Father Geek here along with Dr. SOTHA and ace African critic Rigobert Song with another comprehensive Africa-AICN column for Friday's mug of coffee. Heading into the Holidays all our columns will become a little thinner as studios worldwide windup their year's workload, but we'll still be there peeking over their shoulders, looking for tidbits of film knowledge to pass on to you, our loyal readers. On another note. Looking for a unique Christmas gift for that person on your list who seems to have everything? Hows about picking up a VHS tape, Laser Disc, or DVD of an African film, or two this year. They're tough to locate I know, but that's the very thing that will make the gift uber coooool. So get out there and dig folks. Help stimulate the African film market, bug the hell out of your local esoteric video shop managers, and the national chains too, insist they handle African motion pictures. The world will be richer for it. Now on to our good Doctor and Mr. Song...
Seasons Greetings, DR.SOTHA back for another Friday of Africa-AICN. Just
came back from this little shindig Christmas party that was held at the
biggest operating theater in the surgical wards. Man oh man, can those
doctors talk shit. From 'I once paddled a man back to life 18 hours after he
was pronounced dead' to 'I once transplanted a frog's aorta into a man's
liver'. I did this stuff years ago, and I'm still supposed to sit back and
listen to this shit.
So go ahead and surprise me if you can at Africaaicn@hotmail.com
Just a quick word about this week's column. The African film industry seems
to be winding down for end of year festivities, so news is only dripping
through. Still, there's a lot going on in the African-American section,
another great Rigobert Song review and other select tidbits.
Nurse, whaaazaap.
SOUTH AFRICA
Seasons Greetings, DR.SOTHA back for another Friday of Africa-AICN. Just
came back from this little shindig Christmas party that was held at the
biggest operating theater in the surgical wards. Man oh man, can those
doctors talk shit. From 'I once paddled a man back to life 18 hours after he
was pronounced dead' to 'I once transplanted a frog's aorta into a man's
liver'. I did this stuff years ago, and I'm still supposed to sit back and
listen to this shit.
So go ahead and surprise me if you can at Africaaicn@hotmail.com
Just a quick word about this week's column. The African film industry seems
to be winding down for end of year festivities, so news is only dripping
through. Still, there's a lot going on in the African-American section,
another great Rigobert Song review and other select tidbits.
Nurse, whaaazaap.
SOUTH AFRICA
Just a quick word about this week's column. The African film industry seems
to be winding down for end of year festivities, so news is only dripping
through. Still, there's a lot going on in the African-American section,
another great Rigobert Song review and other select tidbits.
Nurse, whaaazaap.
SOUTH AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA
* Shotgun Films have put LOADING TULIP on the fast track about a male receptionist who decides he's had enough of his mundane life, and decides to turn to random acts of violence against criminals in the hope of becoming a media icon. After falling in love with a female assassin, the two embark on a killing spree 'Bonnie and Clyde' style through Johannesburg to Cape Town. The ultimate South African 'love on the run'. Peter Suska is slated to direct a Feb 2001 start date.
* Skosana Entertainment has optioned the coming of age drama "LOST BONES" by Richard Eltree about 4 boys who grew up on the Northern Natal Coast, with dreams of becoming renowned paleontologists. After overcoming the elements, abusive and disapproving parents, first love, and a death the boys finally make a startling recovery off the coast of Manzimtoti Bay. Skosana Head Janus Koppel is hoping to secure an international cast from Europe and America, as well as several up and coming local actors.
* Another strong weekend for African films, well only one actually, I'm an eternal optimist, "The Great Dance" has broken into the top ten at number eight. The first South African film to break into the top ten since Leon Schuster's 1995 comedy "There's a Zulu on My Stoep" which raised the bar for the most money made for pure shit. Charlie's Angels is still at the top of the South African box office having earned $500 000 since its release on 24 November. It is followed by Jim Carey's Christmas release, The Grinch, Art of War, Coyote Ugly and Shaft NORTH AFRICA
* George Oputang (RINGA) is casting for his new film APUR about a missile attack on an Ivory Coast political summit, that is carrying 12 of the most powerful and influential African political leaders. A senior advisor is recruited from retirement to source the conspiracy which involves European and American involvement, and save the leaders from nuclear disaster within 24 hours. Oputang will be casting mostly local actors from his home country of Djibouti, however he is looking for a big name black actor in Europe or North America to play the lead.
* Another blinding review from Rigobert Song
Hello good readers, I've found another culturally rich African film that came out of Nigeria called "MONDAY'S GIRLS" which was produced by the BBC.
Monday's Girls explores the conflict between modern individualism and traditional communities in today's Africa through the eyes of two young Waikiriki women from the Niger delta. Although both come from leading families in the same large island town, Florence looks at the Iria women's initiation ceremony as an honor, while Azikiwe, who has lived in the city for ten years, sees it as an indignity. Ngozi Onwurah, director of such feminist classics as "Coffee Coloured Children" and "Body Beautiful", herself an Anglo-Nigerian, turns a wry but sympathetic eye on the cross-cultural confusions.
The five week long iria ritual is overseen by post-menopausal women headed by the redoubtable Monday Moses (hence the title.) The girls are paraded bare-breasted before the entire community so their nipples can be examined to determine whether they are still virgins. They are then confined to the "fattening rooms," their legs immobilized in copper impala rings (A thought for dad's who've just had a baby girl - DR.SOTHA), where they are pampered and fed. Finally, the girls, now women, are presented to society, wearing yards of fabric around their waists indicating each family's wealth - and suggesting pregnancy.
