Soul Man is a 1986 American comedy film about a white man who temporarily darkens his skin, to pretend to be black and qualify for a black-only scholarship at Harvard Law School. The film was directed by Steve Miner and stars C. Thomas Howell, Rae Dawn Chong, Arye Gross, James Earl Jones, Leslie Nielsen, James B. Sikking, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
The title refers to Sam and Dave's song "Soul Man". The original soundtrack includes versions performed by Sam Moore and Lou Reed.
Video Soul Man (film)
Plot
Mark Watson (Howell), is a spoiled child of a wealthy family who will attend Harvard Law School along with his best friend Gordon (Gross). Unfortunately, his father's neurotic psychiatrist speaks to his patients to have more fun for himself than to spend money on his son. Faced with the terrible prospect of having to pay law school alone, Mark decides to apply for a scholarship, but the only one that is suitable only for African-Americans. He decides to cheat by using tanning pills in larger doses than those prescribed to appear as African-Americans. Watson then sets for Harvard, naively believing that blacks have no problem at all in American society.
However, so immersed in the life of black students, Mark discovers that people are less tolerant than he imagined and are more likely to see him as a black person than his fellow students. He met an African American student named Sarah Walker (Chong), who first played; gradually, however, he really fell in love with her. Apparently, he is the original candidate for the scholarship he earned, and now he has to work hard as a waitress to support himself and his son, George while studying. Gradually, Mark begins to regret his actions, and after a chaotic day - where Sarah, her parents (who are not aware of double life) and her classmate Whitney (Melora Hardin), who is also her landlord daughter, made a surprise visit at a time the same - he dropped the plays and publicly revealed himself to be white.
Mark tells his professor (Jones) that he wants to pay back scholarships and do charity work to make up for his mistakes. When asked what he has learned, he says that he realizes that he can turn white again anytime and so do not really know what it means to be black.
Sarah decided to give her another chance, and Mark decided to continue her studies.
Maps Soul Man (film)
Cast
- C. Thomas Howell as Mark Watson
- Rae Dawn Chong as Sarah Walker
- Arye Gross as Gordon Bloomfield
- James Earl Jones as Professor Banks
- Leslie Nielsen as Mr. Dunbar
- James B. Sikking as Bill Watson
- Melora Hardin as Whitney Dunbar
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Lisa Stimson
- Maree Cheatham as Dorothy Watson
- Wallace Langham as Barky Brewer
Production
C Thomas Howell later said, "When I make a movie, I do not discuss it with the idea that I have a responsibility to teach the lesson to me.I discuss it because it is a great script, well written, very funny, and - unfortunately - very true "A lot of experience has been experienced by this person, maybe he will not go through them if he's a white man, but when he's black, it's a very different experience."
Ron Reagan Jr., the then president's son Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan, have a small role in the film.
Reception
Controversy
The film is heavily criticized for featuring Caucasian actors who wear black masks. When the film was released, several protests took place within the black community.
NAACP president Willis Edwards said in a statement at the time: "We are convinced that it is possible to use humor to express the ridiculousness of racism, but the point of the unusual and serious plot of the Soul Man is that not there are black students to be found all over Los Angeles who are academically qualified for scholarships aimed at black people. "
In the film's defense, producer Steve Tisch says it's like Tootsie . "It uses comedy as a tool to expose sexual stereotypes, I think the Human Soul uses it to blow up racial stereotypes."
"It's just controversial because Spike Lee made it," said Rae Dawn Chong years later. "He has never seen the movie and he just jumped it all... He just started and pulled it all down behind him.If you watch a movie, it really makes a white person look stupid... It [the movie] It's very sweet and does not deserve it, ""
"I always try to be an actor who is doing a part of that character versus what I call 'blackting,' or playing my race, because I know that I will fail because I am mixed," Chong said. "I am the black actor, but I do not lead with my epidermis, and it offends people like Spike Lee, I think You may be militant or not, and he decides to attack I never forgave him for that because it really hurt me I did not realize [at the time] that not pushing the afro-centric agenda would bite me.When you started doing well people started saying you were a Tom [like in Uncle Tom] because you were acceptable. "
Spike Lee responded by saying, "In my film career, any comment or criticism is never based on jealousy."
"White people who wear black masks are taboo," says C Thomas Howell. "Conversation ends - you can not win, but our intentions are pure: We want to make a funny movie that has a message about racism."
Howell then developed:
I was surprised how harmless the film was, and how the anti-racial messages involved in it were so prevalent... This is not a movie about blackface. This is not a movie that should be considered irresponsible at any level... It's so funny... It makes me more aware of the problems we face everyday, and it makes me much more sensitive. for racism... It's an innocent movie, its message is innocent, and its message is very deep. And I think people who have not seen it judge it very wrong. I think it's more offensive than anything else. Assessing something you have not seen is the worst thing you can do. In fact, Soul Man sort of represents all the way. I think this is a really naive film with a very strong message, and this is an important part of my life. I am proud of his performance, and I am proud of the people who are in it. Many people ask me today, "Could it be made today?"... Robert Downey Jr. just did it in Tropic Thunder!... The difference is he only plays characters in the Tropic Thunder, and there is no magnifying glass on racism, which is so prevalent in our country. I think that's what makes people more uncomfortable about Soul Man. But I think it's an important movie.
The film was seen by Ron and Nancy Reagan at Camp David: "Reagan enjoys the movie and is very happy to see their son Ron," said the White House spokesman at the time.
Critical reception
Controversy was set aside, the film was composed by critics. It has a score of only 14% in Rotten Tomatoes. Roger Ebert gave Soul Man one of four stars, writes that the main premise "is a really interesting idea, full of dramatic possibilities, but the film is approaching a bleak sitcom level."
"It's romantic, beautiful, and fantastic," Chong said. "It's really funny, people have to give their views - especially those who are afraid of being racist."
box office
Although the film controversy was a box office success. On its opening weekend, it debuted at # 3 behind Crocodile Dundee and The Color of Money with $ 4.4 million. In total, Soul Man went on to gross $ 27.8 million domestically.
Music video
A music video for the movie soundtrack was released for Sam & amp; Dave's song "Soul Man" was delivered by Sam Moore and Lou Reed. The video stars Bruce Willis, Cybill Shepherd, Rae Dawn Chong, C. Thomas Howell, Ron Reagan Jr., George Segal, Jamie Farr, boxer Ray Mancini and Gumby children characters, all of which surround the song. Soul Man executive producer Steve Tisch gets actors to do brilliant acting.
Influence
The dead Mathcore band Match has a song called "Thomas Céncell as 'Soul Man'" in their release We Are the Romans.
DVD release
Soul Man was released for the first time on DVD on March 19, 2002, by Anchor Bay Entertainment. Special Features include theatrical trailers and teasers, along with audio commentary by director Steve Miner and C.Thomas Howell.
It was released again by Anchor Bay Entertainment as a dual feature shared with Fraternity Vacation on November 20, 2007.
On October 20, 2011, released again as a double feature by Image Entertainment along with 18 Again!
References
External links
- Human Soul at IMDb
- The Human Soul at AllMovie
- The Human Soul in Box Office Mojo
- Movie review at Wakil Magazine
- Movie review by Roger Ebert
- New York Times movie review
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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