Tony Lawrence wrote:
I can go with that but I have bootlegs of his awful plays.  Why on earth do
we need to see the same stuff for I think, four plays.  I know, I know they make
money but at some point as an artist you have to strive for better stuff.
I have the same problems with many of Hollywoods sequels.  Someone has a
cool ideal and its repeated again and again untill everyone's sick of it. 
Many things are really a matter of taste and his work isn't for me.  You like it
so thats cool.

hm..is tyler perry an artist?

images by elahi wrote:
[
yepper I know O Butler and I agree...so why and how is he making so much money? Whyare Black folks going to see his films and plays?

You just answered your own question. Becuase "Black folks" are more prone to "support" black movies because they're black movies. If Ron Howard had directed it, it would draw a different crowd. It's all about marketing and who's trying to appeal to who and for what reason. Regardless of men dressing like women or blacks depicting endless stereotypes on screen, it's a money maker. PERIOD. You either like it, buy a ticket and enjoy it or you complain about it, causing more waves and providing more free publicity, making it an even bigger success than originally sought. Either way, it's not going to stop, so relax and realize that and put your energy into something more meaningful like saving the ozone layer or buying a hybrid car....Yada, yada..I love this country!!!

Ed Burns Photography wrote:
As for me, I hope to God I never have to sit through another movie where a man dresses up as a woman and NOBODY but the audience can see that it's obviously a man in drag.  For it's time, Mrs. Doubtfire was a funny movie.  But after seeing it on cable over, and over, and over again (my kids STILL like the movie, much to my dismay), one just has to sit there and go, "OH C'MON!!!!".  Then you've got Martin Lawrence doing his rendition with "Big Momma's House" and the smash hit follow-up, "Big Momma's House 2" (how long did that one last? One weekend??).  And don't even get me started on "White Chicks". 

It's time to for Hollywood to drop the whole "Tootsie" fantasy, in which men can transform themselves with just a little makeup, a wig and a stuffed bra.  Let's face it, even after at least 3 hours in a special effects artists chair, WE can see that it's a man.  Yet, they want us to believe that the lead character can get dressed up as a woman each day, and pull it off even with their closest friends and relatives.  Now, I know Tyler's character is supposed to actually be a woman in the "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" movie...but how you watch it and not keep saying to yourself, "but it's a dude?". 

Doesn't make sense to me, so I consider it a waste of good money to produce, watch, or even buy these films.  If you need a woman for the role, then put a woman in there.  Maybe it worked for Shakespeare, since women weren't allowed on stage, but if they want to do it today, then I think they should make the actors take female hormones before production.  Let's see how many want to take the role after THAT.

It's called a movie...not reality.  In the movie it's not a dude dressed like a woman, it's supposed to be woman.  Try not viewing from a 'real' point of view.

Pryclss wrote:

You just answered your own question. Becuase "Black folks" are more prone to "support" black movies because they're black movies. If Ron Howard had directed it, it would draw a different crowd. It's all about marketing and who's trying to appeal to who and for what reason. Regardless of men dressing like women or blacks depicting endless stereotypes on screen, it's a money maker. PERIOD. You either like it, buy a ticket and enjoy it or you complain about it, causing more waves and providing more free publicity, making it an even bigger success than originally sought. Either way, it's not going to stop, so relax and realize that and put your energy into something more meaningful like saving the ozone layer or buying a hybrid car....Yada, yada..I love this country!!!

yes but there are those who feel that it should stop........have you read Donald Bogle's book...?

-Katrina- wrote:
I havnt read the posts...but I have no interest in seeing the movies..."Diary..." or whatever the new one is. But for all my people out there that know the plays...

"I can do bad all by myself"
"Madea's Family Reunion"
"Madea's Class Reniun"
"Madea Goes 2 Jail"
"Diary of  Mad Black Woman"

and Im sure a forget like...2, but i dont understand why he would make the play, and then like...do a movie, like noone saw the damn play. It feels like a black-white thing, or like, mainstream-non-mainstreams thing. From what i hear, from people who kno about the play, the movies's arent a good representation, but i guess...

