June 24, 2009 by Edward Raver
Associated Content
In 1992, director Spike Lee combined his artistic vision with historical events to create the film Malcolm X, a biographical-historical account of the slain civil rights leader. As controversial as the flesh and blood Malcolm X was in life, so too was the film version of his life as depicted by Lee. In retrospect, it would seem that Malcolm X represented the antithesis of the peaceful protests advocated by his contemporary, Martin Luther King, Jr. (Iannone, 1992).
This research will focus on various aspects of Spike Lee's 1992 film in an effort to not only better understand this work, but also to better understand aspects of filmmaking itself, independent film, narrative within films, and the like.
The Third Cinema Model and Malcolm X
Because of the politically charged, socially relevant and very real nature not only of what the real-life Malcolm X lived and died for, when a film is made based on his life and achievements, as Lee did in 1992, the very film itself could not simply be created as a work of entertainment or something that would simply be viewed and then relegated to the archives, much like other more superficial works have in the past. Rather, Malcolm X, the film, must be evaluated in terms of the Third Cinema Model for a variety of reasons.
First, by its very nature, Third Cinema is an oppositional genre in terms of its defiance of conventional methods of film making and presentation (Guneratne, et al, 2003). Few would dispute that this film fits that classification very well. In viewing the film, one can see that Spike Lee, from the outset, was not going to take the safe route in the direction of this motion picture. This can be seen from the opening credits, featuring an American flag eventually being consumed by flames, symbolic not only of the nation in turmoil which Malcolm X preached the idea of racial equality, but also as a symbol of a place where people in the wrong position, such as African-Americans faced with prejudice, hatred and worse, could literally and socially be charred beyond recognition (Lee, 1992).
Second, in the true tradition of Third Cinema, Lee confronts reality head on in his film. What is depicted in Malcolm X is a story within a story: we see the actions and progress of Malcolm X as a social advocate, but as the sub-context of his controversial crusade, we also learn as the film unfolds that Malcolm X's mother, father, uncles, and countless other relatives were in fact direct victims of the hatred and violence of the white majority in America, during a time when the nation was in fact supposed to be free and equal for all (Iannone, 1992).
Lastly, Third Cinema is the medium through which modern film makers have been able to depict dissent in their characters; one would be hard pressed to find a character whose transformation was made possible through dissent more so than Malcolm X himself. He was able to gain his national podium, audiences of thousands, and sociopolitical power by dissenting against the normally fearful ways that his fellow African-Americans endured prejudice, rather than trying to overcome and defeat it. If nothing else, Malcolm X, the man was a dissenter of the highest order, and in the final analysis it is not a stretch to say that his dissent is what infuriated others so much that they eventually killed him.
In short, what we see in regard to Third Cinema and the transformation of Malcolm X, both the film and the individual, is the confrontation of an ugly reality, the abandonment of fear and apprehension and the embracing of opposition and dissent to effect meaningful social change. In regard to the making of the film, there is a solid argument to be made for the necessity of such a project to be independent in nature.
The Need for Malcolm X to be an Independent Film
Malcolm X, the film, is an independent film by classification, but not purely independent- a point that needs to be clarified before this research moves forward. It is a fact that Spike Lee was rejected by many potential investors once they truly grasped the fact that Lee was aiming to make a brutally honest and controversial film, with the intended effect of effecting modern social change by evoking stories from the past, and ultimately had to borrow funds from prominent African-Americans to finish the film. However, there are likewise allegations that Lee watered down his message to a certain extent in order to achieve widespread distribution for his film (Guneratne, et al, 2003). This can be interpreted in two ways: either one can see Lee's compromise as the price to be paid for the larger message to reach as wide an audience as possible, or one can say that Lee pushed the limits as far as he could to tell his version of the truth, based on historical fact. In fairness, one should realize that no historical account is 100% accurate. With this in mind, Lee can be seen as someone who made a film which was as accurate as possible. At any rate, the film had to have as much independence as possible, for in the hands of many of the mainstream film companies, the hard, cold truth of discrimination would never have emerged.
Narrative Form, Technique and Structure
In Spike Lee's Malcolm X, one can see a combination of narrative forms, skillfully woven together to advance the equality ideology. As the film unfolds, a non-linear structure is used, as Malcolm X's dual life as an oppressed African-American and emerging civil rights pioneer is depicted through reflections on his childhood, flashing forward to his adulthood, and various points in-between. Additionally, voice overs, in Malcolm X's own voice, make it seem like he is telling a tale about someone else when in reality it is he himself who is the subject. Lastly, documentary footage is used to depict various historical events, but skillfully, Lee weaves that footage into the plot of his film, so that art imitates life, and vice versa, with one important twist- all of the plot action is driven by a combination of political ideology and historical record. These varied techniques are effective in telling the story, as one can empathize with Malcolm X and his fellow African-Americans while still understanding the historical importance of what he did, while realizing that the battle for racial equality is still far from over.
Conclusion
In conclusion, what is seen in Spike Lee's Malcolm X is a break from the traditional cinema of the 1990s- a film of historical fact, biography and political commentary-with the intended effect of raising social consciousness. As one opinion, Lee did this very well, and opened the door for others who come after him to do the same.
Bibliography
Guneratne, A. R. & Dissanayake, W. (Eds.). (2003). Rethinking Third Cinema. New York: Routledge.
Iannone, C. (1992, December 14). Bad Rap for Malcolm X. National Review, 44, 47+.
Lee, S. (1992). Malcolm X. Los Angeles: Warner Brothers Picture Corporation. Sphere: Related Content
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