[thenightwriterblog] The Night Writer: Fundamentals in Film: Black History Month

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by The Night Writer:
Fundamentals in Film: Black History Month
http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1170964535.shtml


   I've been leading the bi-weekly "Fundamentals in Film" class for the
   current group of teenage boys for about a year now, and my focus has
   been to feature movies with strong, positive male role models
   demonstrating character, honor, courage and grace under fire
   (physical, mental, spiritual fire) and especially an ability to put
   others ahead of themselves. Many of the movies we've watched also
   opened a door for our group to discuss the larger social and
   historical context of the events depicted in the movie.
   The movie that probably had the most profound affect on our young men
   was [1]Glory, the story of the first all-black regiment in the Civil
   War. The [2]discussion following the film drew the strongest reactions
   and the most spontaneous questions from the guys of any that we've
   had. Some months later we watched [3]The Tuskegee Airmen, a similar
   story but brought "four-score" years into the future with the first
   U.S. squadron of black fighter pilots. Back at the beginning of the
   football season we also watched the original TV-movie version of
   Brian's Song (gotta love Netflix!), the Gale Sayers/Brian Piccolo
   story, set in the late 1960s against the backdrop of the Civil Rights
   Movement.
   All three films were based on true events (with some dramatic license)
   and as we bumped through the century or so that the movies spanned it
   was useful and interesting to see what things had changed, and what
   things remained the same, in our society and in the lives of the men
   profiled. I believe this has been especially beneficial for my group
   of young men who have grown up with little knowledge or exposure to
   the events that have led up to today and helped them to get a sense
   that, while it seems like certain events happened a long time ago,
   they really represent a relatively short and intense period in history
   (and it isn't over yet). While the movies have been useful in
   describing and discussing this time, the history of the struggle
   wasn't my main reason for introducing these films into the series.
   For me, the essence of these movies still comes down to bedrock issues
   of honor, duty, respect and being willing to do the hard thing even at
   great personal cost for the greater good. The lessons of being a man
   that can be counted on, of being a man that can be a true friend, are
   universal and go beyond race.
   The thing I've stressed with our group is that fear and hate are also
   universal and that no matter who you are or what "group" you belong
   to, there are always going to be those who have a degree of power and
   authority over your life that are going to look down upon and even
   hate you because of the way you look, the way you talk, the things
   that you believe or, especially for these young men, their age.
   Lynching and flogging may not be part of their lives but they are
   still going to be judged and dismissed because of what they appear to
   be. Their challenge, like those faced by the men in these movies, will
   still be to live their lives with courage and integrity and not give
   in to (and live down to) the lower expectations that others might have
   of them.
   If they can do that I am confident that they will have little trouble
   in extending the consideration to others they meet.

References

   1. http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1133574409.shtml
   2. http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1151694645.shtml
   3. http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1141274361.shtml