In a recent AP interview, director/actor Clint Eastwood had more to say about his so-called feud with director Spike Lee. Lee, who you might remember, called Eastwood out over what he viewed as his glaring omission of the contributions of African American WWII soldiers in Flags of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima, both released in 2006. At the time of the original dispute, Eastwood reportedly responded to Spike's criticism by saying that he "should shut his face". Lee responded in kind with the statement, "We're not on a plantation, Clint", then went on to direct a surreal WWII epic of his own, 2008's Miracle at St. Anna, which although it contained fact mixed with fiction, coupled with a bit of it's own controversy, showcased his vision of the heroics of black soldiers.
An excerpt from the AP interview contains these statements from Clint:
AP: Did you feel that Spike Lee's criticism for not having any African-Americans in "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima" was to gain attention for his own World War II movie?
Eastwood: Probably. I like him. I don't know him well. He did that a little bit when "Bird" came out. He said, "Why is this white guy making this picture about Bird (Charlie Parker)?" The answer to that was because I was the only one who wanted to make it. Later he told me, "I didn't mean to say anything about that because I like your work."
AP: So, were you surprised when he criticized you again?
Eastwood: I just kind of thought, "What the hell?" Go ahead and promote your film and good luck with it, but don't try to make a racial thing out of it. ... Yes, there are stories of black military in Iwo Jima, but this was a story about the guys who raised the flag and they happened to be white.
Both guys seem to have valid points but, Hollywood being the beast that it is, who knows if they'll ever really squash it. All I know is that both men put out great product that I support. Eastwood's latest efforts are The Changeling, already in theaters, and the soon-to-be-released Gran Torino. Spike Lee's latest includes the sequel Inside Man 2 (2010) , and Passing Strange (2009) a musical based on the recent Broadway smash.
An excerpt from the AP interview contains these statements from Clint:
AP: Did you feel that Spike Lee's criticism for not having any African-Americans in "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Letters From Iwo Jima" was to gain attention for his own World War II movie?
Eastwood: Probably. I like him. I don't know him well. He did that a little bit when "Bird" came out. He said, "Why is this white guy making this picture about Bird (Charlie Parker)?" The answer to that was because I was the only one who wanted to make it. Later he told me, "I didn't mean to say anything about that because I like your work."
AP: So, were you surprised when he criticized you again?
Eastwood: I just kind of thought, "What the hell?" Go ahead and promote your film and good luck with it, but don't try to make a racial thing out of it. ... Yes, there are stories of black military in Iwo Jima, but this was a story about the guys who raised the flag and they happened to be white.
Both guys seem to have valid points but, Hollywood being the beast that it is, who knows if they'll ever really squash it. All I know is that both men put out great product that I support. Eastwood's latest efforts are The Changeling, already in theaters, and the soon-to-be-released Gran Torino. Spike Lee's latest includes the sequel Inside Man 2 (2010) , and Passing Strange (2009) a musical based on the recent Broadway smash.
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