European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 15, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse A map Malcolm x with daughter Allysah at Kennedy Airport following his tour of the Middle East in May 1964.Malcolm x draws Cool millions and hot debate by Elaine Rivera new Day Twenty seven years after he was assassinated in an auditorium in upper Manhattan and just Days before he is resurrected on the screen in Spike Leeds $35 million epic Malcolm x is once again at the Center of controversy. A Battle Over his legacy a and Over millions of dollars of profits from the Sale of products bearing his name and likeness a is being waged As fiercely As the Battle that raged during his lifetime Over his militant Eye for an Eye views. Although Malcolm x a who spent the last months of his life living in Queens struggling to support his wife and four daughters a received a meager Advance for his autobiography his life Story has become the basis of a multimillion Dollar Industry. Leeds film based on the autobiography is being released in stateside Heaters wednesday by time Warner the largest Media conglomerate in the country. Macy a is Selling $52 baseball jerseys with an x on the Back As a fashion tie in to the movie. Even the original manuscript of the Book written with Alex Haley fetched $100,000 at an auction last month. The Black Leader who spent much of his life attacking White America is suddenly big business. A Hollywood could have made this movie 25 years ago a said Hazel Carby a Yale University professor of English and afro american studies. A Why arc they making it now because they see Malcolm As marketable. Malcolm a politics have nothing to do with it is the fear that Malcolm a message will be lost in the process of his becoming a Hollywood hero that concerns Carby and other Black intellectuals. Quot unfortunately a lot of people will take this film As gospel a said Amiri Baraka a prominent playwright and activist who has not seen Leeds three hour film but has read the script. A a in a just afraid that it will be one of these Black Hustler flicks with a twist dope person who becomes a Muslim and fights racism. The political dimensions of Malcolm a life will not come but the director of Malcolm a who has also made such controversial films As do the right thing and Jungle fever bristles at criticism that he is Only capitalizing on Malcolm a image and not concerned with his message. Lee who was Only 7 years old when Malcolm was assassinated says his love for the slain Black Leader is reflected in the film. A i would Hope that people will Reserve comments until they see the film a Lee said. A i made the Best film i could make. Let the chips fall where they just what Malcolm a message is and How he should be portrayed remains a matter of dispute. He began life in Omaha neb., As Malcolm Little transformed himself into a Street Hustler known As Detroit red went to prison where he was introduced to the teachings of Elijah Muhammad became a Leader of Muhammad a nation of islam which espoused a Black separatist philosophy then broke away to pursue a More International and inter racial vision of human rights. But the nation of islam which Malcolm denounced in the last year of his life and which is headed by Louis Farrakhan is still Selling Malcolm x tapes at its Harlem mosque. And some who condemned Malcolm for his militant views in the 1960s a or who have Little idea of what he stood for a Are now embracing him. A i see some people wearing the paraphernalia who see it As a fashion statement and who might not understand his message Quot said Robert Little Malcolm xes younger brother who Heads new Yorkus child welfare administration. A i done to get any pleasure from seeing my brother a image in various forms All Over the place. I would get More pleasure out of seeing what he believed put into practice a getting an education learning the potential that each of us has to grow and change through but Betty Shabazz Malcolm xes widow and an administrator at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn says there is nothing wrong with marketing her husbands image. Quot people want to be a part of Malcolm and this is a Way for them to do it a said Shabazz who As executor of her husbands estate hired a management Sells in the stars and stripes on a Good Day Roy sri rag Sells about $500 Worth of Malcolm x Memorabilia at his simple Concession stand in front of the Post Exchange in bad Kreuz Nach Germany. Spike Leeds upcoming movie Malcolm a Isnit the Only reason sales Are sizzling. Sri rag said there has been a steady Stream of business the past two years since he began Selling Malcolm x Caps medallions pictures and to shirts. Most of his customers Are Blacks of All Ages who sri rag said seem proud to own something bearing the name or picture of the outspoken activist who was slain in 1965. Sri rage said most Black people from the bad Kreuz Nach Community probably possess at least one Type of Malcolm x Memorabilia. A everybody likes it not just Young people Quot sri rag said. A some Are very proud to Wear the company earlier this year to License his name and likeness. A i think anyone who is wearing a hat or to shirt has a Basic understanding that Malcolm was for Justice Equality and parity for All human the nation of islam is also concerned about Malcolm a legacy although for different reasons. In his autobiography Malcolm bitterly attacked Elijah Muhammad for fathering children out of Wedlock and Leeds film suggests that officials of the nation of islam were behind Malcolm a assassination. At a recent opening of a nation of islam restaurant in Harlem where copies of the autobiography were on Sale Conrad Muhammad the organization s new York regional representative declared a the nation of islam made Malcolm x who he was. Without the honorable Elijah Muhammad he still would have been Malcolm Conrad Muhammad would t comment on Leeds film. But an article in a recent Issue of the final Call the organizations newspaper had this to say about the commodification of Malcolm a in 1992, Blacks again arc witnessing the murder of Malcolm a but this time it is the Many a legacy the enemy is destroying and they Are doing it with the approval of Black the Battle Over Malcolm a legacy will Likely heat up in coming weeks. Baraka says he plans to Sec the film then make up his mind about Lee. But he says Many people who rejected Malcolm when he was alive a Are pimping off of him a a we la see with Spike Quot he said. A the a pm is already there and the a i a a my and a pm Are still Lee says the charges of exploitation Are unfair. A you done to Sec Spike Lee endorsing Malcolm x potato chips Quot he said he says it is unreasonable for people to assume his version of Malcolm x will be the Only one to endure or that he has any special responsibility As a Black artist to portray the Leader one Way or another. A this is not a pcs documentary Quot i be said a this is a Hollywood movie. Why put the Burden on this film its educational a and it s entertainment at the same november 15. 1992 sunday a Page 5
