Malcolm X- Lisa Booth

Malcolm X-
Director, Spike Lee.
Performers, Denzel Washington (Malcolm X), Spike Lee (Shorty), Angela Bassett (Betty X), Delroy Lindo (West Indian Archie), Al Freeman, Jr. (Elijah Muhammad) et al, including appearances made by Ossie Davis, Bobby Seale, Nelson Mandela, and Al Sharpton. 
40 Acres and a Mule/ Warner Brothers, 1992.

Malcolm X, is a 1992 biographical film about the life of Malcolm Little, widely known as Malcolm X.

It was directed by Spike Lee and stars Denzel Washington as the title role of Malcolm X.

In this film we see the evolution of Malcolm X, starting with his early years of work and life of crime leading up to how he became a civil rights activist and his conversion to Islam.

The film opens up to archival footage and a non-diegetic sound over of Denzel Washington reciting Malcolm X’s speech “American Nightmare,” along with the archival footage, intercut images of the American flag burning into an X can be seen before the opening scene of the film.

The first scene of the film opens to Boston in 1949, during WWII. Shorty, portrayed by Spike Lee, is in the midst of giving Malcolm his first conk, this was hair straightening technique that was done to African American’s hair. It is believed this was in response to white ideals of beauty.

At this point in time Malcolm X is still Malcolm Little, it’s not until his run in with the law that he finally starts “finding himself” and converts to Islam under the guidance of another inmate.

Throughout the rest of Malcolm’s sentence, he appears to become a changed man, a more religious and spiritual being, which largely contrasts with how he was before he served his time.

After his release from prison he begins his conversion to the nation of Islam, strongly supporting and believing their teachings and values. He preaches for a separate society from the whites, a movement that was started by Marcus Garvey. This movement was also supported by Elijah Muhammad, the leader of the Nation of Islam. Once Malcolm went to Mecca for his mission however, his views changed, he learned that Muslims come from all races, even whites. This is a huge turning point in the docu-drama, I believe, because earlier in the film he wouldn’t even accept a woman’s help for their cause because she was white.

After his mission in Mecca and change in views, he attempted to break free of the strict principles of the Nation of Islam. Although, not without tragic results. In the result of his changed views he received many death threats and was ultimately assassinated on February 21, 1965, in New York City in front of his wife, Betty Shabazz, and their children.

The film then concludes in the present day, with many children declaring "I am Malcolm X."

I believe this film was and still is important to our society, as a precedent of where we came from and where we are going. Times have changed and race isn’t as much as a divider as it used to be, but it’s still there. I feel like this film is a reminder of that, that we still deal with racism today and sometimes the consequences of it.