With the new MLK movie up for release titled ‘Selma’, a recent workprint that was shown to reviewers was found to be compelling enough, not because of the storyline but also because of the subject matter involved.
And this is despite the fact that the viewers are already aware of the outcome…
That said, here are a few impressions that they should also keep track of until the movie releases:
#1: The Movie Ends Really Well
This is one of those movies that makes you feel as if it is worthy of an Oscar. Two of the things that stand out about this movie is the powerful oratory skills of MLK as well as the non-violent resistance movement that he initiated. Yet it also refers to times that we are in despite being a historical movie. That, for most people, is Oscar award winning material.
#2: Not a Traditional Biography
In the way in which Lincoln unravels the way he abolished slavery, Selma seeks to do the same for Martin Luther King. During his battle for voting rights, a number of figures such as Johnson and Malcolm X make their presence felt but the focus never shifts from this at all.
#3: Taken from Official Sources
The story has been taken from official sources. In fact, a number of President Johnson’s conversations with his visitors at the Oval Office have been taken from official transcripts. The King’s speeches are also what you would find online.
#4: David Oyelowo Really Stood Out
Oyelowo, in his study of the King, found him to be a very private person who not only was surprised by movie cameras but also fought quietly with his wife so as to not wake up the children. Quite different, and rather publicly, he comes across as a man who argues strongly against a corrupt and inhuman system.