Officially, they never flew together.
January 23, 2012 11:52 AM Subscribe
When they flew together, it was like holding hands in the air. Since reviews of Red Tails are focusing on its good intentions , one way to honor those intentions is to check out some real romance and some real related history.
Mildred Hemmons Carter, the first black female aviator in Alabama and maybe the South, maybe should have been in the movie. Here's a very clearly written blogpost making that point on behalf of all the pilots' wives. There does exist a well-regarded movie about the Tuskegee Airmen.
Mildred Hemmons Carter, the first black female aviator in Alabama and maybe the South, maybe should have been in the movie. Here's a very clearly written blogpost making that point on behalf of all the pilots' wives. There does exist a well-regarded movie about the Tuskegee Airmen.
All of my black friends who've seen it (and we're talking about 2 dozen) have pretty universally panned it.
While they were all delighted that the Tuskeegee Airmen were finally getting their due by Hollywood, they felt that the casting of Terrence Howard (and to a lesser extent Cuba Gooding, Jr) was insufficiently macho.
"Well, Crisps, it's like having George Patton being portrayed by Tom Cruise."
ohhhh
posted by The Giant Squid at 12:29 PM on January 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
While they were all delighted that the Tuskeegee Airmen were finally getting their due by Hollywood, they felt that the casting of Terrence Howard (and to a lesser extent Cuba Gooding, Jr) was insufficiently macho.
"Well, Crisps, it's like having George Patton being portrayed by Tom Cruise."
ohhhh
posted by The Giant Squid at 12:29 PM on January 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
Something that smarter people than i that could maybe explain something to me, when ever i hear "Tuskegee Airmen", all i can think of is the "Tuskegee Syphilis scandal". I don't know if they are even remotely connected, but it's that syphilis scandal that i can't really get behind any of these "rah rah rah!!" movies.
posted by usagizero at 12:33 PM on January 23, 2012
posted by usagizero at 12:33 PM on January 23, 2012
It seems as though the town and the Institute located there form the epicenter of a great deal of African American history--both very good and very bad. It's not hard to imagine a war-torn hilltop--captured and lost and recaptured again.
posted by TreeRooster at 12:55 PM on January 23, 2012
posted by TreeRooster at 12:55 PM on January 23, 2012
Not that a historical movie should only have music from that particular time period in it, but I thought it was a little odd seeing a commercial for Red Tails playing dubstep.
posted by stifford at 12:59 PM on January 23, 2012
posted by stifford at 12:59 PM on January 23, 2012
Something that smarter people than i that could maybe explain something to me, when ever i hear "Tuskegee Airmen", all i can think of is the "Tuskegee Syphilis scandal". I don't know if they are even remotely connected, but it's that syphilis scandal that i can't really get behind any of these "rah rah rah!!" movies.
There is a place called Tuskegee, Alabama. There is a University there called Tuskegee University, which was known as The Tuskegee Institute during the period being discussed. A lot of things have happened in the 130 year history of the school, and only some of them are syphilis-related. The connection here is that The Tuskegee Institute participated in the U.S. Government's Civilian Pilot Training Program, which is where a large number of the pilots in the 332nd Fighter Group & 477th Bombardment Group, now a fighter group, earned their wings.
posted by snottydick at 1:04 PM on January 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
There is a place called Tuskegee, Alabama. There is a University there called Tuskegee University, which was known as The Tuskegee Institute during the period being discussed. A lot of things have happened in the 130 year history of the school, and only some of them are syphilis-related. The connection here is that The Tuskegee Institute participated in the U.S. Government's Civilian Pilot Training Program, which is where a large number of the pilots in the 332nd Fighter Group & 477th Bombardment Group, now a fighter group, earned their wings.
posted by snottydick at 1:04 PM on January 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
While they were all delighted that the Tuskeegee Airmen were finally getting their due by Hollywood, they felt that the casting of Terrence Howard (and to a lesser extent Cuba Gooding, Jr) was insufficiently macho.
I am just thankful Will Smith was not part of it.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:04 PM on January 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
I am just thankful Will Smith was not part of it.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 1:04 PM on January 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
usagizero -- The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment and the Tuskegee Airmen have exactly as much in common as Rosa Parks and Lionel Richie:
They were both born in Tuskegee.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 1:06 PM on January 23, 2012 [7 favorites]
They were both born in Tuskegee.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 1:06 PM on January 23, 2012 [7 favorites]
Since reviews of Red Tails are focusing on its good intentions
All the ones I have read focus on it being shite.
I am just thankful Will Smith was not part of it.
If dinner is a shit sandwich why bother to complain about who provided the filling?
posted by biffa at 1:40 PM on January 23, 2012
All the ones I have read focus on it being shite.
I am just thankful Will Smith was not part of it.
If dinner is a shit sandwich why bother to complain about who provided the filling?
posted by biffa at 1:40 PM on January 23, 2012
> The Tuskegee Airmen really deserve a well done HBO miniseries à la Band of Brothers rather than this movie.
And especially one not financed by someone who referred to it as "This is as close as you'll get to Episode VII." There is so much more to this story than just CGI dog fighting with witty one liners.
On the plus side, Lucas promises that this is his last film.
posted by mrzarquon at 2:05 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
And especially one not financed by someone who referred to it as "This is as close as you'll get to Episode VII." There is so much more to this story than just CGI dog fighting with witty one liners.
On the plus side, Lucas promises that this is his last film.
posted by mrzarquon at 2:05 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
I don't know jack about the movie, but the story of the Carters was wonderful and sad at the same time. The first picture of him I saw, I thought nice elderly gentleman. But in his flyer pic, he's hot! No wonder Mildred fell for him.
