WEBBTIDE 2001-2002 @ SHORELINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Volume 37 No.10 Mar. 01 - Mar. 14, 2002 [ ARCHIVE ] [ FEEDBACK ] [ HELP ]
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Silent film makes strong point

.
      Before Spike Lee and Carl Franklin, even before there were talkies, there was Oscar Micheaux. Born in 1884 in Metropolis, Illinois, Micheaux was an ambitious, innovative and hard-working farmer in South Dakota, owner of his own book-publishing company and a writer, director and producer of silent films and later talkies. He also happened to be black, which necessarily presented more hurdles in an already fiercely competitive industry.
      Micheaux became a highly successful independent filmmaker, producing more than 30 films during his lifetime. He began carving his own path in the world of film when the owners of a Los Angeles motion picture company wanted him to make a film based on his book, "The Homesteader," but wouldn't let him direct.
      Micheaux decided to go it alone, and thus a legendary film career was born. His films were not meant to merely entertain but to educate movie-goers about the detrimental stereotypes placed upon members of his culture.
      During a recent screening of "Within Our Gates" at the Paramount Theater, audience members had a unique opportunity to view a classic silent film that portrays black characters who are upper-class, educated and beautiful, no less so than white characters who appear in mainstream films.
      The movie-going experience was enriched by the accompaniment of world-renowned Mighty Wurlitzer Organ Player Dennis James. His ability to structure the music in a way that seamlessly reflects every mood, nuance and dynamic throughout the film is breathtaking. No opportunity to enjoy James' powerful interpretation of any silent film should be missed.
      Micheaux indeed had many stories to convey, but his strongest impetus was to "teach that the colored man can be anything." So important an influence was Micheaux that in honor of Black History Month, the Paramount hosted a pre-screening panel discussion and a question-and-answer session to follow up.
      Elvis Mitchell, film critic for The New York Times, moderated the panel discussion. He was joined by Nate Long, long-time Hollywood producer, director and actor; Brian McDonald, film special-effects wizard of "Return of the Living Dead" fame; Darrell Millner, Portland State University Professor of Black Studies; and Dr. Gilda L. Sheppard, independent filmmaker and instructor of cultural studies and media literacy at Evergreen State College.
      Mitchell pointed out that no black filmmaker was given money to produce a feature until 1969, which highlights Micheaux's extraordinary energy and drive. Denied financial backing, Micheaux saw obstacles as mere gates through which he must pass. Writing, publishing and then selling his books door to door helped to support his filmmaking.
      Millner stated that it was never Micheaux's intention to become part of the Hollywood scene, and Mitchell concurred. Millner added that Micheaux treated his audience with respect, attempting to educate and enlighten viewers about individuals, culture and America as a nation. When necessary he offered criticism for his fellow blacks, trying always to reveal the truth as he saw it.
      "Within Our Gates" offers some predictable components found in many silent films: excessive mugging, overacting and plenty of morality tales. A cast of nearly all black actors, however, presents a delightfully different scene, one in which there are very few white people, and of those, several villains. Micheaux is remarkably even-handed in this regard, as he offers both wicked and morally conflicted Black individuals as well.
      The plot involves Sylvia Landry, a beautiful, educated young woman who is trying to raise money for a black school in the South. She heads north, meets an elderly, white female philanthropist who wishes to donate funds to help the children, and a variety of impediments arise -- both plausible and improbable -- until at last there is a happy ending.
      The story is not the most compelling aspect of this film. What draws the viewer in are the personal interactions of the individuals and how real they are as human beings. Characters in "Within Our Gates" are intelligent, silly, manipulative, loving, hard-working, morally bankrupt and courageously altruistic.
      In other words, Micheaux presents people who have all aspects of humanity regardless of skin color. His characters direct their own lives, making choices between good and evil. He neither elevates blacks to sainthood nor reduces them to a supporting role in a white community.
      "Within Our Gates" is widely considered as Micheaux's response to D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation," a more well-known and hugely controversial film filled with racist overtones which was released in 1915. Rather than reveal racial issues to incite anger, Micheaux wanted to show his characters as real people who think, feel and desire a good life.
      Even while some of his characters behave in mischievous ways, Micheaux presents them in a lovable light, eliciting empathy and illuminating the black experience in a manner that is difficult to face because it is the truth, delivered with unabashed directness.
      It is no surprise that many modern black filmmakers turn to Micheaux's example for inspiration. While much of the nation derided black people as less than worthy of the status of citizen, Micheaux demanded his right to tell the world that "the colored man can be anything," and he demonstrated this truth in an astounding way.
      For more information about Oscar Micheaux, visit www.micheaux.org.

