Spike Lee Slams Clint Eastwood Over Representation Of Black Soldiers

UPDATE: Clint has responded Spike and told him, among other things, to "shut his face."

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CANNES, France - Spike Lee is slamming Clint Eastwood over his two recent Iwo Jima movies, saying the filmmaker overlooked the role of black soldiers during World War II.

Lee _ whose next film is this fall's "Miracle at St. Anna," the story of an all-black U.S. division fighting in Italy during the war _ said Eastwood's 2006 movies "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima" were whites-only affairs.

"He did two films about Iwo Jima back to back and there was not one black soldier in both of those films," Lee said Tuesday at the Cannes Film Festival, where he was a judge in an online short-film competition.

"Many veterans, African-Americans, who survived that war are upset at Clint Eastwood. In his vision of Iwo Jima, Negro soldiers did not exist. Simple as that. I have a different version," Lee said.

Eastwood was in Cannes for his missing-child drama "Changeling," starring Angelina Jolie. At a news conference for the film, a reporter tried to ask for his reaction to Lee's criticism, but the moderator cut her off and told journalists to limit questions to Eastwood's own movie.

Due in U.S. theaters in October, "Miracle at St. Anna" centers on four Americans _ played by Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso and Omar Benson Miller _ in the Buffalo Soldiers division in Tuscany.

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On the Net:

http://www.festival-cannes.fr/en.html

Comments

[MRb1000]

AMERICA HAS A BIG PROBLEM. THEY DO NOT TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT AMERICAN HISTORY. MOST EDUCATED MEN AND WOMEN KNOW THE STORY. IT IS A SHAME THEY DO NOT TEACH THE TRUTH IN GRADE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS WHY MOST PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY GOOD AND BAD. IF AMERICA ADMIT ITS OWN HISTORY, WE COULD MOVE A LONG WAY WITH RACE ISSUES.

BLACK PEOPLE SERVE IN ALL US WARS THAT IS A FACT. MANY MAY NOT LIKE IT, BUT IT IS TRUE.

TELL ME WHY THE SERVANT PAINTED ON THE WALLS OF THE WHITE HOUSE ARE WHITE AMERICANS. THIS IS WRONG. THE SERVANT IN THE WHITE HOUSE WERE SLAVE AND THEY WERE BLACK. YOU WILL NOT FINE ONE BLACK PICTURE OF ANY BLACK AMERICAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

[trailblazer]

Most educated men and women type in lower case letters.

[writerforhire]

Considering the films were some time ago it appears that the real issue being raised is race so as to bring attention to this year's democratic candidates and divide the vote along race lines

[apduncan1]

Bullshit.

[maca]

No, it's to bring attention to Spike's upcoming film. This is what he ALWAYS does. Every couple of years there's another headline, "Lee calls (fill in the blank) a racist", and when you read the story he just happens to mention HIS film that's about to be released. It used to work well for him, but his diminished box office of late suggests it's wearing thin with the movie-going public.

[robXdion]

He made the film to balance out Eastwood's whitewashed version.

[DrJimmy]

Question: If you don't like Spike Lee films...do­es that make you racist???

[Mygirl]

No, but doing a Historical Fiction piece that does not include all who were involved leaves room for criticism

[Freedomscap]

No, but there is something to be said about an accurate depiction of history. Perceptions are important.

By the way, what type of films do you like?

[DrJimmy]

I like all types of films. Drama, Horror, comedy, scifi and yes I even like some Spike Lee films even though he slams Italians in all his films. But what I am really asking is does everyone thing that Mr Eastwood is a racist? Or do you think he made a film under the idea of focusing on a few main characters? He has Morgan Freeman in a few of his films, he made a Charlie Parker film etc etc etc... So many are accusing him for being a racist with asking him what the process was to make the film.

[MilesTone]

What does this have to do with the issue he raised?

[BYOB]

Answer: no

[MRb1000]

No, but like the movie Logans Runs where there were not any black people in the future you cannot say black Americans did not serve in these wars. It is a fact. This is just like the Tuskegee Airmen no one would have recognize these men until a lot of brave historian set the records straight. The Air Force did not want to tell the story until the 1980!! The 99th should be the most decorated unit in the Air Force. They never loss a bomber with over a 1000 missions. Why I know I served during this time. America needs to own up to it history.

[jvarga]

Holy shit Logan's Run depicted a terrible future where people were murdered at a certain age. ITS NOT A HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY. ITS SCIENCE FICTION NOT A DOCUMENTARY.

Repeat after me. SCIENCE FICTION NOT DOCUMENTARY.

