Facing Blackness

In Facing Blackness, Ashley Clark traces the contours of Bamboozled, guiding readers through Lees intricate representation of race, politics, and popular culture. Clark moves beyond straightforward film criticism to situate the film within a complex history of blackness and American entertainment, making a powerful argument for its ongoing relevance and vitality. Thoughtful, rigorous, and witty, Facing Blackness is a thoroughly engaging analysis of this monumental film that is imperative reading for fans of Spike Lee and cinephiles more broadly. Racquel Gates, author of Double Negative: The Black Image and Popular Culture The value of Facing Blackness isnt that Clark renders the film less challenging, but that he has thought through its implications in ways few, if any, have yet attempted. In so doing, he has shown that to understand Lees art, one has to deal with Bamboozled. It is, as Clark puts it, the central work in Lees canonthe house on fire to which all roads lead. Facing Blackness doesnt extinguish the fire, but rather maps the roads. Keith Watson, Slant Magazine Clarks in-depth analysis of Bamboozled brilliantly validates and elucidates the importance of a forgotten cinematic treasure. This is essential reading for anyone interested in black film, black history, or Americas dark past. Kaleem Aftab, author of Spike Lee: Thats My Story and Im Sticking to It Ashley Clark is a writer, critic and film programmer. He was born in London, lives in Jersey City, and works in Manhattan. Facing Blackness, initially published in 2015, is his first book. This revised second edition contains a new foreword.

Published by Film Desk Books.