#test muse: malcolm brown

[therelignedstars]

💬 "Rumor has it you're a right idiot, mate." [the pirate @ malcom fskdf]

"Like bloody hell, I am, and you're a fuckin' fairy princess! Are y' here for any other reason than to annoy me?"

[doomonfilm]

Thoughts : Girl 6 (1996)

Every director goes through phases, especially those that find themselves in the ‘business’ for multiple decades, and Spike Lee is no exception.  From his groundbreaking perspectives on roles and race in his early films, to the personal and highly stylized films of his second decade, to the big-budget diverse cast offerings of the Summer of Sam and 25th Hour period, to his return to form of late, Lee has continued to bring a vast array of stories to the table.  Some of the films that have been considered his failures, oddly, are some of my favorite, and chief among them is Girl 6. 

Judy (Theresa Randle) is a New York-based actress with hopes of breaking into the movie business, but a reality full of multiple jobs, financial shortcomings and failed opportunities.  With her opportunities drying up, her industry connections cutting ties with her, and the need for steady work and income, Judy decides to pursue a job in the phone sex industry.  Because of her acting chops, Judy (now going by Girl 6 due to her phone assignment) succeeds at the job, but at the behest of her neighbor Jimmy (Spike Lee) and her ex-husband (Isaiah Washington), Judy begins to lose focus of her acting dreams while diving headlong into her phone sex work.  As Judy goes deeper and deeper into the world of phone sex, her life spirals out of control, forcing her to make tough decisions to pull her world back together.

While Spike Lee has never been one to shy away from the female presence in his films, Girl 6 was one of 3 films (at that time) made by Lee with a focus on a female lead.  Theresa Randle is so much the lead, in fact, that the majority of characters around her are either nameless or applied names that identify what they do more so than their personality, with the exception of Jimmy (played by Lee) and Lil (Jenifer Lewis).  Not even Judy’s ex-husband is given a name, although he is graced with a (failed) redemption arc.  Randle gets a chance to dive into a meta-role about someone searching for a star-making turn, but facing a derailed dream due to a need for money, a story that many actors and actresses face.  Not only does she get to pull from a well of experience, but with Lee at the helm, a handful of sequences give Randle a chance to play iconic roles like Carmen Jones, Foxy Brown and Penny from The Jeffersons.  

At the time of release, I truly enjoyed this movie, but it was not generally well received by the public or the critics.  Perhaps it may have been a perceived lack of focus, a reliance on cameos, or the topic of phone sex itself that turned many viewers off, but for some reason the connection did not happen on a large scale.  Girl 6 was released in a range of films that seemed to be both deeply personal and a chance to do exercises in styles and ideas, as exhibited in Crooklyn and the Lee-produced Clockers.  Thusly, this film has been a hard one to find and watch, but in my opinion, the film has held up to my standards.  I was expecting time (and the following Lee films that were critical and commercial successes) to change my opinion on Girl 6, and surprisingly it has held up quite well to the test of time... maybe it can find an audience now that phone sex has taken a backseat to the juggernaut that is pornography.

Having Prince soundtrack the film (mostly existing songs, but a few new songs and B-sides) gives the film a heavy emotional undertone that serves as a foundation for the narrative.  Lee goes heavy on the style with many choices that would become key pieces of future films : using different film and video stocks, location-specific fourth-wall break character introductions, reverse dolly shots that navigate large areas rather than traverse a straight line, and Lee’s ever present references to other films all make strong appearances in this film, only to become signature elements in Malcolm X, Bamboozled, He Hate Me and more.  The Suzan Lori-Parks script brings a different, unique energy to Lee’s work, maintaining the humor and the human moments, but engaging the audience in an entirely different rhythm, something closer to that of School Daze. 

Theresa Randle seems to have been a muse to Lee at this time in his career, and her presence allowed Lee to indulge in some of the directorial choices that cannot be made with a male lead.  Randle, as the focus, immerses herself into the looks and performances, showing a dynamic range similar to that of a one-woman stage show.  With Randle being the clear center of the film, tiers of support are found in the film’s structure.  Closest to her are Lee and Isaiah Washington, providing two different looks at male interaction (supportive and unhealthy, respectfully).  One step below are Jennifer Lewis as the strong role model in the dangerous business, with a massive supporting cast that includes Debi Mazar, Kristen Wilson, Debra Wilson, Naomi Campbell, Gretchen Mol and more as fellow phone sex operators.  Auxiliary to that, you can find Madonna as a different look at the business, plus caller performances by Peter Berg, Michael Imperioli, Richard Belzer, Larry Fine, Coati Mundi, Delilah Cotto, Anthony Nocerino and Tom Byrd III.  Cameos by Quentin Tarintino, Ron Silver, Susan Batson and John Turturro round out the cast.  

Honestly, this one was more of a personal rumination than a review, but I was just happy to find the film streaming.  It’s been a very long time since I’ve seen this movie, and it’s one of the few films by Lee that I don’t own... it’s nice to watch it on a format better than my degrading VHS copy, that’s for sure.  Worth checking out if you’re a Spike Lee completist.

