Readings:Marlaine Glicksman, "Lee Way" from Spike Lee: Interviews, ed. Cynthia Fuchs.
John Pierson, "She's Gotta Have It" from Spike, Mike, Slackers & Dikes: A Guided Tour Across a Decade of American Independent Cinema.
One of the defining characteristics of independent cinema is the willingness to represent themes or issues that mainstream cinema traditionally shies away from. Identify and discuss either a theme or issue represented in She's Gotta Have It that stood out to you in this regard, and relate it to either the Lee interview or John Pierson's chapter on the film.
22 comments:
What makes 'She's Gotta Have It' an interesting and spirited independent feature is the theme it is exploring. Which is that of a promiscuous, strong willed,and intelligent African American female. This is a character that you rarely find in film, even today. Since most movies focus on a male Caucasian character this film would almost automatically have some distribution issues. This is easily understood because of its not so mainstream protagonist. But as the article suggests, that because it depicts and shows all of its characters in a very true and articulate manner the film and its themes become very true to life. This allowed for the audience to become quickly amerced in the story and since the film is relatively short the audience is rarely if ever bored with what is going on in the frame. So in conclusion this is almost a staple of what a good independent film is, a diverse theme not often talked about, done on a low budget, with talented actors and is short speedy type of experience.
The thing that sticks out to me the most about Shes Gotta Have It would be the way that black men or in general black people are represented. Like it states in the Lee interview black men are often treated as animals in Hollywood films, they have really no emotions and usually have no love interests. (this is of course back in the 70s and 80s, I do feel that is has become a little better today...) I really admire what Spike Lee accomplished in this film, he manages to portray a set of black men with a very genuine sense of humanity. Although vulgar at times these three men do represent a loving compassionate man not just a nonsensical beast. There is also no white people in the film which is definitely something different from the tradition of Hollywood. The Color Purple is mentioned a few times in the interview which serves as a great example to the way black men are portrayed and the sense of a white presence. I did also like what Lee had to say about Whoppi Goldberg, the fact that she would defend Speilberg is interesting. I wonder if it is just because she is defending the film that she was in or if she really feels that he was the only director for that film. If that is the case than Lee makes a great point saying that, it takes a white person to represent a black mindset and world? That seems a little strange to me...
One defining characteristic Independent Cinema that She’s Gotta Have It is the content or theme of the film. Not only did this film contain African Americans represented in a positive light (intelligent and lawful citizens), but it was made by an African American filmmaker. Spike says in Pierson’s article, “you never get to see black people kissing.” This is very true, and a huge breakthrough in any cinema at the time. It was almost as revolutionary as seeing two lesbian characters kiss, which you still don’t see very often (especially in Hollywood Cinema).
The theme that he captured defied every concept and display of African Americans in Hollywood Film. It even shook Independent Cinema. Sure, there was The Color Purple, but that was not directed through an African American’s ‘lens’ or point of view. With this new point of view, people’s eyes are able to open up and accept other viewpoints or thoughts they would normally not pursue. Spike Lee, through She’s Gotta Have It, spoke for an entire culture that, with his film, became less muted. He was the first young, black filmmaker to break out into the media. His film got attention from more than the Independent Cinema as well, which was a huge success!
This film focused on more than a love story between a heterosexual, middle class, and Caucasian couple (where the male is the breadwinner). It focused on successful African Americans who were involved and interested in one girl, with the stereotypical male lifestyle (one where the woman was involved with multiple men and not the men ‘playing’ the women). The African Americans were represented as civilized beings, not the stereotypical, animalistic images one might have seen in The Birth of a Nation. The woman was in control of her own life, as she says near the end of the film. Even that, is a revolutionary concept that just a while ago began to be fully accepted in mainstream culture. Lastly, I agree with Ryan Blomquist’s point that it seems a little ‘off’ and out of place for a white man to represent a black man’s world.
This film was not only characteristic of Independent Cinema based on the theme, but also the politics. Also, to spend only $18,000 on this film (on the 12 day film shoot) is astonishing because it seems as though Spike Lee got a lot for his money! He knew how to bargain with people, as the Pierson article describes Lee’s objective for how to distribute his film. When it was recommended he set aside $25,000 beyond a production budget to sell his film, he replied, “How about a hundredth of that?” He was very crafty. The editing and all of the lighting styles and scene aesthetics that he afforded were also complimentary to the diverse theme and helped create a picture with maximum effects for a minimum budget.
