Monday, September 28, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Alma Awards - Chicanos On TV
But last Friday night was different. I did watch an awards program. It was the Alma awards sponsored by the National Council for La Raza. Boy were there a lot of Chicanos On TV. I have to tip my hat to both the NCLR and Channel 7 for making it possible to see us on TV in primetime on a major network. And boy did the program shine! It was a who’s who of Chicanos/ Latinos On TV. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there are more Latino actors on cable shows too.
Frank R. Castillo © 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
“No Chicanos On TV” Theme Song
Both the message and the messenger, the late Chicano Lalo Guerrero, are incredible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZt6lZ6RDAU
Frank R. Castillo ©
2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Recent Deaths in Hollywood
The answer is a sad zero, nothing. Most of these white, liberal people living or recently dead have done nothing to advance Latinos or other minorities on TV and in Hollywood. They only cared about their careers and the box office receipts.
Regarding judgment after someone dies, in the Christian New Testament in Matthew Jesus says, “I was hungry and you did not feed me. I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink….” When did I refuse you food, drink, visitation etc.” the dead respond. Jesus says, “When you refused to the least of your brothers.” And Jesus casts them into the pit of fire.
And similarly, “When did you help Chicanos get on TV or in Hollywood? When did you help African Americans or Asians or other underrepresented groups get into the field that you were in?
So why should we care about these Hollywood people and about their deaths when they didn’t do anything for us during their lifetimes?
Frank R. Castillo © 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
New Images on Chicanos On TV
The other comment I had was that today they are having marches in LA. That is the good news. The bad news is that there will be about a dozen different marches. I know people have the right to demonstrate. But this is ridiculous. Talk about divide and conquer. Talk about splitting the groups of several years ago. Why do we always have too many chiefs and not enough Indians? How does this send a unified voice? How will anyone take us seriously? Which is also why we have virtually no Chicanos On TV. How can we keep one unified voice?
Frank R. Castillo ©
2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
3 Chicanos On TV Movies
It is so thrilling to have so many choices and to be able to see different lives about ourselves and our communities.
Please support these movies.
***********************SIN NOMBRE
NOW IN ORANGE COUNTY
Starting Friday, April 3, 2009
Edwards University Town Center 6
4245 Campus Dr., Irvine, CA, 92612
(949) 854-8818
Drama, Thriller - R
11:20a 2:10 4:50 7:20 9:50
Tickets: $9 adults; $7 matinee; $6.50 children & seniors; $8 student.
http://events.ocregister.com/irvine-ca/venues/show/41735-edwards-university-town-center-6
*******************
April 17,18,19, 2009
The opening for the
Sleep Dealer
(Luis Fernando Pena)
Regency South Coast Village 3 Theater
1561 W. Sunflower, Santa Ana, CA, 92704
(714) 557-5701
or at a theatre near you.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804529/
Frank R. Castillo © 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Cesar Chavez Day 2009 1st year anniversary
Frank R. Castillo ©
2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
“La de los ratones…”
A few weeks ago I was in a public place in Santa Ana when I overheard the following conversation. A middle-aged Latina was talking to another middle-aged Latino. “Did you go to the movies the other day that I saw you?” she asked. “Yes, I did,” he responded. “Which one did you see? La de los perritos?” she inquired. “No, I went to see la de los ratones (Tale of Despereaux). Pero habian dos peliculas de perritos (Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Marley and Me),” he replied.
I stopped listening because I realized there are more movies in Hollywood about animals than Chicanos On TV. I was disgusted that in 2009, there are still more movies being made about dogs and cats than about Chicanos On TV. It seems that Hollywood cares more about the stories and lives of these creatures than about us. I still think we have a very powerful tool. Boycott these animal movies until they start making more movies about us.
Frank R. Castillo ©
2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Chicanos On TV Hall of Fame
We need to have a Chicanos On TV or Hollywood Hall of Fame,” I thought as I learned about the recent death of Ricardo Montalban. We need to admire, protect and respect the work of those who have gone before us. Those pioneers who opened the doors to a very racist and closed group like Hollywood.
These were brave people who had to endure the most racist and violent forms of discrimination just like in any other area of life like education, housing, jobs or politics. Just like our black brothers endured all of these forms of discrimination, so did Latinos. And Hollywood was no exception. We still see some of the earlier racist portrayals of Latinos and we can only imagine what it must have been like for the Ricardo Montalbans. Just like in college where Chicano students formed UMAS and M.E.Ch.A. for support and survival, Ricardo formed Nosotros.
We need to recognize and acknowledge these Latino pioneers who dreamed of being on the big screen and representing us in Hollywood and TV despite all of the odds.
Frank R. Castillo ©
2009
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Our Country, Mexico, is shown on TV
Another recent movie that similarly was shot in Mexico was Vantage Point. It was to take place in Salamanca, Spain (Europe) but was filmed in Puebla, Mexico. Imagine Mexico stood in as a body double for a Spanish city.
My point is that although we are not on TV in great numbers yet, TV and Hollywood are discovering our beautiful mother country and next door neighbor, Mexico.
Frank R. Castillo ©
2008