I dunno, the plays are great...movies...i have no idea

In addition to what Jakki said; The movies are somewhat different from the plays. Mr. Perry has the creative licence as the writer/ director to make the necessary changes to make the same story on stage an effective screenplay. The biggest thing is, he now gets to use superior talent. Could you really see Cicely Tyson travelling the country by bus to do a play 5 or more times in a week?!?!?! No, but you do get to see this magnificent actress in these two movies. Hell, I have tons of pics that are good, but if Halle Berry or Pamela Anderson become available the original would then be considered a test shot. It only makes sense. And money.

Tony Lawrence wrote:
Well I'm sure I won't make any friends with this comment but here goes...
I really don't like Mr. Perry's material.  His plays were awful.  They are loud
badly acted and full of stereotypes which by the way if anyone else showed
would be panned by Black folks.  Haven't we had enough of men in dresses unless
they look like Rupaul.  I think its sad that while this kinda material is embraced
in our community, playwrites like the late August Wilson are ignored.  Anybody
know Octavia Butler for example?  She was a fantastic writer of Science fiction.
Make one of her books into a play or film.  I dislike Mr. Perry because he recycles
the same tired jokes and problems.  I do admire him for his success and wish him
well.

If we want to talk about awful, loud & full of sterotypes, let's discuss hollywood's golden child, Mr. Quentin Tarantino. His movies should be banned by black people. They contain more racial slurs against blacks than most films based in the "hood". Yet he continues to get a "pass". Mr. Perry's plays/films aren't at all like that. In fact they all have great messages, family unity being the most common. I also think that most people know of August Wilson. They may not know the name, but they know the work. The Piano Lesson was the second off-Broadway play that I attended. It was great! It starred pre-Roc actors Charles S. Dutton, Rocky Carrol & the man that played their father. I can't remember his name. We can't dislike Mr. Perry because he's not Mr. Wilson the way we couldn't dislke Mr. Pryor because he wasn't Mr. Cosby!!! They have their own unique styles that help them reach the same & totally different sets of people. This is the beauty of ones own creativity.

Yze wrote:

If we want to talk about awful, loud & full of sterotypes, let's discuss hollywood's golden child, Mr. Quentin Tarantino. His movies should be banned by black people. They contain more racial slurs against blacks than most films based in the "hood". Yet he continues to get a "pass". Mr. Perry's plays/films aren't at all like that. In fact they all have great messages, family unity being the most common. I also think that most people know of August Wilson. They may not know the name, but they know the work. The Piano Lesson was the second off-Broadway play that I attended. It was great! It starred pre-Roc actors Charles S. Dutton, Rocky Carrol & the man that played their father. I can't remember his name. We can't dislike Mr. Perry because he's not Mr. Wilson the way we couldn't dislke Mr. Pryor because he wasn't Mr. Cosby!!! They have their own unique styles that help them reach the same & totally different sets of people. This is the beauty of ones own creativity.

I completely agree with you.

Lamar Scott wrote:
I think some of you need to get a grip. Some of you have alot of nerve saying that he needs to come out with something original when Hollywood is full of repeitition. I mean the man has only done 2 movies and those movies while similar to the plays, are alot different also. The man makes good movies that all families can sit down, laugh, and learn from. I think some of you need to watch some of his interviews. Tyler started off poor and has made himself a millionare. This man has struggled alot. I am very proud of Tyler and I wish him all the best.

I agree, Tyler is a great playwright and though I don't believe in any sort of segregation.  We still live in a society where it is prevelant but hidden, blacks should support artist like Tyler Perry.  If we do not then movies that give a negative stereotype about us will continued to be made and I don't know about you but I am tired of blacks in America being portrayed in a degrading way.  If we don't do anything about it, it is obvious that nothing will change.  You still have only one black friend/neighbor on TV, in movies that are not black produced, etc. Besides, Tyler Perry's success opens doors for other aspiring playwrights such as myself!

Lamar Scott wrote:
I think some of you need to get a grip. Some of you have alot of nerve saying that he needs to come out with something original when Hollywood is full of repeitition. I mean the man has only done 2 movies and those movies while similar to the plays, are alot different also. The man makes good movies that all families can sit down, laugh, and learn from. I think some of you need to watch some of his interviews. Tyler started off poor and has made himself a millionare. This man has struggled alot. I am very proud of Tyler and I wish him all the best.

he interviews well and is a very intelligent individual