Spike Lee's “Malcolm X” is magnificent. It's a brilliant portrait of the slain civil rights leader that hurtles forward throughout its three hour-plus runtime, anchored by the Oscar-nominated performance of a lifetime-- Denzel Washington in the title role. The film follows Malcolm Little from his days running numbers on the streets of Harlem, to his conversion to Islam in jail, and then his rise to fame as an outspoken leader of the civil rights movement. It delivers the full picture of a man that many Americans – especially white Americans – had only known through sound bites. The music, the period set decoration, the camera work by Ernest Dickerson, are all flawless. "Malcolm X" is one of the great American screen biographies.
Lee fought with Warner Bros. over the film's cost and running time, insisting that he could not do the subject justice without a $30 million budget. To make it happen, several prominent Black Americans contributed money to the production. Lee told the New York Times, "This is not a loan. They are not investing in the film. These are black folks with some money who came to the rescue of the movie. As a result, this film will be my version. Not the bond company's version, not Warner Brothers'. I will do the film the way it ought to be.”
201 minutes, Rated PG-13.
This screening will be at the Santikos Palladium theater.
Proceeds benefit Texas Public Radio.