August 22nd: BAMBOOZLED (Spike Lee, 2000)

Frustrated by an abusive work environment, a black television writer's attempt to get fired by proposing a modern minstrel show backfires when it becomes a ratings success and cultural phenomenon.

Writer-director Spike Lee was a graduate of New York University's storied film program, and burst onto the scene with his debut feature She's Gotta Have It, and rose to international prominence with his landmark work Do The Right Thing. He continued to portray the black experience in America throughout the 1990s in various genres, averaging a prolific one film per year.

Lee was unhappy with the modern depictions of African-Americans on television and in films, and the limited opportunities for black actors and writers, and wanted to use the racist caricatures in media throughout the 1900s to illustrate the history of exploitation and exclusion. He spent months researching these materials before production.

Knowing it would be difficult to raise money for such a dark, potentially controversial satire, Lee opted to shoot on digital cameras to keep costs down. Even then, he was turned down by various studios before finding a partner in New Line Cinema. Working again with cinematographer Ellen Kuras (Summer of Sam, 4 Little Girls), they shot with the Sony VX 1000 in the Mini DV format, and were able to acquire multiple cameras to speed up the process. For the show-within-the-film, they shot on 16mm film. The entire production took place in New York City.

The film stars Damon Wayans (co-creator of the hit sketch TV show In Living Color), Jada Pinkett-Smith (Set It Off, The Nutty Professor), Michael Rapaport (True Romance, Higher Learning), tap dancer and actor Savion Glover, Tommy Davidson (also of In Living Color), frequent Lee collaborator Thomas Jefferson Byrd (Clockers, Get On The Bus), and rapper/actor Mos Def. Rap group The Roots play the fictional TV show's house band.

To create the over-the-top sets used in the TV studio, Lee called on Oliver Stone's regular production designer, Victor Kempster (JFK, Natural Born Killers). For the musical score, Lee once again turned to his trusted composer Terence Blanchard, their eighth film together.

Bamboozled was released to mixed reviews, drawing criticism even from those who had previously championed his work, though its pointed satire was applauded in some corners. Today it has been reevaluated in the wake of subsequent, similar films by Lee such as Chi-Raq and BlacKkKlansman, and is regarded as one of his most powerful works.

Running time is 2 hrs, 15 min.