THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora

It's Hard Out There For Indies - Dude, Where's My Distribution?

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I'm working on a piece on the nature of film distribution, specifically in consideration of black cinema. Below is a very recent article from The Hollywood Reporter that I think makes for a telling companion piece. As you will see in the article, times are indeed tough for independent film distribution overall; and, as I'm sure we all know, when things are difficult for the "majority," they tend to be exponentially worse for those in the "minority."

January 2007

In a congested market, indies struggled to rise above the crowd.

These are sobering times for the independent film industry. Boxoffice revenue for films from indie distributors and specialty divisions dropped 11.9% from $1.32 billion in 2006 to $1.16 billion in 2007, while the number of indies in theaters increased from 501 to 530.

Even more disturbing, only 16 of the films grossed more than $20 million (nearly half of them by a slim margin), down from 20 in 2006.

The biggest story of 2007 might be that 350 indie films -- two-thirds of the list -- failed to reach even $250,000 in ticket sales, an increase from 313 in 2006. All this at a time when overall 2007 domestic boxoffice hit a record high of $9.62 billion, a 5% increase from 2006, according to Nielsen EDI.

"Films with big stars and great directors and reviews once could've been counted on to reach the low-seven figures," ThinkFilm head of U.S. theatrical Mark Urman said. "Today, they're routinely not making their opening advertising budgets."

"In the past, when there was a downturn in the marketplace, people would say 'It's cyclical,' " said IFC Entertainment chairman Jonathan Sehring, who heads the day-and-date First Take program, which offers films as Video On Demand offerings on cable. "But now I don't see it changing. The public is barraged by so many new entertainment options, and there are so many films in theaters, they can't help but cannibalize each other."

Read the rest of it HERE.

WTF? #1 - Africans For Sale! Asking Price? Livestock!

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Not a film-related topic, but it's about art and the Diaspora; It's also quite unbelievable and numbing! I was rendered speechless after reading it. There are so many dense layers at work (or at play) here, and I could write volumes... The ignorance (or is it arrogance) is certainly palpable.

FROM AFRICANARTISTS.BLOGSPOT.COM

Kristian von Hornsleth Buys Ugandans for Livestock

Danish Artist buys Africans

This morning I received an email from an artist from Uganda called, Eria Sane Nsubuga, who seemed fascinated by an artistic project, which took place last summer, 2007, in a small rural village in Uganda, by a Danish artist, Kristian von Hornsleth.

Here is the press release and website details:

How many Africans would change their name in return for 242 pig and 65 goats? The answer is 307. At least if they live in a small village in one of the worlds poorest countries.

This summer, the Danish artist Kristian von Hornsleth visited a poor village in Uganda and gave the local population a fantastic offer they could not refuse: He wanted all of them to take his name! In return, the 307 villagers would receive a large number of pigs and goats.

This has lead to a controversial artwork titled "We want to help you, but we want to own you."

This is the experience of artist Kristian von Hornsleth based on his visits to the village of Buteyongera in the Mukono district in Uganda. Kristian von Hornsleth has made visits to the village a couple of times to build up good relations and gain trust. Together with a team of photographers and film crew, he travelled to Uganda in June and convinced the local population to change their names to Hornsleth. As payment, the Africans received a large amount of creatures for making their choice. So far 100 of the villagers have taken the new name with the remaining 207 currently being processed. A further 365 are on waiting lists.

Following a lot of bureaucratic trouble and headshaking from the local authorities, the official name changing was fulfilled and the project was transformed into art. From October on it is possible to see 100 photographic super portraits in 1x1 meter as well as 20 pieces of 2x2 meter large portrait paintings of Africans holding their new ID cards in front of them. On the ID card you can clearly read their new beautiful surname: HORN$LETH.

The artworks will be shown in Copenhagen from 17th November and at the established gallery DDM in Shanghai in March 2007. Furthermore, a colour illustrated book with text of international philosophers and art experts is planned to be published in October – at the same time as a documentary, produced by the Danish TV-channel DR2.

