Spike Lee films "When the Levee Broke"
Tags: spike lee, conspiracy theoriesMichael Moore is reportedly filming something, now someone perhaps even worse is getting into the act:
Filmmaker Spike Lee on Tuesday announced he is making a film for HBO about the post-Hurricane Katrina flooding in New Orleans, and said he wouldn't be shocked if conspiracy theories of intentional government involvement in the flooding proved true.
Lee's appearance on CNN, to promote his new co-authored memoir/biography, Spike Lee: That's My Story and I'm Sticking To It, followed a report on the rumors circulating among evacuees that the government somehow engineered the flooding of the largely black and poor Ninth Ward section of New Orleans.
CNN's report stressed that there is no evidence anyone caused the flooding on purpose. Brig. Gen. Robert Crear, who commands the Army Corps of Engineers, told CNN there was no truth to the rumors.
But after a handful of unidentified evacuees told CNN they believed something was afoot, anchor Daryn Kagan asked Lee if he thought there was potential for a movie in the tales.
Lee, 47, said he is already in development on a film with HBO called When the Levee Broke.
Asked about the possibility that the rumors of government involvement had any truth, Lee said it wouldn't surprise him.
"It's not too far-fetched … I don't put anything past the United States government," Lee said. "I don't find it too far-fetched that they tried to displace all the black people out of New Orleans."
October 14th, 2005 at 2:45 pm
Spike Lee's Katrina: The Original Kings of Conspiracy
In what promises to be devoid of facts and heavy on racial overtones, director Spike Lee announced he is making a film for HBO about the post-Hurricane Katrina flooding in New Orleans.
According to Lee:
"[I] wouldn't be shocked if consp…
November 17th, 2005 at 5:35 pm
I don't really have a comment, but more of a suggestion for the documentary. I do not know how I can contact Spike Lee or anyone involved in the making of the film "When the Levee Broke". My uncle worked at Pat O'Brien's in the french quarter for 67 years. He lived in the lower ninth ward and lost his like due to Hurricane Katrina. He was an icon at the famous Pat O'Brien's. Anyone who has ever been there knows Eddie Gabriel. His grandson went on CNN after the storm when he was missing. Even Larry King said he knew who he was. His wife Edna Gabriel (my aunt) survives him. She can be interviewed about when the flood came in on them. She still has no confirmation that his body was recovered. She was rescued from her attic and shipped out to Arkansas after being stranded at the Superdome for 5 days.
If someone would please contact me and put me in touch with Spike Lee or his affiliates for this movie, I can then put them in touch with my aunt. I can be reached at the above email address. My home telephone number is 323/295-9735. My telephone number at work is 310/287-4260. My cell number is 310/710-5753. Thank you for your time. Andrea Frederic
January 10th, 2006 at 12:47 pm
Dear spike, I'm glad you are making a movie on the tragedy in New Orleans,but me and my friend also have some other ideas for you as well if you want to hear them email us ASAP!!!
My phone#is [deleted]
my email
juni_usa *at* hotmail.com
thanks spike god bless you alway's
[Administrator says: I deleted the phone number for privacy reasons. In the extraordinarily unlikely event that Spike Lee visits this page, he can send an email]
February 13th, 2006 at 10:11 am
I've written a book about Hurricane Katrina that I want to send Spike Lee, now that I know he is making a movie about it. The book is called Who Killed New Orleans: Mother Nature vs. Human Nature and describes the psychological side of decision makers and victims, which Lee could use in his movie. Does anyone know Lee's address? Thanks, Dr. Diane Holloway
February 21st, 2006 at 1:01 pm
Posted on Tue, Feb. 21, 2006
Spike Lee attacks all-white Hollywood
Outspoken filmmaker Spike Lee has criticized Hollywood studios for not including African Americans as executives. The Do the Right Thing director says he is
appalled that major studios recruit only white men and women for executive positions.
''You go to any studio, the [only] black guy you are going to see is the guy at the gate,'' he tells the U.S. style magazine Complex.
''In Hollywood, there is not one African American who is an executive that has gatekeeper position that could greenlight a picture. They'll make a movie."
Well, what Lee means by all "white" Hollywood is all Jewish Hollywood. There are even fewer Hispanics, white, black or whatever in Hollywood than American Blacks. There are no American Hispanic writers to speak of–two or three. The only Hispanics are a few Mexicans Jews and other Latin Jews. It's not for lack of interest or work. It's simply that agents don't push people who are not their own. For the same reason, Hispanics don't get meetings that might break the ice. They think Hispanic themes all have to do with indigenous people and housekeepers–which the industry has no interest in and neither do I, actually–and, ironically, they think that Hispanics can only write "Hispanic themes." Things are the same now as when I joined the Writers Guild and was the first Hispanic woman ever. The questions I got from members of the WGA Board of Directors at that time were pathetic and not worth repeating. The fact that I was also very young only made me more resilient to stupidity. That is hardly the case now. However, part of the problem lies squarely on the Hispanics themselves who remain segregated and submissive.
Alicia Nash, wife of schizophrenic mathematician John Nash, had graduated as a physics major from M.I.T. where she and John Nash had met. She had a job in the New York City area in 1956-1957. Alicia had been born in El Salvador but came at an early age to the U.S. and she and her parents had long been U.S. citizens, her father being an M. D. and ultimately employed at a hospital operated by the federal government in Maryland. Jennifer Connelly played Alicia Nash (John Nash's wife) in the film "A Beautiful Mind," and won an Academy Award for her performance. The fact that Alicia Nash was the first Hispanic woman (with a physics major) at MIT was ignored in the film and her ethnicity was changed completely.
Here are some of my quotes on the subject:
"In my view there can be no affirmative action without segregation-nor any end to the segregation if our names must be kept on separate lists. I'd like to propose instead a simple scenario: a fair job market where employment is commensurate with ability regardless of gender, racial or ethnic background. I make a pitch, they like my story, I get the job. Why not?" Newsweek "My Turn."
It is still relatively easier for Hollywood filmmakers to deal with someone suffering from schizophrenia, than to deal with someone "suffering" from being Hispanic. TV Interview "Cafe California."
Mig –
March 20th, 2006 at 7:02 am
I provided mental health support and supervised a mental health team for Katrina survivors, American Red Cross Staff, and the National Guard. Many lessons learned that might be of interest for the film. Including, sleeping in a car to survive racism in MS.
I continue to keep in touch and support some survivors whose stories are worth telling.
Would like to share what I have experienced and learned. Thanks for doing this project.