Spike Lee and those chi chi's

This grown man reminds me of a schoolboy who saw his first chi chis… time after time after time.

    

One of my issues with Spike Lee is his portrayal of women in his films. They’re often portrayed as sex objects. If you view his films, you will see this unmistakable pattern demonstrated in film after film.

    

There is evidence of his breasteses fascination in the following films:

    

Inside Man (2006) – (which he directed and co-produced. He didn’t write the film.) In the scene when one of the hostages was being interrogated by the police, the hostage’s large breasts were highlighted and figured prominently in the frame; in fact, the boobs were taking up almost all of the frame. Previously, one of the other hostages, during questioning, said he remembered seeing this woman in the bank. When asked why she was memorable, he remarked, she had “nice tits.”  Or was it, “big tits.” Whatever. Same thing.

    

Do The Right Thing (1989) – Rosie Perez’s nipples are shown 16 minutes into the film.  Later, she performs a striptease for Spike Lee Lee’s character, Mookie.

    

Mo Better Blues (1990) – Denzel Washington’s character is a womanizer. He had two women, any man’s dream. We see genitalia.  See article below.

    

Jungle Fever (1991) – First scene, we see Lonette McKee’s breasts.

    

Crooklyn (1994) – Now this was interesting (if not revealing). In this film, there is a little girl (probably about ten or so). She can’t wait till she grows ta tas. We see her stuffing her shirt with tissue so as to create boobies for herself. As if it weren’t enough with grown women, the tit fetish has been attached even to a child. Yes; as women, we’ve all been there. As little girls, you are waiting to be like the big girls and wanting your breasts to grow. Understood.  There are many things little girls and little boys experience; many things that make them feel happy, sad, worthy, etc. There are lots of things a child hopes for and longs for. Of all the possible struggles this child could have had, OF COURSE, her struggle would be feeling inadequate (and made to feel inadequate by her brother who taunted her, by calling her “flat chested”) because she had no chi chis. This child’s concern is noteworthy because the psychosis is cinematically launched onto even a child. In the film, the child received a gift. The gift the kid received wasn’t a bicycle or a doll.  It was, of course, a training bra.

    

Girl 6 – (1996) (Spike Lee directed and produced this film. The writer was a woman.)  In the first 6.5 minutes, we see bare breasts. Moments later, the camera pans onto Girl 6’s (Theresa Randle’s) perfectly plump round ass. At 9:10 into the film, when Girl 6 was in acting class, we had more opportunity to gaze upon her chi chis. There they were --her nipples, like little eyes watching us -- wanting us to watch them. During her one-on-one drama coaching, all we see is her perky, protruding nipples staring at us from under her sweater; yes, this same woman who, while at an audition, was annoyed at the casting director who had insisted she remove her shirt for a role. Mother Theresa, one moment. Jenna Jamison, the next. Despite the theme of the film, there was no dramatic reasoning to justify the constant focus on this woman’s breasts. In one scene, we had an opportunity to gaze upon them for nearly two whole minutes; that’s how long they were in the frame. Interestingly, in many ways, she’s walking around the whole movie with her shirt off and her ta tas out. 

    

He Got Game (1998) – Several exposed breast scenes and “unnecessary” sex scenes. We even see breasts being squeezed. That was interesting. When I say squeezed, I mean squeezed. LOL. Lesbian sex. Interestingly, there is a scene where Denzel is having sex with someone, but he’s sexing her with his pants (and belt) on. But we see her bare ass. LOL.

    

Summer of Sam (1999) – More bare breasts.

    

Bamboozled (2000) – There is a video playing -- a liquor commercial, which shows hoochies dancing suggestively and sexually. 

    

She Hate Me (2004) – More female sexuality. Genitalia. Lesbian sex… again. He likes lesbian sex. See below. 

    

Clockers (1995) – Women are: video hos, murder victims, angry moms and crackheads.

    

 

I am a member of the black, female, United States moviegoing audience and I am intolerant of Spike Lee’s inability to separate his own preoccupation with female sexuality from his cinematic vision, especially since he doesn't brand himself as a porn director. If he were, his preoccupation with female sexuality would be a given. His choices make for subpar filmmaking and if I choose to support his films, I am forced to suffer though his choices. And if I never watch one of them, someone in Japan or Germany will.

     

(That’s a whole nother post; someday)

    

For more on Spike Lee, see…

 

Spike Lee's She Hate Me
Spike Lee's What's with the va jay jays?

