'Night Catches Us'
and the Dilemma of High Art
Has pop culture made true fine arts offerings unpalatable for mass consumption?
By: Mychal Denzel Smith | TheLoop21 (Add to your loop)
Wed, 12/08/2010 - 22:00
'Night Catches Us' Stars Anthony Mackie and Kerry WashingtonI don’t live in one of the major U.S. cities, so my access to indie films is severely limited. I’m never included in those “limited cities” that are privileged enough to get the initial release, due to their large populations and reputations as taste-makers. So when I found out that I could rent the newly released 'Night Catches Us' on iTunes, and bypass the long wait that typically accompanies the release of small independent films to the market-at-large, I was excited.
Based on the trailers and cast/crew interviews, I believed 'Night Catches Us' was going to be exactly the type of movie I enjoy but rarely get the chance to see. My suspicions were confirmed. Writer/director Tanya Hamilton’s debut film is a tense, emotional drama that asks the audience to see behind the still photographs, the leather jackets, the guns, and fiery revolutionary rhetoric of the Black Panther Party and consider the effect the fight for freedom had on the lives of the flesh-and-blood human beings who participated and were left in the wake of the dismantled organization. The film offers a rare opportunity to humanize the oft-romanticized Black Panthers and give audiences a glimpse into the world these brave activists had to face after going to war with federal infiltration, informants, and murder that made it difficult to trust one another. Out of that world, Hamilton has crafted an auspicious debut film that features top-notch performances from Kerry Washington and the scary-good Anthony Mackie.
On the rare occasion that a film of this quality featuring an all-Black cast (and written/directed by a Black woman, no less) is produced and makes it to theatres, there’s a clarion call from the trumpets of the Black intelligentsia for Black people, en masse, to go out and support with our dollars. I understand the sentiment, and have stood behind this sort of consumer activism in the past. But I’m wondering now, is that really what we want? Is the popularization of “high art” a laudable idea?
In his essay “Mass Culture and the Creative Artist: Some Personal Notes”, James Baldwin says, concerning this very idea: “We cannot possibly expect, and should not desire, that the great bulk of the populace embark on a mental and spiritual voyage for which very few people are equipped and which even fewer have survived.” When considering recent films that have generated considerable buzz from Black-indie moviegoers, specifically 'Night Catches Us,' 'Medicine for Melancholy,' and the lesser-known 'Something is Killing Tate,' in the context of that Baldwin quote, I question whether the larger body politic is equipped to appreciate what these films have to offer. In advocating for these films (though this is also applicable to the worlds of literature and music, as well), we tend to overlook that the purpose of these films is force us to see a new viewpoint, shift us out of our comfort zone, address the demons we have left dormant, and imagine a world contrary to our own.
How many of us are actually prepared for that journey? It’s as though we’re asking someone fed a constant diet of McDonald’s to suddenly appreciate 'Top Chef'-style meals. An underdeveloped palate will likely reject and then despise this foreign substance.
But is that fair? True, it could prove a difficult process to convert those who fawn over the inept “mainstream” offerings into art connoisseurs, but is it fair to say that it can’t or shouldn’t be done? What is the fear? Moreover, should we not be questioning why this culture has chosen to mass produce brain-dead “art” for so long in the first place?
In the Martin Scorcese directed documentary 'Public Speaking,' writer Fran Lebowitz suggests that culture should not be a democracy, but a natural aristocracy wherein those who are allowed to create only do so because they are indeed the best. What we have, rather, is a culture that allows space for everyone, regardless of talent level, but is also subject to capitalism and market forces, and often promotes and exploits the lower aspects of the culture for great financial gain. If the culture as a whole is decidedly anti-intellectual, is it reasonable to expect individuals who know no more than that which they’ve been socialized into to form a greater appreciation of “high art”?
Maybe not. However, that neither means we should stop producing films in the vein of 'Night Catches Us' or that we should rule out the possibility that it can be appreciated in large numbers. For me, it simply means that, while everyone should be afforded their own taste, a deeper appreciation of artistic contributions to culture is something that can be cultivated and instilled over time. Careful critique of culture is necessary, but outright condemnation of popular figures/entertainment may not be a useful tactic in bridging the gap. High-minded idealism has to meet real world solutions. And, perhaps most importantly, our art must continue to challenge and inspire.
Mychal Denzel Smith is a writer currently based in Virginia Beach, VA. He is a regular contributor to TheLoop21.com and theGrio.com, as well as having blogged for Elon James White's ThisWeekinBlackness.com and contributing to Rebecca Walker's "One Big Happy Family" series on The Huffington Post. Follow him on Twitter @mychalsmith or email him at mychal@theloop21.com.
