Red Tails: a Film Critique
Red Tails: A Film Critique
Robert Black
ENG 225 Introduction to Film
Instructor: Dwight Paulsen
October 14, 2012
“We have a right to fight for our country. The same as every other American.” Colonel A.J. Bullard (Imdb , 2012)
The film I picked for my critique is Red Tails, a historical World War II drama. The movie starred Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard and Gerald Mcraney, was written by John Ridley and Aaron McGruder, better known as the creator of the comic strip “the boondocks”, from a book by John B. Holway, directed by Anthony Hemingway and produced by George Lucas . In this paper the author will show how all elements of filmmaking come together to make Red Tails a memorable experience and a great American movie. First let us familiarize ourselves with the story; Red Tails is set in 1944 Italy where a group of black pilots fight for the chance to prove their combat worth, overcoming racism and other obstacles. Red Tails is based on the true story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first all- black squadron in the United States Army-Air corps. The writers strive throughout the film to maintain accuracy of real events while also making it as entertaining as possible. Mister Ridley and Mister McGruder do a wonderful job of storytelling showing the struggles of these men who want nothing but to be able to fight for their country, bringing the audience along from joy to despair and back again. This was done due to the ability of the writers to access the official flight logs of the unit, and interview the surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen. The reality of characterization and dialog is accomplished by using 1940’s lingo and slang, an example of great dialog that could come from the era before civil rights is “When you get upset, when you get mad, you turn red, right? When you get envious, or sick, you turn green. When you become cowardly, you turn yellow; and
Robert Black
ENG 225 Introduction to Film
Instructor: Dwight Paulsen
October 14, 2012
“We have a right to fight for our country. The same as every other American.” Colonel A.J. Bullard (Imdb , 2012)
The film I picked for my critique is Red Tails, a historical World War II drama. The movie starred Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard and Gerald Mcraney, was written by John Ridley and Aaron McGruder, better known as the creator of the comic strip “the boondocks”, from a book by John B. Holway, directed by Anthony Hemingway and produced by George Lucas . In this paper the author will show how all elements of filmmaking come together to make Red Tails a memorable experience and a great American movie. First let us familiarize ourselves with the story; Red Tails is set in 1944 Italy where a group of black pilots fight for the chance to prove their combat worth, overcoming racism and other obstacles. Red Tails is based on the true story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first all- black squadron in the United States Army-Air corps. The writers strive throughout the film to maintain accuracy of real events while also making it as entertaining as possible. Mister Ridley and Mister McGruder do a wonderful job of storytelling showing the struggles of these men who want nothing but to be able to fight for their country, bringing the audience along from joy to despair and back again. This was done due to the ability of the writers to access the official flight logs of the unit, and interview the surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen. The reality of characterization and dialog is accomplished by using 1940’s lingo and slang, an example of great dialog that could come from the era before civil rights is “When you get upset, when you get mad, you turn red, right? When you get envious, or sick, you turn green. When you become cowardly, you turn yellow; and
References: Boy Scouts of America: Cinematography, BSA Supply No. 35869 Pamphlet via http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges/mb-CINE.aspx 2012 Goodykoontz & Jacobs: Film from Watching to Seeing, Bridgepoint Education Inc. San Diego Ca. United States, 2011 IMDB: internet movie data base: Red Tails via imdb.com, United States, 2012 Editor: Merriam-Webster Dictionary, United States via http://www.merriam-webster.com/, 2012 Unknown: What is Video Editing? Media College.com, United States, 2012 Unknown: Sound Engineer: Employment Info and Requirements for a Career in Sound Engineering, http://education-portal.com/ 2012