slightly off-topic: the magical Negro in H’wood
Posted by: Rich Watson on January 6, 2009 at 6:18 pm
“…Anytime someone sees a black character used as a story tool in a film – in the case of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Queenie (Taraji P. Henson) originally didn’t exist in Fitzgerald’s story – there is a mild cry of ‘There! There! I see a magical negro in the distance! Yes! There!’ One should wonder why Eric Roth deemed it necessary to suddenly introduce the character as a framing device for guiding the CGI Man-Child about, but that’s up to anyone who can be assed to sit through that three hour bore.”
Elayne Riggs January 6th, 2009
This is a very valid examination of a way-too-common trope in movies. Unfortunately, I fear way too many people are going to wind up confusing “magical Negro” with the odious “magic Negro” CD that Republican idiot passed around last month.
Adalberto McFarlane January 8th, 2009
Now myself, i’m awaiting for this film on cable. The “magical negro” huh? Well I guess that Hollyweird thinks that every period film has to have at least one, right Rich? Taraji P. Henson is a wonderful actress, very versatile. But its a problem that’s been with Hollyweird since 4-ever.
