Movie’s performances, message, belie its 'Notorious’ reputation
This week's column.
I attended the rap biopic “Notorious” last week and I am pleased to report that no one was shot.
In fact, the most discomfort I felt in the theater was clearly being the oldest person there. By light years.
“Notorious” chronicles the short, tragic life of the supersized rap impresario known on the stage and in record stores as Biggie Smalls — or the Notorious B.I.G.
Named Christopher Wallace in real life, Smalls displayed a rare talent for fresh, edgy rhymes and rose quickly in the fickle world of rap music under the guidance of rapper/producer Sean “Puffy” Combs.
Before being fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting. He was only 24.
Raised by a single mother (Angela Bassett), Smalls, played by a remarkable newcomer, 33-year-old Jamal Woolard, found his inspiration on the hard streets of Brooklyn.
Nerdy and overweight as a boy — and an “A” student — he found solace and acceptance as a rapper. Then, when he grew older, as a drug dealer.
Following a prison sentence, he steadily built a reputation as a performer and scored a contract with Combs.
Rightly or wrongly, Smalls saw his fame and sales soar. He also achieved a reputation (real or imagined) for feuding with West Coast rappers.
It ultimately cost him his young life.
Now his movie has gotten its own bad rap in Greensboro.
A 32-year-old man was shot twice in the abdomen Jan. 24 in the lobby of Grand Theatre Four Seasons Station 18. At press time, no arrest had been made but someone had to have seen something.
The shooting followed an argument, police say, and it may or may not have had a connection to the movie. Still, to be safe, the theater’s management suspended showings of “Notorious” for a day.
Some say it was wrong to assume instantly that this particular film might have had something to do with the incident. But I don’t blame them.
On the same day as the Greensboro shooting, four people were stabbed at an after-party following a screening of the movie in Smalls’ hometown of Brooklyn. Had anybody paid attention to the movie?
If anything, “Notorious” is a cautionary tale about the utter foolishness of rap’s gangsta bravado and crotch-grabbing pretensions. As the inevitable ending draws near, the silly spats and misunderstandings that breed senseless violence seem so trivial.
Despite generally favorable reviews, especially for the acting, some critics fault the movie for glossing over the details that led to the nasty falling-out between Smalls and another rapper, Tupac Shakur, who had, in the beginning, been a close friend. (Even though my tastes generally lean elsewhere, I admit to owning CDs by both artists.)
Shakur died months before Smalls — in a drive-by shooting. He was only 25.
He has been called the greatest rapper of all time and carved out a successful acting career. He even had formed his own movie production company at the time of his death. But he was a conflicted soul, whose music could extol the virtues of black women in one song, then crudely dismiss them as sex objects in another.
In both cases the lives of two prodigious talents were snuffed short in rains of bullets. For what?
Meanwhile, people in Greensboro are left to wonder whether you can go to the movies without the fear of being caught in some idiot’s crossfire.
I don’t blame the theater. The Grand is an opulent, well-run movie house in a part of town that’s struggling to survive. What are they supposed to do, install metal detectors?
Even the Old Navy store at Friendly Center has seen a fatal armed robbery. At some point, you have to trust and pray that other people aren’t going to harm you in public places for simply being there.
I saw “Notorious” at the Brassfield and am happy to report that the audience of mostly teens, white and black, hardly made a sound during the movie. In fact that the crowd was better behaved than the predominantly boomer audience that had turned out days earlier at the Carousel for the doggie movie, “Marley & Me.” (A woman sitting nearby placed three cell phone calls, and spoke loudly, as if no one else in the theater mattered.)
Despite the violence in Greensboro and Brooklyn, “Notorious” did well at the box office during its opening week, grossing $21 million and earning more per screen than any other film in the country.
That means that fewer theaters have chosen to show it, but the ones who have are attracting big crowds.
Its reputation no doubt precedes “Notorious,” even though it does anything but glorify violence.
As musical biographies go, it’s a pretty good film that I suspect a lot of you won’t see it until it comes out on DVD.
Comments (14)
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"two prodigious talents"
Surely you jest!
Posted on January 25, 2009 10:31 AM
Actually, no, I don't.
Posted on January 26, 2009 9:01 AM
What a shame that somebody had to shoot another human being at this theatre.
Isn't it time to put the guns away?
When they killed Tupac, the revenge for Biggie was just around the corner. That was just the way it was in those days.
I believe that some of the older rappers have tried their best to get the message out...at least to the rap world.. to stop the killings. Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, et al.. those guys.
