Tyler Perry

I watched Tyler Perry’s the family that Preys a few nights ago. I’ve seen this film a few times now. I really love the story and the cast is phenomenal. When I saw that he had Katy Bates and Alfre Woodard I knew it was going to be a great film. Each time I watch it I see something different. I get to pay attention to the details. The dialogue, the costumes and set design and location. There are a few scenes that were filmed in New Orleans. I was not a fan of Tyler Perry’s Madea movies, but I’ve come to enjoy his other films. I have respect for him as he has achieved a lot despite all that he has been through.

It’s funny how some people fly under the radar and then when they make it big you find out where they are from. Since Katrina Tyler talks a lot about being from New Orleans. I don’t recall he if ever went to NOCCA like Wendell Pierce. I’ve never even heard of him producing anything in NOLA, but he is giving back and helping put people to work.

When you make films or videos you want to be an artist, but skin color seems to work its way into the politics of art. You have to be a black or African - American film maker. Then you have to get flack from both sides. Either your film is too black or it’s not black enough.

I remember when I was starting out as a model and I go to an agency and they’d say they already had a black model. Were they kidding me? One black model wasn’t enough and I knew whomever they had didn’t look like me.

I’m sure Tyler Perry has had his share of obstacles with in the Hollywood political system and so he decided to create his own studios so he wouldn’t have to deal with it as much.

Why did I get Married and it’s sequel I thought were good films. His take on For Colored Girls was well done. I’ve not seen Good Deeds and I would like to see his soon to be released film where he plays a spy.
Thanks for stopping by; keep an open mind.


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The Back Story

      A few days ago I had a conversation with some people that didn’t like to hear about a stars personal life because it interfered with them watching their movies.

I’m sure I’ve written about this before, but most of the stars that I really like were no longer around by the time I came along. I was two years old when Marilyn Monroe passed away. I saw her films when I was young and then at some point I was interested in the woman behind the films.
It all started when I found out she had posed for Playboy. I remember wanting to be like Hugh Hefner and Howard Hughes. By the time I got to High School that changed when I read Malcolm X, but there was still a part of his life where he was surrounded by women.

The camera loved Marilyn Monroe. There aren’t a lot of bad pictures that were taken of her. They are all sexy, bubbly and full of personality. Marilyn Monroe embodied sensuality.

When I read or hear about what an actor went through to get a role or during the production it makes me want to see it depending on the actor. If there is controversy surrounding a film even before it gets distribution I’m sometimes curious about it.

I watched several movies, Harsh Times with Christian Bale. I’ve watched this film many times. Christian Bale is really an intense actor. Now that the Batman trilogy has come to an end, I’m curious to see what he does next.

I can’t say how many times I’ve actually watched the film Making Love. When it was available on Laser disc I purchased it. Then when it became available on VHS and finally on DVD. The back story makes this film so much more appealing. It was very controversial for its day and yet now so many people don’t see the big deal or even like the film. It’s a difficult choice that an actor makes to take on a certain role. Today the more drama behind a role the more people want to see it. That wasn’t always the case. Harry Hamlin was basically an unknown and Michael Ontkean and Kate Jackson were television stars.
Of course every film has moments that don’t seem real, but sometimes life doesn’t seem real. It’s as if we are looking at ourselves in slow motion.
Last night I watched Left Behind with Kirk Cameron. I was just going through my catalog to see what I wanted to watch and I had pulled out a film, but then decided I would watch Left Behind.

There was a moment during Katrina when I felt as if I were having a flashback of the film. I keep thinking about writing a story of my experience. There are several reasons for wanting and needing to do this. One is its good therapy and the other is that it’s a story like all of the others that needs to be told. Of course sometimes I feel as if people are tired of hearing about Katrina. Still, I get asked about it sometimes. I’ve often said of all the people that went through that traumatic experience, they all have a story to tell and each story even though people may have been side by side have something different to say.

Thanks for stopping by; keep an open mind.


http://artbydlonzo.blogspot.com

http://vimeo.com/27482821

http://dlonzo-OpenYourMind.blogspot.com

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=54325957

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=54365247

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