http://blackfilm.com/20070824/featur...debaters.shtml

i strongly recommend that every B-child watches this movie ...i don't care if you have to get it on pirate.

Excellent movie.Some aspects such as HBCU 's may not resonat with Africans in the diaspora,but the qulaity of the film and performances of the actors will shine through.

White House Says 'No' to Denzel Washington's 'Great Debaters'


One Golden Globe-nominated movie that won’t be shown at the White House this month: Denzel Washington’s “The Great Debaters.”

The highly praised film, starring Oscar-winners Washington and Forest Whitaker, was just nominated for eight NAACP Image Awards.

But a memo from the White House’s Paris Dennard, which this column has seen, says that “there will not be a screening here at the White House. I could not get time on President Bush or Mrs. Bush's calendars.”

The memo says that three White House staffers saw the movie, which is a fictionalized account of tiny all-black Wiley College’s debate team in Texas beating that of Harvard University in a 1935 competition.

Ironically, Laura Bush gave a speech in March 2005 at an Atlanta high school praising urban debate programs at an event called “Helping America's Youth.”

“How is debate helping children in Atlanta?" she said then. "Debaters learn how to identify a good argument and reject a bad one, so they're better equipped to deal with the hazards of negative peer pressure.”
Dennard, of the White House’s office of Legislative Affairs, told me when I spoke to him Friday morning that “there were never plans to screen the movie officially at the White House.”
Among the movies Mrs. Bush has screened are “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” “Charlotte’s Web” and “Glory Road," according to the White House Web site

FOXNews.com - White House Says 'No' to Denzel Washington's 'Great Debaters' - Celebrity Gossip | Entertainment News | Arts And Entertainment

Judge J - only just seen this film and that was on a plane, before then I had never even heard of its existence. After being hugely impressed with it it dawned on me that how comes a movie buff like me not to mention a Denzil admirer like me hadn't heard of this film until now yet props, trailers and plaudits for the film American Gangster where all over the place.

This film should definitely be seen by the masses, does anyone know whether it was in the cinema's here or is it even on DVD to raas.

Loved the entire concept of the art of debate where you can both defend and attack the same subject and defeat your opponent either way leaving you to ask the question what is your real overall perspective on the subject. As a person who works at extremes I find I'm as good as I am bad and can defend white as much as I can defend black and attack both just as equally which brings home the truth that your ultimate opinion is where your heart is.

It kind of reminded me of this site where I said wouldn't it be nice for people to debate instead of defend their predicament, an objective discussion on babymotherism came to mind

As mentioned already, if you haven't seen this film yet it is highly recommended but yeah for real JJ, asks them same old age old questions about why films of non-whites advancing themselves never make the limelight.

The Denzil/Whittaker combo was well hard. For all that is said about the chase for the American dream I have to big up Denzil and those off the Spike Lee bandwagon who have now gone on to direct and produce their own films geared towards African edutainment. Excellent flick.

The film was given limited release in the UK.

I remember seeing a few adverts promoting the film in The Voice.

My local cinema were showing it however by the time I found out about it want wanted to see it, it had gone.

Amazon.co.uk: The Great Debaters [2007]: DVD

Mentioned it to a couple of friends who awkwardly so far haven't been able to find it on the high road - guess Amazon it is.

Im gonna wait until the official DVD comes out, im sure there will be some interesting special features with it.

According to HMV its not est officially release in the UK yet hmv.com: DVD: Great Debaters

Interesting, we're in May 2008 and a film made in 2007 isn't on DVD release yet...so amazon UK must be importing it...but there's no trouble obtaining American gangbanging Gangster..

still, found some nice pictures of the premiere..

MOVIE PREMIERES: “THE GREAT DEBATERS” // 'CONCRETELOOP.COM' - 'GLOWIN' IN THE DARK'

DVD released in US on 5/13/08

It will probably be released in the UK on the down low. I will keep my ears to the streets.

Ltely I have been trying to get my hands on those inspirational black films of a historical /empowering nature.

For example I recently purchase Pride PRIDE on Yahoo! Movies , and Akeelah and the Bee Akeelah and the Bee trailers and video clips on Yahoo! Movies

The region 1 version can be ordered via Amazon.co.uk, however I am going to wait until it comes out on Region 2.

IOf it doesn't come out in the UK, then ill purchase a Region 1 cersion. According to the copy I saw advertised on Amazon, its a 2 Disc Set film, which means there must be plenty of special features, etc.

p.s. Now I think about, I swear I saw a pirate copy of the film. being sold at Afrikan Liberation Day in Brixton on Saturday.

The two-disc version is worht the purchase price.