The good artist

Kristian von Hornsleth is convinced that he has done a good deed for Africa.

"Basically I believe in free trade. You sell something to me, and I buy something from you. In this case the Africans are fond of the animals that I offer them – and I am happy to be able to give them a beautiful name and to make some art. The result is that both parts are happy. Nothing else matters", says Kristian von Hornsleth.

Apart from the villagers' initial problems with pronouncing the name Hornsleth, the Danish artist experienced only positive response from the local population. Of course they were a little surprised of the Danes' fine offer for them, but they ended up accepting it. Kristian von Hornsleth is now known in the village as "Birunji", which means "the good one".

The new "Hornsleths" want to be famous

The many new "Hornsleths" are now looking forward to their portraits being shown all over the world. Some of them hope to get famous and maybe someday come to Europe. Kristian von Hornsleth himself is enjoying the interest generated in his photographic artwork.

The next step is for the whole village itself to change its name to "Hornsleth". The artist is also working on creating a tree sculpture production and a smaller agricultural production in the area, which will produce African meat and vegetables to the West.

The name of the products will of course be Hornsleth.

Notes to Editors:

§ Each person will have a national ID card issued to show their new 'Hornsleth' name.

§ In five years 5,000 people will have received an animal from this project if it runs to plan.

§ 'Hornsleths' art project is set to premiere at the Hornsleth & Friends Contemporary Art Gallery in Copenhagen from the 17th of November and will be displayed in Shanghai at the DDM Warehouse gallery from March 2007 and later on in 2007 at more places in Europe.

§ You can follow the project on www.hornsleth.com, which is often being updated with pictures and text concerning the project.

For images of the project or for further information, please contact Susie Dullard on 020 7067 0692 or Sophie Smith on 020 7067 0415.

Did You Know #2 & #3 - Norbit And Morgan Freeman Stats

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A double dose of Did You Know today.

Did you know #2

... that Norbit apparently is the only film to be nominated for both an Oscar (best makeup) and a Razzie (well, several Razzies - Worst Supporting Actor, Worst Supporting Actress, Worst Actor, Worst Screenplay)? Did anyone actually see Norbit? I know it made almost $100 million, but I don't know anyone who saw it. I certainly haven't. But I'd like to know what those who did see it, thought of it.


Did you know #3

... that Morgan Freeman has had only ONE onscreen kiss in his entire 30+ year career? I wonder if Mr Freeman is aware of this. Someone give this man a love scene, will ya? He's way overdue! Even some tongue play would work. Something! Anything!

Will Smith - A Washed-Up Super Hero With A Crush In "Hancock"

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Thanks to CINE21 who nabbed some early shots of Will Smith in his super-hero suit for his upcoming 2008 release, Hancock, about a "hard-living superhero (Smith) who has fallen out of favor with the public and enters into a questionable relationship with the wife (Charlize Theron) of the public relations professional (Jason Bateman) who's trying to repair his image."

You can see the rest of the images HERE. Nothing terribly special, but I thought some of you movie geeks might appreciate the early showcase.

Can't say that I'm looking forward to seeing this film. I was rather underwhelmed with what I saw in the only teaser trailer that's been circulating online thus far. It's scheduled to be released on the July 4th holiday weekend, a usually important weekend for studios and their summer blockbusters, so, obviously, Sony, the distributor of the film, has extremely high hopes for it. Will I see it? Probably. It's what I do... I see movies... it's in my job description.

Will Smith has certainly taken his whacks over the years, especially from black critics (myself included, although I've certainly taken my foot of the gas pedal, and recognized Mr Smith for the Hollywood star that he is. In doing so, he's become an easier pill for me to swallow, and I pretty much know what to expect from him, and will stop hoping for more. Although, I'm still waiting for that glorious day when he'll surprise me). But he's held up quite well, and has managed to silence much of the critical noise.

