Algee Smith - Detroit - Film
Rych McCain International/Nationally Syndicated Entertainment Columnist
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Detroit:
A True Chronicle of The Algiers Motel Police Murders
During
The 1967 Detroit Rebellion.
Annapurna
Pictures has released “DETROIT.”
This film chronicles the police murders that took place at the Alger’s
Motel during the 1967 summer rebellion in Detroit. The film is produced
and directed by two-time Academy Award® winner Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) and (The Hurt Locker). What is now commonly
referred to as “The Algiers Motel Incident,” is the true story that unfolded
on the sweltering summer night and into the wee hours of the morning of July
25-26, 1967.
According to several sources, someone shot a starter pistol inside
the motel and Detroit police along with Michigan State Police as well as
Michigan Army National Guard who were stationed nearby were informed that
snipers were active at The Algiers. They responded by storming the motel on all
fronts. Before the sun would rise again, three Black men would end up dead and
several others would be lined up in a hallway with two White women among them
and severely beaten. The so-called starter pistol or any type of gun was never
found.
 |
| Larry (Algee Smith) |
One of
the main stars of the film is actor/singer Algee Smith who plays Larry the lead
singer of the young, fledging singing group “The Dramatics.” Yes, the
actual real life hit recording vocal group had three members involved at the
Algiers that fateful night. They were on their way home from a cancelled gig
due to the street unrest and decided to take refuges at the Algiers. One of the
guys with them was one of the three killed.
John Hersey wrote a book on subject
titled “The Algiers Motel Incident.”
 |
| Krauss (Will Poulter) in charge, orders everyone against the wall |
The
motel scene where the racist, killer cops stormed in was the meat and potatoes of the
entire film and was very emotionally intense.
 |
| Carl Cooper (Jason Mitchell) is the first to get killed |
The director decided to film
these scenes first before shooting anything else due to the high emotional
stress involved. How long did it take to shoot the motel scenes and how did the
actors manage to handle and maintain such a high level of intensity through all
of the brutality?
 |
| Killer Cop in your face |
Smith
reflected, “The motel stuff was the first thing we got to. We were in the motel
for about two weeks straight, mainly against that wall. We went straight to the
heart of it.” He gives a slight pause and confesses; “It was exhausting but I
feel like for all of us it was yo, let’s get out of this one, let’s go to the
music part of the movie. But we knew after getting somewhat of the script and
somewhat of an idea of what we were doing, we knew that this was going to be
heavy every day.”
 |
| Blood thirsty, terrorist, killer cops set up the human slaughter |
How did
the actors prepare for the motel scenes? Smith continues, “I think the beauty
of it was that Kathryn didn’t want us to be so prepared. She wanted us to be in
venerable state of mind where tomorrow is not promised. You don’t know what’s
happening to one another. She encouraged us to don’t do too much reading. Don’t
get caught up. Just live in these characters. Look at the environment, look
around you.
 |
| Krauss (Poulter) terrorizes Karen (Kaitlyn Dever) for being White |
Every time we got on set or in a new place she would say look
around you, look at the stairs, look at everything around you, look at the
blood. Look at it, how do you feel? That’s what she wanted from us and it shows
on camera. It really brought our best out of each other. When I saw it for the
first time I said, wow, everyone is giving it 100%.”
 |
| An all White Jury acquits killer cops as expected |
“DETROIT” may be the most riveting and powerful movie of the year
especially because the events depicted happened in real life. As far as racist,
killer cops and the unjust legal and judicial system that protects and
exonerates their horrendous, terrorist crimes against humanity are concerned when compared
to the current police killings of Blacks today; it clearly demonstrates that
nothing has changed in the last 50 years.
©
2017 Rych McCain Media/Syndication TM
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