Django Unchained: Might be a more important MUST SEE than Les Miz
I know there's been a lot of talk of Les Miz and the way it rings so very true in regards to these political times. But--and hear me out--I have this suspicion that Django Unchained, controversial as it is, might be THE movie to really shake things up and change things.
But! You say, it's crazy violent, has comic scenes, is over-the-top with guns and blood and is this serious subject one that Tarantino should have taken on? Should have made this kind of movie about? Isn't he disrespecting the real and horrible history of slavery?
I'll tell you why I think it's so important in spite of all of that. Because, and you'll forgive the bad pun--the U.S.A. has been trying to whitewash slavery almost from the moment the Civil War ended. As soon as the South was let back in, Jim Crowe laws went into effect negating most of what the end of slavery was meant to do. And the U.S. government turned a long term blind eye to it.
And then, as if that wasn't bad enough, the culture of the U.S. ennobled the old South with plantation romances, with movies like Birth of a Nation and Gone with the Wind; U.S. racism also created long-lasting memes about African Americans to excuse the South from enslaving them and to excuse the whole of America from its segregationist policies (like implying that blacks were inferior, stupid, etc. and needed to be under the control of whites). Finally, when the Civil Rights movement came about and forced America to open its eyes, America shut them again as soon as possible, going right back to the old memes with a "noble savage" twist to "placate" the blacks.
Consider the recent movies like "The Help" and "The Blind Side." Movies whites will see--all showing whites helping out the poor black people while said black people are shown on parr with saints and martyrs. Magic Negros in some aspects, they remain servants, helping out the good white people and only showing displeasure to the really bad ones.
And worst of all, some states now have history books that nearly erase the issue of slavery. The Civil War, they insist, was over states rights, and slavery is never brought up or only in passing. The confederacy has, once again, been white-washed. And though movie makers have tired, not since Roots has anything forced the raw truth into the spotlight and gotten a wide audience to see it and acknowledge it.
Until now. Yes. It's a Tarantino movie. There's comic moments, there's over-the-top scenarios, and a lot of gunfights. It is, after all a spaghetti western. But all that (for better or worse) appeals to a young male audience. So it's going to get an audience that a more "serious" historical tale on slavery would never get: young adult males both black and, most particularly, white. The same young white men that the white-washers of the confederacy want on their side. And it's going to let these young men know that the confederacy was about keeping slaves, and what that meant; it's going to have them rooting for the black hero who is active, determined, intelligent and taking out the bad guys (no "Blind Side" hero here!). Because Django unchained makes no bones about it. Plantation owners are doing evil. And they get what they deserve.
There is no nobility to these bad guys, no redeeming qualities and there is not one excuse or rational for being a slave owner. As for the excessive violence, like all Tarantino films, it may be over-the-top, but, again, I'm glad of this. Filmmakers SHOULD make such acts against other human beings gruesomely sick, so that audiences cannot forgive or forget.
Whatever else you might think of this film, it's rubbing America's nose in racism and slavery. It's making racists look stupid (the racist whites keep commenting on the hero riding a horse, which just makes them look like idiots), and slavery inexcusable. America did this. Americans did this. And Americans tried to pretend it didn't happen--or at least wasn't all that bad. They're still trying to give slavery and the Civil War that disgraceful spin. And that is why I think Django Unchained is actually more important than Les Miz at being a seminal film. Because this film will reach an audience that not only should have their minds changed on this topic--but be made aware of it in a way they'll never forget.
That, at least, is my humble opinion.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I won't see it due to the N word. I can't hear that anymore without puking. I grew up in Jim Crow and segregation. I'm done with it. 
I find the older I get the less I can stomach a lot of things. 
rocktivity
the title of this movie upsets me. Why??? I eat, sleep and poop Django Reinhardt. Django is the thing that brought me and my 5+ year wonderful "boyfriend" together and we named our chocolate lab mix puppy Django. Django is a Romani word meaning "I awake". Hot Club of France was, with the Beatles, the soundtrack of my childhood (thanks, Dad!) and my life. NOW, people are asking if we named our BROWN DOG after a slave. It makes me look like a racist asshole. 
Seriously? Why couldn't we have named him something more common? I could have named him "Cooper" like every other dog in my town and that would have been that. But noooooooooo, I had to pay homage to this guy (great freakin' video of Hot Club playing together)
Sigh...
For those of you who don't know who the ORIGINAL Django is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt
Most amazing guitarist ever.
Most awesome cat ever!
My dog is just the coolest, most chilled out dog ever. He definitely was a jazz musician in another life...
Here's to great animals named Django!
now it is overpriced and I just cannot stand the ASSHOLES who are unable to go a couple of hours without playing with their handhelds. 
and i'm kind of a cheapskate on certain things. can you believe $17 for a movie?? fuggedaboutit!