That said, I've already begun to hear chants from voices within the black community (specifically black women) chiding Mr Smith for his apparent lack of interest in playing opposite black actresses in leading roles - most recently citing Hancock as an example, in which Charlize Theron plays his love interest. So, it'll be interesting to see how the film is received when it's released later this year. I'm sure it will make tons of money, which is what really counts to those behind the film... but, given what I've already heard (most recently a brief discussion on NPR's News & Notes program), what could the ramifications be for Mr. Smith and his fan base, if there are any at all?

And also, in connection to my ongoing poll on the right, should we expect more from black stars like Will Smith? Should they be held to some higher standard and looked upon as potential leaders in this ongoing fight for equality and diversity in cinema?

Sundance Dispatch #4 - A Good Day To Be Black And Sexy

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I've mentioned this film in brief on my podcast, at least once. As of today, the end of the Sundance Film Festival, I don't believe it's been picked up for distribution by any company. But I'm keeping my eyes and ears open for anything new. I'm also hoping to have the filmmaker, Dennis Dortch, as a guest on my podcast sometime in the next month, to talk about the film and his experiences at Sundance. An extended synopsis of the film follows below; and just beneath that are links to a brief video interview with Dennis Dortch on YouTube, and an audio interview with 2 of the stars of the film, hosted by Spout.com.

From Sundance - Indeed, it is a very good day. Dennis Dortch’s daring directorial debut ambitiously charts black sexuality through a set of six deliciously amusing, interconnected vignettes that unfold in a single day in Los Angeles. A hot-button, “don’t-let-them-know-you’re-watching” constellation of intimate moments, A Good Day to Be Black & Sexy seduces us with obsessively watchable performances that make it at once familiar, provocative, and fresh. Women unapologetically figure it out for themselves, reclaiming license to be selfish, rude, and raunchy in a playfully enduring tug-of-war between the sexes. Explicitly exploring the texture of sex, Dortch packs the film full of viscerally seductive tones and sultry grittiness as he allows us sneak-peak access to a multitude of motives of desire—a woman in bed with her boyfriend jockeys for position to get hers first; a teenager explores the limits of her sexuality in questionable situations; a boy and his ball are held hostage by interracial taboos. Bringing overdone stereotypes about black sexuality to their knees, Dortch explodes a constellation of sexy little secrets that we would otherwise keep quiet. Packing a strong voice and innovative style, Dortch’s kaleidoscopic sketches are juicy and surprising with every step, stroke, and...ahem. Yes, he did just go there!

Here's the link to the video interview of Dennis Dortch: YouTube.

Here's the link to the audio interview: Spout.

SIDE NOTE ABOUT THE YOUTUBE VIDEO INTERVIEW: Towards the end of the interview, the interviewer states that people are saying that Dennis and his film are redefining black cinema. I always get uncomfortable when grandiose statements like that are bestowed upon one person or film. They completely negate every previous effort by filmmakers who challenged the status quo, and in essence sought to redefine black cinema - from Melvin Van Peebles, to William Greaves, to Charles Burnett, to Julie Dash, to Spike Lee, and many others. Obviously, it's not the filmmaker's fault in this case, but I would have liked his response to the interviewer's statement to echo what I just said above.

Sundance Dispatch #3 - A Black Man's Identity Search In "North Starr"

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This one hasn't been as lucky in the distribution department as the last film I mentioned (The Black List). But based on the review below from The Hollywood Reporter, it looks just as promising. The film is called North Starr. Let's hope someone picks it up and we get to see it eventually.

From The Hollywood Reporter...

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL, PARK CITY, UTAH... The story of a young black man's search for identity, it is more vibrant and affecting than many movies with 10 times the budget. What it lacks in polish, it almost makes up for in heart and soul. The film could attract a modest crossover audience before finding a home on cable.

First-time producer-director-writer-actor Matthew Stanton clearly is working more from inspiration than experience. Blending the poetic with the prosaic and originality with the formulaic, he has put together an old-fashioned, socially conscious picture with a contemporary beat. Music of all kinds -- rap, blues, country, tribal drums -- is pulsating throughout the film.

"North Starr" operates on a literal and allegorical level. It opens in the Houston hood where Demetrius (Jerome Hawkins) is reluctantly pressed into doing some nefarious job with his pal Justice (David Haley). When Justice is killed in action, Demetrius starts out on his life journey, winding up as if blown by the wind in the tiny West Texas town of Trublin.

