A friend of mine went to see the movie at a screening (she is an asst, editor
for Essence). She is from Jackson, Miss and I suppose has more insight into this
kind of a movie than I do (being from NYC). She was appreciative of the story
line but disappointed by the stagey acting a bad filming. It seems that most of
the cast came from theater and was a little too stiff for the camera. My friend
also mentioned that there were some things that Ms. Dash tried some things that
just didn't work (don't ask me for specifics, I haven't got any for you).
 
 
On a much happier note, I saw Chameleon Street last weekend at the Black
Film maker's Festival up here. Loved it, loved it. A must see before Will Smith
gets cast and turns the whole thing into a sambo comedy (IM0). I don't think
people like Street's character. He was a little too smart and too cynical. He
wasn't a Denzel and he wasn't Eddie or Richard or even Danny. Very poingant
and touching. Well done and funny. Too bas the film maker was black, white
 people
always seem to find themselves in these kinds of movies. And later they get
their awards. It seems that Black filmmakers get a bone (Warner Bros. bought
the rights and is refilming without officially releasing the original. A trick
usually reserved for foriegn films!).
 
 
        -Marcus Haupt
        Dept. Of. Computer Science
        National Society of Black Engineers
        Columbia University
        NY NY