I can remember reading Fences in my senior English class and being taken with the August Wilson play. It was a work that certainly made an impression, but given I'd been exposed to the mastery of Flannery O'Conner's "A Good Man is Hard to Find," earlier that semester I don't remember as much of it as I do that O'Connor short story. The original Broadway production that opened in 1987 earned the Tony award for Best Play as well as a Best Actor win for James Earl Jones, but it was the revival that opened in 2010 and gave Denzel Washington and Violas Davis wins for Best Actor and Best Actress that has given way to the first film adaptation of Wilson's sixth installment in his ten-part "Pittsburgh Cycle" series. With Washington also at the helm of the project and given his familiarity with the material after performing it night after night six years ago (not to mention what new shades of perspective coming back to such material even later in life might have provided) it would seem this might be the first time the iconic actor might also be praised for his filmmaking skills. Washington's previous directorial efforts, Antwone Fisher and The Great Debaters, were fine if not exceptional pieces of inspirational entertainment, but as Washington is taking such a coveted piece of American literature that explores the evolving African-American experience and examines race relations, among other themes, it would seem Washington certainly might have felt a need for this film version more than ever considering the state of race relations in the world right now. And thus, such aspirations and intentions might produce something truly great. August Wilson insisted that a film adaption of the play be directed by an African American and despite his death in 2005 I can't imagine Mr. Wilson could have imagined a better, more prominent fit for his material than Mr. Washington. Here's to hoping this turns out to be the Oscar contender most are predicting it will be as this first trailer looks rather fantastic. Fences also stars Davis reprising her role as Rose, as well as Mykelti Williamson, Russell Hornsby, Saniyya Sidney, Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, and opens on Christmas Day.
Synopsis: An African American father struggles with race relations in the United States while trying to raise his family in the 1950s and coming to terms with the events of his life.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment