Why We Make Movies: Black Filmmakers Talk About the Magic of Cinema [Paperback]

George Alexander (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 18, 2003

A sparkling collection of interviews with African American directors and producers.

Bringing together more than thirty candid conversations with filmmakers and producers such as Spike Lee, Gordon Parks, Julie Dash, Charles Burnett, and Robert Townsend, Why We Make Movies delivers a cultural celebration with the tips of a film-school master class.

With journalist George Alexander, these revolutionary men and women discuss not only how they got their big breaks, but more importantly, they explore the creative process and what making movies means to them. Why We Make Movies also addresses the business of Hollywood and its turning tide, in a nation where African Americans comprise a sizable portion of the film-going public and go to the movies more frequently than whites. In addition, Alexander’s cast of directors and producers considers the lead roles they now play in everything from documentaries and films for television to broad-based blockbusters (in fact, the highest-grossing film in Miramax history was Scary Movie, directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans). For film buffs and aspiring filmmakers alike, Why We Make Movies puts a long-overdue spotlight on one of the most exciting and cutting-edge segments of today’s silver screen.

INTERVIEWS INCLUDE: MELVIN VAN PEEBLES • MICHAEL SCHULTZ • CHARLES BURNETT • SPIKE LEE • ROBERT TOWNSEND • FRED WILLIAMSON • ERNEST DICKERSON • KEENEN IVORY WAYANS • ANTOINE FUQUA • BILL DUKE • FORREST WHITAKER • JULIE DASH • KASI LEMMONS • GINA PRINC-BLYTHEWOOD • JOHN SINGLETON • GEORGE TILLMAN Jr. • REGINALD HUDLIN • WARRINGTON HUDLIN • MALCOLM LEE • EUZHAN PALCY • DOUG McHENRY • DEBRA MARTIN CHASE • St. CLAIR BOURNE • STANLEY NELSON • WILLIAM GREAVES • KATHE SANDLER • CAMILLE BILLOPS • HAILE GERIMA • GORDON PARKS

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This informative collection of interviews with more than 35 African-American filmmakers surveys the current field of mass market director/producers and documentarians working in both Hollywood and the independent arena. Appropriately, the book begins with an interview with Renaissance man Gordon Parks; the actor/director explains his difficulties as a first-time director on The Learning Tree, adding that his training as a top-rated photographer influenced his choices and compositional approach behind the camera. Journalist Alexander's questions invite a torrent of insightful answers from each of his subjects. The multitalented Melvin Van Peebles recounts his piloting Sweet Sweetback, the controversial film that brought him instant fame. His story is one of determination, ingenuity and bravado in overcoming racial barriers. Actor/director/social activist Ossie Davis recalls when movie mogul Sam Goldwyn tapped him to direct Chester Himes's Cotton Comes to Harlem, presenting him with a challenge that stretched his imagination. The taboo on interracial romance in film, with black men and white women, gets a harsh rebuke from former football star and director Fred Williamson. In director Spike Lee's interview, he credits much of his success to perfect timing, and laments the lack of blacks in decision-making posts at the studios. Producer Lee Daniels (Monster's Ball) defends Halle Berry's Oscar win for her performance, despite the furor over her sex scenes. In all, this is a worthy addition to the reference shelf of anyone with an interest in film or African-American culture.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

A sparkling collection of interviews with African American directors and producers.

Bringing together more than thirty candid conversations with filmmakers and producers such as Spike Lee, Gordon Parks, Julie Dash, Charles Burnett, and Robert Townsend, Why We Make Movies delivers a cultural celebration with the tips of a film-school master class.

With journalist George Alexander, these revolutionary men and women discuss not only how they got their big breaks, but more importantly, they explore the creative process and what making movies means to them. Why We Make Movies also addresses the business of Hollywood and its turning tide, in a nation where African Americans comprise a sizable portion of the film-going public and go to the movies more frequently than whites. In addition, Alexander?s cast of directors and producers considers the lead roles they now play in everything from documentaries and films for television to broad-based blockbusters (in fact, the highest-grossing film in Miramax history was Scary Movie, directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans). For film buffs and aspiring filmmakers alike, Why We Make Movies puts a long-overdue spotlight on one of the most exciting and cutting-edge segments of today?s silver screen.

