I haven't seen Red Tails, the new movie produced by George Lucas about the Tuskegee Airmen. I've had too many things going on in my life at the moment to take the time to watch it, but I have been aware of the film. I can't say if the film is good or bad, but I must say I have some reservations about it based on the campaign surrounding the film. The campaign, from what I can see, hasn't been spearheaded by Lucas, but when he was promoting the film, Lucas did discuss how difficult it was to bring the film to the screen. His basic hurdle, according to him, was his insistence not to make the film like (and this is my illustration to make a point) The Help.

For too many years films like The Help, Glory and scores of others would tell the stories of minorities, but to be 'marketable' would have a lead white person or persons who would be in the movie to make sure it would sell. The cold fact is Hollywood is afraid to really sell a minority film. Examples can be pointed out of minority films that sell, like Tyler Perry films, but by Hollywood standards the money he makes is akin to art film money.

With the success of people like Lucas, Speilberg and others, a modest film with a modest return isn't what Hollywood is looking for. Red Tail, in time, will probably make back the estimated $90 million Lucas used to produce the film, but Hollywood types want a home run every time, at least that is the example you would think is on display.

Jennifer Aniston has made a number of films, gets press with the release of every one, and I can't recall a film of hers that has been a blockbuster, but she continues to get work. George Clooney seems to be a nice enough guy and makes some interesting choices in his films both in front of and behind the camera, but a majority of his films are small ones. He still gets press for his films and nominations. In looking at the films nominated for best picture, other than The Help I don't think any of them scream blockbuster, yet they got made and nominations.

The argument could be made that minority films don't make money, but other types of films aren't essentially blockbuster material yet they get prestige, recognition and work for the producers and the stars.

I'm still of the belief a movie has to stand or fall on it's own. While there is no doubt the gatekeepers block good minority films from being made, there are possibilities of getting a minority film out there. Unfortunately, something on the scale of Red Tails would be tough. Where my concern is, and this happened with The Help as well as Red Tails and a few other films in recent years, is the groundswell that anoints these types of films must see because of the minority cast. I have seen very few trailers for Red Tails and only because I'm a George Lucas fan did I get knowledge about the film many years ago. Just before the film came out, I was getting tweets, mostly retweets from black celebrities, that said I should see Red Tails to show Hollywood the importances of minorities. I don't see films to send a message to Hollywood, I see a movie if I'm interested in it. I'm not going to see a movie because it's my racial duty to do it. That was the impression I got from the tweets. Soon I saw articles on black websites urging blacks to go out and see the film, not because of the film's merits, but because it could help get other black films produced. I sat down to write this article because I ran across another to instances of people pumping up the film and insisting blacks should go to make a point to Hollywood. The film might really be good but the main thrust by some to promote the movie has been you must see it to show The Man we matter.