As a black British man who is old enough to remember the seismic event of the original series 40 years ago, I can only shake my head at this boring, pointless, time wasting PC remake that has sullied the original and best version.
Roots The Original was one of the first global must-see TV events that captured the attention and imagination of the whole world simultaneously, at a time when the US was celebrating its bicentenary and race relations and civil rights were at a delicate state (a bit like today in that respect). Most of the black actors, singers, rappers and sports stars of today weren't even born when the original was screened, so the impact that the show had on culture is lost on them to be honest. Regardless of people saying they've watched it on video or DVD or heard stories their parents told them about it, the original Roots had to be experienced back in the '70s to have had any effect. Which sadly led to this pile of cheap garbage being made for the 21st century's millennials. And what a mess! From showing an 18th century African village that wouldn't look out of place in the late 1990s, with an airbrushed sense of heightened culture that didn't really exist, this was Roots for the politically correct, non offending generation. The problem is that Roots was an idea whose time was the 1970s. We've seen tales from a black perspective since then that have been superb- Glory, Amistad, 12 Years A Slave, Malcolm X, Ali, Django Unchained, Men of Honour- and films with black stars on the level of Denzil Washington, Smith, Whitaker and the fantastic Jeffrey Wright.
But this is a remake for the sake of it. And it was totally, utterly pointless, bland, banal shoulder-shrug and one raised eyebrow inducing. Most of all, IT WAS BORING! Take it back. Please! Take it back....!!!!
Roots The Original was one of the first global must-see TV events that captured the attention and imagination of the whole world simultaneously, at a time when the US was celebrating its bicentenary and race relations and civil rights were at a delicate state (a bit like today in that respect). Most of the black actors, singers, rappers and sports stars of today weren't even born when the original was screened, so the impact that the show had on culture is lost on them to be honest. Regardless of people saying they've watched it on video or DVD or heard stories their parents told them about it, the original Roots had to be experienced back in the '70s to have had any effect. Which sadly led to this pile of cheap garbage being made for the 21st century's millennials. And what a mess! From showing an 18th century African village that wouldn't look out of place in the late 1990s, with an airbrushed sense of heightened culture that didn't really exist, this was Roots for the politically correct, non offending generation. The problem is that Roots was an idea whose time was the 1970s. We've seen tales from a black perspective since then that have been superb- Glory, Amistad, 12 Years A Slave, Malcolm X, Ali, Django Unchained, Men of Honour- and films with black stars on the level of Denzil Washington, Smith, Whitaker and the fantastic Jeffrey Wright.
But this is a remake for the sake of it. And it was totally, utterly pointless, bland, banal shoulder-shrug and one raised eyebrow inducing. Most of all, IT WAS BORING! Take it back. Please! Take it back....!!!!