INTERVIEWS INCLUDE: MELVIN VAN PEEBLES ? MICHAEL SCHULTZ ? CHARLES BURNETT ? SPIKE LEE ? ROBERT TOWNSEND ? FRED WILLIAMSON ? ERNEST DICKERSON ? KEENEN IVORY WAYANS ? ANTOINE FUQUA ? BILL DUKE ? FORREST WHITAKER ? JULIE DASH ? KASI LEMMONS ? GINA PRINC-BLYTHEWOOD ? JOHN SINGLETON ? GEORGE TILLMAN Jr. ? REGINALD HUDLIN ? WARRINGTON HUDLIN ? MALCOLM LEE ? EUZHAN PALCY ? DOUG McHENRY ? DEBRA MARTIN CHASE ? St. CLAIR BOURNE ? STANLEY NELSON ? WILLIAM GREAVES ? KATHE SANDLER ? CAMILLE BILLOPS ? HAILE GERIMA ? GORDON PARKS

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Broadway; 1 edition (February 18, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767911814
• ISBN-13: 978-0767911818
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,220,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reflecting Cinema: Black Filmmakers Speak, August 27, 2003

By 

Saer Maty Ba (Exeter, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why We Make Movies: Black Filmmakers Talk About the Magic of Cinema (Paperback)

It is always a treat to read a work by an author who masters his subject and yet is very humble about his achievement. George Alexander's knowledge of movies comes from exposure to the magic of film at a young age, but also through learning the craft of screenwriting, and filmmaking in general, after college. His book is a gold mine as far as learning about black filmmakers and black filmmaking is concerned; it is almost an alternative, outsider's take on the American Film Industry and beyond. What makes it invaluable though is more that the reader is granted access both to the "Usual Suspects" of black filmmaking fame and the talented, less well-known and upcoming black filmmakers. Furthermore, one of Alexander's major achievements is to have managed to create a space where these two categories of black filmmakers could give us "a master class" in filmmaking.

Given the dynamism, diversity, and ever growing number of black filmmakers making movies successfully nowadays, it was always going to be difficult for Alexander to decide who would be featured in "Why We Make Movies": no criticism focused on why he did not include so and so cannot be taken seriously. But how do you conceptualise such a book? Alexander does a brilliant job here because he manages to propose a structure based on chronology, genre, filmmaking potential, filmmaking achievement, and crossing over, to name but a few. Yet Alexander seems to have no other ambition than taking the reader on "an odyssey across the plains of Black America's contributions to the magic of cinema".

The inclusion of Prof. Manthia Diwawara as the exception that confirms the rule in Alexander's book is more than justified. It is beyond the scope of this review to elaborate on Diawara's extraordinary body of work, e.g. his contributions to African/Black Diapora Studies. However, I would say that with Diawara, Haile Gerima, and Euzhan Palcy featured in "Why We Make Movies", for future editions Alexander might want to widen its concept so as to cater for Black Diaspora Cinema more strongly, and to refocus its central thesis in order to make it less casual. I am putting forward this latter point because "Why We Make Movies" is already a scholarly book, yet one in a position to be improved a great deal. No one interested in (black) cinema can afford to miss it: "that's the truth rruth".

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable, educational book, April 2, 2003

By 

Cydney Rax "rmn1994" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why We Make Movies: Black Filmmakers Talk About the Magic of Cinema (Paperback)

Lovers of film, and especially those individuals who are interested in the behind-the-scenes action of movie making, will be thrilled by George Alexander's Why We Make Movies. Not only does the book get up close and personal with 35 or so of the most notable filmmakers of our time, it also serves as a historical context for black film, and provides information not commonly known about our favorite actors (including how Tupac got his first role in Juice), scripts, budgets, television productions, and the many problems encountered and conquered when it comes to filmmakers such as Spike Lee, George Tillman, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Robert Townsend, John Singleton, and many more.

The book is upfront about the racial and discriminatory issues that plague the industry and how, perhaps, one should approach filmmaking once they are aware of all the long standing issues. You get to read which scene Spike Lee regrets out of the dozens of movies he's made; you get to read what kind of power, if any, do successful black filmmakers have; you get to know their feelings about the current slate of movies that are being released, how directors prepare for shoots, just a wealth of vital information and tidbits that will broaden your knowledge about the industry.

Although the age range, gender, and backgrounds of the interviewees vary, one common bond is their love for film. Why We Make Movies is an important, eye-opening account that will cause your view of the magic of films to be enhanced.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Interviews!!!, March 25, 2010

By 

White Mike - Detroit "MJMM" (Detroit, MI USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Why We Make Movies: Black Filmmakers Talk About the Magic of Cinema (Paperback)

Why we make movies is a question and answer book with the author, and several contemporary black filmmakers. Personally I found it very refreshing that the answers given are straight from the artists themselves. This means that we get to hear "straight from the horse's mouth" how these unique people got started, and why they make films. I ordered this book for two academic presentations, and two papers. One paper and accompanying presentation about a Biography on our choice of Women Director's (Julie Dash for me,) and another paper and accompanying presentation on that director as an auteur. So far, I have referenced more information from this book than all of the information from BOTH of our ASSIGNED textbooks from class. Offering unique, personal confessions from these filmmakers, this author does a nice job of bringing something intimate, fun, and unique in a book that is refreshing to read.