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By Kamau Austin
She's Gotta Have It
I remember quite vividly being excited reading about Spike Lee's new independent Black Film "She's Gotta Have It" back in 1986. Also I remember reading about it in one of the large local papers when the New York Times and Daily News were the dominant media in NYC before the Internet. I was frenetic with anticipation!
The film release was a watershed moment for subsequent Black films. It originally cost less than $185,000 and made over 7 million at the box office. That was some return in investment even today for a film.
It was unheard of for a Black film back then! The New York Times displayed the following response to the film's success. "For an independent, shoestring production, this was remarkable. For an independent shoestring production by a black man about black people, it was astounding."
I couldn't wait to go see this pioneering film by this emerging director Spike Lee. I rushed out to see the film. After watching the movie I was happy this independent film was made although I was ambivalent about the timing of the subject matter...