Befriended by Darring (Stanton), Demetrius soon encounters the remnants of the old South. The sheriff and his two racist sidekicks are so venal as to be almost cartoonish. As in most places like this, they are harboring an awful secret that somehow starts to show up in Demetrius' dreams. Haunted by his past and uncertain of his future, he is nurtured by Darring, his foul-mouthed friend Wayne (Wayne Campbell) and the hospitality of an elderly white couple at the North Starr ranch.

It's the feeling and sentiment that counts here more than logic, as changes in tone between the mystical and real world are occasionally jarring. The young cast, often awkward in front of the camera, doesn't help the cause. Yet the film has a great energy and means what it says. The poetry and songs Demetrius writes in his journal are used as a voice-over and a way to show his inner self. As a city kid lost in the Texas wilderness, it's hard not to root for him...

Highest Paid Actors & Actresses Lists + My $.02

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Forbes Magazine's list of the 10 highest paid actors and actresses in the business, for the year from June 2006 to June 2007. I believe they do this annually, so their next list, to be released later this year, will cover June 2007 to June 2008.

Some interesting points I notice about both lists:

1. The obvious lack of non-white faces, except for Will Smith on the actor's list. No surprise there, I guess. But, at least there's representation on the actor's side. I wonder who the highest paid non-white actress was for that time period... Halle Berry? Jennifer Lopez? Jessica Alba doesn't really count, I don't think.
2. It's still very much a man's world. There's still quite a gap between what the women are getting paid, compared to the men. The average earnings for women is roughly $12.5 Million, while the average for the men adds up to approximately $40.5 Million! WOW! An obviously significant difference. The lowest paid man, Matt Damon, at $24 Million, made more than every woman on the top actress list, except for one - Nicole Kidman, at $28 Million.
3. What the hell did Vince Vaughn do in 2007 that generated $25 Million in earnings for him???
4. In reading the full article on Forbes's website, the reason for this discrepancy between men and women became clear to me. The men tend to be more aggressive on the back-end side - meaning, their contracts with studios for films that they starred in, included a percentage of the films' profits, on top of their already gargantuan salaries. For example, in Johnny Depp's case, the $92 Million he made for the year came mostly from one single film - the 2nd installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest series. I believe his usual salary hovers in the $20 to $25 Million range, so, he pocketed at least $60 Million in back-end profits from a film which went on to become the 3rd highest grossing film in history, raking in over $1.1 Billion worldwide. So, what does this mean for the women? Simply, they need to be aggressive with their contracts and demand some, or more back-end participation.
5. What the hell are all these people doing with all this freaking money anyway? The cumulative 2007 earnings total for both actors and actresses is $530 Million!! That's a lot of money, and possibly the GDP of some small countries. How about spreading the wealth around a little bit.
6. It's actually good to see that most of the names on either list are what we could call Actors and Actresses (note the capital "A"). These are people who are popular not because of their off-screen shenanigans, but rather because they take their work seriously and they're mostly good at what they do... although, the Jessica Alba inclusion on the actress side, is a little discombobulating... as are Sandra Bullock and Adam Sandler :o) But for the most part, these are usually reliable, solid performers.

Alright, nothing else stands out to me at the moment, so I'll end it here. But feel free to add your $.02 where necessary.

Here are both lists:

ACTRESSES

Nicole Kidman $28 mil
Angelina Jolie $20 mil
Jennifer Aniston $14 mil
Cate Blanchett $13 mil
Sandra Bullock $10 mil
Keira Knightley $9 mil
Julia Roberts $9 mil
Jessica Alba $9 mil
Scarlett Johansson $5 mil
Reese Witherspoon $7 mil

ACTORS

Johnny Depp $92 mil
Tom Hanks $74 mil
Ben Stiller $38 mil
Brad Pitt $35 mil
Tom Cruise $31 mil
Will Smith $31 mil
Adam Sandler $30 mil
George Clooney $25 mil
Vince Vaughn $25 mil
Matt Damon $24 mil

Did You Know #1 - What "The Matrix" Could Have Been, Big Willy Style

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Did You Know...

