Get On Up and go see the movie

I hope all Mississippians will support this movie because it was filmed here. I was outside the Mississippi Coliseum last August when Mississippi native Tate Taylor, director of “The Help,” announced “Get On Up,” the bio movie of soul legend James Brown, would be filmed in the state.

“Get On Up!”

No, I won’t be getting up on the dance floor, but I plan to get on up and attend the movie that was filmed in Mississippi.

I haven’t been to a movie theater in years. Probably like a lot of people my age, I wait until a movie is shown on TV.

However, I think it is important for several reasons that I head to the theater for this film.

I hope all Mississippians will support this movie because it was filmed here. I was outside the Mississippi Coliseum last August when Mississippi native Tate Taylor, director of “The Help,” announced “Get On Up,” the bio movie of soul legend James Brown, would be filmed in the state.

Brown, known as the “Godfather of Soul,” was a native of South Carolina and spent much of his life in Georgia. He was born in 1933 and died in 2006. The film traces his life from age 5 until about 1993.

Brown’s funkified music and dance moves made him a legend in the entertainment field. Brown’s hit songs are classics: “I Feel Good,” “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” “Sex Machine” and “Living in America.”

Even when much of the South was still segregated, there were stories of white teens sneaking into Brown’s concerts.

I remember the late Orley Hood, one of the greatest columnists in The Clarion-Ledger’s history, told me how he and some friends would attend Brown’s concerts without their parents’ knowledge. Hood said seeing Brown’s concert was the thrill of a lifetime.

It was Taylor’s idea to film the award-winning movie “The Help” and now “Get On Up” in Mississippi. Through the films, Taylor is showcasing the state in a positive light. That is one of the reasons I plan to head to the theater. I want to support Taylor and our state.

Taylor, who grew up in Jackson and has a home near Natchez, said the movie would bring economic stimulus and showcase his home state.

Figures from the Mississippi Film Office, part of the Mississippi Development Authority’s tourism division, show Mississippians received more than $1.3 million in wages during the filming of “The Help,” which was released in 2011. Additionally, nearly $7.2 million was spent in the state on the film’s production. The overall estimated economic impact from the film was $18 million to $20 million.

Last year, Mississippi economic development officials said the filming of the James Brown film would result in 7,000 to 9,000 paychecks, but they pointed out that didn’t mean that many jobs would be created.

Having major films like “The Help” and “Get On Up” made in Mississippi is something we can all be proud of. Another reason I plan on going to see it is for nostalgia. Like many my age, when I was growing up, James Brown was someone I worshiped. His showmanship couldn’t be beat. He became known as the hardest-working man in show business.

I remember telling myself, only if I could dance like James Brown. I couldn’t, not from a lack of trying, but from a lack of raw talent. But I do remember trying to do Brown’s Mashed Potato, Camel Walk and the Good Foot.

My dance days are long gone, and that’s OK. In later life, Brown had his problems, including run-ins with the law, but he was a legendary figure who transcended music in his time.

Part of “Get On Up” was filmed in the Mississippi Coliseum, used to re-create Brown’s memorable Boston Garden performance the weekend after civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. Some say Brown’s performance, which was broadcast live, kept the city of Boston from riots that hit other cities after King’s assassination.

In the 1960s and ’70s, Brown often had concerts at the Coliseum.

“Get On Up” is in theaters Aug. 1. It was co-produced by another legendary singer, Mick Jagger, and Brian Grazer, who produced “Apollo 13,” “Boomerang” and “8 Mile.” Glazer has held the rights to the Brown movie for more than a decade.

So join me, get on up and go see this movie. And who knows, you might see a local face or two you recognize on the silver screen.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at jgates@jackson.gannett.com or (601) 961-7212. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.

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