From The Daily Beast:
Consider the possibilities. Little kids can play Calvin J. Candie and make Django and Stephen “Mandingo fight” or act like they’re selling Broomhilda or strip her naked and throw her in just call them “nigger” all day long. Sic the dogs on that lazy slave’s ass or whip ‘em into line. The possibilities are endless!
This is not bad taste. It’s not even poor taste. It’s exploitative junk. You’ve heard of war profiteers? This is slave profiteering. Quentin Tarantino might not sell Black human beings into bondage, but for $54.99, he’ll sell you a toy of one.
Academy Award-winner Quentin Tarantino is laughing all the way to the bank this week. The controversial film auteur and his longtime studio chief-partner Harvey Weinstein took a gamble on transforming the atrocities of American slavery into comedic, action-packed entertainment. And the new movie, Django Unchained, which opened Christmas day, bested the glitzy Les Miserables at the box office with numbers indicating that the flick could do as well as, or maybe even better than Tarantino’s top-grossers Inglourious Basterds ($120 million) and Pulp Fiction ($107 million).
And to build on the Django momentum, there’s an entire product line to compliment the Jamie Foxx-fronted spaghetti western/slave revolt/action drama/fantasy tale.
Last fall, the National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Inc. (NECA), in tandem with the Weinstein Company, announced a full line of consumer products based on characters from the movie. First up are pose-able eight-inch action figures with tailored clothing, weaponry, and accessories in the likeness of characters played by Foxx, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio, James Remar and Christoph Waltz. The dolls are currently on sale via Amazon.com.
Consider the possibilities. Little kids can play Calvin J. Candie and make Django and Stephen “Mandingo fight” or act like they’re selling Broomhilda or strip her naked and throw her in just call them “nigger” all day long. Sic the dogs on that lazy slave’s ass or whip ‘em into line. The possibilities are endless!
This is not bad taste. It’s not even poor taste. It’s exploitative junk. You’ve heard of war profiteers? This is slave profiteering. Quentin Tarantino might not sell Black human beings into bondage, but for $54.99, he’ll sell you a toy of one.