Will Smith was the preferred choice to play the role of Neo in the 1999 blockbuster surprise, The Matrix, which went on to birth two par sequels? Apparently, Mr. Smith turned the role down, which was later offered to Keanu Reeves.

I just can't picture Big Willy as Neo - it would've been a slightly different film altogether, as I think his performance would have made it such.

For all his faults as an actor, I think Keanu was actually the better choice for the role. Obviously, my perspective is tainted somewhat because I've seen Keanu thrice already as Neo, so it would indeed be a little difficult to imagine someone else in it, regardless of who that person might be. Keanu's seemingly natural vacuous, deer-caught-in-headlights look, actually turned out to be more of a compliment to the film than a detriment, as Neo's struggle towards self-awareness practically called for that kind of a performer or performance.

Interestingly, Will turned down the role to make Wild Wild West, which ended up a critical and slightly commercial flop.

So, indulge me here for a minute folks... we can only imagine what The Matrix could have been with Will Smith (a black actor) in the lead role, flanked by Laurence Fishburne (also a black actor), and one could assume that Trinity, Neo's love interest, would have been a black woman (maybe). The original Matrix, by the way, was allegedly influenced by a manuscript called The Third Eye, created by a black woman, (Google Sophia Stewart if you have heard nothing of this), although the producers and Warner Brothers, the studio responsible for distributing the film, have done their best to minimize the propagation of this knowledge, as well as the damage that this wonderful piece of news could do to their reputations). So, again, indulge me here... with all that in mind - a starring black cast notably - imagine what The Matrix could have been, or what it could have meant to cinema (specifically black cinema), given just how influential it became. Would it have been as successful? Would we have seen 2 sequels - sequels that introduced even more black characters?

To his credit, Will Smith later stated that, if given the role at that time, he "would have messed it up." I agree :o)

Keke Palmer & Ice Cube "Comeback" - White Control/Black Images (A Question)

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Hmmm... this looks somewhat promising - thanks in part to the fact that it tells a young black girl's story, something which we rarely experience on screen. Although the choice of director, Limp Bizkit's frontman-turned-director, Fred Durst, is a curious one. This is his second directorial effort. His first was a film released last year titled, The Education of Charlie Banks, which I didn't see, and don't know much about.

This raises a worthwhile question - one that I've discussed previously on my podcast - the question being, whether a film like this, about a young black girl, is one that should be helmed by a black woman/man director, as opposed to a white man (Fred Durst) in this case.

I should also point out that the screenplay was written by a pair of white men as well.

So, once again, we have a film that tells the story of black people written and directed by white men - as we've seen numerous times previously - most recently, in the case of Robert Johnson's Our Stories Films Inc, and it's 2 releases thus far, Who's Your Caddy? and the upcoming, Mission Intolerable. Granted those 2 films aren't exactly notable, worthwhile productions that would call for black talent behind the cameras, but what can't be dismissed so readily is the obvious lack of blacks in those off-camera positions. So one would expect that when an opportunity arises to produce films that tell the stories of black people, regardless of how inconsequential or fluffy the pieces might be, the producers of those films will go out of their way to hire available black talent to place at the helm of each production.

Obviously, I'm not saying that choices like this must be solely race-dependent. Whites have and can direct films about non-whites, as can blacks write/direct films about non-blacks - as well as Latinos, Asians, etc... In an utopian world, none of this would matter. But, alas, we don't live in a utopia, so color does unfortunately matter, and can't be wholly ignored. One has to consider what the overall lasting effects of some of these choices are. On the surface, it might seem somewhat trivial to even have this discussion, but any thinking person (and we are all capable, thinking people) should be able to see what might lurk beneath the covers.

