Gabrielle Union: 'Stop Calling Films Starring Blacks Urban Movies' - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 12-10-2007, 12:13 PM

Gabrielle Union has hit out at the 'urban' tag given to her new Christmas film The Perfect Holiday, insisting movies shouldn't be classified that way just because they star black people.

Union wishes "The Perfect Holiday," which has a predominantly African-American cast and will be released next week, could be thought of without race coming into it - like Vince Vaughn's recent festive hit Fred Claus.

She says, "No one calls 'Fred Claus' the white Christmas movie. 'The Perfect Holiday' is a movie about the holidays. It's not race-specific. If there's more than one black person in the movie, it's an urban romantic comedy, an urban thriller - it's just a flipping movie. The way kids think, the demographic they pander and chase - they don't care.

"The same way guys are like, 'Halle Berry's hot, Jessica Alba's hot' - they don't say, 'She's a hot black girl' or 'a hot Latina'. They notice trends, they buy movies they like, they Google people they like. It's not race-specific... Give me a break. It's an old-fashioned notion of marketing, and how they like to label things."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

Dean Winchester · 12-10-2007, 03:57 PM

I have to agree with her for the most part. A lot of "urban" movies seem to be marketed as niche movies, but a lot of them are universal. Tyler Perry's movies come to mind, I loved Diary Of A Mad Black Woman and enjoyed Madea's Family Reunion, they were good movies. Just because they were written by, produced by and starring African-Americans didn't mean that they should only be enjoyed by so. They were good, heartwarming, funny yet triumphant movies and I feel bad for people who avoided them because they were marketed as "urban movies", when the triumph of good overcoming evil is a universal thing.

I don't get why the racial divide is so much stronger now in movies and television compared to 15-20 years ago. In the 70's, black and white audiences alike loved Good Times and The Jeffersons and in the 80's, Cosby wasn't only the biggest African-American show on television, it was the biggest show period. Yet now, predominantly African-American sitcoms are only on CW and geared to a smaller market, I don't understand that

TJL · 12-10-2007, 05:35 PM

I am never prejudice when I look at a movie.

To me, Fred Claus and Perfect Holiday are all in the same catagory.

Movies I have no interest in seeing.

Janice · 12-10-2007, 06:21 PM

Okay, I won't. Never heard the term urban movie. Never heard of Gabrielle Union either.

Dean Winchester · 12-10-2007, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

Okay, I won't. Never heard the term urban movie. Never heard of Gabrielle Union either.

she was a token "one episode love interest" on a Friends episode that Joey and Ross fought over (not to be confused with Aisha Tyler in the last season)

Brian Damage · 12-10-2007, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

Okay, I won't. Never heard the term urban movie. Never heard of Gabrielle Union either.

waichingliu81 · 12-11-2007, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

Okay, I won't. Never heard the term urban movie. Never heard of Gabrielle Union either.

she featured in 'bad boys 2', 'cradle 2 the grave' and 'all the right moves' with morris chestnut and jamie foxx

isiahthomas · 12-11-2007, 06:14 PM

The movie she did with Jamie Foxx and Morris Chestnut is called Breakin All The Rules. BrianDamage nice picture of Gabrielle. I love her. She is so cute. I'm gonna check out A Perfect Holiday this weekend. This is her 4th movie with Morris Chestnut. When i went to see This Christmas movie, i saw some white people in the audience and it was a black movie. White people can relate to some black films like This Christmas, A Perfect Holiday, Why Did I Get Married.

waichingliu81 · 12-11-2007, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

The movie she did with Jamie Foxx and Morris Chestnut is called Breakin All The Rules. BrianDamage nice picture of Gabrielle. I love her. She is so cute. I'm gonna check out A Perfect Holiday this weekend. This is her 4th movie with Morris Chestnut. When i went to see This Christmas movie, i saw some white people in the audience and it was a black movie. White people can relate to some black films like This Christmas, A Perfect Holiday, Why Did I Get Married.

oh sorry i'm isiah. i apologise for getting the title of that movie wrong

gidgetgrape · 12-11-2007, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Winchester

I don't get why the racial divide is so much stronger now in movies and television compared to 15-20 years ago. In the 70's, black and white audiences alike loved Good Times and The Jeffersons and in the 80's, Cosby wasn't only the biggest African-American show on television, it was the biggest show period. Yet now, predominantly African-American sitcoms are only on CW and geared to a smaller market, I don't understand that

I don't understand this either! I wonder if it was oversaturation.

