George Lucas’ latest film, "Red Tails," tells the
story of the Tuskegee Airmen, fighter pilots who were part of an
all-black World War II squadron. Starring Terrence Howard and Cuba
Gooding, Jr., the movie is set in 1944, as the war in Europe was still
raging on and the outcome uncertain. Short on pilots, the U.S. military
at that time already had in place what was considered an "experimental"
program of all African-American pilots – the so-called "Tuskegee
training program." The pilots were young and not tested in battle, but
needs dictated that they were forced into the precarious situation.
Last Friday, three of the original aviators from the group attended a
special screening of the movie, and were honored for their courage and
contributions to the U.S. war effort. The movie has been called a
"passion project" of Lucas’, and he apparently spent $58 million of his
own money to make the film.
Director Anthony Hemingway noted that his job was intense. Said
Hemingway, "I went to Tuskegee, Alabama and actually had the chance to
look into the eyes of living history and when I looked into their eyes
and connected with them it really it, it registered and the weight of
the world was on my shoulders at that point." Added Hemingway, "It's not
a shock that the system or Hollywood didn't want to tell the story.
We're thankful that George did what he did and had the passion
to....help tell this history." Red Tails also opened nationwide in U.S.
theaters on Friday.
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