After watching the motion picture of Malcolm X by Spike Lee it help visualize what was actually going on in the book. Such as what Malcolm clothes and hair looked like during his hustling days, how he walked, and what the dancing styles looked like. It was actually funny to see how Malcolm and I believe Sammy walked around the streets of Harlem, slightly leaned forward and swaying their right arm from their side across their body.
What stuck out to me the most was how they showed the introduction of Malcolm X to Islam and Elijah Muhammad. In the motion picture they showed Beign approaching Malcolm in the shower giving him nutmeg so he could “hear what he had to say”. Beign throughout the movie was a much more active character in Malcolm’s life when it came to the Nation of Islam. In the book the Nation of Islam and Elijah Muhammad was first introduced to him by his brother Philbert but Malcolm did not grasp the information until his brother Reginald informed him of Allah and his powers. Also, Malcolm showed very little resistance when lead to Islam apposed to how in the book he cursed his brother for relaying any information about a religion or God.
The motion picture for me left a great means of detail out in regards to Malcolm’s life. I thought because it was a motion picture that we would see more of what Malcolm went through. The motion picture left out the affects that his family had on his life, the only situation that they highlighted and reflect upon was the burning of his family’s home after he was born. I believe the movie fell short in that aspect because if it was going to show who and what Malcolm was, he family needed to be in it. I must clarify what I mean by family because they do show his immediate family, wife and daughters, but it does not mention his brothers and sisters.
I will admit that I am biased towards the movie because after reading the book I help the motion picture to a certain standard, detail wise. I credit the motion picture in regards to showing the seriousness of Malcolm X and his drive for the bettering of the Black people. The motion picture allowed me to hear the possible tone of Malcolm X’s voice during speeches and interviews (taking in to the fact that Denzel Washington played Malcolm, it was not actually Malcolm speaking). Seeing how the assassination of Malcolm X happened right in front of his Children was surprising, before this I was ignorant to the actually acts of Malcolm’s death.
Karyn Bishop
Source:
http://malcolmxfall2012.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/motion-picture-vs-book/