The article is called "Watchers and Witnesses: Oprah, Zora and James" can be read at the following link:

http://watchersandwitnesses.blogspot.com

I watched the movie primarily because i recognized the name, Zora Neale Hurston from reading bell hooks. Being an Oprah production, I didn't know what to expect. I hadn't read the book and all i really knew about Neale Hurston was that she was an anthropologist. I did notice a lot of the advertising focussed on the kiss and sexing up halle berry which was sadly predictable so my expectations weren't that high.

Your piece was really interesting- wow, what an exhaustive analysis- a lot I hadn't picked up on-
one thing i remember thinking when i was watching it was the whole experience of slavery and like you, thinking about the grandmother and her story- considering the time period, and again not having read the book- i wondered why there was no reference to it.
I also found the whole caterpillar, floating in ponds and the nature references, i don't know, somehow contrived.

I completely understand why you'd watch considering the book it was based on and the lack of good stories about the Black community- you hold out hope. Although I'm not Black, I am a member of a visible minority community (East Indian origin)so I understand the issues around representation, acknowledging that the history of the Black community is unique and important to the development of American culture and society as a whole.

BTW-Did you see Oprah in Beloved? What are your thoughts on that movie.

[ 15 March 2005: Message edited by: periyar ]

That is one hell of an analysis. Thanks for posting it. I'll post the article by Paul Street that you mentioned in your article (I had read it on the BC about two weeks ago) now that I have an excuse: The Full Blown "Oprah Effect": Reflections of Color, Class and New Age Racism

About the movie, I groaned when I saw the promotions. It seemed to be a movie about Oprah producing a movie and Halle Berry the minority of the moment™ being in the movie then it did about anything else—just another "Harpo" production. "The kiss"?! There is no way a kiss (no matter how well-scripted, mass produced, starring the latest A-list beautiful people spit-swapping) could be so "riveting" to make me want to take out an open checkbook (not unless I get to sign and keep the check), much less make me want sit through a (2hr) movie. overly-contrived foreplay?! noooo thanks. But I was curious since I haven't read the book and I was able to catch it by fluke. The movie didn't really do anything for me. I wanted to think that I was being too cynical, but it just didn't work.

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BTW-Did you see Oprah in Beloved? What are your thoughts on that movie.

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I hope you don't mind me commenting,

I prefer the book without a doubt. Which (ironically) I read after I saw the movie (so take this for what its worth). I honestly didn't know what to think about the movie and what I had heard about the movie was that it was "wierd" or "confusing" so I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw it. At the time I thought it was okay given what it attempted to tackle on screen but I don't think it really does the book justice. There are too many complex themes (putting it lightly) that didn't seem clearly expressed in the movie). Reflecting on the book I remember constantly thinking while and after reading it that a lot of the meanings that I took away from the book did not translate on film—especially (and obviously) Beloved. I thought that she was more of a caricature then anything else. Ugh

Oh Oh I wanted to say I thought Oprah was excellent in the Color Purple.

[ 15 March 2005: Message edited by: Insurrection ]

I really didn't think it conveyed very well the horrors of slavery- that is what spoke to me in that book- for me, the idea of slavery is so alien and I thougt morrison really communicated this experience in such an amazing way- i was really affected by that book and her use of language is pretty amazing as well, which is highlighted for me as I'm typing this out and using such pedestrian language to describe her writing.

I read that link that you posted and Paul Street makes some good points. I find it curious that so many white women are capitavated by Oprah, is it some kind of 'mammy' phenomena?, a hangover from the past when Black women mothered white children?
One thing interesting about Oprah is she does bring these stories into the mainstream. The books that she chooses that many people knock,I think they're good for her audience to read- it is a diverse cannon with authors and stories from the margins- Poisonwood Bible, A Fine Balance, Fall on Your Knees, Sula name a few.

edited to correct book titles featured on Oprah
[ 15 March 2005: Message edited by: periyar ]

[ 15 March 2005: Message edited by: periyar ]

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Originally posted by periyar:
I really didn't think it conveyed very well the horrors of slavery- that is what spoke to me in that book- for me, the idea of slavery is so alien and I thougt morrison really communicated this experience in such an amazing way- i was really affected by that book and her use of language is pretty amazing as well, which is highlighted for me as I'm typing this out and using such pedestrian language to describe her writing.

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periyar, I don't think you're being pedestrian at all.

It was sooooo easy to forget about the movie when reading the book since it seemed so forgettable at the time anyway.

What really spoke to me in Morrison’s book was how powerful the imagery was how raw it was and how psychological it was (is. is). And not just the themes about slavery, but the gendering of race or to put it in better way maybe, the role of the black female body. And yeah, the idea of slavery as being alien is a really good point I think that it serves as a basis for the challenge and confrontation that Morrison poses so undeniably well to American ideology and to the kind of collective consciousness and understanding of slavery.

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I find it curious that so many white women are capitavated by Oprah, is it some kind of 'mammy' phenomena?, a hangover from the past when Black women mothered white children?

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Heh, I never really thought about that but yeah, now you've got me thinking… When I was reading the article I was thinking about that racism series she did (I happened to see a few episodes not to too too long ago) and what I found interesting about it was how racism was framed some kind of individual phenomena that required new age "healing" like if a racist prays hard enough it will go away or something. And I found that *frustrating* like it never crossed anyones mind to consider how racism impacts people systematically and the impact of racism on collective experience.

What was also frustrating is that Oprah is attracted to a book like Beloved because of its power, which comes from its violence, its anger, its funkiness, its sexuality. But as a celebrity talk show host she can't be any of these things and risk offending her audience. I felt there were things that the movie demanded from her that she wasn't willing to show.

For anyone who is interested, before this piece I wrote about Oprah's show on married men who have sex with other men in a piece called That's Entertainment: Oprah, Eminem and Homophobic Representations in American Media that can be read at

http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/05/02/08_entertainment.html

On the subject of Othering, it's interesting how the frame of millions of white American women faced with the threat of their quaint suburban lives being inturrupted by having to deal with their husband's problem the first encounter with gay men is in the disruptiveness of "gay lifestyle" on straight relationships. Wasn't there a simillar senario like this when there was a show about transsexual women?!

This really got me

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"The difference between Mammy and Mama," LaTrice clarifies at the end of our conversation; "Mammy always reassures, but Mama won't stand for it. Mama may comfort, but if she really loves you, she ain't going to let you get away with shit."

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When I think about it as far as representation is concerned, I often think that the recognition of being black (non white) or being gay doesn't really have anything to do with being either, just the recognition of the image that is willed into existence. I guess that's where I think mammy fits in: pre-scripted, bearing gifts, and as you say with a gun to her head. She's always bearing what ends up being taken and she can be heard because she doesn't really disrupt the fantasy. I think the embracing of the mammy can happen because of what isn't called into question what doesn't have to be given up.

On another note, I wonder if the most note worthy thing I ever got from watching ricki that didnt happen to be the result of a lie detector test was when someone said: "I have three strikes against me I'm a black I'm a woman and I'm a lesbian…"

[ 17 March 2005: Message edited by: Insurrection ]