Spike's 40 Acres & A Mule offices at 124 DeKalb Ave are within walking distance of my house so I kinda feel like he's my neighborhood film maker, in the way that Jonathan Lethem is my neighborhood writer. Yeah right, I'm glamorizing Brooklyn.
Spike's classic, almost twenty two year old, debut movie - She's Gotta Have It - is finally out on DVD this month and sadly it's a no frills job. Why they couldn't have included earlier shorts, or even better still, commentary from Spike is beyond me. The story around the movie is a great. Spike did whatever he could to finance the film, which at one point even included selling tube socks on the street!! Now can you imagine if you were one of those New Yorkers ? Spike also had a row of obstacles and disappointments in the process of making the film including a huge post-production nightmare when the photo lab processing his film threatened to auction his negatives unless debts were paid.
The film was made (in 1986) for about $175,000 and has since grossed over $8 million dollars according to Lee himself. Something to look out for if you buy the DVD is before the last of the credits when the following words appear on the screen: "This film contains no jeri curls and no drugs." The movie also features an excellent jazz soundtrack from former Strata East recording artist bass-playing Dad to Spike - Bill Lee. Sadly I can't find any clips of the movie on YouTube to post here. Let me just say this is one of the most charming and genuinely laugh out loud funny Spike Lee films ever. I particularly really have fun watching Lee's own acting in the film, like his classic Mars Blackmon catch phrase "''Please baby. Please baby. Please baby, please baby. Please, please. Baby, baby."
Whatever did happen to Nola ? (aka Tracy Camilla Johns) - she did TV show cameos in rubbish like in Family Ties, Snoops and Rough Justice and appeared in a crowd scene in Spike's movie Mo' Better Blues, got about five lines and an explicit scene in New Jack City and played diva for Tone Loc in his "Wild Thing" video then poof ! How on earth does someone crash that bad ? Wouldn't it be cool if someone did a 'where-are-they-now' thang on her?
Meanwhile Spike is reported to have filmed a TV show pilot with writer-producers Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson for NBC called M.O.N.Y last March. The show is about an outspoken public advocate who rockets to fame as interim Mayor of New York. IDMB has the airdate as a generic 2008. No info to be found anywhere else just yet. Spike is also rumored to be working on a biopic of the Godfather of Soul James Brown and a sequel to Inside Man (for 2010).
Recent rumors have it Naomi Campbell dropped out of Spike's currently in production, shooting in Italy, World War II movie "The Miracle at St. Anna" about the all Black American soldiers of the 92nd Division fighting to protect a village in Italy. Campbell was replaced (thank god) by Kerry Washington. The film also features Lee regulars John Leguizamo and John Turturro alongside James Gandolfini, Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher) and others. The story comes from a book of same title by Musician/ Novelist James McBride and he's also written the screenplay. The film is expected to reach cinemas this fall.
And to cut back to the classic - here's two Mars Blackmon TV Ads - see ya in walla walla - Adiós.
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