His main movies are Crash, Iron Man #1, and Hustle and Flow at least those are the big ones I remember.

As for the issues of Black watching comedies over dramas, that is an issue of what we are given. If you feed a kid chicken all the time and nothing much of anything else, he will always choose chicken, but if you give him a healthy diet of chicken, beef, fish, etc then he will make better choices and be more well rounded. The same with the movies, comedies is all Hollywood ever really produces for Blacks, (which is my issue with Tyler Perry and Meet the Browns), I get tired of watching comedies all the time, remember the TV show Soul Food, now that was a good mainly Black Folks drama.
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Good point.

Well, this is our chance to prove that this type of movie can be profitable in the box office.

I think I'll go see it just to support the cause.
 



SUJagFan said:
Don't be confused.

My stance is still that Cuba Gooding Jr, Terrance Howard and the Tuskegee Airmen don't have the crossover appeal of Ali or Will Smith.

It was noted that one of the other issues was the the movie was a drama and not a comedy. It is well known that black people are more likely to flock to comedies than dramas.

I was just saying that this movie may lack crossover appeal AND the appeal of its core audience.

Another reason not to fund this movie.

Bottom line, this is not about blaming anyone. This is about butts in the seats. No matter what color they are.

If it were your money, I'm pretty sure that's what you would be concerned about.


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I keep forgetting that I came up in an entirely different era than you guys. Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis and Sammy Davis Jr. were the house names, everybody else were benefactors of their sacrifice.

We went see them showcase their talent no matter if it was comedy, drama, etc.

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bluedog said:
I keep forgetting that I came up in an entirely different era than you guys. Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis and Sammy Davis Jr. were the house names, everybody else were benefactors of their sacrifice.

We went see them showcase their talent no matter if it was comedy, drama, etc.

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I understand.

Now we have Tyler Perry. Big difference.


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SUJagFan said:
That's the key. How do you get people who are not black to go to the theater to watch this movie?
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How can we worry about any other race going to see our films when WE don't go. Especially if certain folks are in the cast that the HOOD has deemed as sellouts.

Folks are already boycotting the film because of-

2 cast members were once married or still married to BECKY
1 of the writers took shots at Tyler Perry and BET on his show The Boondocks
1 cast member is a rapper (Method Man)
3 cast members were once cast members of hit WHITE tv shows-despite 2 being more famous for being on The Wire along with 2 other cast members and most of the film crew
1 cast member is a singer who was already in a hit film and hit show
1 was the villian in Planet of the Apes

Mind you these are the same folks that flocked or will flock to see a 2 time felon, woman beater, home wrecker, a sperm bank in Takers, How to Treat A Lady and Marriage Counselor. Or a former DRUNK in Iron Man 3.

So as a result you have films like Luke Cage, Black Panther and even Static Shock in limbo because who can you put in that role that EVERYBODY will like. Marvel lucked out with Blade.
 
SUJagFan said:
Crossover appeal.

That's the key. How do you get people who are not black to go to the theater to watch this movie?...
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Answer: You go after the audience that George Lucas said that he wrote this for: teenage boys...and I don't think he said Black teenage boys. If you can get that audience, then you can get both their parents and grandparents. Play the patriotic card and get even more. It is all about marketing. The money is out there.

Unfortunately, there is not a market for toys with this movie, or there might be a wider immediate appeal.
 
Personally I think most of you are falling into the trap of sterotyping people. Yes there is a segment that that won't go see the movie because they can't relate, yes there is a segment that won't see it because they perfer comedy, there even is a segment that won't go see it because it may simply be to emotional for them, but you guys are given waaaaay to much credence (sp) and power to the old sterotype in this case IMHO.

At the end of the day it's just a product and you market it as you would any other that you're tryong to sell. Vigorously, confident with excitement and believing in it.

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Some of you folks are the most self hating folks in America. Yall hate yourselves and your family that is why you all think so negatively about black people. All folks in the hood aren't stupid. All folks with a college degree ain't intelligent or have class. There is a segment on each side that enjoys movies, books and classical things in life. Just because your family is trash, doesn't mean everyone else family is trash.
 
CEE DOG said:
Some of you folks are the most self hating folks in America. Yall hate yourselves and your family that is why you all think so negatively about black people. All folks in the hood aren't stupid. All folks with a college degree ain't intelligent or have class. There is a segment on each side that enjoys movies, books and classical things in life. Just because your family is trash, doesn't mean everyone else family is trash.
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Really?

If that's the case, why do you continually make blanket statements labeling all white people as racist or "sick" as you just did in another thread a few minutes ago.

The basic discussion in this thread has been is there a market for this movie. You are the only one making blanket racial statements.

It's possible to discuss investing in and marketing products to the different races and Americans in general without living in this jiggaboo, fear-of-the-white-man world that you live in. Being rational and realistic is not self-hate.

Get it together, Cee. The white man is not going to get you. I promise. SUJagFan is going to protect you from this scary white man. I promise.

:lol:


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Where did I lie at? White folks are sick. The best thing to ever happen to this country was to get a black president so they could live out their hate dreams. The view points expressed by many folks on here are white Americas views that black folks don't like anything but comedy. When blanket statements are made that all we care about is Tyler perry movies, that is some ole self hate, white folks view. Most of your history buffs are folks who never attended college.
SUJagFan said:
Really?

If that's the case, why do you continually make blanket statements labeling all white people as racist or "sick" as you just did in another thread a few minutes ago.

The basic discussion in this thread has been is there a market for this movie. You are the only one making blanket racial statements.

It's possible to discuss investing in and marketing products to the different races and Americans in general without living in this jiggaboo, fear-of-the-white-man world that you live in. Being rational and realistic is not self-hate.

Get it together, Cee. The white man is not going to get you. I promise. SUJagFan is going to protect you from this scary white man. I promise.

:lol:


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