Earlier this year the critically acclaimed ‘Birth of a Nation,’ directed by and starring Nate Parker, was easily 2016’s most highly anticipated film.
However, this – the weekend of the film’s premiere – sees a whirlwind of bad press around him stemming from 17-year old rape allegations in conjunction with an actual whirlwind (see: Hurricane Matthew) keep moviegoers home from supporting the historical drama that tells the story of slave Nat Turner and his heroic revolt against the oppressive system.
Parker may have left the legal courts unscathed from the drama in his personal life, but it appears professionally he’s been guilty in the court of public opinion:
Estimated opening weekend gross: $10 million
After earning a purchase tag from Fox Searchlight to the tune of a whopping $17.5 million, the film is projected to open to “soft” $10 million Stateside. Obviously the damage and threat of Hurricane Matthew is to blame for some potential moviegoers’ absence from theaters, but many industry insiders are blaming Parker’s poor promotion of the project.
In the days leading up to his film’s opening, Parker did interviews on 60 Minutes and Good Morning America. In neither appearance was he willing or able to convey a clear and effective message of regret for long-ago mistakes or concern for his accuser, who committed suicide in 2012.
Parker declared, “I was falsely accused, I was proven innocent and I’m not going to apologize for that.” Unsurprisingly, that refusal to apologize — which to Parker is said to be a matter of staying true to himself — has been the focus of subsequent media reports during the key weeklong corridor leading up to today’s release of the film in 2,100 theaters.
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Hopefully Parker and the film, which tells an extremely important and oft-under rug swept story from American history, can rebound from the negative attention.
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Well the movie is released and once the DVD release comes out everybody will be able to see it for themselves without paying but getting the important information which is the story!
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Nate Parker….. I still don’t know about you. Something seems fishy.
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P.s I still want to see the movie though.
Not another s**** movie
I LIIIIIIIVE for a good s**** movie.
I could watch ’em all day. It’s crazy to think our ancestors were once fighting for freedom from the white people, and now they be twerking and sh&t.
Nonetheless, I love a good s**** movie.
exactly! Its the 10th one this year.
@Maurice
Why can’t we twerk? Shaking the glukes derives from the motherland. Baby that passed to us through the spirit! They fought for freedom. Freedom to be who you feel you are… something you should never be ashamed.
The real reason is that people are sick of slavery movies. We have been beat over the head with it. Enough! We know the history. Its time to move forward.
I doubt you know who Nat Turner was. This movie is the antithesis of what you’re assuming. Lock the door behind you when you leave.
Right. The last couple of years I was a little bored with the s**** movies. I still haven’t seen Django.. But I do know the Nat Turner story and I’m sure most people don’t know who he was. Hollywood needs to lay the generic s**** stories to rest and the default MLK and Rosa Park stories for a moment and TEACH. Nat Turner is a start. Fred Hampton and the Black Panther Party would be cool. Give us something new. I’m gonna watch this movie though…. I wonder how graphic it is… ☹️
Who doesn’t know about Nat Turner? This is old news, folks. Read a book for once.
You clearly don’t know the history if you think this is another s**** movie!
Nate should not have to apologize for being found not guilty and it is a damn shame that such an important story is being overshadowed by something that was settled nineteen years ago. At the same time, I think it was a huge mistake for Nate to be the face of the film’s promotional roll out. He should have taken a backseat and let some of his other costars promote the film so that the story could be appreciated for what it is.
I saw it. This is not your average s**** movie. This is the Nat Turner story. If you don’t know who he is, go see the movie and then read the books.
He wasnt sorry so neither was the general public “sorry,they ain’t sorry” I’ll be watching the movie though. In it as we speak :). People do dumb stuff and grow. He Def should’ve been more sensitive to the situation. Shame cause he could’ve gotten a best actor nod smh
Death at people trying to blame the media for “sabotaging” him, Bill Cosby defender teas
The reason the r*** case was brought up was because the film has a historically inaccurate r*** scene that is used as a main plot point in the film.
Also people need to learn that acquitted =\= innocent. There were quite a few witnesses and the victim ended up killing herself over the gang r***, and he shows no remorse for what he did. This along with the made up r*** scene is why he’s getting dragged.
Move it allong DYKÈsie
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don’t want to have to drag you
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Parker fox and mandaly.stold the project from me.I have the accurate screenplay .copyright 1983.that we pitched.contact me for proof.parker is a fraud.hollywood was pushing an agenda.
Mxm I’m not an American but what I can say is that Hollywood never liked Black young and up coming who are showing great Potential I failed to understand if something happened years ago and resolved in Court with No Guilty to Nate why must they Bring that up now just Soiled the Hard work so that he doesn’t get recognized at the Academy,this is just a conspiracy act, Polinski did something back in the days but he is still directing and is getting support from other directors. As for movie slaves those are good stories that needsz to be told we all know that black people don’t get awards attention if they play just good movies without slavery or struggling even drug addict artist who wants to make a come back, let this stories be told so that we can know our history and how are forefathers were shipped to america #blacksyouonyourown
Nice movie kids today in the world should learn this in school cause it’s a good thing to do
History of Black people you should know where you come from