George Lucas Honored at Phoenix Awards

Courtesy of Mark Mahoney

Director George Lucas receiving the Congressional Black Caucus’s “Chair’s Award” from Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II of Missouri, and Robert Townsend at the Phoenix Awards Dinner which concluded the Foundation’s 42nd Annual Legislative Conference.

MOVIE REVUE: Fight On, Fight On Red Tails

In the year of 1944, a special elite group of young men were hoping to fight for their country during World War II.  The 332d Fighter Group consisted of the best fighter pilots to come out the famous Tuskegee Institute. These brave young aviators had to overcome racial discrimination from both inside and outside the Army in order to be treated as equals. Through it all, they proved to their country and the world that not only they were successful in their mission but successful in their lives. Red Tails has the combination of a good action flick and a gripping story. It has flying sequences that bring out the Top Gun pilot in all of us and it tells the tale of the Tuskegee Airmen – men who lived the dream of flying and made history doing so.

Red Tails Intervue: Cuba Gooding, Jr., Terrence Howard and Tuskegee Airmen, Part 2

From left to right: Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr.; Tuskegee Airmen Roscoe Brown and Charles McGee

There is still so much that the average history-savvy American doesn’t know about the significance and impact of the Tuskegee Airmen, both domestically and as an effective instrument in Europe during World War II. Double Victory captures the hardships and the triumphs of an incredibly strong willed group of men through their very own stories in some tremendously disadvantaged circumstances. Cuba Gooding Jr., who narrates the documentary, talked about education, supporting the Tuskegee Airmen and the importance of Red Tails.

Red Tails Intervue: Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard and Tuskegee Airmen, Part 1

Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding, Jr.

There has been much talk about the upcoming Lucasfilm production Red Tails, an adventure story based on the exploits of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. The airmen, made up of the 332nd Fighter Group and 477th Bombardment Group, were the first squadron of African American pilots in U.S. history, and considered to be some of the best in the world. In 1941 Tuskegee Alabama, racism was prevalent and the U.S. military was segregated in accordance with Jim Crow Laws. These soldiers had to face adversity both at war and at home, and the Double Victory campaign encompassed the endeavors of these men who fought both for their country and for their civil rights as Americans.

DVD NEWS: Star Wars Blu-ray Announcement

Considering George Lucas is always pushing the digital forefront of film and technology, he’s always been rather slow to adopt new home theater technologies. When DVD first came out everyone was excited to see the Star Wars films on the format. But, they were forced to wait years before he released them on DVD. When Blu-ray first came out the same excitement grew. And it’s been years since the format debuted. And finally, the wait is over!