In the ongoing debate about whether 'Soul Man' is a racist film, it seems a critical aspect is being overlooked. Suppose for a moment that 'Soul Man' was not intended to be a racist movie. Imagine that the filmmakers had a legitimate message they aimed to convey, but it was lost in translation. Suppose 'Soul Man' made a misstep with good intentions, merely suffering from flawed execution. Setting aside all racial elements, the film is still a *colossal failure.* It's plagued by poor jokes, subpar acting, and even James Earl Jones' remarkable talents were squandered. Had the film been of higher quality, it might have possessed some artistic merit to support its commentary on race and merit in America.
there is absolutely nothing wrong with blackface. as long as you are not saying anything about a person being "inferior" or "less important", you are NOT being racist. it does NOT make you racist to make fun of people's quirks, just because they are a different race. it WOULD make you racist if you were saying that their quirks make them less important than you, or worthy of receiving worse treatment because of their race. NONE of which was done in Soul Man, Tropic thunder, or White Chicks.
Soul Man has a good message if you've seen the movie. I think I saw it maybe 8 or so years ago. I probably didn't even focus on the racial aspects of the story. I was fixated upon the tuition price gouging that led the character to get incredibly desperate and creative to achieve his law school dream. That topic just seems to be completely ignored. So, that movie was in the 80's. Let's see, go look at the insanity of college tuition now. Sure, Harvard boasts generous scholarships, but they're NOT philanthropists. Harvard Law School is about $74,000 per year. Why??????? Please why???? This isn't medical or vet school. It's not as if law school requires a high tech lab, or supplies. It's a form of classism that is alive and well in these hypocrite institutions that parade social progress as their aim. How on earth is luxury tuition pricing actual progress? If anything, they're just continuing inequality as usual.
Soul Man was a great show. Watched it when it came out when I was young and still crack up at it when I see it. It is as good as Chocolate Thunder. I am black, stop telling me what to be outraged about. Leave Howell and Robert Downing alone.
Ok Mr Howell but you and your family are still aware and old enough to see this was a terrible idea to take this movie .i would understand more if you just said I wanted the money and I got to work with Rae dong Chong . We all know that soul man was different because it made fun of stupid stuff that has cost black peope their lives and has stigmatized black people to this day . The black face to name 1 . Actors read scripts and you saw perfectly well that script was stereotypical and you taking that film has haunted you professionally to this day . To be honest I liked you as poney boy than you make the horrible soul man choice , but you have had to live with that for over 30 years not me .
Even if the intentions behind Soul Man were pure, I would still ask was it worth it? It completely derailed this guys career. He went from taking lead roles starring with the heavy hitters of the day like Patrick Swayze, Jamie Lee Curtis and Rutger Hauer, to becoming an obscure character actor in television and B-movies.
Great pics. I was there last month at ground level on Jerome Av. From your pictures it looks like there were stairs that led up to Anderson Ave at the west side of the platform. Is that correct? Was there an entrance from Anderson Ave?
The movie ends wirh his character Mark Watson punching out Ronald Reagan Jr of all people after he makes a racist walking.past Rae Dawn Chong's son! Their ain't nothing wrong with that movie, it's a classic and it had a point and not an offensive one! God Bless you C!!!
*smh I hate when whites say it was a different time back then. No it wasn’t that’s like saying the clouds back then are different then the clouds now. The only difference people fought against what wasn’t right. They kept fighting to the point where people had to hide their racism, and the laws had to change because black people are the biggest consumers so when they decide to stop consuming white products, whites loose money. If black people continue to fight it’s only a matter of time till it reaches Africa a place where till this day the world depends on for resources.(which they’re getting for cheap) so they had no choice to cater to the black. Anyway one of the issues with racism is that no one listens. If a group of people are telling it’s racist why not ask why? This guy hasn’t spoken on why black people find that movie racist. You don’t understand what it’s like to be black in a white society. So how they can one brush what people are saying off and go oh your feelings aren’t valid because I feel like it’s not racist that’s crazy. When spike Lee called Quinton terintino (however you spell it( racist for the excessive amount of N word used in Django unchained people were pissed at spike lee. The fact of the matter is Quinton terrentino likes to use the N word.* *In the movie Django unchained the N word was said so many times simply because Django was in a horse when the fact of the matter is black people road horses back then. They even had black cowboys no one was shocked by that. It’s racist to tell one side of a story and not the other. This man played a white dude needing to pose as a black man to get a scholarship as if it’s so much easier for black people to get into ivy league schools and obtain an academic scholarship for ivy league schools. It’s was, has always been and still easier for a white person ti get into ivy league schools and obtain and academic scholarship into an Ivy League then it is for a black person. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION put in place due ti racism. As in it forced to schools to give eligible people of color a chance when at the time when they were not given a chance no matter how perfect their grades were or how intelligent. Till this day there are black students who are honor students who would have issues with teachers messing with their test scores. I’ m in the medical field till this day black medical students are considered incompetent the minute they step into class. Once you have proven yourself and proven them wrong. There’s still that racial tension of well you’re taken the place of a more deserving white person. That’s what this movie is. All this did was cause more hate towards black people getting into iv league schools* *This movie didn’t change anyone’s perspective how could it? He dates a privileged light skin black girl was she supposed to teach him anything regarding race relations? She barely has to go through it in comparison to a black person with Afro centric features. It’s not like he later sought out black matriculating students to befriend plus him mention dating/marrying his black female co star isn’t saying much she had a very privileged life light skin rich parents plus she’s a coon she literally called Oprah a house n word. Whatever I’m black I watched to the movie had a lot of racist undertones and frankly it was just insulting to see how everyone just excepted him as black dispute how EXTREMELY weird he looked. He didn’t pass for any particular race AT ALL!!! White people think they just need dark skin make up and an afro wig and presto black smh. Every single time a white person does black face IT LOOKS CREEPY AND WEIRD. HE loooked EXTREMELY CREEPY AND OFF PUTTING didn’t look natural at all. This movie does nothing to put black people in a positive light. If someone is telling you what you’re saying makes them feel uncomfortable or is hurtful try asking why instead of brushing them off*
Ich kenne Thomas Howell nur aus The Hitcher.Oh ich habe mit ihm gelitten.Es war ein harter aber toller Film mit tollen Schauspielern.Rutger Hauer war sehr böse.❤❤❤
C. Thomas Howell always comes off as a decent dude. He is in some of my fav 80's movies including Soul Man. I agree with what he says. I miss the 80's and will continue to watch the Outsiders, Soul Man, and the Hitcher.
