(FEATURE) Jan. 20, 2012, 2:17 PM EST
Entertainment Tonight
Filmmaker Tyler Perry has written an open letter
urging audiences to see "Red
Tails" in theaters this weekend, declaring that "movies
starring an all African-American cast are on the verge of becoming
extinct."
The call to action comes in
the wake of "Star Wars" producer George Lucas' tales of his
two-decade struggle to get the true WWII story of the Tuskegee Airmen to take
flight on the big screen. After being rejected by every major studio in
Hollywood, Lucas decided to fund the film with his own money, and was still
rejected for distribution due to the perceived lack of salability of an
all-African-American cast. He ultimately decided to release the film
himself, in theaters starting today.
Perry, who regularly cranks
out films with all-African-American casts, writes in part, "I think we
should pull together and get behind this movie. I really do! Not just African Americans,
but all of us. I have seen the movie and screened it here in Atlanta. I loved
it and I think you will too. The Tuskegee Airmen, who were at the screening,
were so happy that somebody is telling a small part of their story. ...
Please take your kids, you will enjoy it and so will they. There is a lot of
action and adventure and also a great history lesson to be learned."
He concludes it with,
"George, I just want to say, thank you for having the courage to do
this."
Click here for the complete open letter.
No Response to "Tyler Perry: Black casts 'on the verge of becoming extinct'"
Post a Comment