The Works of Tyler Perry and Spike Lee Essay Example For Students

The Works of Tyler Perry and Spike Lee Essay Despite any biased opinions, there really is no denying that both Spike Lee and Tyler Perry make great movies. Their fame and popularity of their continual movie success is enough to know that both men are talented in their line of work. Both of these film-makers create movies that dominate more toward the black culture of Americans. Thats not to say that caucasian or any other race doesnt watch or enjoy their movies. In terms of representing blackness and black people in general, I believe Tyler Perrys body of work does a better job than Spike Lee. Even though Spike Lees work is similar in the sense of Perrys work, in that he focuses towards black audiences, I just prefer Perrys style over Lees. Throughout the paper I will touch on secondary opinions of criticisms against the two film-makers and why those particular sources conceived their opinion. After the readings and audio for this week, I never knew about the rivalry between Perry and Lee. It was obvious that both of their work was aimed more toward black audiences, but Im now aware that they each have different styles and opinions in how they portray their work. A big impact of Perrys work is the character of Madea that he has developed through so many of his films. Madea is Perry dressed in drag as an older-aged black woman. Madea is meant to be the character of a strong and independent black woman, but the audience still perceives her as funny and entertaining. Lees movies, while still deeming toward a black audience, dont have a particular character involved throughout, but I would infer that the theme of a majority of his movies steer towards having a black man against all odds. Unfortunately, it wouldnt be entertainment without drama throughout the industry. Both Perry and Lee have some harsh feelings towards one anothers work. Lee once referred to Perrys work as buffoonery. ? Lee doesnt hold his feelings in towards Perrys films and the Madea character and the stereotypes he feels Perry wrongly depicts in his films towards blacks. Perry responds to Lees criticisms with disbelief and profanity towards Lees comments of his work. As I have stated before, in a broad sense, both Perrys and Lees work is aimed towards black audiences. In a deeper sense though, I believe both are aimed towards a more specific type of black audience. After watching countless Tyler Perry movies, where Madea was the main theme, I would infer that his movies are aimed more toward black women. Since Madea is meant to be a strong and independent black woman, more women can relate to her character compared to men. The greatest criticism that secondary material has for Madeas character is that she is represented as the stereotypical black mamie. These critics believe that that stereotype negatively reflects peoples judgement on the race. Tyler Perry movies as a whole though play more towards black families and people of all ages, including more teenaged young-adults. Maybe its just the humor in Perrys movies, but when I think of a Tyler Perry movie, I think of families watching it together. I trust that Perry knows what sells in terms of entertainment, and if hes able to make those people who support his films to keep coming back with the comedy of his work, then he is accomplishing something decent towards representing a success of celebrating blackness. Spike Lee movies on the other hand, play more towards black males. One movie in particular that I can use as an example, is Lees movie Malcom X, which is a biographical drama about the famous African-American human rights activist, Malcom X. I realize that black women may be interested in Lees movie just as much black men, but in general, black men are more intrigued as the audience. Spike Lee movies are also meant for a more independent and an adult black audience compared to Perry films. I say this because I think of Lees movies to be more mature and deeper in context with his screenwriting. In general, Perry creates movies that are comedies, whereas Lee creates movies that are dramas. As the audicene of the movie, its important to remember that a movie is more than just sitting down and watching it for a couple hours, but rather that the film-makers (Perry and Lee), have purpose behind the films that theyve created and also that theyre attempting to accomplish something within their work. Both film-makers are attempting to celebrate blackness within their films. I say this because both Perry and Lee make films that are aimed toward black culture and the influence that the black race can watch and relate with. Movie Overview - Collateral EssayAnother topic we discussed on Lees film was the issue of sexism in the movie and the opinions of if it were demonstrated throughout the story. Being a woman myself, I believe sexism was an underlying topic in this particular film. The movie seemed that the male was the dominant force and that the young-women were the accessory to the young men. An example of where it was obvious was after the boys party, one of the female characters asked if they should clean up the house just like they always do for the males. It brought me back to the past discussion of feminism and how women are assumed to being beneath a male. Cobb and Jackson criticized Lee in Fight the Power! The Spike Lee Reader, by calling Lee an auteur. Auteur: a film director whose personal influence and artistic control over his films are so great that he may be regarded as their author ? (Cobb and Jackson). Another criticism that Cobb and Jackson had against Lee was that his films are recognized for their explicit sexuality and sexism ? (Cobb and Jackson). An example from School Daze was the particular scene where the female character licked down the male characters hair; which demonstrated branding within the greek-life and sexism against women. Another critic, Lubiano, had in his article: Compared to What was Lees presence can overshadow, or make difficult other kinds of politically engaged work. Which I later read that it was particularly a concern of the black cultural production in film-making. Another criticism I liked that Lubiano mentioned was Lee sees his cultural mission as being a voice for the real ? (Lubiano). I inferred that Lubiano meant exactly what I was thinking as I was criticizing Lees films myself. What I mean by that is how I feel that Lee has a very arrogant complex when creating his movies because he feels that there is only his opinion of blackness, which is to be powerful, deep, and almost masculine. What I believe Lees idealogical stance is after viewing School Daze is that audiences of both genders and all races need to wake up to the larger issue and push away from their own ignorance to be conscious of social justice in the African-American culture. Through critical analysis of these two film-makers, Perry and Lee undoubtedly create influential African-American based films. With Lee creating films that introduce a distinct, historicized, African-American point of view that reference actual historic or contemporary events. Whereas, Perrys films introduce a more comedic and family approach toward an African-American point of view. I stated that I personally enjoy Perrys approach toward film-making more than Lee, but I do also respect Lees approach towards bringing out real-life themes in the black culture. The criticism that I take away from Lees style is the way in which he lets the male characters dominate, and how lack of womens power or influence is depicted. Even though Perrys films seem to stereotype the culture of African-Americans, I believe it still depicts the strength that the race possesses in real life. Madeas character represents someone who is independent, with wisdom, genuine love, and a strong backbone of beliefs that is capable of depicting the race as a whole. I dont believe that Madea only represented the women in the African-American culture, but the males as well. What I believe makes both Perry and Lees visions so different is the background of their upbringings. I believe they were each inspired by their own personal experiences when creating the ideas in their films. Thats not to say that one or the other is right or wrong in the way they represented blackness within their work, but its important to realize the issues and influence theyre attempting to accomplish out to the audience. Works Cited: Als, Hilton. Mamas Gun: The World of Tyler Perry.   The New Yorker, April 26, 2010. Cobb, Jasmine Nichole and John L. Jackson. They Hate Me: Spike Lee, Documentary Filmmaking, and Hollywoods ËÅ"Savage Plot.   In Fight the Power! The Spike Lee Reader, edited by Janice D. Hamlet and Robin R. Means Coleman, 251-72. New York: Peter Lang, 2009. Lubiano, Wahneema. But Compared to What? Reading Realism, Representation, and Essentialism in School Daze, Do the Right Thing, and the Spike Lee Discourse.   In The Spike Lee Reader, edited by Paula J. Massood, 30-57. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2008