Chelsea · 12-11-2007, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

Okay, I won't. Never heard the term urban movie. Never heard of Gabrielle Union either.

"Urban" is basically the word that marketing/executive types use instead of the word "Black". "Urban movie" = "Movie exclusively targeted towards African-Americans"

Janice · 12-11-2007, 09:33 PM

Gabrielle should take that up with the marketing people because I saw a preview for this movie last night. They were showing clips, and Queen Latifah said something about it being an urban movie.

friendsfan77 · 12-12-2007, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waichingliu81

she featured in 'bad boys 2', 'cradle 2 the grave' and 'all the right moves' with morris chestnut and jamie foxx

I think she was also on Jamie Foxx' sitcom. Didn't she play Fancy?

friendsfan77 · 12-12-2007, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean Winchester

I don't get why the racial divide is so much stronger now in movies and television compared to 15-20 years ago. In the 70's, black and white audiences alike loved Good Times and The Jeffersons and in the 80's, Cosby wasn't only the biggest African-American show on television, it was the biggest show period. Yet now, predominantly African-American sitcoms are only on CW and geared to a smaller market, I don't understand that

Progress is moving backwards instead of forwards, and that is just sad. There is no other way for me to describe it.

isiahthomas · 12-12-2007, 06:21 PM

The woman who played Fancy on Jamie Foxx Show, her name is Garcelle Beauvais.

12-10-2007, 12:13 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Gabrielle Union: 'Stop Calling Films Starring Blacks Urban Movies' Gabrielle Union has hit out at the 'urban' tag given to her new Christmas film The Perfect Holiday, insisting movies shouldn't be classified that way just because they star black people. Union wishes "The Perfect Holiday," which has a predominantly African-American cast and will be released next week, could be thought of without race coming into it - like Vince Vaughn's recent festive hit Fred Claus. She says, "No one calls 'Fred Claus' the white Christmas movie. 'The Perfect Holiday' is a movie about the holidays. It's not race-specific. If there's more than one black person in the movie, it's an urban romantic comedy, an urban thriller - it's just a flipping movie. The way kids think, the demographic they pander and chase - they don't care. "The same way guys are like, 'Halle Berry's hot, Jessica Alba's hot' - they don't say, 'She's a hot black girl' or 'a hot Latina'. They notice trends, they buy movies they like, they Google people they like. It's not race-specific... Give me a break. It's an old-fashioned notion of marketing, and how they like to label things." (This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)
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12-10-2007, 05:35 PM	#3
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	I am never prejudice when I look at a movie. To me, Fred Claus and Perfect Holiday are all in the same catagory. Movies I have no interest in seeing.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

12-10-2007, 03:57 PM	#2
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	I have to agree with her for the most part. A lot of "urban" movies seem to be marketed as niche movies, but a lot of them are universal. Tyler Perry's movies come to mind, I loved Diary Of A Mad Black Woman and enjoyed Madea's Family Reunion, they were good movies. Just because they were written by, produced by and starring African-Americans didn't mean that they should only be enjoyed by so. They were good, heartwarming, funny yet triumphant movies and I feel bad for people who avoided them because they were marketed as "urban movies", when the triumph of good overcoming evil is a universal thing. I don't get why the racial divide is so much stronger now in movies and television compared to 15-20 years ago. In the 70's, black and white audiences alike loved Good Times and The Jeffersons and in the 80's, Cosby wasn't only the biggest African-American show on television, it was the biggest show period. Yet now, predominantly African-American sitcoms are only on CW and geared to a smaller market, I don't understand that

12-10-2007, 06:21 PM	#4
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Okay, I won't. Never heard the term urban movie. Never heard of Gabrielle Union either.

12-11-2007, 06:14 PM	#8
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	The movie she did with Jamie Foxx and Morris Chestnut is called Breakin All The Rules. BrianDamage nice picture of Gabrielle. I love her. She is so cute. I'm gonna check out A Perfect Holiday this weekend. This is her 4th movie with Morris Chestnut. When i went to see This Christmas movie, i saw some white people in the audience and it was a black movie. White people can relate to some black films like This Christmas, A Perfect Holiday, Why Did I Get Married.

12-11-2007, 09:33 PM	#12
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Gabrielle should take that up with the marketing people because I saw a preview for this movie last night. They were showing clips, and Queen Latifah said something about it being an urban movie.

12-12-2007, 06:21 PM	#15
isiahthomas Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Aug 20, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 10,704	The woman who played Fancy on Jamie Foxx Show, her name is Garcelle Beauvais.