Coming out this week on Netflix is Da 5 Bloods, director Spike Lee’s follow-up movie to his Oscar-nominated BlacKkKlansman. The film will be released June 12 on the streaming service.
The film follows four African American Vets — Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis), and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.) who return to Vietnam. Searching for the remains of their fallen Squad Leader (Chadwick Boseman) and the promise of buried treasure, our heroes, joined by Paul’s concerned son (Jonathan Majors), battle forces of Man and Nature — while confronted by the lasting ravages of The Immorality of The Vietnam War.
The cast also includes Mélanie Thierry, Paul Walter Hauser, Jasper Pääkkönen, Johnny Trí Nguyễn, Van Veronica Ngo, and Jean Reno.
Blackfilm.com recently spoke with Lee about his latest film, from going to Vietnam to his casting choices and the use of Marvin Gaye’s music.
We spoke last year before the Oscars as you’re ready to shoot this movie. Can you talk about the concept of doing another war film (after Miracle of St. Anna) and going to Vietnam?
Spike Lee: My previous work film was Miracle at St. Anna and it was dealt with the story of the black soldiers, the Buffalo Soldiers, the 92nd Division that fought in Italy against Mussolini’s fascists and Hitler’s Nazis. I was not around for that war. The war ended in 1945. I was born 57. The Vietnam War was the first war that was broadcast into American homes. I saw the Vietnam War at age 6, 7, and 11. I recall seeing this on my TV screen in my living room. I recall seeing the demonstrations. I remember the day that Dr. King got assassinated. I remember the date that RFK got assassinated. I remember a scene where Mayor Daley in Chicago, Lucian, those cops and they were busting heads during the Democratic National Convention. I remember the day when Richard Milhous Nixon, Tricky Dick, resigned. So this is a war I was much more familiar with that World War II.
This time you have black soldiers going back. How much research did you do in terms of just bringing black soldiers in Vietnam?
Spike Lee: Any film I do, I do my research. I feel that’s my part of the job as a director. The best research I had was when we finished the film. We came back and before it was locked I had four screenings for Black and Puerto Rican Vietnam vets here in New York City. And they loved the film. And I made that film for them. And that’s my validation that this film was made for these guys who were seventh and eighth years old and then drafted. Some enlisted. Some trained to kill, shipped halfway around the world to fight in a World War.
Can you talk about casting the film with season actors as your leads and some of them you have worked with in the past such as Delroy, Clarke and Isiah?
Spike Lee: Very simple. This film was about old cats and going back to the Vietnam War, so they would be the age that they are now. I saw Norm (Lewis) on Broadway’s Porgy and Bess and he killed that!
The music of Marvin Gaye is featured heavily in the film. He’s almost like one of the cast members. Why did you decide to use his music throughout the movie?
Spike Lee: The Marvin Gaye music was specifically from the greatest album ever, in my opinion, What’s Going On? The album came out in 1971, and this would be the album that people were listening to. This was the album that people were listening to in Vietnam. Marvin had an older brother named Franklin who did three tours in Vietnam. He was an operator. Marvin would read his brother’s letters firsthand about what’s happening in the Vietnam War. And then Marvin, being from Detroit, would see what was happening with the brothers coming back from war. So I think those two things really are the impetus for the creation.. So I’m very honored, lucky, and blessed that we were able to incorporate a lot of songs from the album. And like you stated earlier, he’s like a character. His music, and his words are like a character in the film.
When the script is ready, do you know when you are going to do your signature dolly shot?
Spike Lee: I didn’t know for this one. I didn’t know when I wrote the script. I knew where it was going to be in BlackKklansman, but it took me a minute for that for it to show itself to me.
What do you want this body the audience to take away from seeing this movie?
Spike Lee: Shit ain’t changed. Look at what’s happening today. Not that much has changed.
We don’t know where we’re going to be in July or August. Are you still planning to do a Michael Jackson block party or will it be virtual?
Spike Lee: There will not be a Michael Jackson block party this summer. They will not be a Prince block party this summer. They will not be a DoThe Right Thing block party. Other people may have block parties, but Spike Lee and 40 Acres and a Mule is not having any block parties. Virtually, we may do something with DJ Spinna.
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