Granted fictional films like some I mentioned aren't necessarily race-dependent, meaning the characters could be played by actors of any color or ethnicity, making that the only difference in what the audience sees in the final product. However, one could argue that having people of color on screen is itself a powerful, political move, regardless of the story being told, and any opportunity given to tell stories about people of color should indeed be handled with a certain sensitivity that might only be innate in a writer/director specific to the race of people in front of the camera.

I should also point out that the Fred Durst directed film in question is based on a true story.

Regardless, I can only hope that the end product in this case is a well-made, interesting, complex, entertaining film.

This is an ongoing discussion, and I'm sure it will come up again from time to time, possibly with no real eventual solution... if a solution is even necessary.

Your thoughts are welcome.

Read on...

Palmer joins Ice Cube’s pic

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee) has joined Ice Cube in his untitled inspirational sports drama for Dimension Films.

Palmer will play Jasmine Plummer, the first female quarterback in Pop Warner history, who with her teammates draws support from her uncle (Ice Cube) and members of their Illinois town when the team plays in the Pop Warner Super Bowl.

Tasha Smith (Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?), Jill Marie Jones (The Perfect Holiday), Dash Mihok (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang), Matt Craven (The Clearing) and Garrett Morris (Jackpot) also have joined the cast. Comedians Earthquake (Clerks II) and Michael Colyar (Norbit) also will appear in the film, which had been titled "Comeback."

Limp Bizkit frontman-turned-director Fred Durst is directing from a script by Doug Atchison.

Nick Santora, who wrote the original screenplay, is producing with Ice Cube and Matt Alvarez (Are We There Yet?) through their production company Cube Vision.

Production began in December in Shreveport, La.

Palmer, whose credits include Akeelah and Madea's Family Reunion, next appears in the crime drama Cleaner, which stars Samuel L. Jackson and Ed Harris.

Sundance Dispatch #2 - 50 Cent Launches Film Production Company

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Hmmm... I love it when my fellow brothas and sistahs take control in order to create further opportunities for themselves and others who look like them; but, for various reasons, this bit of news doesn't inspire much hope within me. If the films that come out of this venture are anything like the music he's produced throughout his career, then I dread what's to come. Good luck to him though.

50 Cent announced at the Sundance Film Festival that he is forming a production company with longtime manager Chris Lighty and producer Randell Emmett (Shottas, Home Of The Brave, Righteous Kill) to produce indie films. He made the announcement during a news conference over the weekend.

Of this new venture, the rapper-turned-actor told MTV: "It means I'll have creative control of some of the projects I commit to and I can choose things to develop. I won't be on camera for everything I'll be producing, but now I'll be producing films too."

Sundance Dispatch #1 - HBO Likes "The Black List"

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As I've mentioned previously on my podcast, this year marks a record for the number of "black films" screening at the prestigious (although, questionably relevant) Sundance film festival, currently ongoing, in cold and snowy Park City, Utah. I'll be recapping the festival on the next episode of my podcast, next week Monday, the 28th. But I decided to post any relevant news that comes my way before then.

According to the good folks at Black Talent News, one of those "black films" playing at the festival, a documentary called The Black List, by photographer-filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, starring former New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell, was picked up for distribution by HBO.

The Black List interviews 20 contemporary African-American leaders and icons about their personal experiences and the larger societal repercussions of race. Interviewees range from Sean Combs and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Chris Rock and Colin Powell. Terms of the deal were not announced.

An exhibit, book and other projects will accompany the film, with HBO executives saying the project could well include a second installment. No airdate has been set.

Sounds intriguing enough that I'll likely watch it whenever it airs on HBO, probably later on this year.

Films I'm interested in seeing in 2008 - #1

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With the New Year in motion, I thought it would be a good idea to list those few films that I'll probably pay to see as the year progresses. Here's the first:

Namibia: The Struggle for Liberation - Charles Burnett’s next film, the writer/director of Killer of Sheep, a film I love and have talked about several times on my podcast. Namibia will be the opening night film at the Pan African Film & Arts Festival in Los Angeles next month, so I certainly encourage anyone in the L.A. area to be there opening night to see the film, and possibly return to share their thoughts on it. As far as I know, it doesn’t have a distributor yet, which certainly doesn’t surprise me. But I hope that someone, somewhere will give the epic film the theatrical release that it apparently deserves. It doesn't have the proverbial "big name celebrity stars" in it (I think Danny Glover is the biggest name starring, and given his recent relations with Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, he might actually prove to be more of a risk than a reward for the film); but it’s a Charles Burnett film, and hopefully that will be enough to generate some interest from distributors. Not that his name alone will sell the film, but I think his name does carry some weight, and he's well respected amongst his colleagues.

