SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT
I just watch She's Gotta Have it for the first time the other day. i had read about this film in a few production design books before. Often the main character nola darlings apartment is discussed in relation to her sexual identity and personal empowerment.
I was always intrigued by the theories that her bed becomes an alter when she engages her many suiters in sexual play. it is very alter like in design and spacally her apartment becomes the whole of her world. Isolated yet very open, like her.
when i saw the film first thing i thought like many of the characters in the film was, when can i move in?
this was view not only into the personal life of one very free spirited young woman but a look at my new neighborhood before gentrification started to creep in. Like many of spike's new york films there are copious shots of Brooklyn, Bedstuy area in all its neighborhood glory.
Photographically this film is so beautiful. Every black and white shot could almost be a still photo, in fact spike inercuts series of still photos of Brooklyn life that read almost as strong as the narrative.
the actress whom plays Nola is not a very strong actor but she is very pretty and has a certain charm in the role. only a woman so "fine" and seemingly unfettered by training could be a Nola. Your most aware of her weakness as an actress when in scenes with stronger more natural actors like Joie Lee, Spikes sister who in any Spike film she shows up in comes off with a creative tenacity with sensitivity that just makes me wish we could be friend. I really like her in every role he puts her in...there is something cute and fragile about joie but with a strong constitution.
one of the many provocative moments of the film that really struck me was the sex scene with Spike memorable character Mar Blackmon and Nola.
Mars Blackmon: [begging Nola to invite him over] Please baby, pleasebaby, please baby, baby baby please!
The scene starts with shot of a womans breast and ribs arched with hard lighting that makes it almost seem like a great still photo. In a slow motion mars in profile descends onto her exposed nipple and passionately kisses and sucks on it. seeing a filmmaker expose not only their actress but also themselves in this intimate moment was shocking.
Then i thought about what it would have been like if this were one of my peers. a fellow student from film school creating such a beautifully provocative scene and then sharing it in say a class critique. how would that have been taken at my school...in that scad environment?
if any of my nudie projects and the reaction they got were any example then with awkwardness and quick and slight review.
The film was shot in twelve days on a budget of $175,000 and grossed $7,137,502 at the U.S. box office. It was Spike Lee first feature film.
Seeing this film i also started to wonder what has happened tot eh great new york filmmakers , making films in new york. though there are many great filmmakers based out of new york, wes anderson, sophia coppoloa, mira nair, the coen brothers, etc. it just doesnt have that some new york love affiar that filmmakers like woody allen, spike and Scorsese give to the cinematic city.
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