BLACK FILMMAKERS

Stanley Crouch seems to be suggesting that only when black filmmakers work in an established genre and revitalize it through an African American prism is the artist or work noteworthy as enriching American cinematic artistry (“Artistry in Any Color,” Oct. 22).

But a strong argument can be made that, on the contrary, only when artists go beyond limitations of a genre’s form have they truly enriched filmdom’s legacy (as opposed to reworking tired old genres saddled with cliches and stereotypes).

“Devil in a Blue Dress” and “Dead Presidents,” which are indeed instant classics, don’t need to be falsely positioned over Spike Lee’s “Clockers” to deserve accolades. In maintaining that Lee, when compared to Carl Franklin and the Hughes brothers, has failed to enrich American cinematic artistry, Crouch conveniently overlooks Lee’s unassailable contribution in first opening the door for this new era of African American filmmakers with the success of his seminal masterpiece, “She’s Gotta Have It.”

DON MIZELL

Los Angeles

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To tell Spike Lee to study the films of the Hughes brothers would be akin to telling Ted Williams to study the batting technique of Bob Uecker.

Not only is Spike Lee a better filmmaker, but his films are much more relevant and his goals much more noble than those of the Hughes brothers.

He is attempting to uplift African Americans through the medium of film, while the Hugheses are, well, I don’t exactly know what they are doing, except making simplistic films that exploit African Americans for their own benefit.

CREIGHTON T. HARRIS

Glendale

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“One False Move” was not Carl Franklin’s first feature, and while in recent interviews Franklin has downplayed his work while matriculating at the Roger Corman School of Cinema, at least one of them demonstrated the potential he has brought forth in his last two films.

A 1989 release entitled “Nowhere to Run,” it was an obvious attempt at capturing the ambience of “Blue Velvet” with touches of both the novel and film of “To Kill a Mockingbird” and Arthur Penn’s “The Chase.” Dealing with the loss of sexual and political innocence of a group of white Southern teen-agers, it so perfectly captured the feel of that time and place that only my recognition of Malibu Lake and the Universal backlot gave away the fact that it was shot in Southern California.

That such a non-racially centered film could be made by a black director verifies Crouch’s thesis about Franklin’s skills and greater potential over the psychologically limited and overpublicized Spike Lee.

RICK MITCHELL

Los Angeles

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Perhaps Carl Franklin, the Hughes brothers, Spike Lee and especially Mr. Crouch should view a film that encompasses both universal narrative and black aesthetic in a combination that still holds together some 23 years after its initial release.

Gordon Parks Jr.’s 1972 low-budget gangster epic “Superfly,” even when viewed today, is still a cut above Crouch’s three choices with respect to narrative, character development and black aesthetic. And given the budgetary constraints Parks had to work under, his execution is a testament to his skill as a filmmaker.

ROLAND S. JEFFERSON

Los Angeles