honestly spike is making a fool of himself. offcourse clint did his homework for his movie.

“A guy like him should shut his face”.

LMAO–drama

IM NOT SURPRISED, JUST LIKE RICH WHITE FOLK TO TALK OUT THEY ASSES… NEXT!

I don’t know the history so I can’t comment

YYou can’t make a historical movie and just magically erase minorities because their not the focus of the movie.

Tell him Spike!!!

A lot of people are misreading what Spike Lee meant, he wasn’t saying that Clint should have made a back guy raise the flag or be a main character, all he was saying was that there were no black ‘extras’ in both films which is inaccurate as a significant amount of African Americans fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima. He wasn’t making a personal swipe at Clint, but the accused the movies of being historically innacurate, which they were.
It’s like making a movie avout two white people living in Washington D.C and not seeing a single black person walking on the street- then you know something is fishy!
Spike is right on this, Clint is a great director, but he didn’t do his research, and he should treat Spike with respect when speaking.

whoa…

hehehehehehe…. startin something outta nothing. CLASSIC isshh-stirring to draw publicity for their projects. Play on fellas..play on.

Wow I have been M.I.A. from the internet and I haven’t heard about this. Eastwood does sound very immature and defensive and I am glad that Spike Lee spoke his mind. Even if Eastwood’s film did not concern African-Americans, there is an appropriate way to handle things.

>>>>>>> Team Spike!!!

Wish I knew my history so I can comment.

Spike plays his race card again. This time it’s about a two year old movie that won an Oscar for directing(Eastwood) how stupid does this make Spike?

………..Why did Spike have to play the race card–yet again. The whole we’re not on
………..the plantation comment just turned me off. I understand what Spike is saying
………..about black extras and what not, but I also understand Clint’s position as well.
………..For me it boils down to being about choice. If you don’t like Clint Eastwood’s
;;;;…….choice not to have any black extras in the movie, than don’t see the film.

get over it!

Now that the democratic primaries are over, and the nation is still riding on its ‘patriotism’ high. . . the media has to find something other than the slumping economy to talk about. Spike’s remarks gave them that. All Spike was saying was that Clint failed to ever include black solidiers in his films. Which is true, and is a misrepresentation of blacks and their participation in the Iwo Jima and WWII conflicts. The media needs to find some other bull$*%# to talk about, and give this brother a break.

He was only stating the obvious.

Come on people? Are well surprised by this…of course not. It has been known for generations that Hollywood and American society has rarely acknowledged African American for any contributions we have made to this land. And personally I am not made at Spike Lee for speaking his mind. God Bless him for that. It’s a shame our people don’t know the history of African Americans in war.

Nearly 900 African-Americans fought on the Japanese island. Now they may have not risen that flag but they were part of the battle and the victory. It’s just mind boggling to see that we still can’t get any love after all these years.

But I’m not surprised about Clint Eastwood’s behavior and remarks. My grandmother would tell me stories about that man and how he react to African American presence back in the day (the 50’s). The only think is today; most of these individuals are extremely careful in displaying their prejudice and bigotry because they know of the aftermath of discrimination therefore they only speak and act on it among themselves and pretend to “love” everyone.

It’s about time someone called him out. True - he’s been in the game for 50 years and he deserves respect but at the same time its doesn’t give him the right to reject and change historical facts.

@ #7 I cosign with everything you said. I think Spike’s comment was misconstrued bc the fact of the matter is that there were over 900 African-American troops that were at Iwo Jima and not one was portrayed in the film. Spike was not saying put an African-American soldier in the film raising the flag. What he was saying was at least put extras in the movie to give the film some accuracy. The truth of the matter is that African-Americans have basically fought in every war and to not include them is a gross inaccuracy. I mean its the equivalent of doing a major film of the war we are fighting now in Iraq and you dont put any black soldiers, asian soldier, latino etc. Doesnt make sense.

I don’t see what the big deal is. If Clint didn’t put black people in his movie, so what. It’s just a movie not a textbook.

i think Clint was wrong not to put a single black actor in the movie, Lee is right Holywood is racist

SO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT THERE WAS NOT ONE AFRICAN- AMERICAN PERSON WHO WAS APART OF THE MOVIE THAT CLINT EASTWOOD IS FILMING. MAYBE AN AFRICAN- AMERICAN WAS APART OF IT BUT SOCIETY IS NOT LETTING IT BE KNOWN

Spike gets on my last nerve. Even if he’s right, as soon as he plays the race card, I lose all respect for what he has to say. Spike brought this up for one reason and one reason only: to promote himself. He became a caricature to me a long time ago. It’s a film. Don’t like it, NEWSFLASH…don’t watch it. We give people way too much power. Spike came at Clint in his classic “condescending, I’m the Al Sharpton of film” way and of course he rubbed him the wrong way. In closing, both need to sit their behinds down.