The most obvious theme in the film is the fact that it is a “black film.” The film has as all black cast, which led to a great deal of black pride and identification. As Pierson writes in his essay, “Spike always says you never get to see black people kissing. He gave them a lot more.” (page 71). Besides the love scenes, the portrayal of black people was also different. According to Glicksman, “She’s Gotta Have It” was unlike mainstream film because the black characters in this film talk “black dialect intelligently.” The characters in this film were real people and as Spike Lee says in his interview, society did not know what to do with “real black people.”
Even though Lee claims that he was not trying to make a feminist film in his interview, “She’s Gotta Have It” also radiates a feminist theme. Nola is the one that is in power, not her three lovers. In fact, her three lovers are the ones that are at ultimately at fault, allowing Nola to manipulate them. Spike Lee made “She’s Gotta Have It” in order to show the audience the double standard between sex and the genders. --Anne Snyder
One overall theme in the movie "She's Gotta Have It" that really stuck with me was that it focused entirely on the black community. What helped me realize this also was the the first article we had to read called "Lee Way" by Marlaine Glicksman. Spike Lee portrayed the black community how he felt it was like in real life through the people, their relationships and situations. Spike Lee comments, "another reason I did this film was because there are hardly any films about black people" (Glicksman, 9). I agree with Lee because there were rarely movies out during that time the portrayed the black race the way they actually are. He explains that the only thing people were seeing at that time is what Hollywood was producing. "This film has shown a lot of people that black people are just as diversified as any other race" (Glicksman, 9). I feel to this day, I still haven't seen a film that portrayed it the way Lee did. The way the three male characters spoke differently even though they are all the same age and black males. In other films, I feel all black man are portrayed the same. Spike agrees with that saying how all black men in the movie "A Color Purple" are to be seen as animals and one dimensional. His characters are multi-dimensional with many emotions. The best scene to explain all this is when they all have thanksgiving together. It shows each man and how they stand apart from each other.
The last comment was done by Bryan Pechacek shown as bryanjp2.
The main thing that stood out to me when I was watching and reflecting on the movie, “She’s gotta Have it” was that the entire film was based on Spike Lee’s view of the black community. He really portrayed what he thought about the community as a whole. I also think that Spike Lee put the three men chasing after Nola because of the fact that they represent different parts of the black community. Mars is more hip and en vogue,” Jamie is more of the middle class holding a steady job, and Greer is upper class and seems to be more into himself than anyone.
I really think that Spike wanted to “break away” from the typical stereotype of the way that minorities, especially blacks, were portrayed in films prior to his. Spike was one of the first African-Americans to have a film of his become a big success, which in turn, catapulted his career.
The Lee interview and Pierson’s chapter both brought up a theme of using family and non actors as cast members to inhabit these characters. In Lee’s interview he mentioned his father’s attribution in scoring and acting. He also mentioned the comfort level of Tracy’s ability to make love onscreen to help ease the audience. This is important because we don’t recognize the actors, therefore, we don’t have a preset mind of who they really are, which are actors acting, and so in low budget films the characters are more genuine and more believable. Furthermore, to state the obvious fact that it is a low-budget film, it’s in the best interest for the filmmaker to use whatever talent is available, in this case, Spike Lee’s very talented family who he cast. However, Lee didn’t cast them for any odd role, he cast them according to who they are, which are was musicians and so they didn’t really play the characters, but are the characters. This surprised me the most because I really did get a sense of low-budget and because it's not common to have related characters in mainstream cinema.
The theme that stood out for me the most in She’s Gotta Have It was the reversal of the sex roles. I feel that Spike Lee really called attention to the double standard that it is alright for men to have multiple sexual relationships, but for women it’s unacceptable. And in this film, he portrayed a young black strong willed woman who was unwilling to adhere to conventional standards for a woman in a relationship. The film even portrayed what most people think of a woman who has the sexual lifestyle of a man. She was called a “freak”, and “ill”. This is one of the reasons why Spike Lee made the film. In the article by Marlaine Glicksman “Lee Way”, Lee states that it is a “double standard”, and “insane” (Glicksman 9). What makes his portrayal of this even more interesting is that it is all done in the black community. Not only is it a topic that is never done in mainstream Hollywood, it’s done with black actors in the black community.
