Things to Think about in King Richard¶
Figure 1:some texts
Some scenes¶
a. Richard tells Venus about his own dad running away and how he wants to protect her, but he can’t “in this next step” – and how she’s going to have to be out there for every Little Black Girl
b. Venus is #1, you’re going to be the Greatest of all-time
c. Final match, even pre-match with Oracene doing Venus’s hair, asking about Sojourner Truth
d. Paul Cohen, Sampras, and Mac
e. HBO scene, treat her like a little girl; don’t destroy her?
f. Others?
The Compton Country Club¶
a. Sisters all getting court ready and practices
b. four scenes with the gangbangers: beat up, almost killed, reconciliation, Rick Macci
What about their neighbors?¶
a. Respectability politics? White audiences?
What do you think about Richard pulling Venus & Serena out of Juniors?¶
a. Tennis parents?
b. Never been done
Is this film about Richard and then Venus?¶
a. About the plan and then the payoff?
b. Why is Richard the central character? How would have making it about their mom been different?
What do you make of Richard Williams as a coach? As a tennis dad?¶
How do we see racism in this film? Structural? (Sheppard (2020))¶
Any other thoughts?¶
Toast charged me too much
- Sheppard, S. N. (2020). Sporting blackness: Race, embodiment, and critical muscle memory on screen. University of California Press.