I didnt see the movies in question but…… I understand that no Black Men raised the Flag at Iwo Jima but did the movie have any other soldiers in it???? If so them one could have been black/hispanic/asian….

But did Clint write these movies or just act in them????

Im commenting and dont know anything…lol

Spike to Clint: “Hi, Hater!” Shout out to Maino

Damn that’s some catty ish right there.

“i ain’t seeing black folk”
“oh shut the fuck up loser, it would make no sense to have em raise the flag”
“oh i ain’t on the plantation you fag. you have no blacks in yo movies playa, know ur history dude, you sound like you is angry”

Are old are they?

Really having black extras as soldiers would make everything cool about WWII? So back then the military was not segregated? Our people fought but seldom alongside white people. We were not considered smart enough to handle some of the duties in Pacific theater against Japanese. If Eastwood put black people in the film the camera would just pan long enough for you barely notice. Though film, based on book and interviews, did feature a Native American as one of the main characters. Besides Spike still mad that he was passed over for Eastwood by a movie studio a while back.

IThey both make great movies, and even though Spike has said some stupid shit in the past I gotta support him. Clint needs to cut it out

spike lee this is the america way; they do their thing w/ their movies and you do yours. cacuasians do-not support black made movies so why fret over clint eastwood. remember 9/11 the memorial when the white folks had a fit and showed their WHITE RAGE cause they thought that the 9/11 memorial would include a black peorson raising the america flag w/ the [WHITE] people only who claimed that it was all white folks on that pile of rubble who put that flag up. and as hard as we try blacks will never get that share of them cross-over white dollars. so why sell your soul? example miley cyrus aka hanna montana . you got black kids right now w/ more talent in their big toe than her. and the white folks have made that girl a billonaire, as w/ your music country singers live the life of riley while black singers the TRUE TRAIL BLAZERS struggle w/ exsistence. america is run and belongs to the two legged demons. and for the people like me who are labeled as one who don’t know their place are blacklisted and blackballed even by their own race and kind. mind you also by the white folks this is why i give big UP’S TO CANADA LEE and PAUL ROBESEN.who were blackballed for standing up and calling out the injustices of the two-legged demons. this is where i stand..

Almost every War to date has had African americans, Latinos, Asians, Hawains, Native Indians, Haitians and Now Indians. I’m glad someone else pointed that out because we keep sleeping on how Hollywood is racist. so if Spike expressed the truth, I don’t see a problem with it. Many of the American History never give credit to minorities fighting in wars and thats why many minorities are lost on this subject.

Because Spike has committed his life to making movies, we should understand why when a historical movie is made about war and no black men are represented, he feels that it’s his job to respond. I don’t necessarily agree with how he said it, but point well taken. Clint never fully explains why there are NO blacks in the movie. He could’ve just been like you know what, there were no blacks in the movie and there should have been. What’s worst is that his response suggests he didn’t even know that they were there! Clint was just so taken back that Spike Lee, yes a black film director, called him out. Dude couldn’t handle it. I agree with 17, 18, and 28.

That is so childish. But rumours are Clint is a closet racist.

AND, why is he doing a movie about Mandela? Was there nobody more apt to do that?

TEAM LEE.

Spike Lee did not play the race card, he’s speaking the truth and people just don’t like to hear the truth. Movies are suppose to be historically correct. So if blacks are apart of that history they should be portrayed, that’s it that’s all !!!!!! Got off of Spike. He a strong successful black man that speaks his mind.

Spike Lee is washed up! I don’t care if Clint is a closet racist. He still does his job as an actor/director. I hate blacks like Spike. He (Spike) hates being black. But he always pulls the race card. That’s because he hasn’t done anything worth a spit lately. Clint has been in this game for years, Spike can’t f#ck with him. Clint is laughing at this clown… If Spike wants blacks in the movie, why doesn’t he make his own version?? I hate when someone hides behind their race. Spike is a perfect example. He is just giving the blacks who don’t know any better an emotional high. This will all blow over and Clint will win another Oscar. While Spike will still have his characters floating through the scenes on a skate board…
g

@ 33 I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with you. Movies primary goal is to entertain, not to be historically correct. Have you ever heard “creative licensing”? That’s what all movies do when they’re doing bio-movies, they add stuff to make the more interesting for the audience to watch. So movies aren’t historically correct. That’s why you should get your information out of books, newspaper articles (etc) not movies because they aren’t held responsible to teach, just to entertain us. I think Spike is just looking to start some controversy for his new movie coming up. I really don’t see what the big deal is.

