Barbershop and Beauty Shop

[RoryN]

His and hers blaxploitation.

Who says Hollywood is bereft of ideas?

 

[-deezle-]

Beauty Shop? I think it's a spin off of the barbershop because queen latifah ran the beauty shop next door to 'calvin's' shop.

 

[GirlMidnite]

His and hers blaxploitation.

Who says Hollywood is bereft of ideas?

Blah, bring back 1980's Eddie Murphy.

 

[RoryN]

Blah, bring back 1980's Eddie Murphy.

Hell yeah.

 

[lapinova]

i thought this was going to be a thread about quartets.
i was all ready to sing along with "Down By The Old Mill Stream".

 

[-deezle-]

i thought this was going to be a thread about quartets.
i was all ready to sing along with "Down By The Old Mill Stream".

ROFL!

 

[sweet soft kiss]

Blah, bring back 1980's Eddie Murphy.

Bring back Fred Williamson... thats Blaxplotation with sex appeal.

 

[medjay]

So, how does Barbershop classify as Blaxploitation?

 

[-deezle-]

Talking to my friend, we didn't think it was either. But maybe it's just culture differences.

 

[medjay]

A lighthearted family-oriented comedy that just happens to feature a majority black cast. If that's all it takes to be labeled "Blaxploitation" then I guess those standards are more far-reaching than I thought.

 

[RoryN]

A lighthearted family-oriented comedy that just happens to feature a majority black cast.

"Just happens to"?

Well, I know that, for my sake, "blaxploitation" happens when really poor quality crap is made specifically to cash in on the ethnic dollar.

So, I'd definately have to agree that it all depends on what you personally consider to be "crap" in that context.

 

[-deezle-]

I think you're reading way into this yo, it's a comedic movie and moreso than capitalising on the ethnic dollar, they're capitalising on the american dollar because so many audiences not just black audiences liked the barbershop and queen latifah is quickly becoming a crossover success with white and black audiences.

 

[RoryN]

I think you're reading way into this yo, it's a comedic movie and moreso than capitalising on the ethnic dollar, they're capitalising on the american dollar because so many audiences not just black audiences liked the barbershop and queen latifah is quickly becoming a crossover success with white and black audiences.

"Cashing in on the ethnic dollar" isn't just about catering to black people, or one ethnicity. It's more about Marketing determining a [IMHO, low ] standard and working off of stereotypes to sell to the mass populus, all ethnicities included.

But it's interesting you'd choose to single out one actor to make a case for redeeming the film. I think that's revealing.

Of course, I'm pretty disappointed with mass-marketed film as a whole right now, so you have to take that into consideration.

 

[medjay]

"Just happens to"?

Well, I know that, for my sake, "blaxploitation" happens when really poor quality crap is made specifically to cash in on the ethnic dollar.

So, I'd definately have to agree that it all depends on what you personally consider to be "crap" in that context.

If you didn't like the movie then you didn't like the movie. Simple. This isn't some 'hood' film featuring black people as your typical felons and undesirables. It's a movie about middle-class working people and was marketed for broad-based appeal.

Labeling it as Blaxploitation just because those characters working and living happen to be black is ridiculous. As is labeling it Blaxploitation just because you think it sucks.

 

[-deezle-]

"Cashing in on the ethnic dollar" isn't just about catering to black people, or one ethnicity. It's more about Marketing determining a [IMHO, low ] standard and working off of stereotypes to sell to the mass populus, all ethnicities included.

But it's interesting you'd choose to single out one actor to make a case for redeeming the film. I think that's revealing.

Of course, I'm pretty disappointed with mass-marketed film as a whole right now, so you have to take that into consideration.

i didn't pass off one actor, I used queen latifah as an example. The film, if you've watched the trailer actually ISN'T primarily black. Alicia Silverstone, Kevin Bacon and Mina Suvari are just a few of the non-black characters in the film.

What stereotypes were worked off of in the barbershop? White or black barbershops all have one thing in common, in their heyday, they were the only boys clubs that working class men could afford.

 

[RoryN]

Labeling it as Blaxploitation just because those characters working and living happen to be black is ridiculous.

That's not what I'm doing.

As is labeling it Blaxploitation just because you think it sucks.

I think it sucks on purpose.

My general view is that the promotion of minority mediocrity (Rev. Jackson, Al Sharpton, Star Jones, et al) is racism in action. If we can't agree on that point, we're probably not going to find comon ground here.