-Julie Olsen
The significance of She’s Gotta Have It lies in the themes and issues represented in the film that bigger Hollywood productions generally shy away from. One hint that Lee’s film is independent is seen in the portrayal of black people as independent and intelligent. As mentioned in the articles, it’s rare to see a Hollywood production that is about black people and shows them in a positive light.
In the interview, Lee says in reference to She’s Gotta Have It,
“…I think this film should be the antidote to how the black male is perceived in The Color Purple. See, nobody is saying that black men haven’t done some terrible things, and what Jamie does to Nola at the end of the film is a horrible act. But Jamie s a full-bodied character, unlike Mister in The Color Purple and the rest of the film’s black men, who are just one-dimensional animals."
In do the right thing Lee shies away from the stereotypical roles defined by many Hollywood films and shows the difference sides of the characters. He shows a strong black woman who doesn’t succumb to what a man wants her to be. The “conventional” sex roles in Hollywood films are broken as Lee makes Nola Darling the powerful woman in the driver’s seat as the men in the film beg her to meet their needs. Generally it’s the man who has the power in Cinema, however, not in She’s Gotta Have It. Lee also shows three black men with real personalities and emotions. They are not “one-dimensional animals” but rather life like characters that have many layers to them.
-Jacob Feiring
In the Independent film “She’s Gotta Have it” Spike Lee is very willing to represent a huge issue that the mainstream cinema traditionally shies away from. In this film the plot revolves around an African American women in a multi-man relationship. The fact that it is a film about African American’s in love relationships is different according to the Marlaine Glicksman reading. In traditional Hollywood films it was unusual to see a film that starred an entire African American cast that had a plot a bout African American love relationships. Also, the fact that a woman is having a relationship with three different men. This kind of relationship or life style is usually dominated by men. And it is seen as okay, but with a woman playing the role of the “player” it is seen as risqué and inappropriate. Spike Lee did a great job to reach out to a large audience that caught the attention of both Whites and African Americans. And he made you root for the “player” and show her as a normal human that just enjoys a good time and good company.
In “She’s Gotta Have It” there are a couple things that are covered and talked about that wouldn’t normaly be used as a topic of a movie in the main stream cinema business. The one that stood out to me the most was the main theme of the movie. A black girl who is obsessed, almost addicted to having sex. So pointed out in the article written by Marlaine Glicksman in 1986, “The films willingness to investigate the hot spot where love meets sex landed it in hot water.” This is that thing that really made this film seem like an independent film. It was a very well made film with good actors and a well thought out plot. Just not a normal plot that would be used by the more traditional “Hollywood” cinemas. You can really tell Spike will make the movie of what he wants no matter what people think. That is the best part of independent movies. There are no rules to follow no specific audience to make happy.
Anthony “Tony” Radloff
One very big issue in this film was obviously race. As Lee said in the interview with Marlaine Glicksman, "Another reason I did this film was because there are hardly any films about black people. When you do see films about black people, they're either musicals or comedies." I think Lee hit a major issue with this movie and he explored the issue of race on many different levels. In the interview Lee talks about how in "the industry" people are seemingly afraid to show that African-Americans are just like any other race when it comes to loving one another, relationships, etc. and that people are afraid to portray this in films. Lee dives right into this issue from the beginning by having an all black cast and then explores the issue even more by portraying a strong, independent black woman who is seeing three different men. Lee clearly brought a whole new perspective to African-Americans through this movie, proving as he says, "This film has shown a lot of people, especially at Cannes, that black people are just as diversified as any other race. People have been shocked by just how universal this film is, by how they had never seen black people portrayed like this before."
Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It” I a film that truly focuses on the African-American community in the U.S., however the film didn’t show us what we are used to seeing. We as an audience are used to seeing the negatives, and from a “white man’s” perspective. This film doesn’t show the ghettos, crime, and gang culture that we often too many times see. Instead we see a positive image of the characters, with maybe an exception of the main character. Sure she is shown as a confident and intelligent black female, but she is one who sleeps around. The males of the film are portrayed in an entire different light. Lee talked about the portrayal of black men in cinema, and how there are no emotions for these characters. “She’s gotta Have It” has 3 main male characters who are all in love, which is probably the strongest human emotion other than hate.
