‘Black Panther’ is ‘Bullshit’, says White Director
Oscar-nominated white writer and director Terry Gilliam has slammed Marvel’s superhero blockbuster ‘Black Panther’ for being “bullshit”. The director said this to IndieWire in an interview where he criticized superhero movies in general.
He said he hated them because they used up the money that could be used to fund and promote more diverse forms of film on technicalities and effects. He also criticized them for having poorly-crafted storylines.
Here’s what he said…
“I make films where I’m trying to make people think. I mean, I try to entertain them enough that they don’t fall asleep on me.
“And they’re there to make you think and look at the world in a different way, hopefully, and consider possibilities. Those films don’t do that.”
“I don’t like the fact they’re dominating the place so much,” he said. “They’re taking all the money that should be available for a greater variety of films.
“Technically, they’re brilliant. I can’t fault them because of the technical skills involved in making them are incredible.”
Black Panther
Gilliam said he’s not a fan of Ryan Coogler’s 2018 “Black Panther” either. Critics heralded it as a gust of fresh wind in the superhero canon. It was praised for being inclusive in an otherwise airtight, white-dominated universe of films.
Earning more than $1.3 billion worldwide, “Black Panther” penetrated the cultural consciousness in a way few superhero films ever had, but Gilliam isn’t buying it.
“I hated ‘Black Panther.’ It makes me crazy. It gives young black kids the idea that this is something to believe in. Bullshit. It’s utter bullshit.”
He said he hated the movie because the empowerment and the identity related through the movie were just surface-level aesthetics and fake depth.
“I think the people who made it have never been to Africa,” he said. “They went and got some stylist for some African pattern fabrics and things.
“But I just I hated that movie, partly because the media were going on about the importance of bullshit.”
IndieWire asked if he felt that critical praise for “Black Panther” was a politically correct response that ignored aesthetics in favor of identity politics. Gilliam said, “It makes my blood boil.”
Black entertainment company BET was not having this. They condemned him for being racist and entitled to give an opinion no one asked for.
But if you can look past the smoke and mirrors for a second, you realize that “Black Panther” really isn’t that good a movie. The plotline was patronizing and the resolution a little too convenient.
It offers up a cheap sense of community without much in the way of depth and enlightenment. This is what the white director Gilliam hates about “Black Panther” and honestly, I agree with him.
I agree. My God! I agree