But I'd be happy to discuss it.

 

[sweet soft kiss]

I always thought Blaxplotation referred to a genre of movies in the late 60's, early 70's with mostly black casts who were action hero's. Shaft for example was the Dirty Harry of a different color. Some were really good films too.

 

[-deezle-]

I always thought Blaxplotation referred to a genre of movies in the late 60's, early 70's with mostly black casts who were action hero's. Shaft for example was the Dirty Harry of a different color. Some were really good films too.

It did.

 

[sweet soft kiss]

It did.

Thank god I haven't forgotten all I have learned about movie history...

 

[-deezle-]

That's not what I'm doing.



I think it sucks on purpose.

My general view is that the promotion of minority mediocrity (Rev. Jackson, Al Sharpton, Star Jones, et al) is racism in action. If we can't agree on that point, we're probably not going to find comon ground here.

But I'd be happy to discuss it.

I'm not understanding where you're coming from. If I'm not mistaken you're a white kid right? What's your beef with it anyway? And who are you to label mediocrity? And where were Jesse, Al and Star promoted in these movies?

 

[sweet soft kiss]

I'm not understanding where you're coming from. If I'm not mistaken you're a white kid right? What's your beef with it anyway? And who are you to label mediocrity? And where were Jesse, Al and Star promoted in these movies?

I don't get it either... White folks make plenty of really mediocre to outright bad movies without causing a fuss. They are just bad films.... Maybe he feels black folks have to achiever a higher artistic standard.

Edit to add: wouldn't it be true equality when black folks/casts/writers/directors can make movies every bit as bad as white folks and not be called to task for it?

 

[medjay]

"Cashing in on the ethnic dollar" isn't just about catering to black people, or one ethnicity. It's more about Marketing determining a [IMHO, low ] standard and working off of stereotypes to sell to the mass populus, all ethnicities included.

What stereotypes? Either you haven't actually seen Barbershop or you haven't spent much time around real black people. Barbershop might not have been the greatest movie ever but it was reasonably funny and presented one of the rare and unbiased cinematic representations of what black communities are actually like. You had a wide range of characters from all walks of life and demographics; some educated, some not. Some successful, some less so. Good guys and bad guys. A well-rounded and -- to me as a black person -- inoffensive portrayal of black life. I can't say the same about many other films that feature us.

Yeah, the trailer for Beautyshop looks silly. I doubt it will be a masterpiece. Yeah, they're going to cash in on their ready-made audience of black people who will pay money to see any movie that features people who look like them. But they're also stacking the deck with Kevin Bacon and Mena Suvari and a couple other white people who will be acting just as silly as everyone else. It's a comedy. It's supposed to be that way. So, I ask again, what's the problem?

 

[RoryN]

I'm not understanding where you're coming from.

*sigh* I know.

If I'm not mistaken you're a white kid right?

Would it make a difference if I wasn't?

Would it matter that my birth father, a Tuskegee Airman who worked with MLKJr, Elijah Muhammad, and leaders of the Civil Rights movement, and is an expert on racism as a social construct both in popular culture and otherwise, is black?

Why does it make one fuck of a bit of difference? Where does ethnicity determine knowledge on said subject?

(yeah; you walked into that one. You're not the first.)

I'll discuss this later when my head is clearer. That pissed me off.

 

[-deezle-]

I don't care what pissed you off. If you're really that upset about it, I suggest you get up from your computer and take your pretentious ass over to mgm and tell them how horrible it is and that black people are being victimized by a comedic portrayal of a BEAUTY SALON.

I'm a black woman who grew up in rural kansas where black people got the shit beat out of them nightly if they stayed in certain towns after sundown. I have a father who grew up in rural mississippi in the 50's.

We all have shit that ties us to history and ties us to culture, some of us just don't recognise it. Don't try to tell me that because your daddy is [ or may not be ] as black as any of the rest of us round the way that it makes you right about calling things one thing when they are clearly not.

Barbershop didn't make black people look bad and capitalizing on it by making sequels and spin-offs is not wrong, unless you count batman, spiderman, xmen, superman, the matrix, LOTR and every other movie, regardless of genre that put out sequels, spin-offs and merchandise.

I walked into nothing, I hope you calm down.

 

[-deezle-]

And you still haven't answered my questions.