Guest Author - Vannie
While cataloging a few movies I came across Eve's Bayou and decided to watch it instead of shuffling tapes and DVD's around. Originally, I was intrigued by this movie because of the tag line I heard on television ads for the movie, The summer I killed my father, I was 10 years old. After watching it I realized that Eve's Bayou is a spectacular movie.
The color and scenery in this movie is wonderful. The people are elegant and troubled. Even the character's names stir up visions of dark swamp water and sultry heat. How does a young child of 10 kill her father? Was it murder or something else? It is revealed at the end of the child's disturbing tale. The story is told and seen through the eyes of little Eve Batiste played by a wonderful young actress named Jurnee Smollett. The story starts in 1962 in the Louisiana Bayou area. Little Eve takes us deep into her world which is filled with colorful characters and complex personalities. Diahann Carroll is fabulous as the old fortune teller Elzora with her insane laughter. Debbi Morgan as Aunt Mozelle Batiste Delacroix is something to behold. Aunt Mozelle has promised her family that she will not use her "second sight" to tell fortunes, but neighbors won't let her keep her promise. They seek her out to find missing husbands anyway. Lynn Whitfied as the manor born wife is beautiful and poised as she tries to keep her family together in spite of her wandering husband (Samuel L. Jackson). Jackson is very sexy in this movie and his character has roving eyes as well as roving hands that don't stop even when he is caught in a compromising position by his youngest daughter, Eve. This starts a set of events that lead to the total destruction of an already deeply troubled family. Although this movie did not make history at the box office my guess is that it will become a cult classic. Years from now this movie will be viewed for what it is, a brilliantly produced film. You can literally feel the Louisiana heat from Eve's Bayou. This is a good film to rent before you buy it.
Kasi Lemmons who wrote and directed Eve's Bayou. An actress, Lemmons is not a household name or face, however she has appeared in numerous movies including "Silence of the Lambs with Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. She may better be remembered from old television series; Murder She Wrote Spenser for Hire, The Equalizer, Murder She Wrote and A Man Called Hawk. She appeared in other series' as well.
