OT "Red Tails" Movie

[Uptop]

Last night I attended a screening of the new movie "Red Tails." It was awesome! It featured a lot of great aerial footage and an incredible insight into the heroics of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. In case you weren't aware, George Lucas, the producer of the "Star Wars" movies, also produced this movie. He spent more than two decades trying to get this movie made. Everyone in Hollywood turned him down. For them, the movie wasn't "green" enough. In other words, they couldn't see the appeal of an all black cast in a heroic action movie, the first of its kind...EVER (I don't know if well-paid black directors, actors and foundations were asked to help with the cost of the movie). Of particular concern to the studios was their perceived limited financial returns from the international market, which accounts for upwards of 60% of a movie's gross revenues.

So, failing to find a production company and a distribution company to undertake the tasks, he wrote checks in the sum of multi millions to see the project through. If this movie does well, we can also expect a prequel (How did the Tuskegee come about?) and a sequel (What happened to them after they retured from the war?) A lot is riding on a successful opening weekend.

The movie opens next week on January 20, 2012. It's a good movie for the entire family (the worst swear I can remember was the word "Damn"). Your children will be inspired by the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, as well as by the fist tightening and heart pumping flying scenes. And yes, ladies, there's a love story intertwined between the action scenes.

And just to be clear, other than my love of aviation and American History, I have no other interest (financial or otherwise) in the success of the movie. I'm only sharing with the 'Yard what I know will be an inspiring movie about a group of black Americans that Pledge Their Alligance to the Flag and the Country they loved. And at UConn and in the state, that means a lot.

Enjoy!

 

[Dann]

thanks for the heads up nick.


i kid i kid

 

[CTMike]

Good stuff, Uptop... I happened to catch Lucas on The Daily Show, covering exactly the challenges that you noted... definitely interested in checking this flick out.

 

[ktuck911]

thanks bro.. It's already marked on my calendar as a must attend

 

[Santini35]

Definitely going to see it as well

 

[CL82]

Seen the trailer. It looks great, even independent of the Tuskegee story.

I'm looking forward to it.

 

[HartfordHank]

Last night I attended a screening of the new movie "Red Tails." It was awesome! It featured a lot of great aerial footage and an incredible insight into the heroics of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. In case you weren't aware, George Lucas, the producer of the "Star Wars" movies, also produced this movie. He spent more than two decades trying to get this movie made. Everyone in Hollywood turned him down. For them, the movie wasn't "green" enough. In other words, they couldn't see the appeal of an all black cast in a heroic action movie, the first of its kind...EVER (I don't know if well-paid black directors, actors and foundations were asked to help with the cost of the movie). Of particular concern to the studios was their perceived limited financial returns from the international market, which accounts for upwards of 60% of a movie's gross revenues.

So, failing to find a production company and a distribution company to undertake the tasks, he wrote checks in the sum of multi millions to see the project through. If this movie does well, we can also expect a prequel (How did the Tuskegee come about?) and a sequel (What happened to them after they retured from the war?) A lot is riding on a successful opening weekend.

The movie opens next week on January 20, 2012. It's a good movie for the entire family (the worst swear I can remember was the word "Damn"). Your children will be inspired by the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, as well as by the fist tightening and heart pumping flying scenes. And yes, ladies, there's a love story intertwined between the action scenes.

And just to be clear, other than my love of aviation and American History, I have no other interest (financial or otherwise) in the success of the movie. I'm only sharing with the 'Yard what I know will be an inspiring movie about a group of black Americans that Pledge Their Alligance to the Flag and the Country they loved. And at UConn and in the state, that means a lot.

Enjoy!

Is this a remake of a previous movie? I want to say I remember Laurence Fishurne and Malcom-Jamal Warner in the film. It was a very eyeopener as to the times and "logic" that some of the people used back then.

I also plan to go see the movie.

 

[kibblesnbits]

The earlier Tuskegee Airmen movie with Laurence Fishburne was a made-for-TV piece in the mid-90s. Obviously the core subject matter is the same but I believe they are based on completely different scripts. It was decently done and it still shows up occasionally on cable or in the discount DVD racks. The cast also included Cuba Gooding Jr. and Andre Braugher. John Lithgow played a southern senator that wanted to dig up enough dirt on the 332nd Fighter Group (the formal name for the Tuskegee Airmen) to have it disbanded.