[GeorgeKaplan]

In art sometimes the "Sesame Street approach" does not work. You will never see a Sesame Street episode with out a cross section of kids from different racial backgrounds. To have that the norm in art would be a travesty. What is needed is more African American film directors so we can have more points of view. I love Spike, but this is not a responsible criticism. The answer is more diversity in Hollywood hiring practices.­.. the films will come.

[Freedomscap]

These Hollywood types aren't so liberal and democratic when it comes to that.

[GeorgeKaplan]

Luckily, film production is not tied to Hollywood like the past, but most of the deal making still happens in LA. More African American filmmakers is the answer. MORE DIVERSITY.

[BuyRubles]

http://school.familyeducation.com/african-american-history/world-war-2/47076.html

Only 20,000 marines served in WWII; 1 million african americans served overall. where is my apology?

[amanda85]

You still don't know the difference between a soldier and a marine and you want an apology from me for stating the factual truth?

20000 Black Marines served in WWII. This is what I said. It's true.
But you're an idiot and you don't know the difference between a soldier and a marine.

[Scarllatti]

Hey dimwit, whatever title you give them, both get shot at and both die when shot. Why are you more interested in branding? Both of you should drop this "racist" crap. We are talking about our heros.

[BuyRubles]

Where is MY apology Amanda the racist. I was right and you were wrong. I'm waiting...­.racist

[amanda85]

No, YOU were wrong and you still don't know the difference between a soldier and a marine.
You still owe me an apology, but you clearly aren't man enough...

[walk0nwalls]

I had a long version of this comment but here is the succint point:

People, the point of the movies was divorced from any accurate portrayal of Iwo Jima. The damn landing could have been depicted in cartoon technicolor ffs and the movies would've still made their points because the movies were about the PEOPLE and not the EVENT.

[Nardwilly]

Check this link out.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/oct/21/usa.filmnews

Spikes comments are not in a vacuum. Also, he never said Eastwood was racist or slammed Eastwood's movie. he noted the lack of Negroes and said his vision was different. There were Negroe marines on Iwo Jima and people tried to get Eastwood to include them in the jobs they perfomed during the battle. Eastwood did not include them becasue they were not in his vision.

Spike did not call Eastwood or his movie racist.

[JuniorBug]

Why, that almost makes American media look, I don't know, sensationalistic or something!

How did you even discover that article with the absence of "slams," "bashes" or "smashes" from the headline? It looks so cheap, uninteresting and unprofessional without a Marvel Comics verb, I'd have never clicked it myself.

[amanda85]

For the record, the Guardian is a **BRITISH** newspaper.­..
I doubt the American MSM would have published that.

[JuniorBug]

Wait a minute; that's from 2006, isn't it?

[amanda85]

Yeah, and it has nothing to do with Spike Lee and the current controversy.
I posted to **PROVE** that Mr. Lee is right and the bigots who slam him should do their research before making total fools of themselves.

[democracydiva]

Dude, why are you using the word 'negro'? What's up with that?

[MilesTone]

Why are you using the term "negroes"? Spike Lee didn't use that term.

[daBigNY]

Spike is absolutely right and it's the reason why I usually never watch war movies directed by a white person. Call it racist or whatever, but I'm sick and tired of blacks being an afterthought in these war movies, especially considering they fought for a country that belittled their existence.

And make no mistake about it, Spike is slamming Clink directly. Both him and his movies.

[Trace8089]

900 out of 110,000 that fought on Iwo Jima even if the real number is 10 times that the black marines were a small part to a large battle. If, Spike Lee wants to tell the story maybe he should shut up and put the money on the table and make it. If the movie is worth a shit maybe someone will go see it.

[DrJimmy]

Did you watch Platoon?

[LoRiseAntlers]

Or hamburger Hill,or The Boys from Company C,or Full Metal Jacket,Or Apoclypse Now?These are all war movies directed by white men,and each and every one has a very strong black presence.

Something nobody here apparently understands is that,during World war II,the US miltary was highly segregated,and black troops were overwhelmingly assigned to support roles.Ther­e were very few of them in combat roles.Whil­e this is a dishonorable and shameful ,the fact is that World War II movies tend to reflect reality,in that almost all American combat troops were white,or Latino.

[Nardwilly]

Spike did not slam Eastwood. He said there were no Negroes in his film. They were not in his vision. The posters have agreed with Spike by explaining why Negroes were not in Eastwood's films.

Spike then says my vision includes Negroes. Stating facts is not slamming. Spike never said it was racist or even wrong, he just said it is different from what I will do.

