Friday, September 1, 2017

THE CINEMA OF BILL DUKE TOLD THROUGH IMAGES & STILLS


No matter the genre, Bill Duke's directorial work focuses primarily on people of color (Dark Girls, A Rage In Harlem, A Prince Among Slaves, Hoodlum, etc). Actually, I've always wondered why he, along with Carl Franklin, Charles Burnett & Wendell B. Harris, weren't included on that famous New York Times cover highlighting Black filmmakers in the early 90's. Bill Duke was just as active & prolific as some of the filmmakers that made the cover...


While Duke's films are enjoyed by folks of all races, I have a hard time believing the average non-black movie goer can truly appreciate something like Dark Girls or even A Rage In Harlem

I liken Bill Duke to someone like Tom Noonan. As actor's they've appeared in big budget action action films to low budget indies. But as filmmakers, their work is much more personal in contrast to The Last Action Hero (Noonan) or Commando (Duke)


After what seems like my millionth viewing of Deep Cover I came to the conclusion that not only is it a modern masterpiece, but Bill Duke's directorial work is unique & underrated.  There are many threads that run throughout all of his films and we're going to look at those now. 

Enjoy...


BLACK LEADING LADIES
There may be some strides & improvements in mainstream American movies these days but in the 80's & 90's, unless you were part of an elite/exclusive group of actresses (Halle Berry, Whoopi Goldberg, Angela Basset, Rae Dawn Chong, etc), it was tough getting screen time.
While Bill Duke has worked with mega stars like Goldberg, he also utilized underused Black actresses like Victoria Dillard (Deep Cover) & underrated character actors like Loretta Divine (Hoodlum)
Deep Cover
Dark Girls
A Rage In Harlem
Hoodlum
Sister Act 2
Not Easily Broken
America's Dream
Cover




BLACK PRIDE, BLACK HISTORY & BLACK SKIN ON FILM
Bill Duke certainly doesn't shy away from Black pride. Weather its a documentary celebrating (and dissecting) dark skin, or throwing in subliminal imagery in to some of his films (see the image for Sister Act 2), he likes to celebrate his ethnicity...
Dark Girls
A Rage In Harlem
Deep Cover
Bill Duke sneaks in Historically Black College clothing in Sister Act 2
Hoodlum
A Prince Among Slaves
America's Dream
Deacons For Defense




MENACING VILLAINS
Stepping away from race for a moment (we'll delve back in to that later), Duke has a talent for crafting Villains that aren't just typical "bad guys" but rather menacing with little to no redeeming qualities.
It should be noted that some of these "villains" are based on very real people who were motivated by racism (Hoodlum & Deacons For Defense)
A Rage In Harlem
Deep Cover
Deep Cover
Hoodlum
The Golden Spiders: A Nero Wolfe Mystery
Deacons For Defense




SPURTS OF VIOLENCE
Deep Cover
Deep Cover
A Rage In Harlem
Hoodlum
Deacons For Defense
Hoodlum




INFLUENCES & VISUAL SIMILARITIES
Who Framed Roger Rabbit / A Rage In Harlem
King Of New York /  Deep Cover
Deep Cover / Only God Forgives
Onibaba/Deep Cover
Screamin' Jay Hawkins in Mystery Train (L) / A Rage In Harlem (R)




RECURRING SETTING: CHURCH
Deacons For Defense
Hoodlum
Not Easily Broken
Sister Act 2




DARK LIGHTNING/NEO-NOIR
As a director Bill Duke has worked in almost every genre but Noir/Neo-Noir is the one genre he explores more than anything else. One element that makes his films extra noir-ish is the dark lighting and use of shadows...
Deep Cover
A Rage In Harlem
Hoodlum
Cover




FAMILY TIES
The relationships between siblings, cousins and parents & children are often strained, complicated or problematic (to say the least in some cases), but there is a bond/connection between blood relatives that often plays a major role in the plots of Bill Duke's movies.
a moment between brothers in A Rage In Harlem
Bumpy Johnson mourning his cousin in Hoodlum
Mother & Daughter in Sister Act 2
a father/son moment in Deep Cover




HIP-HOP CULTURE
Much like his peers & elders (Jim Jarmusch, Spike Lee, Ernest Dickerson & Abel Ferrara), Bill Duke embraced hip-hop culture when others turned their nose up at it.
"Deep Cover" was not only the theme song for the movie of the same name but it also put Death Row records on the map. Rakim hadn't record a song in five years prior to working on the Hoodlum soundtrack and Bill Duke occasionally casts (female) hip-hop artists in supporting roles.
Deep Cover
Def Jef's caemo in Deep Cover
Hoodlum
Queen Latifah in Hoodlum
Lauryn Hill in Sister Act 2




"BLACK HOLLYWOOD"
Actors like Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg & Forest Whitaker do "transcend" the racial lines in mainstream Hollywood from time to time, but their iconic status means a little more to Black audiences. Weather you're a veteran journeyman actor (Paul Benjamin), legend of 70's Black cinema (Glynn Turman & Cicely Tyson) or a mega-star like Glover & Goldberg, you're almost guaranteed a role in a Bill Duke film.
Some Black actors catch a lot of flack for "selling out" (which they sometimes do) but others aren't given credit for working with the few (talented) mainstream Black directors working today.
Wesley Snipes in America's Dream
Paul Benjamin in Hoodlum
Glynn Turman in Deep Cover
Clarence Williams in Deep Cover
Whoopi Golderberg in Sister Act 2

Danny Glover in A Rage In Harlem
Forest Whitaker in A Rage In Harlem
Cicely Tyson in Hoodlum
Ossie Davis in Deacons For Defense
Lou Gosset Jr. in Cover


LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...