 

[Kgun7]

I am a history buff and a non-fiction reader. Hollywood almost never delivers for me. They can't seem to tell an interesting story without embelishing or re-writing history.

U-571 - A complete fabrication
Saving Private Ryan - More of a human interest story
Black Hawk Down - Sugar coated, but not bad.

I may or may not see the movie ... but the Tuskegee story can easily entertain and educate me through a documentary ... without big budget special effects and high paid actors.

 

[Uptop]

As with all movies, Hollywood took a lot of liberties with "Red Tails." And the aviation scenes are Hollywood.

To Kgun7 point, I feel this script is more in line with the PBS documentary "Lonely Eagles" than it's about the HBO movie. "Red Tails" is a much better product with more facts. But still more of a portrayal than the accuracy of "Lonely Eagles" in which Tuskegee Airmen, bomber crews and rank and file give their accounts. No "sugarcoating" in that production.

 

[Uptop]

I am a history buff and a non-fiction reader. Hollywood almost never delivers for me. They can't seem to tell an interesting story without embelishing or re-writing history.

U-571 - A complete fabrication
Saving Private Ryan - More of a human interest story
Black Hawk Down - Sugar coated, but not bad.

I may or may not see the movie ... but the Tuskegee story can easily entertain and educate me through a documentary ... without big budget special effects and high paid actors.

Here's another documentary: "Nightfighters The True Story of the 332nd Fighter Group" DVD ISBN: 1-57829-748-6

 

[CL82]

link to trailer

 

[mets1090]

I think Uptop just set a record for Most Consecutive Posts Liked in a Single Thread.

 

[StoweD210]

Thanks for starting a thread on this. I've been looking forward to this movie since seeing the trailer a couple of months ago. The script could have been put together by 5 year olds for all I care, but the prospect of seeing WWII air combat recreated by ILM is more than enough to get me into the theater.

I really find it hard to believe that major studios balked at this movie, considering some of the garbage that makes it to the screen. George Freakin' Lucas pitches "Think of 'Glory,' but set in WWII and they'll be fighting Hitler's minions in P-51 Mustangs" and the response is "Gee, I don't know. We'll get back to you." I don't get it. Then again, these are the same group of people who turned over all the Star Wars merchandising rights to Lucas.

 

[epark88]

I definitely wanna check this film out - I saw the HBO documentary and have been fascinated with the Tuskeegee Airmen ever since.

As a side note, I'm hopeful that a film like this would really educate younger folks whose only exposure to the Airmen may be from the cartoon 'The Boondocks' (where Robert 'Grandad' Freeman is briefly portrayed as a pilot in one episode) about the true contribution of these fighting men to our country during WWII...

 

[ZooCougar]

If I get a chance to go see it, I definitely will.

 

[junglehusky]

I hope there aren't too many corny jokes like in a lot of Lucas movies. But I want to see it even if there are.

Sent from my SGH-T679 using Tapatalk

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I agree fully with Stowe. This is a story that more people should know about but I personally would prefer a documentary form to Hollywood hype. My biggest concern from when I heard of this movie was that it would end up as more Top Gun than reality. Even with Lucas (who I admired tremendously until Phantom Menace), the potential for creating false storylines to add drama and climactic scenes is too great for my comfort level.

The treatment of African Americans by the military, our political leadership and the general public was (to put it mildly) horrendous at that time and the pervasive opinion (championed by many small minded people in positions of power) throughout the country prevented many true heroes from receiving the honor and recognition that they legitimately earned.

There was a made for cable (HBO I believe) movie, The Courtmartial of Jackie Robinson some twenty years ago that was fantastic in both in its production and how it presented its story. Every one of us who enjoys our freedom owes gratitude to many who were never given any accolades at the time of their efforts six and a half decades ago.

 

[jdb50]

Well said Fairfield

 

[zls44]

As long as there isn't a love interest, Lucas should be ok with the script.