Cinematical

Thanks for posting this. I didn't pick up The Hook this week and didn't even know about this. Hopefully I'll have a chance to check this out.

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Wow! I'm really surprised Spike Lee produced this film. (Sardonic tone) Huuuuuu...Fact. The "War between the states," was fought to preserve the union. (read the library of congress) There was NEVER a decleration of WAR because of slavery. The North were not the Saints everyone thinks. Lincoln suspended Habeas Corpus. So much for honest Abe. All western civilications did away with Slavery in a peaceful mannner. The south would have as well if they were not invaded. Lee & Jackson never owned slaves. Less than 20% of Southerners owned slaves. Importing slaves was illegal in the South. It was LEGAL in the north. Every slave ship flew the Stars & Stripes. NO slave ship flew the Stars & Bars. Do you need some more facts?

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Even to this day, Yankees try to convince themselves and others that not only did they WIN the war but more importantly, they were RIGHT in starting it. Southerners (and anyone who knows American history) aren't buying it. We know, for instance, that Slavery, as an institution, was very well entrenched in North America for over a hundred years before the birth of our nation and over two hundred years before the 2nd American Revolution of 1861. By casting Southerners as evil, slave owning people, the Northerners felt justified in their invasion, even though freeing the slaves was never mentioned as a reason for the war until later. History is written by the victors. Furthermore, Lincolns war destroyed the country that our founders created. While it is a good thing that Slavery ended, it couldn't have ended in a worse way. We are still suffering from this tragedy today.

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I was excited about seeing this until I read Spike Lee produced it. This is the same Nation of Islam supporter who actually admired that black sepratist and racist Malcolm X. What exactly did he do for race relations? I would expect this movie to be nothing more than left wing, poltically correct propoganda produced by an oppresed minority.

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Spark meaningful dialogue about race? The premise of this moronic film is so absurd it is hard to know where to begin. Slave auctions on ebay, in the 21st century? To argue that slavery would still be in existance today if the South had won is like asserting we would still be wearing wigs, tricorn hats and knee britches if the British had won the American Revolution. Half of the slaves brought to the Western Hemisphere were brought to Brazil (only 6% to our own colonies)and they abolished slavery in 1868....WITHOUT A WAR! Slavery was destined to end regardless of who won the Civil War. Northern victory only assured the triumph of big business, big government, and the death of Constitutional government.

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A couple of inaccuracies. First, the film sold at Sundance 2 years ago. I was there when the writer/director, Kevin Wilmott, announced it. The only place it languished was in IFC marketing, who probably had no idea how to sell it.

Spike Lee, if anything, hitched his star to the movie after it started being acclaimed. He didn't come on as "producer" until it was announced as accepted to Sundance. He lended (leant?) the familiarity of his name either to help the film or just because he's a publicity hound and he knew this film would stir up serious controversy. Depends on who you ask.

Excuse the mild fact-check. Love the blog. Keep up the good work.

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