Comments

[kimi]

Girl you forgot his first flick, "She's Gotta Have It", he's been obsessed w/chi chis since film 1.

I don't think I've paid to see one of his flicks since He Got Game.

I sometimes wonder if we viewed him as a visionary because he was one of the first AA filmakers on the scene (in my generation) to do things others weren't doing. When I look back at his work none of it is especially great imho. His best to me was "Do the Right Thing."

I don't miss his flicks lol. Sad to say ...

[Kimi]

My bad, "Malcom X" was his best flick to me ... then "Do the Right Thing".

[theblackactor.com]

@Kimi

I saw She's Gotta Have It 100 years ago. All I really remember about the flick was that I thought it was stupid. I tried to find the flick for review for this post, but was unable to. I prolly coulda looked harder and even purchased the flick, but didni't. I think you and I are on the same page, though. :)

[Shion]

I have yet to find "She's gotta have it" on video...seen it on cable a couple of times(I thought John Canada Terrell was a promising actor).
Spike has always got a pass from people because he raise awareness of Blacks in films in our day and age (there were plenty black directors before him...Micheaux,Parks,Poitier)but his films aren't without flaws.Usually a director,especially men, tend to spotlight certain female attributes they find attractive. Look at all the big bootie girls in the hip-hop videos,Alfred Hitchcock had a thing for Blondes..at least killing them on film. Spike always protested that it was his movie and his vision ....anyone had a probably with it were either a Uncle Tom (Black critics) or racists (White critics).

[bad]

He is a cuttie! His profile was found on millionaire dating site WealthyRomance.com last week!
It is said he has a major crush on wealthy young women!

[theblackactor.com]

Grrrrrrrrrr... Spike Lee. Dont' get me started again. LOL.

[ListenToLeon]

Although Spike's movies aren't perfect, I think you can cut him a little slack on some of the examples.

I liked the way that the womanizing angle was used in Mo Betta Blues as one of the things that led to Bleek's personal downfall, then ultimately his "redemption"(or basically, coming to terms with himself and his life). Spike was kind of creative with that one.

*obligatory unnecessary guy moment*
Plus, Cynda Williams was fine as Hell back then!
*end obligatory unnecessary guy moment*

In Clockers, I think the rap video/commercial clip was the only real bad depiction of women in the film. The male characters were the ones with the obvious and in some cases fatal flaws.

Crooklyn was a coming of age story, so I don't really think that was a good example

I DO, however, agree that I can make no argument at all in defense of She Got Game, Girl 6, She Hate Me, or She's Gotta Have It. You definitely have a point about those ones!

[theblackactor.com]

@ listentoleon

Well, whether or not those scenes were "legitimate" given the context of the movie is not really in question in that post. Anyway, even if there were legitimate cinematic representations, when you look at all his works collectively, I believe his portrayals are worth questioning. No?

[ListenToLeon]

True. you have a point.

[Vanessa]

Whether I liked the movies or not, I tried to imagine what he was trying to say. It's most obvious he has so much to say. It took great pains to try, with the limited budgets and opposition he was always faced with to say something.

As far as exploiting women goes, I don't know if it was easier seeing it done by a black director with genius and talent or from whites over the Hollywood and Broadway centuries making money off of us while impudently ignoring us.

Anyway, it's not as if black men or any men for that matter respect black women so what the hoopla is about concerning that topic I don't know.

I think it was a good thing for black women to see we will be exploited no matter who is behind the Hollywood budget or screen plays.

I like Spike Lee for just doing it, for expressing what he wanted the way he wanted. In that, he is a true Artist. His canvas is simply film. His approach is straight up and honest.

I was always intrigued with how he highlighted a window in many of his films. It hit me that this signature of his is asking us to look at ourselves. Look out of the window and see what we're really like.

He was not trying to answer all the woes that plague the Black community, just show it to us over and over on a new canvas in every film until we get so disgusted or moved by what he portrayed that maybe we would begin supporting Black directors and actors instead of eating them before they even have a career that could open doors for others. He indeed did that.

I don't like everything he does but at least he did it. We have watched whites become millionaires doing the same thing for centuries and black people make them box office hits. Give him a break.

P.S. Self centered-ness is nothing new in Hollywood. Whites are the epitome of self-centered-ness. I never hear them described that way.

Bella. Spike Lee? It was a beautiful thing to see unfold.

[theblackactor.com]

@ Vanessa -- Thank you for expressing your point of view, here! Differing opinions make our dialog here worthwhile and informative.