I personally believe that Sean Combs was behind Pac's murder. Just speculation, as I have no idea who any of these people really are.
Mo' money to be made with this movie. Wonder what Comb's share is?
I wish someone could explain to me why the killings continue. I wish someone could get through to the kids who carry guns and make them realize they are killing their brothers, their sisters, cousins, families. Too many mothers have had to bury their children due to this nonsense. If only they could stop and think what effect it has on the moms. (They seem to love their moms).. might be a good place to begin. I don't know.
It is not safe in Greensboro anymore thanks to these kids who choose to use violence over NOTHING. It is not safe anywhere. It won't be until these kids learn some values and get souls.
Posted on January 26, 2009 10:10 AM
"If anything, "Notorious" is a cautionary tale about the utter foolishness of rap's gangsta bravado and crotch-grabbing pretensions. As the inevitable ending draws near, the silly spats and misunderstandings that breed senseless violence seem so trivial."
“Notorious” chronicles the short, tragic life of the supersized rap impresario known on the stage and in record stores as Biggie Smalls — or the Notorious B.I.G."
Which? Is the protagonist here tragic and supersized, or an utterly foolish, pretentiously crotch-grabbing buffoon?
I have no doubt that the film includes a dollop of eat-your-vegetables, oh-isn't-this-senseless? rhetoric, but I have even less doubt that its protagonist emerges as a supersized, tragic figure who goes out on his shield. Problem 1 is that the two messages work at cross purposes. Problem 2 is that for every (middle-aged) moviegoer who leaves with the cautionary tale, a dozen will leave with the image of a tragic, supersized figure who dies young and leaves a good-looking corpse.
Aesthetically speaking, eating your vegetables works better in satire than in tragedy, as in the following clip from "Boondocks." (Warning: clip contains the n-word.)
http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4ADBR_enUS305US309&q=boondock%20saints&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#q=boondocks%20bet%20episode&emb=0
Posted on January 26, 2009 1:58 PM
Sorry, last "anonymous" (but not earlier ones) was me. The clip is in the upper left of the linked screen. It runs 2 min 4x seconds.
Posted on January 26, 2009 2:01 PM
Brian is right. Biggie and Tupac are just the modern day variation of death cults. They are working on the premise that if you're born in the ghetto, you're born dead and everthing else is just gravy, therefore there is no need to fear death. This is a common theme also in Snoop Dogg's early work. There is also life affirming rap like Tribe Called Quest, and JayZ aand Ice Cube's later work etc.
Fringe Death cults have been in existence since the beginning of time and primitive religions. They have a certain appeal to youth, just like James Dean live fast-die young- leave good-looking corpse etc., Jim Jones , David Korsesh etc. The theory being if you don't fear death then you can intensify living. Death cults are more glamorous, sexy etc. and very seductive to formative young minds. as opposed to philosophies that demand responsibility. The only and and tragic thing is;when you're dead you can't very well change your mind.
Posted on January 26, 2009 4:19 PM
... or when you may be innocent bystander /collateral damage of such a philosophy, like the student at A&T may have been.
Posted on January 26, 2009 4:31 PM
SKeet Club Savage, no truer words spoken on this blog. My heart fell apart this morning reading yet another young student life murdered. My heart stopped to think what was that girl, a Howard University student, on national TV describe, in admiration, President Obama as "he's gangsta" I saw it, this is true, early morning NBC. I was upbeat that he was not called Mac Pimp or other gutter names by college students. Pimping gangtas, don't call me names, but I call myself names is not future life or jobs but death. It also bothered me that gunshots are so common college students sleep and ignore. What a wonderful world Christine
Posted on January 26, 2009 5:41 PM
Where was the Greensboro "Gang Unit" the night that movie opened? Certainly they knew or should have known that the potential for gang trouble would be at a movie like this.
Curiousity makes me ask if the victim was gang related. Does the N&R know?
Would they report it if they did?
Posted on January 27, 2009 9:22 AM
I am not aware of any definite gang connection. I'll check .
Posted on January 27, 2009 11:12 AM
Allen, are you talking about the Pres. or the G-Boro shooting?
Posted on January 27, 2009 2:08 PM
I was referring to the shooting.
Posted on January 27, 2009 2:11 PM
Oh...good. Whew...
Posted on January 27, 2009 3:01 PM
How's the research going? Find out anything?
*puts $10 on the table*
Bets he was and bets the shooting was gang related.
Where was the gang unit of the GPD???
Posted on January 29, 2009 11:04 AM