.

by Cindy Valleley

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Silent film makes strong point
.	Before Spike Lee and Carl Franklin, even before there were talkies, there was Oscar Micheaux. Born in 1884 in Metropolis, Illinois, Micheaux was an ambitious, innovative and hard-working farmer in South Dakota, owner of his own book-publishing company and a writer, director and producer of silent films and later talkies. He also happened to be black, which necessarily presented more hurdles in an already fiercely competitive industry. Micheaux became a highly successful independent filmmaker, producing more than 30 films during his lifetime. He began carving his own path in the world of film when the owners of a Los Angeles motion picture company wanted him to make a film based on his book, "The Homesteader," but wouldn't let him direct. Micheaux decided to go it alone, and thus a legendary film career was born. His films were not meant to merely entertain but to educate movie-goers about the detrimental stereotypes placed upon members of his culture. During a recent screening of "Within Our Gates" at the Paramount Theater, audience members had a unique opportunity to view a classic silent film that portrays black characters who are upper-class, educated and beautiful, no less so than white characters who appear in mainstream films. The movie-going experience was enriched by the accompaniment of world-renowned Mighty Wurlitzer Organ Player Dennis James. His ability to structure the music in a way that seamlessly reflects every mood, nuance and dynamic throughout the film is breathtaking. No opportunity to enjoy James' powerful interpretation of any silent film should be missed. Micheaux indeed had many stories to convey, but his strongest impetus was to "teach that the colored man can be anything." So important an influence was Micheaux that in honor of Black History Month, the Paramount hosted a pre-screening panel discussion and a question-and-answer session to follow up. Elvis Mitchell, film critic for The New York Times, moderated the panel discussion. He was joined by Nate Long, long-time Hollywood producer, director and actor; Brian McDonald, film special-effects wizard of "Return of the Living Dead" fame; Darrell Millner, Portland State University Professor of Black Studies; and Dr. Gilda L. Sheppard, independent filmmaker and instructor of cultural studies and media literacy at Evergreen State College. Mitchell pointed out that no black filmmaker was given money to produce a feature until 1969, which highlights Micheaux's extraordinary energy and drive. Denied financial backing, Micheaux saw obstacles as mere gates through which he must pass. Writing, publishing and then selling his books door to door helped to support his filmmaking. Millner stated that it was never Micheaux's intention to become part of the Hollywood scene, and Mitchell concurred. Millner added that Micheaux treated his audience with respect, attempting to educate and enlighten viewers about individuals, culture and America as a nation. When necessary he offered criticism for his fellow blacks, trying always to reveal the truth as he saw it. "Within Our Gates" offers some predictable components found in many silent films: excessive mugging, overacting and plenty of morality tales. A cast of nearly all black actors, however, presents a delightfully different scene, one in which there are very few white people, and of those, several villains. Micheaux is remarkably even-handed in this regard, as he offers both wicked and morally conflicted Black individuals as well. The plot involves Sylvia Landry, a beautiful, educated young woman who is trying to raise money for a black school in the South. She heads north, meets an elderly, white female philanthropist who wishes to donate funds to help the children, and a variety of impediments arise -- both plausible and improbable -- until at last there is a happy ending. The story is not the most compelling aspect of this film. What draws the viewer in are the personal interactions of the individuals and how real they are as human beings. Characters in "Within Our Gates" are intelligent, silly, manipulative, loving, hard-working, morally bankrupt and courageously altruistic. In other words, Micheaux presents people who have all aspects of humanity regardless of skin color. His characters direct their own lives, making choices between good and evil. He neither elevates blacks to sainthood nor reduces them to a supporting role in a white community. "Within Our Gates" is widely considered as Micheaux's response to D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation," a more well-known and hugely controversial film filled with racist overtones which was released in 1915. Rather than reveal racial issues to incite anger, Micheaux wanted to show his characters as real people who think, feel and desire a good life. Even while some of his characters behave in mischievous ways, Micheaux presents them in a lovable light, eliciting empathy and illuminating the black experience in a manner that is difficult to face because it is the truth, delivered with unabashed directness. It is no surprise that many modern black filmmakers turn to Micheaux's example for inspiration. While much of the nation derided black people as less than worthy of the status of citizen, Micheaux demanded his right to tell the world that "the colored man can be anything," and he demonstrated this truth in an astounding way. For more information about Oscar Micheaux, visit www.micheaux.org.	.
by Cindy Valleley