Actually, the two of them ought to have been in pictures. Talk about originals.
A toast to Mildred Hemmons Carter, her husband, and all the other brave aviators of that time.
posted by BlueHorse at 2:47 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Actually, the two of them ought to have been in pictures. Talk about originals.
A toast to Mildred Hemmons Carter, her husband, and all the other brave aviators of that time.
posted by BlueHorse at 2:47 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
On the plus side, Lucas promises that this is his last film.
God I hope so. But Lucas will still probably come out with 4 further versions of the Director's Cut/Special Edition/Lookee I redid the effects; now they all fly space jets and are white and the Nazis have devil horns and tails and don't shoot first anymore.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:06 PM on January 23, 2012
God I hope so. But Lucas will still probably come out with 4 further versions of the Director's Cut/Special Edition/Lookee I redid the effects; now they all fly space jets and are white and the Nazis have devil horns and tails and don't shoot first anymore.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:06 PM on January 23, 2012
I liked the part about how Lucas explained racism with midichlorians.
Seriously, though, the way he has been pushing this movie as a bellwether for the future of black-focused cinema is just foul. Hollywood is fucked up, for sure. But I wonder how young black filmmakers and actors feel about their career prospects getting tied to that hack's vanity project.
In the prequels, Lucas foisted on American audiences the cheesiest racial stereotyping to see the screen in probably 40 years. Then he gets a beautiful and successful black girlfriend and all of a sudden he's Spike Fucking Lee?
Fuck that clown and his chicken neck.
posted by R. Schlock at 3:25 PM on January 23, 2012
Seriously, though, the way he has been pushing this movie as a bellwether for the future of black-focused cinema is just foul. Hollywood is fucked up, for sure. But I wonder how young black filmmakers and actors feel about their career prospects getting tied to that hack's vanity project.
In the prequels, Lucas foisted on American audiences the cheesiest racial stereotyping to see the screen in probably 40 years. Then he gets a beautiful and successful black girlfriend and all of a sudden he's Spike Fucking Lee?
Fuck that clown and his chicken neck.
posted by R. Schlock at 3:25 PM on January 23, 2012
I'm disappointed to hear that "Meesa think people gonna die!" didn't make it in as a shoutout line.
posted by Artw at 3:33 PM on January 23, 2012
posted by Artw at 3:33 PM on January 23, 2012
I'm disappointed to hear that "Meesa think people gonna die!" didn't make it in as a shoutout line.
The Boondocks guy nixed it.
posted by R. Schlock at 3:35 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Boondocks guy nixed it.
posted by R. Schlock at 3:35 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
> Seriously, though, the way he has been pushing this movie as a bellwether for the future of black-focused cinema is just foul.
In short, he is so myopic that he can only assume that the reason his movie won't do well is because of race, not the fact that the writing, directing, and implementation are all entirely subpar. So not a good movie, pretty thou.
posted by mrzarquon at 4:24 PM on January 23, 2012
In short, he is so myopic that he can only assume that the reason his movie won't do well is because of race, not the fact that the writing, directing, and implementation are all entirely subpar. So not a good movie, pretty thou.
posted by mrzarquon at 4:24 PM on January 23, 2012
Something that smarter people than i that could maybe explain something to me, when ever i hear "Tuskegee Airmen", all i can think of is the "Tuskegee Syphilis scandal". I don't know if they are even remotely connected, but it's that syphilis scandal that i can't really get behind any of these "rah rah rah!!" movies.
For the longest time, my brain had conflated these two distinct events into one, where the US Gov had deliberately exposed the Tuskegee Airmen to syphilis. I continued to believe that mistake until I had my ass CHEWED THE HELL OUT by an older Air Force vet. Now I am VERY VERY SURE that the two are completely unrelated.
posted by FatherDagon at 4:44 PM on January 23, 2012
For the longest time, my brain had conflated these two distinct events into one, where the US Gov had deliberately exposed the Tuskegee Airmen to syphilis. I continued to believe that mistake until I had my ass CHEWED THE HELL OUT by an older Air Force vet. Now I am VERY VERY SURE that the two are completely unrelated.
posted by FatherDagon at 4:44 PM on January 23, 2012
While they were all delighted that the Tuskeegee Airmen were finally getting their due by Hollywood, they felt that the casting of Terrence Howard (and to a lesser extent Cuba Gooding, Jr) was insufficiently macho.
Needs more heterosexism.
posted by mer2113 at 5:00 PM on January 23, 2012
Needs more heterosexism.
posted by mer2113 at 5:00 PM on January 23, 2012
I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a few days with several of the original Tuskegee Airmen a few years back, including Colonel Carter. A real honor. These guys were true class, sharp as a tack and probably could've kicked my ass even though they were octogenarians and I was in my thirties.
Huh. The IMDB page (last link) is for the HBO film, but the photo is of the DVD cover of the doc I worked on, which aired on PBS and had no relation to HBO at all.
posted by zoinks at 11:34 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Huh. The IMDB page (last link) is for the HBO film, but the photo is of the DVD cover of the doc I worked on, which aired on PBS and had no relation to HBO at all.
posted by zoinks at 11:34 PM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Help just got an Oscar nomination... I guess Driving Miss Daisy type crap is back in fashion.
posted by Artw at 8:51 AM on January 24, 2012
posted by Artw at 8:51 AM on January 24, 2012
red letter media just reviewed the movie in their latest half in the bag, it's pretty interesting.
posted by valdesm at 12:37 PM on January 27, 2012
posted by valdesm at 12:37 PM on January 27, 2012
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posted by Artw at 11:56 AM on January 23, 2012