The slave-turned-outlaw, Django, not only caused wars between himself and the horrible slave-masters of his time, but between movie critics of our own time as well. Django Unchained tells the story of the bravery and courage of a man who rises up against his oppressors without fail. With Jamie Foxx playing the protagonist, this Western assassin is offered the opportunity to take revenge on his former overseers, the McScott brothers, and to free his “wife” (slaves were forbidden to marry) in the South. What made this experience that much more special is that I had the opportunity to watch it in the volatile region in which the movie takes place.
After buying tickets and popcorn with extra butter, my cousin and I sat down in the comfy seats of a well-known theater in Georgia. I immediately noticed that many audience members were of Caucasian background which puzzled me, because I didn’t expect that demographic to be in the majority.
Throughout the movie, director Quentin Tarantino does not lessen the visual violence of slavery, especially in the brutal murder of one slave involving the vicious bites and tears of dogs. But, apart from the historical accuracy in the depiction of slavery, there were a number of relieving scenes showing comedy and irony. For example, in one scene, the Klu Klux Klan debates over wearing their famous white hoods, arguing that they couldn’t see through the small holes. In another instance, a slave wonderfully portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson showed more love and passionate care for his slave master than he did for the other slaves.
This ironic internal racism was watered down for comedic purposes. While my cousin and I chuckled or burst out laughing at these scenes, many in the audience did not. These moments were awkward, but also interesting because slavery has proven to be just as much of a sensitive subject for Caucasians as for African-Americans. It seems that time passing has had no effect on these feelings. Moreover, after the film, I held the door for one audience member and I did not receive any common “thank you” although the gesture was obvious.
While many Caucasians in my theater kept silent, African-Americans, such as the well-known director Spike Lee, have spoken out against the film. “American Slavery Was Not A Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It Was A Holocaust. My Ancestors Are Slaves. Stolen From Africa. I will Honor Them,” Lee tweeted, which was then followed by responses of fans both critical and supportive of his stance.
Lee found the use of the Western genre to depict slavery not only disrespectful to the seriousness of the topic, but also inaccurate. However, Lee’s criticism of Tarantino’s films is not new to the film industry. Lee has stated prior to the above tweet that he “[has] a definite problem with Quentin Tarantino’s excessive use of the n-word. And let the record state that I never said that he cannot use that word — I’ve used that word in many of my films — but I think something is wrong with him.” Exactly what that “something” is still remains vague, although there is controversy as to whether or not this use of the n-word and his depiction of slavery will prevent Tarantino from winning the Oscar for Best Director.
As an African-American, I think the film holds no offense against us as a racial group. Taking place in the pre-Civil War South, the overuse of the n-word is accurate. In addition, I believe that the film provides a good balance between the seriousness of slavery and the irony of it. The purpose of the film is to present slaves as strong, as opposed to more traditional representation which portrays them as weak characters unable to take action for themselves. In many films that depict slavery, slave masters constantly whip their slaves, who as a result become consumed with fear. For once, Django rises up and takes power over his own life. Django Unchained teaches us that it’s our actions that determine who we become and define what we are, not our inherited circumstances.