K.O.S. DETERMINATION

Response to judesview: “Video Girl”

Tumblr only lets you answer with what, 120 characters? That ain’t enough to make a point.

In regards to Meagan Good’s upcoming role in “Video Girl”:

Some of the best character portrayals are negative. If they were shining examples of our race, then it wouldn’t make for a very interesting story. That’s not to say a good film can’t be made off of “positive” portrayals like “The Great Debaters.” But that’s the difference between a family, feel-good movie and an artistic, complex film. Positive is great for inspiring youth, but for enhancing the story-telling art— raw, gritty, conflicted characters make for the best stories.

Sometimes those stories come from the most embarrassing aspects of our culture.

I love hip-hop, but I hate the exploitation of women that went on when the mainstream hijacked the art. I hate that hip hop is constantly being defined by what BET or MTV plays. That doesn’t mean that a story about video girls can’t make for an interesting film.

I think the pimp in “Hustle & Flow” de-glorified pimps while not chastising them either. Instead it focused on one pimp and his human experience as a degenerate with broken dreams. The feminist in me wishes a film like that would have focused on the prostitute instead, but small blessings, right?

I hope “Video Girl” will do the same though it’s hard to tell from the trailer. I guess I’m saying there’s no reason to write it off just because the main character’s not a business woman or lawyer. She still has a story.

And what’s the difference between a black film and a black movie?

This is in response to judesview’s post.

Video Girl trailer.