DJANGO UNCHAINED

[michaelintp]

Good, smart commentary, Michael. 

I can see your pessimistic take on their future, but remember, we've seen Django escape from impossible situations several times in the film.  When seen his ability to out think and out shoot most opponents.  We know Broomhilda is a worthy partner with great capacities herself.  I presume they will beat the odds, however long...which is a worthy subject for a film of its own.

Is that a hint?!!  I hope so!   

[Maxine Shaw]

I LOOOOOVED at the very end, where we see Hilde pull out a shotgun of her own! Apparently, this viewer didn't. Reminds me of a viewer who complained that Hilde wasn't "heroic" enough. I guess running for your life (twice!) isn't heroic enough - you're supposed to be able to grab a gun and fire at will, even if you've never held one before in your life.

My take? Django and Hilde make it up north, maybe all the way up to Canada, and start a family. Years later, Django surprises his wife by joining the Union Army, feeling strongly for the freedom of all men (not just men with German sponsors). Hilde holds down the fort at home, teaching the local women how to shoot and other forms of self-defense, as well as raising their son, King S. Freeman. Since it is strongly suggested that Hilde is literate - or she certainly would've been once Django taught her to read (as Schultz taught him), I think she would become a schoolteacher as well. Yes, I've thought about this waaaay too hard.

So what would have happened?  Word would quickly spread that there had been a major slave revolt in Candieland, the fourth largest plantation in Mississippi.

Doubtful. First off, the now free slaves wouldn't have exactly run around telling everybody that Candieland was no more. Second, I believe Candieland was what...75 miles all around or something like that? There was nobody nearby, and nobody was going to be nearby for quite a while. Third, nobody was going to let that kind of thing become common knowledge, black or white. My Texas "history" textbook goes out of its way to minimize slavery in this state, even going as far as to say that there were no slave rebellions or uprisings in north Texas. However, a trip to the Old Red Courthouse museum prominently features a display about a slave uprising is what is modern day Dallas County. But since that suggests that slaves 1) had a reason to revolt and 2) had the mental capacity to do so, the textbooks keep mum about it. The same would've happened back then, I'm sure.

[Reginald Hudlin]

Glad you caught her pulling the rifle at the end...key shot...Hildy has the last word. 

The scenario you outlined is plausable, one we have dicussed among others. 

And while shooting down in Louisiana, I talked to a lot local historians, who emphasized how slave revolts and smaller acts of rebellion were constantly hushed up so other slaves wouldn't feel inspired. 

[stanleyballard]

Saw the movie....powerful performances from Samuel Jackson & Leonardo DiCaprio too.  Haunting subject matter and some realistic scenes.

[michaelintp]

Very interesting point about the coverup possibility. Of course those doing the covering up would have found out what happened, but even then what you are suggesting is that the authorities would have to tread carefully. Maybe. I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel to find out. Django's Rebellion.

[Kristopher]

Good, smart commentary, Michael. 

I can see your pessimistic take on their future, but remember, we've seen Django escape from impossible situations several times in the film.  When seen his ability to out think and out shoot most opponents.  We know Broomhilda is a worthy partner with great capacities herself.  I presume they will beat the odds, however long...which is a worthy subject for a film of its own.

Is that a hint?!!  I hope so!   

Michael, I think they just MIGHT survive:
http://www.eonline.com/news/330255/quentin-tarantino-talks-django-unchained-character-named-shaft-no-accident

[michaelintp]

Michael, I think they just MIGHT survive:
http://www.eonline.com/news/330255/quentin-tarantino-talks-django-unchained-character-named-shaft-no-accident

Hahaha. This is beyond great!  Broomhilda von SHAFT!  So Hilde survives to be the great great grandmother of Shaft. But is Django killed? Or is the name "Shaft" preserved on official birth records because her marriage (jumping over the broom?) to Django is not legally recognized? 

Man, this has so many cool layers!

[Curtis Metcalf]

I LOOOOOVED at the very end, where we see Hilde pull out a shotgun of her own! Apparently, this viewer didn't. Reminds me of a viewer who complained that Hilde wasn't "heroic" enough. I guess running for your life (twice!) isn't heroic enough - you're supposed to be able to grab a gun and fire at will, even if you've never held one before in your life.

