shillpages.com/movies/bamboozled2000dvdr.jpg
bam·boo·zle
verb \bam-ˈbü-zəl\
bam·boo·zledbam·boo·zling\-ˈbüz-liŋ, -ˈbü-zə-\
Definition of BAMBOOZLE
transitive verb
2: to confuse, frustrate, or throw off thoroughly or completely <a quarterback bamboozled by an unexpected defense>
— bam·boo·zle·ment \-ˈbü-zəl-mənt\ noun
Origin of BAMBOOZLE
origin unknown
First Known Use: 1703
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bamboozled
“You know how all those grey people
be trying to trick us with their slickery,
and slick us with their trickery”
1/16th Blak
Written and Directed by Spike Lee in the year 2000, Bamboozled, is a film demonstrating Lee’s great ability as a modern day TRICKSTER. He gave life to each of the characters perspectives when creating the plot line and personalities of the subjects in this movie. There were humiliating, controversial, and enlightening moments throughout each scenario. The only way to write and direct such an honest film, with stereotypes thrown into the mix, would be to endure a great understanding for the material he produced. Spike Lee played the great trickster by allowing people of any race, particularly those adorning white and/or black skin color, to laugh, cry, and walk away speechless for a few moment in life
together.
The main character, Pierre Delacroix, was a TRICKSTER in beginning of the film. After being rejected for pitching wholesome television shows portraying African Americans, he came up with a plan to get out of his contract by getting fired for pitching an obscene idea of producing a modern day blackface minstrel show…..
(The Pitch Scene)
When Thomas Dunwitty goes bizerk for the idea, Delacroix’s TRICKSTER persona oozes out when he begins to form the pilot episode. The scene when Pierre was sitting at the head of large table full of writers he is heard internally narrating: “The mission was accomplished. All of these people left the room thinking they would have real input. I was writing this pilot alone. Myself. Me.
Thomas Dunwitty is a red-headed, white man who also plays a prominent TRICKSTER figure in the film. Claiming to “know black” because he’s married to an African American woman, he has the ability to "shape shift" between the language of hip hop lingo and conservative English when he deems the situation appropriate. His office is adorned with posters of only African American athletes. He demonstrated Leland's mention of "love and theft" effortlessly when he agreed to put the blackface minstrel show on the air. Dunwitty may have read the memo put out by American society stating the word "nigga" had been deemed derogatory by in modern times but he throws around the word freely because he claims to be "down" with African American culture!
Some of my favorite quotes and scenes from the film, “Bamboozled.”
Honeycutt Audition
Myrna Goldfarb: I happen to have a Master's degree in African-American studies.
Pierre Delacroix: So you fucked a nigger in college.
Pierre Delacroix: So you fucked a nigger in college.
Pierre Delacroix: As I bled to death, as my very life oozed out of me, all I could think of was something the great Negro James Baldwin had written. "People pay for what they do and still more for what they have allowed themselves to become, and they pay for it, very simply, by the lives they lead."
Mos Def
"Umi Says"
(Song and Lyrics)
I don't wanna write this down, (world... premiere)I wanna tell you how I feel right now (world... premiere)
I don't wanna take no time to write this down, (world... premiere)
I wanna tell you how I feel right now, hey (world... premiere)
Tomorrow may never come
For you or me
Life is not promised
Tomorrow may never show up
For you and me
This life is not promisedI ain't no perfect man
I'm trying to do, the best that I can,
With what it is I have x2
Put my heart and soul into this song (yes yes)I hope you feel me
From where I am, to wherever you are
I mean that sincerelyTomorrow may never come
For you or for me
Life is not promised
Tomorrow may never appear
You better hold this very moment very close to you (right now)
Very close to you (right now)
So close to you, So- close to you (your moment in history is right now!)Don't be afraid, to let it shine
My Umi said shine your light on the worldShine your light for the world to see
My Abi said shine your light on the world
Shine your light for the world to see
(I want black people to be free, to be free, to be free)
My Abi said shine your light on the world
(Want black people to be free, to be free, to be free)
Shine your light for the world to see
(Want black people to be free, to be free, to be free)
My Umi said shine your light on the world
(Want black people to be free, to be free, to be free)
Shine your light for the world to see
(Want black people to be free, to be free...)
Sometimes I get discouraged
I look around and, things are so weak
People are so weak
Sometimes, sometimes I feel like crying
Sometimes my heart gets heavy
Sometimes I just want to leave and fly away (fly fly fly, like a dove)
Sometimes I don't know what to do with myself (ow!)
Passion takes over me
I feel like a man,
Going insane,
Losing my brain
Trying to maintain,
Doing my thang
Hey hey hey hey hey
Put my heart and soul into this y'all
I hope you feel me
Where I am, to wherever you are (ha ha ha ha)
Sometimes I don't want to be bothered
Sometimes I just want a quiet life, with
Me and my babies, me and my lady
Sometimes I don't want to get into no war
(Black people to be free, to be free...)Sometimes I don't wanna be a soldier
Sometimes I just wanna be a man, butUmi said shine your light on the world
Shine your light for the world to see
My Abi said shine your light on the world
Shine your light for the world to see
(I want black people to be free, to be free, to be free)My dreamers said shine your light on the world
(Want black people to be free, to be free, to be free)
Shine your light for the world to see
(Want black people)My elders said shine your light on the world (Hey hey)
Shine your light for the world to see
I want black people to be free, to be free, to be free
All my people to be free, to be free, to be free
Oh black people to be free, to be free, to be free
Oh black people to be free, to be free, to be free
That's all that matters to me [x7]
Black people unite and let's all get down
Gotta have what,Gotta have that love
Peace and understanding
One God, one light
One man, one voice, one mic
Black people unite come on and do it right
Black people unite come on and do it right
Black people unite come on and get down
Gotta have what,
Love, peace and understanding
One God, one voice, one life
One man, gon' shine my light
Black people unite, now hop up and do it right
Black people unite, now come on and do it right
Yeah baby that's what I like
Yeah baby that's what I like
Yeah baby that's what I like...
(Black people, my people....)
That is Hip
As always, great post (and bonus points for Mos Def). I think you hit on a key scene:
ReplyDelete“The mission was accomplished. All of these people left the room thinking they would have real input. I was writing this pilot alone. Myself. Me. Moi.”
Delacroix here is the classic trickster: using people's self importance to his own advantage, working as an independent operator, with no allegiances.
It's also interesting to me that Delacroix dies at the end, a fate never reserved for the Trickster. But, of course, we never actually see him die. We have only his voiceover (his words) to tell us that he dies.
How much do you trust a Trickster like Delacroix?