Whether or not people have seen any of Tyler Perry’s Movies, eleven of them so far, or his two television shows, they are usually aware of his character, Madea. Madea is a crass, outspoken Southern Baptist black woman played by Perry himself in drag. Unfortunately this often sets the stage for out of hand dismissal of what he’s about. However ridiculous Madea may seem in a promo clip, her impact is far different in his whole works. She is comic relief, but with relevant depth when taken in context. Perry’s movies are amazing. I only watch them when I’m in the mood for an emotional roller coaster ending in a triumphant celebration of humanity. I watch them when I want to be moved.
Tyler Perry is a Gemini rising. Those who don’t know the depth of his work may see him as a lightweight (air). How classic is it that his public face is both Perry the filmmaker, a man, and Madea, the joke, a woman: double-bodied. While Madea may be the running gag, women are no joke to Perry. His male and females characters are fierce and whole. With his Leo Venus sextiling that Gemini ascendant, his appreciation of people, both men and women, is apparent.
Perry’s Virgo Sun is conjunct Pluto in the fourth house. This conjunction squares his ascendent from the most private part of his chart. He isn’t seen for his genuine depth. Perry’s Moon-Mercury conjunction in Libra is also in the fourth house. Early in Perry’s life transiting Pluto made its way through his fourth house, home, self, and over his natal Moon. His early experience was one of abuse, apparently transformational given his career focus on familial dysfunction. It also made over his Moon-Mercury and he writes his emotional experience. Before they were movies, many of his works were written and performed as plays, one a musical. Writing is clearly one of his strong points.
Saturn often gets a bad rap. Perry’s natal Saturn trines his Sun-Pluto conjunction from the 11th house. Why did he make it through when many didn’t? Who knows, but he certainly has brought an outer (11th house) Saturn focus to family dysfunction and taboo (4th house Pluto). Saturn in trine here is stability. Much of the moral to Perry’s work has to do with finding your way through the morass of dysfunctionality, finding your way by doing right.
Perry’s midheaven and North Node are in Pisces, perfect for a filmmaker, dealing with higher beauty and the art of illusion, and in his case a higher message. Perry is also a Christian, clearly a very public Christian as transformational church scenes figure prominently into the turning points of his movies. Whether this is your cup of tea or not, I can assure you this focus is very moving, and steadying. With Neptune in his 6th house, spirituality is likely a daily affair for him and this devotion shows itself in his work.
Pluto is currently sextiling Perry’s midheaven. I have no doubt he will use this energy to further his career. I note that it is also currently in his 7th house, the house of partnership. Perhaps never-married, 7th house Sagittarius Mars Perry will break new ground in this area as well. It looks as though it would suit his Libra Moon, and if so, I hope that for him. He has brought much joy to my life.
Have you seen any Tyler Perry movies? What did YOU think?
I’d never seen any of his work and then I read an interview with him in Oprah and I was so blown away by his life story — watched one of his movies on Netflix – It was funny and moving. Really funny.
I really Like Tyler Perry!!! Yes there is a moral to his stories! 🙂
..before immediately dismissing this post merely because it was featuring Tyler Perry, I figured you’d have something more to offer than he has.
Let’s just say I’m disappointed that his Libra moon isn’t more discriminating. Seriously.
Do his movies, of which I’ve seen many, offer cheap punchlines that further the exploitation of Afro-Americans? Yes.
Have we been given insight to his deeply traumatized upbringing in a way that’s palpable enough for learning? Sure.
From a man who’s clearly got an unbreakable spirit, who is talented, driven, and business saavy, I exp-no. I demand more.
Oh. Right. He is also the only filmaker, film writer, film producer, and film director in Hollyweird that is able to make these moving pictures (a.k.a. motion pictures) simply and only because he owns his own movie house. Yep. That’s just how rich, by which I mean powerful- he is.
That man knows what’s up. Taking a Scientoli-Jew run community and makin ’em bend over.
Now, who said “the man” was white?
; )
..you did offer more, Satori- as always. Great astro-insight, thank you! Those tids and bits were so informative!
thank you very much for the compliment. I don’t happen to agree with your assessment of the socio-political merits of Mr. Perry’s work. I’m well aware of his critics’ viewpoints, chief among them Spike Lee’s. I admire Mr. Lee’s work as well; I have ever since the late 80’s. I think that between them they pretty much cover the bases. I think there’s room for both artistic points of view without either of them being in the wrong.
Really??? He never made it onto my radar, but it sounds like I should check him out. That quote up at the top is hilarious.
..yes, there will always be room.
I’m sure you noticed in my opinion of Mr. Perry’s work that I both condemn and condone his approach to the very delicate issue of class in this country.
With neither Lee or Perry- or similar contemporaries for that matter- the collective conscious would be subjugated to those formerly in power.
I appreciate the thoughtful reply, it spurs me into a fest of films from the nineties!
..whoops. *condemn, condone and congratulate.
I’ve got so many three C sets they get misplaced sometimes ; )
yes, I’m interested in the treatment of race, class, and economics in relation to power. one of the things I like about Mr. Perry’s movies is the complexity of his characters. I find that regardless of power or position, or political correctness, he imbues each with a humanity I find unparalleled in other people’s work. I see them as human, transcending race or status, and therefore I find the question of race politics superfluous. I want to emphasize that I state this as my opinion, not a factual judgement of their overall significance.
as far as nineties films, the soundtrack to Crooklyn (Spike Lee) is in my top ten albums. Also love Bill Lee’s score to She’s Gotta Have it (80’s).
I spent a weekend watching Tyler Perry movies and bawling a few months back. 🙂 I want to dislike ’em because they sound so trite on paper, but I can’t. *lol*
Saturn’s actually sesquisquare Sun/Pluto in a bucket handle situation with Mars square to Sun/Pluto which makes more sense since he would be inclined to pit his intensely transformative familial drive against his conservative social values.