Analysis of The Malcolm Film by Spike Lee - Assignment Example

? MALCOLM X The film Malcolm X is a film produced in the year 1992. It is essentially a biographical film that dwells around the African American activist Malcolm X. The film is co written and directed by Spike Lee, the actors and actresses who feature in the film are Denzel Washington who plays the role of Malcolm X, Angela Basset who plays the role of Dr. Betty Shabazz, Albert Hall who plays the role of a tough and strict muslim leader, Al Freeman Jr. who plays the role of Elijah Muhammad and Delroy Lindo who plays the role of West Indian Archie among others who play supporting roles. The Warner bros was the company involved with the production of the film. The essay deals indepthly the acting, the film directing, and the historical accuracy of the film. The film Malcolm X is a film produced in the year 1992. It is essentially a biographical film that dwells around the African American activist Malcolm X. The film is co written and directed by Spike Lee, the actors and actresses who feature in the film are Denzel Washington who plays the role of Malcolm X, Angela Basset who plays the role of Dr. Betty Shabazz, Albert Hall who plays the role of a tough and strict muslim leader, Al Freeman Jr. who plays the role of Elijah Muhammad and Delroy Lindo who plays the role of West Indian Archie among others who play supporting roles. The Warner bros was the company involved with the production of the film. The essay deals indepthly the acting, the film directing, and the historical accuracy of the film. Denzel Washington who plays the main role of Malcolm X which is quite a huge role to play, but he brings out the effects quite effortlessly and still remains convincing enough to bring out the real character of Malcolm X. In all the scenes in the movie he seems natural and easy where he manages to fit perfectly in the nightlife of Harlem and later still effortlessly fits into the crowd of pilgrims in Mecca. Washington is an attractive and congenial actor and thus he is quite good in showing the unbending dogmatic side of Malcolm and his anger side. Al Freeman Jr. plays the role of Elijah Muhammad in an amazing way, in that, he behaved, looked and sounded like the real Muhammad fulfilling the screenplays delicate balance between the characters essence and the flaws of the character. Albert Hall is also an amazing and effective actor, taking the role of the tough and strict Muslim leader who takes time and lectures Malcolm on the aspect of self image and guides him into self awareness, but later on gets jealousy of Malcolm’s influence in the movement. This he brings out quite impressively in the film. Delroy Lindo brings out a two part powerful performance, as West Indian Archie, moving Malcolm by his weaknesses and impressing him with his power. Thus, it can be summarized that the actors did quite a good job in playing the roles of the characters they were assigned. The director of the film spike Lee has done a combination of several forms of narration. With skill he has conjoined them together to enhance the ideology of equality. As the movie unfolds, a structure that lacks linearity is utilized, thus, Malcolm Xs double life as an upcoming civil rights activist and a demoralized African American is shown through flashbacks to his rough childhood, and moving forward to Malcolm’s adult life and the other instances in between. In addition, voice over’s, using Malcolm X’s own audio voice, implies that he is narrating a story about some other person but in the real sense he is the subject. Also, Lee utilize the documentary footage about Malcolm x into his film skillfully so as to make the art imitate life and the opposite too. With one crucial twist lee drives the plot by combining historical records and political ideologies. These different methods used in directing by Lee are quite effective in the narration of the story, as every viewer of the film can sympathize with Malcolm x and the African Americans with him and still comprehend the historical importance of the acts that he performed, while keeping in mind that the struggle for the equality of all races is still on going. Spike lee also, has made the film to be all inclusive. White people watching the film for the first time may be expecting to find a Malcolm x who attacks them directly, but on the contrary they will meet a Malcolm x whose challenges, experiences, and objectives are comprehendible and lastly heroic. Thus, the conclusion that the director did a great job in the directing of the film. The film Malcolm x does a near perfect job in depicting the life story of Malcolm x, during one of the really tumultuous times in the history of America. The film is based on the real life events that surrounded Malcolms life. In The lifetime of Malcolm x he went through a lot of rapid and sudden changes in his line of thought and what he advocated for, going from an extremist point of view to a more accommodative point of view. He was brought up in a social set up where people of the dark complexion were loathed. Malcolm x was a gifted student and wanted to pursue a career in law, but his teacher discouraged him that his goals were not achievable due to his dark complexion. Due to this his life was characterized by several trips to prison become a normalcy to him. During his stay in jail, Malcolm was initiated to a movement that was taking shape in the African American setting. The movement went by the name of The Nation of Islam. It advocated for the hatred of the white race and the supremacy of the black people. His involvement in the movement saw him rise through the ranks and become its advocate. He later found cases of corruption in the movement and separated himself from the organization. After his pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm?s ideologies changed to those of Orthodox Muslims. He started preaching tolerance between people of all races and was not afraid to lose his life due to the fact that he knew a lot of people wanted him dead due to his ideologies. Sadly Malcolm x was assassinated in his most productive years barely three months to his 40th birthday celebration. The move generally was to depict accurately the tale of an iconic character in history. It depicts the life of Malcolm x from childhood to his untimely death in the hands of assassinator and does a perfect job in putting the story across while maintaining the historical accuracy of the events. In conclusion the director of the Malcolm x film does his best out to deliver the story of an iconic historic figure all the audiences with a moderate touch appealing to both the white and black audiences. Through the choice of appropriate actors to play the roles of the main characters in the story, he brings out both an informative and educative film. References      X, Malcolm, & Alex Haley, (1992). The autobiography of Malcolm X: One World/Ballantine Books Read More