“Miracle at St Anna” Trailer and Poster
The trailer and poster for the upcoming World War II film, directed by Spike Lee and entitled “Miracle at St Anna,” has been released.
“Miracle at St. Anna” chronicles the story of four black American soldiers who are members of the US Army as part of the all-black 92nd “Buffalo Soldier” Division stationed in Tuscany, Italy during World War II.
They experience the tragedy and triumph of the war as they find themselves trapped behind enemy lines and separated from their unit after one of them risks his life to save an Italian boy.
Screenplay is written by James McBride, the author of the acclaimed novel of the same name, the film explores a deeply inspiring, powerful story drawn from true history, that transcends national boundaries, race, and class to touch the goodness within us all.
The cast is comprised of several Italian-speaking, German-speaking and English-speaking actors. In the lead are Laz Alonso, Omar Benson Miller, Michael Ealy and Derek Luke.
The film hits theaters on September 26th.
Watch the trailer after jump Continue Reading…
Clint Eastwood Tells Spike Lee to “Shut His Face”
Clint Eastwood has advised rival film director Spike Lee to “shut his face” after the African-American complained about the racial make-up of Eastwood’s films.
In an interview with the Guardian published today, Eastwood rejected Lee’s complaint that he had failed to include a single African-American soldier in his films Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima, both about the 1945 battle for the Japanese island.
In typically outspoken language, Eastwood justified his choice of actors, saying that those black troops who did take part in the battle as part of a munitions company didn’t raise the flag. The battle is known by the image of US marines raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi.
“The story is Flags of Our Fathers, the famous flag-raising picture, and they didn’t do that. If I go ahead and put an African-American actor in there, people’d go: ‘This guy’s lost his mind.’ I mean, it’s not accurate.” Referring to Lee, he added: “A guy like him should shut his face.”
Read Spike Lee’s Clint Eastwood criticism from Cannes just last month
Spike Blasts Eastwood For Forgetting Black Soldiers in ‘Flags of Our Fathers’ and ‘Letters From Iwo Jima’ Flicks
Spike Lee is slamming Clint Eastwood over his two recent Iwo Jima movies, saying the filmmaker overlooked the role of black soldiers during World War II.
Lee – whose next film is this fall’s “Miracle at St. Anna,” the story of an all-black U.S. division fighting in Italy during the war – said Eastwood’s 2006 movies “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters From Iwo Jima” were whites-only affairs.
“He did two films about Iwo Jima back to back and there was not one black soldier in both of those films,” Lee said Tuesday at the Cannes Film Festival, where he was a judge in an online short-film competition.
Lee said too:
“Many veterans, African-Americans, who survived that war are upset at Clint Eastwood. In his vision of Iwo Jima, Negro soldiers did not exist. Simple as that. I have a different version,”
Eastwood was in Cannes for his missing-child drama “Changeling,” starring Angelina Jolie. At a news conference for the film, a reporter tried to ask for his reaction to Lee’s criticism, but the moderator cut her off and told journalists to limit questions to Eastwood’s own movie.
Due in U.S. theaters in October, “Miracle at St. Anna” centers on four Americans – played by Derek Luke, Michael Ealy, Laz Alonso and Omar Benson Miller - in the Buffalo Soldiers division in Tuscany.
Cannes, France, May 2008.
Naomi Campbell Drops Out Of Spike Lee Movie
Spike Lee is currently in the process of tackling the prestige project that every director has to reach at some point: the Very Important World War II Movie. In The Miracle at St. Anna he’s telling the story of black American soldiers who fought to protect a village in Italy; like many contributions made by African-Americans, the story has been overlooked and forgotten over the years.
It sounds like a good and worthwhile project, something Lee could really be proud of. Which is why it is totally baffling that Naomi Campbell has dropped out of the cast, to be replaced by Kerry Washington. Blackfilm.com reported the story, saying that Campbell dropped out because of scheduling conflicts. It’s not baffling that she dropped out, of course, but that she was on the set, or even considered for a part, in the first place.
Seriously, in what universe does Naomi Campbell, known for beating up her assistants and pretty much anyone else in her path, get cast in a serious World War II drama? Next you’re going to tell me Jamie Lynn Spears will be starring in a biopic of Janis Joplin, or Perez Hilton is set to play Abraham Lincoln. Spike Lee makes provocative filmmaking choices, sure, but Naomi Campbell??
Luckily we no longer have to contemplate this, since Campbell has been replaced by the respectable and talented Kerry Washington, and all is well in the world. Hopefully this switcheroo means Spike has come to his senses and will stop casting fake actors, or that somebody took pity on him and ousted Campbell on his behalf. I’m sure someone’s assistant will get beaten up with a Blackberry as a result, but really, it’s for the good of all of us.