After watching "She's Gotta Have It" I realized that the whole movie portrayed the african american community through an actual african american's eyes. Spike Lee identified the three major types of afiran american men. The educated, smart, well mannered man. The rich cocky, "too good for the hood" man. And of course the flashy, basketball playing, loud man, which is played by Spike Lee himself. I think that Spike's decision to play Mars was very smart. Spike got to not only have a free actor, but got to portray a very important character the way that he saw and wanted it to be played.
After viewing the Spike Lee movie, “She’s Gotta Have it” I noticed that Spike decided to portray the black community as it is instead of the stereotypical ways portrayed a lot of the time in Hollywood films. Although there was one of the three men who was more of the stereotypical “gangster” type, he threw in two more men who did not fit that stereotype at all. Jamie was just a regular middle class guy, wasn’t anything special really, then Greer who is a very wealthy upper class man. Another topic that usually isn’t touched much in Hollywood is the fact that women can have multiple partners just as much as men can. Normally you would see men being the ones trying to hide the second girl but that’s not the case in “She’s Gotta Have It.” Spike changed the vision to reflect reality more and once again straying away from the stereotypes that a mainstream movie would have.
"She's Gotta have It" is exclusively a representation of Black Culture, something that had not been done in a mainstream film. Creating, in looking only at the story, a independent film. Only in this setting would Lee have been able to make this film. Every part of the story is represented through black culture, from Nola all the way down to her three lovers, each representing a different personality trait that is not necessarily race identifiable. Very Unlike "The Color Purple", which Lee explains as not being black at all seeing as one of the main characters is white and Steven Spielberg directed it. Even when Hollywood had a chance to represent black culture they choose a white director whom had not had the sort of social background to fully understand how to represent black culture. In this sense "She's Gotta Have It" portrays this culture to the fullest extent by keeping it completely black. Using a variety of characters who represent different extreme aspects of black culture.
I thought the portrayal of men was interesting, Lee makes a good effort to portray them in an honest light, somewhat untypical for cinema, especially (as is the case with most films) as a male director/
A good example is the "dog" scene where men are showed addressing the camera directly and rattling off cheesy pick up lines. This speaks to Lee's sensitivity and an understanding of a point of view other than his own, but a point of view that he seems to at least look at with some objectivity. As Lee puts it in the interview, "I am just amazed at the things men say to women. And if you think about it, the only reason that they say that stuff is that it must work some of the time, because if it never worked, they wouldn't keep saying that stuff."
Dannon
I figure the two big themes that may have been risque or controversial in She's Gotta Have It were the promiscuity, by which i mean the main character's obsession with sex and having several partners at a time, and the homosexuality. Although it seems like the topic of sex with a few different partners is something that HAD to have been covered in film sometime in the 60's, in the articles we read it was said to be what made this film stand out. Maybe also Spike Lee's idea of the story as a take on the "pig headedness" of men, and more specifically black men, that was a new original twist in film making. The film was initially given an X-rating, which wasn't the first time in history that that's happened to a "consumer" film, but still usually makes for an edgier film. In the Pierson article, he related She's Gotta Have It to our last discussed film Stranger Than Paradise in that they both very few and inexperienced actors due to the "independent" natures of the film they're making, which might also be considered as a theme in this genre of films.
Also, I had said that the film's homosexual situation could be an edgy theme. Although homosexuality has also been explored in film making before this, it was still a risque topic, and maybe also since it was homosexuality within the context of bisexuality.
I found it interesting, since this being the first time I'd seen She's Gotta Have It how the material related to one of Lee's later, very similar films She Hate Me, in which the film asks the question is it ok for a man to provide childeren to lesbian couples via sex with one of the partners?
In She’s Gotta Have It, the story revolves around Nola Darling and her three male lovers. This is a very uncommon theme in films, or anywhere else for that matter. Generally, only male characters are “allowed” to have more than one lover, and in this film, the tables are turned. Spike Lee talks about this in his interview, stating that the idea was stemmed from conversations he had heard from other males around him. The men would talk about how they had so many girls, but would go crazy if any of their girls were seeing other men. Also, simply having blacks in love in a film and having sex scenes is something that isn’t found often, if at all, before this film was made. Lee mentioned in the interview how reviewers and viewers don’t know how to handle that and are unsure how to react. Seeing white people make love in films is very common and as a population we are used to seeing this; watching blacks on the other hand, is unknown territory.
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