Second this. While I understand the commentator's complaint, Broomhilde Unchained is another movie. I think it's another case of the audience being so starved for this kind of art/story that when we finally get one, folks want it to be everything at once.

I'm invested in Django and Broomhilde's survival and life together as in Maxine Shaw's scenario or another. I'm sure they have stories to tell and I hope to see them someday.

[michaelintp]

I agree. Though in my head I like to keep the suspense going. And yes, Hilde was perfect in this movie. Setting the stage hopefully for more in the future. 

[Tanksleyd]

I like movies too....

But reality is better:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/02/05/strom-thurmonds-black-daughter-a-flesh-and-blood-symbol-of-americas-complicated-racial-history/?hpid=z4

Perhaps deserving of it's own thread but things were getting deep up in here...."16 years old"

[Maxine Shaw]

Hahaha. This is beyond great!  Broomhilda von SHAFT!  So Hilde survives to be the great great grandmother of Shaft. But is Django killed? Or is the name "Shaft" preserved on official birth records because her marriage (jumping over the broom?) to Django is not legally recognized? 

It's possible that a distant relative picked up the name on a whim. If I was to get my name legally changed, I would use my mother's maiden name (which is more distinct), rather than my father's name (which is very generic), even though my parents were married. I've looked at records where there was no last name up until the early 20th century, even. So a (likely male) relative - maybe fleeing from trouble himself - may have seen the name "von Shaft" and shortened it to Shaft.

[michaelintp]

Given that the film touches on the issue of slave rebellions, here are a couple of interesting sources that further describe the historical background. Of course you gotta be careful with the sources, as some historians may have a desire to manipulate the data through a loose or narrow definition of "insurrection." Also whether they choose to count or not count planned rebellions that never got off the ground because of informants.

As you know, the major revolts that took place, cited by all historions, were quite dramatic. Some involved the intervention of U.S. troops.

Most of the more-frequent small-scale acts of rebellion were engaged in by male bondsman, and tended to be spontaneous. This makes sense because a severely subjugated population is less likely to rebel if their women and children are held hostage by the oppressor. Also, the larger the scope of a planned rebellion, and the longer it is planned, the more likely it will be nipped in the bud by informants before it even gets off the ground. That probably explains why the number of large rebellions that actually rose to the level of being implemented is small. Nonetheless, it is clear that the white plantation owners had a pervasive fear of a major slave revolt. This is not surprising, given the population demographics and the brutality and injustice inherent in slavery. As you have pointed out, they would have had an incentive, at the time, to downplay incidents that did occur, if at all possible, so as not to inspire rebellions elsewhere. Something we might see in a sequel to "Django Unchained."

"Django Unchained" touched on or hinted at several of these themes. I am just inching to see them more fully developed in a sequel.

Slave Rebellion Timeline - PBS

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/natturner/slave_rebellions.html

Slave Rebellions - Britannica

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/548231/slave-rebellions

[Maxine Shaw]

Apropos of...well, nothing.

Off the Chain: Kerry Washington and Jamie Foxx Sing "All Gold Everything" - Hiphollywood.com

I don't think these two have a drop of chemistry - Django could've been saving his little sister - but they are just adorable together.

[michaelintp]

I like movies too....

But reality is better:

Nahhh. Reality SUCKS! 

Oh, as an aside, it may have been the randy Randall Jefferson, brother of Thomas Jefferson, who was the perpetrator, though, either way, the author's point remains valid.

[APEXABYSS]

When he shot Candie... I said, "Bravo, Dr. Schultz, Bravo!” He enjoyed it... savoring in the moment. 

The word ‘bravo’ in Italian means= brave, desperado, bravado &/or hired-gunmen. Doesn’t ‘bravo’ describe Dr. Schultz & Django? Not really, Dr. Schultz is the bounty hunter. He took-out an entire lynch mob. He’s the real gunfighter in the film. Django carries on his spirit & teachings. Hilda can learn from Django… & the saga continues....?

Dr. Schultz, German? Jewish or Yiddish? lol

Dr. King...? lol