Django: Uncoded (Part 1: What Do The Characters Represent)

(Now before you read any further make sure you saw the film first, I spoil the entire movie for you if you didn't)

    So the controversial film Django Unchained starring Jamie Foxx has a lot of subliminal messages that a lot of folks ignored or simply didn't see.  So let's break down the plot shall we:  A bounty hunter from Germany named Dr. King Schultz (peep his name Dr. "King" but that's not a coincidence right?) played by Christopher  Waltz.  Dr. Schultz is currently looking for 3 men who worked in the slave trade.  Unfortunately he doesn't know what they look like,  So he tracks down & finds a slave named Django Freeman played by Jaime Foxx who knows what all 3 men actually look like.  Now in exchange for Django's help, Django asks Schultz how not only to hunt bounties but to also help find his missing wife Broomhilda Von Shaft played by Kerry Washington.  (BTW the original Django is an Italian western starring Franco Nero, who appears in this movie as Italian Mandigo fight owner)


     Now the funny thing is that director Quentin Tarantino is really trying to tell you about how messed up Hollywood really is.  As any black actor or actress knows Hollywood works like a slave plantation.  So how big studios control African-American imagery is very critical to how this movie is sold & packaged.  It's sold as a bad-ass negro takes revenge story but it's far from what's really going on.  So first let's break down what each of the characters truly represents in Hollywood.

Django Freeman - Just Trying To Make A Movie

Django Freeman represents the black actor/director in Hollywood.  Do you notice how much Django looks like a young Melvin Van Peebles from Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song?  Remember that film was released in 1971 & it's considered one of the first movies from the "blaxplotation" era.  Django represents the director that just wants to make films & enjoy the craft.  However he will always get stuck in doing only hood movies or doing   small silly movies like Soul Plane.  They would never get the responsibility of a major studio production.  If they do they aren't really known (I will get back into this later on).  As a black actor our presence is very dominating on film.  We can steal a scene real quick, so the image is usually controlled.  Either they play one of six character types aka "The Nigga 6"

The Brute - Strong slave, not really smart & extremely violent. Also known as "The Thug"

The Mandingo - Sexually aggressive & attractive. His value is based on his attractiveness.

The Coon - The buck-dancing, fool looking to make white folks smile at any moment.  Most comedy roles reflect this.

The Pimp - Abusive & controlling, also represents the womanizers as well.  Always illustrating the black man's lack to commit to a relationship

The "Magical Negro" - This is the guy that actually doesn't exist but helps a white character feel good about themselves i.e. Morgan Freeman as God in Bruce Almighty.  The premise of God being a black man is so far-fetched for some white folks that it's somewhat believable.

The "Uncle Tom" - The "Uncle Tom" hates most things about his race.  He tries to identify with the dominant race to the point that he lies to himself.  The "I'm not really all black" statements or thinks when some whites are being racist, they have some valid point in doing so.

Django like anyone else is very brash & wants to get things done immediately.  He doesn't understand totally the politics of Hollywood & wonders why he can't get what he wants.  His white companion has to take him under his wing & show him how things work in his world.

Dr. King Schultz - My Euro Producer

Dr. King Schultz represents the white producer that "takes a chance" & hires a black director.  This person doesn't see color, sex, or religion.  He's from a privileged society who sees things as right & wrong, but who challenge the system until he's forced to.  What's funny is that his character is German, after WWII a lot of black men stayed in Europe & had better lives there than in the U.S. A lot of black directors got funding for films from European investors.  So you can say that Dr. Schultz is that benevolent white male who because of his upbringing isn't racist & somewhat respects his black companion.  He's does however understand the "white supremacy" power structure of Hollywood.  Dr. Schultz is the only reason why white folks even entertain Django in the first place. He knows that white folks won't trust him unless he treats his black workers as pieces of properties.  Notice that he was apprehensive to say the word "nigger".  Dr. Schultz character knows he has to play the game of Hollywood in order to be successful.  He wants to create the least amount of waves but his black companion won't make it that easy.

Calvin J. Candie - The Studio Exec

Calvin J. Candie represents the Hollywood studio exec.  He's rich, popular, & powerful.  Loves making films & will make anything if the pitch is right.  When he meets Dr. Schultz he's interested his making his film, but pauses when he finds out that the director is black & wants full control. A lot of Hollywood studios pause on all black films.  They usually under-market or just totally change the film altogether.  The studio head also is very old school.  Hollywood is very white, boys only league so they have old sexist & racist ways that reflect their pride in being a white male (aka The White Supremacy Mindset).  So they are quick to create movies like The Help or Roots cause it perpetuates the myth of black inferiority. A movie like Marvel's Black Pantherwould never get made by his studio cause it would be the antithesis to his mindset.  So in order for him to make a black film, you would have to disguise it as something else.  Let's say Fast Five (Please note: There 6 African decent actors in roles.  They are Don Omar, Tego Calderon, Tyrese, Ludacris, Vin Diesel, & Dwayne Johnson.  All are brothers or got some brother in em.)   So how do you fool the studio head, make the cast not black but mixed.  Tah dah!!!  The studio head will also demand one of the black male characters act like one of the "Nigga 6".  Unfortunately he's not the worse, cause he won't change.  Take a look below.

Stephen aka The Right Hand Man

Stephen is the "Right Hand" of the Studio.  However he's the black actor/director that is actually good with the studio.  He's the guy they have cosign movies like Precious, Soul Plane, & The Help.  He's paid handsomely to do it, & if need be sabotage a project as well.  If a black movie may need to be derailed or delayed, the studio will use a "Stephen" to enforce it.   You can see this dynamic with folks like Larry Elder.  He will even try to rip the positive stuff, just cause it offends his white paymasters.  They get Larry to do it, so they don't seem racist.  Stephen is a very intricate tool used by the white power structure in Hollywood, they have all the money but someone still signs their check.

Sheba (The Negro Bed Wench)

Broomhilde Von Shaft - Helpless Audience

Oh you thought I forgot about the women of course not.  There are 2 women who characters are the complete opposite.  Sheba the Negro Bed Wench & Broomhilde our helpless, kidnapped wife of the hero Django.  How do these 2 types exist in Hollywood?  Well there are a few "Sheba's" in Hollywood.  They are right up under studio executives.  Usually using their sex to make their life comfortable.  They like Stephen will cut eyes at any black man threatening their position & lifestyle.  They will fulfill all the nasty black fantasies that "Calvin Candie" has. In reward they will star in a major blockbuster or maybe get a role like Monster's Ball.

The second is Broomhilde or Hilde, the cute slave who's somewhat helpless.  Through the entire movie she takes no active role in her own escape.  So she's just a "helpless" victim,  I believe she represents the audience of black folks. In the aspect that we are held hostage.  Therefore we just take what is given by Hollywood without saying a word..  So it's up to directors to change what the black masses sees.  Cause a lot of black folks believe what they see.  

   So this is just my synopsis on the psychology behind what the characters represent.  I'm not saying Django is a bad film.  I just understand what subconsciously Quentin Tarantino is actually saying.  I used my 3rd eye to watch the flick.  In part 2 I will put you onto how the story plays out as the fight for black film to be viable in Hollywood.