[DrJimmy]

Hey Spike....H­ow will you treat Italians in your next film?

[apduncan1]

Like the useless dingbats they are... I hope.

[shroomingnewman]

Spike Lee is a race baiter and totally irrelevant. The comments about Clint's movie is a testament to this idiocy. The only good movie he ever made was Malcolm X.

[rbspickles]

I've liked many Lee movies and I think he's right about Eastwood movies. Why does saying the truth make so many people mad?

[amanda85]

Racists can't stand when a black man is **RIGHT**.­..

[VARIT00L]

Yes ... the truth... I bet Eastwood can't make a movie about crime in the cities Murder,Rape,Drugs with out having the overwhelming cast in the film from the Hood.

[MilesTone]

Too bad your opinion means nothing. All of his other films have made him a very rich man.

[Scornful]

Typical Spike Lee; he's got a chip on his shoulder and a big mouth and clearly doesn't know what the hell is he talking about.

[diboss]

Except that he's right. No one is saying the Clint intentionally decided to ignore the presence of black soldiers, but that's what the result is. No one is expecting him to say Spike is right, but the least you should do is check out what he's saying before you accuse him of not knowing what he's talking about.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/oct/21/usa.filmnews

[VSamuels]

Part of the real struggle for some whites is recognizing that correcting America's segregated society was and is not the end of the racial divide in America. It is also the generations of mischaract­erizations­, omissions and the over commission of half-truths, mis-truths, falsehoods and lies that have become part of the culture they have come to embrace and covet. And, for some this is a very difficult thing to acknowledge that long after the white only water fountains, restrooms, lunch counters and police dogs have ceased in society, there are still the foundations of volumes of data and information still regarded as legitimate which is strongly tinged with the opinions, values and norms of thousands of dedicated racists.

Believing that only the visible tenets of a segregated society was and is a barrier, is a part of the self-denial that keeps many of the knee-jerks from understanding the full parameters of white racism, and how pervasive it has engulfed American society and they themselves.

[Bwine]

What did Spike say that was inaccurate? It's funny how people can't stand hearing TRUTH.

[amanda85]

20000 Black Marines served in WWII. 900 of them landed at Iwo Jima.

http://www.mpma28.com/page/page/2271596.htm
http://www.geocities.com/nubiansong/montford.htm

[BuyRubles]

***1941-45 Over 2.5 million African Americans registered for military service during WWII, but only 1 million actually served. Black servicemen were stationed in such diverse spots as Casablanca, Italy, the Aleutians, Northern Ireland, Liberia, New Guinea, the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater, Guam, Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Saipan, Okinawa, Peleliu, Australia, France, and England.**­*

Get your facts straight.

[amanda85]

Click on the links, you racist moron.

[amanda85]

"Get your facts straight."

I posted two liks to prove what I said.
Where are your "facts" that contradict mine?
You're entitled to your opinion but not to your "facts."

[DennyCrane]

This is why a lot of white people dislike blacks. It's because they seem like the only issue they think about is race and every other issue has to be viewed through the prism of race. That's also why people like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson never made it far in politics. People perceived them as candidates who only cared about race and would be Presidents that gave special priority to black issues. That's why Obama is so appealing. He realizes that a President should serve ALL americans and not favor one group over another. People like Spike Lee sound like race is the only issue they ever think about.

[ylpatriot]

oh oh .. please dont be so niave.... you aint seen nothing yet bro .

[TooLooze]

Or maybe its because they are tired of having their faces rubbed in the mud. Blacks have been a part of every American drama, yet they are expected not to make waves when they aren't given credit for it.

This is not a comment about Eastwood but a valid generalization.

[GeeBee]

"This is why a lot of white people dislike blacks. " That has to rank as the most breathtakingly dumb thing written in ages. A black person makes a quite valid, and politely stated complaint about unequal treatment, and that justifies white people who are racist?

[MilesTone]

You sound like an idiot. Everyone black person in the world only thinks about race?
The reason that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson (who I might say are actually doing quite well) is because blacks only think about race?

I'm sure Spike Lee, who is a multi-millionaire probably thinks about other things besides race. You might want to think about grabbing a dictionary and reading a bit. Check the grammar. "It's because they seem like like the only issue they think about is race..."

[dadumdee]

I'm sure you're right. I'm sure the KKK was a knitting circle gone awry after uppity Negroes began to view slavery and Jim Crow to the prism of race. The KKK was probably so upset that these uppity Negroes weren't concerned with ALL Americans that they began lynching them in self defense. Do you see how silly your logic sounds?