Get on the Bus
jcjoseph
"Get on the Bus"
Presented by : Jordan Joseph
Intro to...
- Directed by : Spike Lee
- Written by : Reggie Rock Bythewood
- Released October 16,1996
Synopsis
A group of men take a bus trip from L.A. to The Million Man March in Washington D.C. Their journey cross country proves to also be a journey of self-discovery.
The Million Man March
- Took place on October 16, 1995
- Led by Minister Louis Farrakhan
- An estimate of 850,000 Black men attended
- The rally was held at the National Mall
- All able-bodied Black men were called to the nation's capital to address issues in the Black community and call for unity and revitalization
Starring...
Ossie Davis as Jeremiah
De'Aundre Bonds as "Smooth"
Thomas Jefferson Byrd as Evan Thomas, Sr.
Gabriel Casseus as Jamal
Hill Harper as Xavier
Harry Lennix as Randall
Isaiah Washington as Kyle
Roger Guenveur Smith as Gary
Charles S. Dutton as George
Andre Braugher as Flip
What makes this a road film...
- The film is set on the road
- All of the major plot points & conflicts take place on the road
- There is the element of an introspective journey that goes along with the physical journey
- The road serves as a molding tool to sculpt these men into better versions of themselves
Themes
- Religion/Faith
- Addressing Communal Issues
- Self-discovery/realization
- Reconciliation
- Togetherness
Form
- The Look of this Scene
- Achieved using color-reversal stock and cross-processing
- "We just felt that at certain times, when they get off the bus, we wanted a different look. As if there was one world inside the bus and another outside."
- Super 16
- Smaller/Lighter
- Able to fit two cameras in confined space
- Gave a hand-held look
In the end...
- This film was not about the destination but about the journey getting there