The film tells the story of Sam Nujoma, the first president of Namibia, from his political awakening, to his part in the country’s fight for freedom from occupation by South Africa. The film covers 60 years of history and was financed entirely by the Namibian government. Go to http://www.namibiathemovie.com/ for more info on the film – not a lot, but there’s enough there to whet your appetite.

Here's the only trailer that I believe exists for the film...


Heath Ledger found dead in NYC

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Not a black performer, but still a shocker... I was looking forward to seeing his performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight this summer. What a shame...

NEW YORK - Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday at a downtown Manhattan residence, and police said drugs may have been a factor. He was 28.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the Manhattan apartment believed to be his home. The housekeeper who went to let him know the masseuse had arrived found him dead at 3:26 p.m.

The Australian-born actor was nominated for an Oscar for Brokeback Mountain, where he met his wife, actress Michelle Williams, in 2005. Ledger and Williams had lived in Brooklyn and had a daughter, Matilda, until they split up last year.

Ledger was to appear as the Joker this year in "The Dark Night," a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins. He's had starring roles in A Knight's Tale and The Patriot, and played the suicidal son of Billy Bob Thornton in Monster's Ball.

Jeffrey Wright and Cedric The Entertainer In Period Piece

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Jeffrey Wright and Cedric The Entertainer together in a period piece directed by one of the diminutive number of black female directors working today, Darnell Martin.

One is a thespian whose abilities, persona and career choices I champion (Wright); the other is most remembered for his roles as Cedric Jackie Robinson and Grandma Puddin' on the syndicated Steve Harvey Show.

Ok, so maybe Cedric has shown glimpses of some potentially real acting ability in a few screen moments here and there, but he still has yet to make up for the abomination that was Code Name - The Cleaner.

Maybe this will be his chance...

Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright will star in the Darnell Martin-directed biopic "Cadillac Records" for Sony BMG Film.

Brody will play Leonard Chess, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who started the Chicago blues label Chess Records and scoured the South, checking out the blues scenes and selling records from the back of his Cadillac.

Matt Dillon had been attached to play Chess but had to pass on the role because of a scheduling conflict.

Wright is set to play Muddy Waters in the period piece. Also newly cast in the film are Columbus Short, Cedric the Entertainer, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Tammy Blanchard.

Martin (Their Eyes Were Watching God) penned the script for the film, a tale of sex, violence, race and rock 'n' roll in 1950s Chicago that follows the turbulent lives of musical legends Waters, Chess, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf and Elvis Presley. Filming starts in early March in New Jersey and Mississippi.

The Earliest Clips Of Black People On Film On Record

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The Earliest Clips Of Black People On Film On Record
Courtesy Of The Black Film Center/Archive At Indiana University

Watermelon Contest 1896

3 Men Dance 1894

Women Washing Clothes at St. Vincent, B.W.I. 1903

A Woman Bathes Her Child 1896

Little Boy Dancing 1897

Episode 32 - The Obenson Report Podcast On Black Film / Cinema

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Episode 32 - The Obenson Report on Black Film / Cinema
Sponsored in part by ActNow Foundation

Recorded Monday, January 21, 2008, 9PM
TRT 60 Minutes

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

- Joanna De'Shay of the Arizona Black Film Showcase talked about their upcoming event - go to www.azblackfilm.com for more info.
- Filmmaker Brandon Wilson (THE MAN WHO COULDN'T) joined me as we talked about the writers' strike, as well as some films we are looking forward to seeing in 2008.
- African American Literature Professor Danielle Elliott of Smith College discussed her critical essay on Spike Lee's documentary, 4 LITTLE GIRLS.

