The normal order of things is, black guys invent something and white hipsters steal it, but Spike Lee is turning that paradigm on its head by ripping a page from the Veronica Mars/Zach Braff playbook and trying to fund his next film on Kickstarter. He doesn’t give us the title, but he’s asking for $1.25 million for a movie he says is about “human beings who are addicted to blood.” Though he clarifies that it’s “not Blacula,” i.e., not a blaxploitation film about vampires. Bummer. Maybe the soundtrack will include The Shins?
Another interesting thing to come out of this is that I’d previously assumed Spike Lee uses Title Capitalization in all his tweets out of some strange unfamiliarity with his phone (see also: the time he accidentally aimed mob justice at a middle-aged couple). But no, turns out Spike Lee just really likes creative CapItaLiZaTioN.
With the current climate in The Hollywood Studio System it’s not an encouraging look for Independent Filmmakers. I’m not hating, just stating the facts. Super Heroes, Comic Books, 3D Special EFX, Blowing up the Planet Nine Times and Fly through the Air while Transforming is not my Thang. To me it’s not just that these Films are being made but it seems like these are the only films getting made. To The Studios it seems like every Film must be a Home run on a Global scale, a Tent Pole Enterprise, able to spin off Sequel after Sequel after Sequel after Sequel after Sequel after Sequel.
I have a different vision of what Cinema can be, a different vision of what some under-served Audiences might want to see. That is why I am here on KICKSTARTER, to raise the Funds for The New Spike Lee Joint, to get this BAD BOY financed. Nothing in Life is Free and if you want something you got to pay for it. If you have liked any of my Films in the past, this is the price it costs to see another one (which can be less than the cost of one Movie Ticket). We feel the different levels on contributions make it affordable for everyone to GET DOWN FOR THE CAUSE.
Do you wish to see Human Beings dealing with each other on a Human Level? How many more explosions with Ear splitting Sound Effects can you take? C’mon People, please get behind this Joint. [Kickstarter]
How does he type like that? Isn’t that exhausting? Why capitalize “Home” but not “run?” Oh, Spike, you beautiful mystery, you.
Anyway, I find myself agreeing with almost everything he’s saying – I’ll write more on this subject later – but once again, it’s hard to appreciate it through the fog of what an obnoxious person he seems like. Who else besides Spike Lee could give you two vague sentences and no title about the actual movie he wants you to help him make, but then list off every movie he’s ever made (even the crappy ones) like IMDB? What a Jackass.