Thursday, June 01, 2006

Some final thoughts

I know that some of you are furiously posting tonight--don't worry, because I know that sometimes the posts take some time to be there, and I'll be checking back again tomorrow when I look for your final projects. If you are experiencing difficulties beyond the norm, then please send me an email.

"Bamboozled" is a dense and heavy text, with provocative language and often absurd and sometimes violent images. It's the kind of thing that you might want to talk about a bit more--just drop me a line if ideas are weighing on your mind. Spike Lee has given us a lot to think about. And the violence at the end is quite a contrast to the film's beginning--it's Lee's way of saying "This isn't funny any more," I think. His implicit call to action? For all of us to be more careful about our position as audience.

After class, Nancy Kihenia shared that the "Mau Maus" name came from a revolutionary group in Kenya, the kind of revolutionaries that we admire here in the States--the type who chase away colonialists. She said the use of that name in Lee's film made her a bit perturbed because of this history, and I have to think that Lee knew what he was doing. Have a comment or observation to share? I'll post it here if you'll send it my way.

Take care and have a nice summer.

posted by jacqueline @ 7:36 PM