Spike Lee's latest joint drops on Netflix June 12, 2020. This highly anticipated war drama from one of America's most renowned black directors focuses on a group of black soldiers who return to Southeast Asia decades after serving in the Vietnam War. Coming in at over two-and-a-half hours, Da 5 Bloods is guaranteed to be an epic cinematic experience.
Da 5 Bloods is Spike Lee's 25th feature film. It stars the likes of Black Panther's Chadwick Boseman, Delroy Lindo, and Clark Peters. In interviews, Lee hints at the film's political overtones, as well as its critique of the Vietnam War. Here are 10 details to know about Da 5 Bloods before it hits Netflix.
10 It's Spike Lee's First Netflix Movie
Believe it or not, Da 5 Bloods is Spike Lee's first feature film for Netflix. Lee previously worked with Netflix on adapting his directorial debut She’s Gotta Have It into an episodic series.
Lee's career spans decades, including iconic titles like Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, and Crooklyn. Lee won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for his last film, 2018's BlacKkKlansman.
9 Lee Co-Wrote The Script With Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo, and Kevin Willmott
Frequent collaborators Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo originally wrote a screenplay — The Last Tour — about a group of white men who fought in the Vietnam War. Oliver Stone was attached to the project, but when he dropped out, Spike Lee became involved.
Lee worked with his BlacKkKlansman co-writer Kevin Willmott to transform Bilson and De Meo's script into a story about black soldiers, feeling that the black experience during the Vietnam War deserves more cinematic attention.
8 It Focuses On Four Aging Vietnam Vets
Da 5 Bloods focuses on four Vietnam War veterans who have remained in contact with each other over the decades. They are played by Delroy Lindo, Norm Lewis, Clarke Peters, and Isiah Whitlock Jr.. Jonathan Majors plays Lindo's son.
Lee's movie explores the enduring bond between the men, as well as the forces — both personal and political — set to rip their friendships apart.
7 Chadwick Boseman Plays A Squad Leader During The War
Chadwick Boseman plays Norman, the former squad leader of the soldiers during the Vietnam War. Boseman went through a dramatic physical transformation for Da 5 Bloods.
Boseman lost a noticeable amount of weight for his role. In addition to his work as Black Panther in the MCU, Boseman is known for playing historical figures like Jackie Robinson in 42, Thurgood Marshall in Marshall, and James Brown in Get on Up.
6 The Vets Return To Vietnam To Find The Squad Leader's Remains
Chadwick Boseman's character Norman dies during the Vietnam War, and his remains are never brought back to America. The four former members of his platoon decide to return to Vietnam in order to find Norman's skeleton and give him the memorial he deserves.
In addition to the four veterans, Jonathan Majors' character David joins the gang to support his father, Delroy Lindo's Paul.
5 They Are Also In Search Of Buried Treasure
In addition to finding Norman's remains, the gang also goes in search of treasure they buried during the Vietnam War. The exact nature of the treasure remains to be seen, but this quest adds an element of adventure to a movie dealing with some heavy subject matter.
Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo conceived of the treasure hunt narrative in their original script, but Lee takes it to the next level in Da 5 Bloods.
4 The Movie Was Shot On Location In Vietnam And Thailand
Filming for Da 5 Bloods started in March 2019. Lee shot the film on location throughout Vietnam and Thailand. These settings create more tension and potent emotional undercurrents in a film exploring the traumas of war.
Choosing to film a Vietnam War movie in Vietnam also infuses the movie with a sense of realism. Stanley Kubrick famously shot his Vietnam drama, Full Metal Jacket, in England and America — but Spike Lee chose a different path.
3 Lee Cites The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre As An Inspiration
One of the first Hollywood films shot on location outside a studio, 1948's The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is a monumental feature about a group of desperate men who seek gold in 1920s Mexico. John Huston directed the film, which stars Humphrey Bogart.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre inspired numerous filmmakers, Spike Lee included. Da 5 Bloods includes many obvious homages to Huston's masterpiece.
2 Lee Highlights The Horror Of War In The Movie
The narrative in Da 5 Bloods jumps back and forth through time, showcasing each soldier's wartime and contemporaneous experiences. With this storytelling style, Spike Lee is able to connect his characters' current circumstances to their pasts.
Da 5 Bloods co-writer Kevin Willmott told the Los Angeles Times, along with Lee, he felt compelled to tell a Vietnam story from the perspective of black soldiers because "what made Vietnam so different was that there’s an actual black revolution going on back home and people are dying in that revolution while you’re in the jungles fighting another struggle.”
1 There's No Doubt Da 5 Bloods Is A Certified Spike Lee Joint
Spike Lee is set to bring his signature cross-genre approach to Da 5 Bloods, infusing it with comedy, action, and drama. A character-driven film, Da 5 Bloods is also rife with social commentary.
No one describes the Spike Lee effect better than Lee himself. "It’s a gumbo. Those are the films I like," Lee told the Los Angeles Times.
from ScreenRant - Feed https://ift.tt/2XK1943
No comments: