Django – “The D is Silent
Django Unchained Written and Directed by Quentin Tarantino, produced by Reginald Hudlin, a Columbia Pictures release is one of the prolific and controversial films of Quentin Tarantino’s illustrious career. The film is of the Western genre and depicts a black slave, Django played by Jamie Foxx of the 1800s, whom is freed by a white bounty hunter, Christoph Waltz to capture a bounty of the very slave owner who has purchased his wife, played by Kerry Washington.
Critics of the film believed that a white male, should not be the one writing and directing this film, due to the subject matter. As well as the flagrant use of the “N” word. However, those in favor of the film believed the use of the word was necessary to tell this story. You see, the story of Django is not really about a slave, or a slave who became free. Its’ a story of a hero, and man that saves his wife from the bad guys. It’s a roller coaster ride of a story, in a western genre, with a beginning, middle and end. Screenwriting 101 baby. coolscriptcovers:
Django Unchained – Written by Quentin Tarantino
April 26, 2011 draft – cover + 1st page.
Tarantino won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay of 2012.
When a writer sets out tom write a script, he or she digs deep into their heart, mind and body, that’s really where the story comes from. Even if the story is adapted from a book, novel and or graphic novel. The story still comes from these three places within the being of the writer. The writer does have some sort of responsibility to what the audience wants to see, and not the critics. Critics get paid from work writers, producers, and directors create. The audience are the ones actually purchasing a ticket at the box office, so in every essence of the word, they are the customer, or consumer. And what do they say, the customer is always right. Filmmakers such as Spike Lee, who many consider a Black Cinema King and a filmmaking icon, said that he would not be screening the film, and that it’s disrespectful to his ancestors, which is a low blow to his cinematic brother Reginald Hudlin as well as Quentin Tarantino.
The fact of the matter is, ether you strongly love this film, or you strongly hate this film, there is no grey area. There are no doubt strong performances from the films supporting characters, such as Samuel L. Jackson as Stephen, Christoph Waltz who won best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Django Unchained (2012) as Dr. King Schultz, and of course Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie a ruthless plantation owner. The film, itself went on to win an Academy Award for best writing, original screenplay. Which adds more of a controversial nod to the Academy, regarding diversity within the traditional Hollywood studio system. All in all, the “Slave” themed films of modern filmmaking has proven to be very lucrative, such as 12 Years a Slave, which debuted the following year. As well as previous successes such as Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, Amistad, etc. Given the plight of African-Americans living in the United States will never be forget slavery, this film Django unchained is a delightful twist, from what is, and was expected from a black man. He saved his wife, and blew up the entire plantation, with everyone in it. Now that’s what the audience wants to see, and Quentin Tarantino captured that. Just remember “the D is silent”.