Got something to say? Call the show's voicemail hotline at 1-800-765-7249 and leave a message there; and if it's worthwhile, I'll play your message on the show. OR, email me you comments at talk@obensonreport.com.

How She Move? Really?

Posted on 1:51 PM comments (7)
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A free copy of my film BEAUTIFUL THINGS for anyone who can name a previously released film that the upcoming Paramount release HOW SHE MOVE resembles. I've already come up with 3:

STOMP THE YARD

YOU GOT SERVED

TAKE THE LEAD

Anymore???

TAO

BET... No... TVOne... No... TCM Does Charles Burnett!

Posted on 3:04 PM No Comments
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If you're one of the few who have yet to see Charles Burnett's masterpiece, Killer Of Sheep, here's your golden opportunity to do so. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will air 5 of Burnett's feature films on Monday, the 21st of January - MLK day.

In an utopian world, channels like TCM wouldn't wait until the holiday that honors the life and work of a slain civil rights leader, to show films like those by Burnett. But, I'm not complaining. At least, they're showing them - an opportunity that I would expect one of the black-owned channels (BET or TV-One) to have long seized.

Regardless, if you're one of the several million Americans with access to cable television, I urge you to turn your cable TV dial to TCM on Monday, the 21st, and immerse yourself in the kind of black cinema many of us long for.

Go to http://www.tcm.com/thismonth/article/?cid=184971 for all the specifics. The 5 films scheduled to air are: Killer of Sheep, The Horse, My Brother's Wedding, When It Rains, and Several Friends.

By the way, Killer Of Sheep is now available on DVD in a 2-disc commemorative set that includes Burnett's second most popular film, My Brother's Wedding, along with a host of other goodies. Head on over to AMAZON.COM and check it out!

TAO


Things That Made Me Go Hmm #1 - Black Speak/White Images

Posted on 1:09 PM comments (3)
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A new trend?

I noticed that there are two upcoming films by and about white people that employ what could be termed "black colloquialisms" - or at least phrases that originated from within black communities - as their titles.

It's no secret that Black culture is in effect American culture, as a plethora of units from within the culture have been adopted and embraced by the wider American and even global public - its music, fashion sense, and language notably. So I suppose it should be no surprise that specific phrases, usually considered slang, would become ubiquitous catch phrases, and eventually titles of mainstream Hollywood films, starring, of course white people.

The films I'm referring to here are BABY MAMA, starring Saturday Night Live alums, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, as well as MAD MONEY, starring Diane Keaton, Katie Holmes and Dana Owens (Queen Latifah).

Does thou (I) protest too much, or is something amidst here? I can imagine what could be on the horizon - STACKING CHEESE starring Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan; JUNK IN THE TRUNK starring Kim Kardashian and Matthew McConaughey; TALK TO THE HAND starring Katherine Heigl and James Marsden... and the list goes on...

I'm certainly not entirely bothered by this "trend," but obviously thought it worth bringing attention to.

What says you?

:o)

TAO


Have You Heard The One About The Super Model And The Anti-Imperialist?

Posted on 7:43 PM comments (1)
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And who says 53 year old fun-loving, rotund, Bush-hating, socialist rulers of South American oil producing nations can't get hot chicks? :o)

According to the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal (as well as numerous gossip sites and fishwrap), model Naomi Campbell has been in a relationship with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez for the past 2 months.

Naomi recently traveled to Caracas to interview Chavez for British GQ, and apparently the duo hit it off and have been involved since then, while carefully hiding their relationship.


Ok, ok... so normally I don't post shit like this, but I used to have a Naomi Campbell screensaver when I was in college some years back, and even reached for the Vaseline jar once or twice :o)

It's also worth noting that I've been seriously considering returning to my father's homeland, Cameroon, to start my own socialist party, overthrow the current dictator who has been in power for 25 years, and assume the position of president of the country. I wonder which super model will be charmed by my cumulative efforts after Cameroonian GQ sends over her to interview me.

TAO


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