FILM(S) MONITORED
BLADE: TRINITY
HOTEL RWANDA

By year’s end, BN-W will be sending the following:

• Dave Chappelle “Analysis” – all we can say is Dave!   Dave!   Dave!   Why?   Why?   Why?
• Quarterly Music Monitoring

We’d also like to give the rapper/actress Eve a thumbs up for taking a stand on the N-word.   In November, she disinvited Nicky Hilton (Paris Hilton’s sister) on her show due to the allegations that Paris was caught on tape using the N-word toward two Black men.   Although Paris Hilton never wholeheartedly denied using the word, she (and her handlers) made a decision to kind of ignore it and let it fade into seeming oblivion and stayed pretty much mum on the topic.   We’re definitely glad Eve did this and hope she also applies those same standards to Blacks who use the word unnecessarily and excessively.   Although this info was reported in Us Weekly magazine, we read it through www.playahata.com, which shares a lot of the less mainstream social and political information that we need to hear or read more about but somehow it gets muffled.

Essence magazine is also stepping up in the year 2005 and taking an ongoing position against the negative portrayal of women in lyrics and videos.   As we all know, the N-word is right up in this particular social mix, so it should be interesting to see the outcome of this Essence “platform” this time next year.

Below is BN-W’s latest film monitoring session.   The monitor shows a range (none [0], low [1-2], moderate [3-5], high [6-9], excessive [10+]) of how often the N-word was used throughout the film.   If you missed any other BN-W monitors, just send an e-mail to bannword2@yahoo.com and request that it be sent to you.

BN-W will not usually give any content critique, so it is highly encouraged that you see these films for yourself and, if applicable, make your own judgment call on the N-word usage – appropriate/inappropriate? necessary/unnecessary? sensible/nonsensical? does it add to or take away from the film’s concept? does the N-word have to be used at all? is there a valid reason for doing so? is it mandatory for the scene(s) to be effective? what are the circumstances/situation that necessitate any use of the word? is it just thrown in for humor, fear, crime, insult? are other culturally insulting slang terms used as much as the N-word in the film?   Lots of questions and a whole lot of reasons to wonder what’s the real purpose and thought process behind why these actors, writers, directors, producers, executive producers, distributors, and studios/studio heads and executives give the “greenlight” for these crews to liberally use (or allow to be used) the N-word.

FEATURE FILM(S) :

B L A D E   T R I N I T Y

[Release Date:   12/8/04]

Starring Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Jessica Biel; written by David S. Goyer; directed by David S. Goyer; produced by Peter Frankfurt, Wesley Snipes, David S. Goyer, Lynn Harris; executive produced by Toby Emmerich, Cale Boyter; studio – New Line Cinema
 

H O T E L   R W A N D A

[Release Date:   12/22/04]

Starring Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte; screenplay written by Terry George; directed by Terry George; produced by Terry George, A. Kitman Ho; executive produced by Hal Sadoff, Sam Bhembe, Duncan Reid, Martin F. Katz; studio – MGM
 

NOTE :   Due to the Golden Globe nominations held today, we’re sending this out early – the film can be seen starting next Wednesday, 12/22/04.   Excellent film and performance by Golden Globe nominee Don Cheadle – see BN-W #17.

BN-W Monitor Coming Soon:   “The Woodsman” [Kevin Bacon, Mos Def]; “An Unfinished Life” [Jennifer Lopez, Robert Redford]; “Fat Albert” [Kenan Thompson, Raven]; “Beauty Shop” [Queen Latifah, Ice Cube]

Also Coming :   DVD Monitoring; continued Music Monitoring; Dave Chappelle