Some people are nuts, if the man said the movie was about the people raising the flag, and if nobody black raised the flag than spike should sit down somehere. Some people just like creating drama.

Spike needs to leave that man alone its just a movie.

This is why I’ve stopped going to the movies. So much misrepresentation of ethnicities exists, they are never historically correct and the bulk of film that is created is regurgitated, exaggerated B.S. Not to mention the only people of my color in them a either token ethnic characters or stereotypes!

I’m not too familiar with Spike Lee movies and I also think he is an opportunist. However I do agree with his statement.

Preach Caper Preach!!!

“While Spike will still have his characters floating through the scenes on a skate board…”

ROTFLMAO!!!!

Clint Eastwood is an Icon and Hollywood Legend. Spike Lee needs to do his homework, study history and shut his mouth. Sometimes, we as black people can be our own worse enemy.

I personally totally agree with Spike Lee. Most people who have made war filsm have seen fit to not include black people based on ‘how they see it’. But that’s the problem - their perspective is skewed and inaccurate. Many black people fought wars for the UK and US and they have pretty much been written out of history and conveniently overlooked. Film has been a main perpetrator of that. This is not about quotas or about tokenism but actually about accurate representation of the historical facts. And the historical facts are that there are many many black people who fought and died in wars for Western countries who are never spoken about, nor portrayed on screen. Why not? Talking about the representation of black people in war films is viewed a “race issue” because they are black, but actually this is really an issue of the truth. If black people fought in wars, why do we never see them?

I understand Spike Lee’s point of view and Clint Eastwood. We have two individuals whos creativity taps into two different realms of the human\cultural experiences. While Spike Lee studies to know where African Americans stood in the presence of U.S history and Wars(because you know if our ancestors were works on the filed they definitly served to be used as soilders to fight for the land they were made slaves) and Clint he looks at it as this is the land of my fore-fathers and takes pride in knwoing the history he learned and studied within his own realm. Some go more in depth than others…Spike is being frank and honest and YES it is disappointing to see that U.S history is still being told without including the help minorities gave willing or unwillingly in making this country what it is! My opinion is why don’t they stop making movies just to entertain and satisfy the fantisies or imaginations of the masses and begin to educate. I believe that is Spikes Sole purpose of making an issue of the matter. It’s not about pulling the race card because we all know and see that racism still exsist in America so you have to call that thing out and make it known and shame the ugliness of it. And to all of you who have anything negative to say about Spike’s comments or point of view really need to sit back and look at the past present and future of black America before you judge anyone’s opinon of black representation in Hollywood and Music. Ask Denzel, Jamie Foxx, Halle Berry, Sydney Poitier how they feel about Spike’s Comments and they’d probably concur.

First of all how many of you have seen the movie…. hmmm

I saw it and Ill tell you this your right there were no african americans in the movie for the simple reason none of the men that raised the flag were african americans. The movie followed these men and each of their stories not the war iself. Yes Clint said that there was an african american unit but they were not with this unit that the soldiers were part of that raised the flag that is what clint is saying.

During WWII alone 1,200,000 African Americans served honorably Clint did not say they didnt serve he said they werent part of raising the flag thats all history is history all the men were cacasion except one Native American man and the movie depicted that.

The thing is Spike pulled the race card and thats not appealing. Now had the movie been about the war as a whole and there had been no African Americans in it then we could talk but other wise spike needs to go ahead and no that you cant put a african american in a movie that is based on a true story if there wasnt one that was part of the real story.

On another note has anyone seen the movie with Ossie Davis about the first naval Ship that was all African Americans it was touching you should see it.

But my point is Spike needs to sit his but down and hursh…Clint did the movie on the men who rasied the flag and reality is a black man was not one of them.. But they did risk their lives in the war in general but that is not what the movie is about

Everybody jumping on Spike, huh? Without people like him CHALLENGING the SYSTEM (Hollywood), which by the way constantly puts out inaccurate images which DO make a difference because MOST PEOPLE DO NOT adhere to studying true history. Where do you think the term “creative license” came from? THEY CREATED IT!