[pueraeternuspan]

A VERY DESCRIPTIVE &  DETAILED PROFILE OF YOUR MUSE.       repost with the information of your muse, including headcanons, etc. if you fail to achieve some of the facts, add some other of your own! when you’re done, tag 15 other people to do the same

NAME:  Puer Aeternus, Peter Pan, Malcolm AGE:     Over a thousand years old (looks around seventeen. 40 as Malcolm) SPECIES:   Human, Demon (Spirit, Angel to some/in AUs) GENDER:   Male ORIENTATION:   Asexual, Panromantic  INTERESTS:      Sleeping, Hunting, Playing, Thinking, Killing, Fighting PROFESSION:     Spirit of Youth? Boy Who Never Grows Up? Warrior? BODY TYPE:   Thin EYES:     Green Eyes (Blue as Malcolm) HAIR:      Brown SKIN:    Light-Tan HEIGHT:    5′9 COMPANIONS: The Lost Boys, his Shadow, a cat ANTAGONISTS:   Grown Ups, Captain Hook COLOURS:      Green, Red, Black, Gold SMELLS:     Earth, Rain, Nature FRUITS:      Strawberries, Apples, Blackberries, Dreamshade berries (he’s the only one that can eat them and says they are sweet if you know how to pick which aren’t poisonous) DRINKS:      Hot Chocolate, Root Beer ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES?     Rum, Ale SMOKES?    No (rarely in some AUs) DRUGS?      No (in some AUs yes) DRIVERS LICENSE?      Do not even test him he will burn the test for being wrong..

TAGGED BY: @itsdeadlights (thanks!) TAGGING: anyone~

[therelignedstars]

Hey Malcolm. What did getting a full kiss on the libs by Cobbs feel like. When did you start liking Cobbs. You can't keep the info away from us!!!

"I don't have to tell y' anything about it. Though the kiss on the lips was quite nice. "

[therelignedstars]

MALCOLM MALCOLM MALCOLM WHERE IS YOUR IDEAL LOCATION TO KISS COBBS??? And don't say bar that's cheating

He takes a swing of some scotch. "A tavern bedroom cause it fucking private.."

[therelignedstars]

Looks like you need a break Malcolm, so how's your day been? Any trouble with Michael?

"It's been an alright day. Michael hasn't caused any problems yet. Which is unusual for that man. Actually, it's concerning how quiet he's been."

[therelignedstars]

Malcolmmmmm will you give anything to Cobbs to show your interest in him? Maybe start courting him??? It's so obvious you like him

"As right now, not at all. I could always get him another gun, I think he'd appreciate it."

[therelignedstars]

... Any fantasies about Cobbs, Mr. Malcolm?

"Oi, that's a very intrusive question. You kiss a man once and every one starts getting into your business. I may have some, but that's not any of your business."

[therelignedstars]

Are you suuuuure it's platonic Malcolm? Seems like it's more than that~

"I'm quite sure that it's just platonic. Even if it's wasn't that's between me, him, and Mr. Grant. Bloody hell, I've said too much." He's leaving the room before he says anymore incriminating things.

[therelignedstars]

Malcolm, buddy, you sure you wanna like a guy like Cobbs? It just doesn't sound like a good idea for anyone involved. Especially for Douglas think of your poor brother!!

"I like him in a platonic manner, nothing more.." A sigh, taking a drink. "I don't see any problems liking Cobbs. Douglas has more important things to worry about than me, liking Cobbs. Honestly, I think my liking for him would be better for business in the long run."

[therelignedstars]

OOOOO MALCOLMMMM what's the opinion on Cobbs? I heard he was terrifying!!

"He's a man that one does not wish to get on the bad side of or that of his friends. Cobbs can be terrifying at times. He's loyal to those whom he cares for. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty, which I kinda like,'im."

[therelignedstars]

"How is it, Grant's got a pretty and smart young woman working for him? You'd think such a beautiful, accomplished woman such as yourself would be married by now, Miss Jacqueline."

Jacqueline chuckles softly, "I don't think any man could handle me Mr.Brown. Besides, I have to pay my pa's debt somehow."

[therelignedstars]

//It's just a tiny hc before I go to bed. Malcolm like mead and ale the most. Hehe.

[therelignedstars]

//working on replies rn and almost had Malcom call Douglas a spineless fool.

[therelignedstars]

HEY MALCOLM. You ever... Think about kissing Cobbs? A lil smooch on the cheek or on the lips?

The Scottish man grumbles a little bit. "I've thought about kissing him on the cheek one or twice. It's not something I think about too often."

[therelignedstars]

Rules

TV Show Muses

Elena

Malcolm Brown

Book muses

Caleb Malphas

Video Game Muses

Jackie

Fairgrave (I'm still reworking her)

Rosemary

Carmina Rye (test muse)

John Seed (test muse)