more fulfilling once you've read the book

Rating: 9/10 (9 July 2005)

This is the second time I've watched this movie. I watched it about 8 years ago without much knowledge of the person, and still enjoyed it. The second time, I read the autobiography first, then re-watched the movie, and really enjoyed it. The recently released special edition 2-DVD set has a really good making of featurette, plus a 90-minute documentary made in 1972 on Malcolm's life. All were quite good. But, back to the movie.
This is, by most accounts, a sprawling epic. Spike Lee wanted to make a movie on the scale of Laurence of Arabia (itself nearly 4 hours long), and felt that Malcolm X had enough subject matter to do so. After reading the autobiography, that makes sense. Some have issues with the first hour, since it details Malcolm's life before he enters jail and gets static. In this case, Spike follows the book quite well, because the book is very detailed BEFORE Malcolm enters jail. I had no real problems with it, although I was surprised that it was an hour before the change started. But Spike gave a great picture of what Malcolm's life was like before he converted to Islam, which was important to see the transformation. And, if nothing else, Malcolm's life was transforming fast.
The politics of the film (that the Nation of Islam doesn't receive the blunt of the attack) deserve a comment. Reading the book made me understand that Malcolm would not completely shun the entire Black Muslim movement because those tenets brought him out of misery and gave him a new life. With that type of history, a person as self-educated as Malcolm would understand that he can't just dismiss those who helped him out. Hindsight is 20/20, which some critics didn't totally realize.
The Oscar question...this movie suffered two major snubs. Spike Lee should have at least been nominated for best director. Knowing the story of making the film should have appealed to the emotions of the academy, along with the scope of the story. And Denzel Washington was robbed, which is common knowledge at this point. I watched the 1972 Malcolm X documentary, and there are times where you think Malcolm X was doing a Denzel impression...that's how good Denzel is in this movie. Right up there with the transformations of Jamie Foxx in Ray and Val Kilmer in The Doors. Essentially, Denzel didn't win because the academy had somehow managed not to give Al Pacino an Oscar for works such as, oh, I don't know, THE GODFATHER 1/2, SERPICO, DOG DAY AFTERNOON etc. So Denzel wins best actor later for Training Day, even though Russell Crowe probably deserved it more in Beautiful Mind. But then, Crowe won for Gladiator the year before even though Tom Hanks (Cast Away) or Ed Harris (Pollock) was more deserving. The Oscars can be a nasty cycle.
I've said enough. I look forward to your comments.