Open your hard heads up and see the forest for the trees. Clint is no more a bigger talent than Spike who IS a legend in his own right. You all are the one’s who sound full of self loathing to be honest. And you best believe that until shit gets corrected in this country, we betta play up our race any time we get the chance. Let’s do away with that term “playing the race card” too - that term was created by the same system that brainwashes ingnorantmindsinto believing that they’re being balanced about race issues. And how the hell can WE as a people believe that things are balanced?

We need black people with visibilityvoices to stir shit up every once in a while. Who’s gonna do it? YOUR anonymous asses? Please.

And for the record, SDpike Lee is NOT washed up, do your homework, kiddies:

INSIDE MAN, 2006

Budget $45,000,00

Gross (US) $88,504,640
Worldwide $184,634,237

FLAGS OF OUR FATHER, 2007

Budget $53,000,000

Gross (US) $33,602,376
Worldwide $61,902,376

LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, 2007

Budget 13,000,000

Gross (US) $13,756,082
Worldwide $68,356,082

xcuse the typos

We Well Damn it if Black men weren’t the one’s to raise the flag they sure did
carry it to where it needed to be raised! We are forever going to be apart of
U.S history and simply put, ” Can we get some proper representation?”

Some black people just give everyone else a bad name, I hope you guys dont go out and get Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to protest that there was no black people in the movie. Thats how it works right those two tackle the most important black people issues. Spike should put his movie out and tell his own version.

THANK YOU TYLERNOL!

No one is going to start a march over it! But fact is fact!

TT BABY:

Thank you as well for taking what people THINK is a simple matter and adding the proper shadings.

Your right Spike is just as much as a contributor as Clint when it comes to film production . I just think spike should have looked at it as a whole okay there were no African Americans ..well how close to the location on Mount Suribachi was the arifcan american unit when the flag was risen again the movie follows the men that raised the flag not the war as a whole.

I will never ever deny that African Americans played a major role the war and their contributions often go un recognozized however this wasnt a movie about the war.

Clint handled it well and Spike knew he was gonna say something thats why he said it, Its all publicity how many african americans that havent seen Flags of oUr Fathers will go see it now.. and like wise for spike lee movies.

Either way i think Spike should have worded it better and knew what the movie was about. and why is everyone saying well they could have been extras please i think the men were way more worthy then being some extras just to satisfy people to say there were african americans there. Making them extras would be an insult …. Not one African Ameircan rasied the flag and thats why there wasnt one in the movie

Of the 1.2 Milllion African American men that served in WWII approximatley 7,683
gave the ultimate sacrifice …

When it comes to black and white, nothing is simple. For instance, do you know that most white Hilary Clinton supporters are so adamant about not voting for Obama, that they’re willing to disavow their Democratic affiliation and vote for McCain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ain’t that some ish? And here most of us think that white Democrats and Liberals care about us. Wake up. Their asses still live in gated communities and their kids damn sure don’t go to P.S. 101, okay? Don’t get it twisted. And the more observant listener will have caught that in her so-called “concession” speech, Hilary used language that suggested that SHE was still running the show and that she STILL considers herself the winner.

Don’t mean to veer off topic, but EVERYTHING matters when it pertains to race, no matter how large or small, and if it gets on your nerves, don’t start getting all indignant when you feel like your “racial pride” has been compromised. Chances it will happen. Either that or stay out of the conversation and keep your firmly and safely planted up your behind. Your call.

As for publicity, yeah I’m wise to that game too, but also look at the subtext to these things.

thanks Tylernol, love the stats…and the question is not whether they raised the flag, they were there when it was raised so don’t be offended if someone who is knoledgeable points it out Clint. Stop getting offended by the truth

CLINT had black characters in damn near ALL his outher films way before it was COOL THING so SHUT YOUR FACE SPIKE(spikes movie suck anyway they were always too racist for me mostofem anyways).

What is new people? “Friends” had like one or two black extras in the background. And they were in New York? Hello!!!!

>>>>>Clint said that there were no black men that help raise the flag. So why is he
>>>>> gettin upset. Spike need to just make is movie & let it be.

I like Spike and Clint.

Spike is just trying to get publicity for his movie. NEXT!

I applaud Spike Lee for speaking up and demanding that the voices and experiences of African American soldiers be represented on film. It puzzles me that we are good enough to die for this country, but not good enough to be honored in pictures. Bring on the movie Spike!! I will be the first in line!!

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