The film traces the girls' contrasting responses to each stage of the ritual. Florence, who is Monday's granddaughter, comments at the end of the ceremony, "I'm not fat, but I am grown up now," but even she decides to postpone marriage until she completes her education. Azikiwe refuses to bare her breasts and, as a result, her father is fined by the outraged villagers and she is sent back to the city in disgrace. She concludes: "There are some traditions people should forget."
Monday's Girls calls into question the idea of a single, "ethnographically correct" representation of tradition. Rituals are revealed as fluid, intricate texts, social contracts continuously renegotiated between individuals and communities. For millions of Africans like Azikiwe, tradition is increasingly seen as a matter of individual choice not social constraint. Its a cultural oddity that is rarely seen in first world countries. Imagine being raised to think one way, and suddenly be confronted with all these other promising alternatives as you pass through adolescence, and not be able to take them, for fear of the humiliating repercussions. Although it comes in at just under an hour, its exquisite timing and wonderfully worked sequences makes it a joy to behold. Find it on video and treat yourself through the Christmas holidays. E-mail me at Rigobertsong@hotmail.com and let's talk African film.
AFRICAN AMERICAN
* Taken from the Hollywood Reporter: Eddie Griffin ("Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo") is in final negotiations to topline Imagine Entertainment/Universal Pictures' live-action comedy feature "Undercover Brother." Malcolm Lee ("Best Man") will direct the project, which is slated to go into production before the threatened actors strike against producers. "Brother" is based on an animated comedy series created, written and produced by John Ridley (U-Turn) on UrbanEntertainment's Web site, www.urbanentertainment.com. The series follows a man who, though he appears harmless, secretly works for the all-black brotherhood in its never-ending battle against the white Establishment.
* Anthony Anderson ("Me, Myself & Irene") has been added to the cast of Screen Gems' urban romantic comedy "How to Make Your Man Behave in Ten Days or Less" for screenwriter-director Mark Brown. The project is scheduled to begin shooting this week in Los Angeles. Morris Chestnut ("The Best Man"), Gabrielle Union ("Bring It On") and Tamala Jones ("Next Friday") also have joined the project. The trio worked with Screen Gems on the Sony division's upcoming romantic comedy "The Brothers" for director Gary Hardwick. "Behave," which breaks the fourth wall, is about a woman (Vivica A. Fox) who teaches the women of the movie-going audience how to control a man. In the process, she learns that she must save her own relationship with her boyfriend (Chestnut). Anderson plays Chestnut's best friend, Jones plays Fox's character's friend, and Union is Fox's nemesis.
* Music video helmer Tim Story will make his studio feature directorial debut on MGM's comedy "Barbershop," which Marshall Todd ("The Crew") has come aboard to rewrite. Shooting is tentatively slated to begin in April in Chicago. Robert Teitel and George Tillman Jr. ("Soul Food," "Men of Honor") will produce through their State Street Pictures. "Barbershop," described as a cross between "Diner" and "Car Wash," is about a day in the life at a barber shop on Chicago's South Side.
* Hill Harper, one of the stars of Steven Bochco's recently canceled City of Angels has struck out at the Nielsen ratings system, which, he appeared to imply, is weighted against programs that are popular among African-American audiences. In an interview with the online Electronic Urban Report, Harper, who played Dr. Wesley Williams on the series, said, "I read a report where we were the second-rated show in African-American households last year. We're perhaps the No. 1 show this year, yet they claim we're number 88 in white households. ... I really do believe that there's some oddities about Nielsen ratings and Nielsen boxes and these networks use these ratings to do what they want." Harper pointed out that it's not only the largely black cast of Angels that will be affected by the cancellation. "Last year Paris Barclay [the exec producer who left the series in June citing "creative differences" with Bochco said our show had to be 70-percent minority and female behind the scenes. That's unheard of in network television. ... We had a wonderful crew and they're hurting as well." (What do you talkbackers think about the minority television wars? - DR.SOTHA)
* British transvestite comic Eddie Izzard is reportedly among the names being considered to host next year's Oscars. Following the news regular presenter Billy Crystal has ruled himself out due to work commitments, organizers of the glitzy Hollywood award show are searching for a new presenter. Crystal himself has suggested Jim Carrey would be the perfect host but insiders claim the Academy board are looking at candidates who have presenting skills, though the final decision will be in the hands of the yet-to-be-appointed producer of next March's gala affair. Regis Philbin, CHRIS ROCK and Jon Stewart are reportedly also on the short list, but Eddie is considered a promising dark-horse candidate (Why has nobody mentioned Eddie Murphy all these years. dare I say it Whoopi Goldberg again, ummm no thank you very much - DR.SOTHA)
* Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones really are in the black - according to reports of their Men in Black 2 paydays. According to website inside.com, both stars have negotiated deals to receive a percentage of the film's take up until it makes $200 million - one of the most profitable deals ever struck in Hollywood history. Smith has allegedly negotiated to receive a whopping 20-per-cent, while his co-star will pick up a more modest 12.5-per-cent. The movie's director, Barry Sonnenfeld, gets just ten. The rest will head into Sony's pockets. The studio is staking a massive amount on this movie, estimating M.I.B. 2 will need to pick up $400 million worldwide - just to break even (That sounds about right to me? - DR.SOTHA)
