The character Walter Lee is a man driven to the edge of insanity by the prospect of seeing his dream slip right through his fingers.
A dream that he thinks is his only way up. Sidney Poitier, who is the finest, most natural actor I have ever seen, plays this part flawlessly.
Ruby Dee, Diane Sands, and Claudia McNeil also strike stunning, emotional performances as the family members dealing with not only Walter Lee's downward spiral, but also with their own issues and inner turmoil.
In keeping with its origins, the cinematography of the movie retains many aspects of a play, and is thus unlike modern movies that cater to the growing attention deficit of our society. However, the content and fine performances will capture your attention, regardless of what you are now used to seeing. The turmoil will be familiar to many people. The conflicts brought up here are classic social conditions experienced by many different types of people all around the world... whether it is due to skin color, religion, money or other class distinction.
For this reason, I feel this movie will strike a cord with people from many different backgrounds.
This 1973 television movie about 110 years of American history as seen through the eyes of a black woman from Louisiana (Cicely Tyson) is a terrific achievement, a window onto racism from the Civil War to the Civil Rights Movement. Tyson gives a career performance as the title character, whose personal life is inextricably woven into the fabric of the African American struggle for equality. A mixture of the sentimental and the unflinching, this is the kind of educational experience that fully engages a viewer
Disturbing and searing story starring James Whitmore as a dedicated reporter going undercover as a "black" man . . . this isn't a joke--it's based on a real story. Reporter Whitman undergoes a regimen consisting of a combination of sunlamp treatments and melanin pills to make his skin black. Although pretty convincing with his newly acquired darkness, Whitmore "passes" and gets an unsavory taste of being black in the segregated south. Though he finds immediate kinship and camraderie with other black men who naturally think he's a "brother," it doesn't offer much comfort in the face of abundant racism and hostility. The few blacks who know about him think he's nuts to willingly undergo such an ordeal and also contemptuous because he can't really know how they live since he can "change" anytime he wants to, whereas they can't. The test of Whitmore's inner strength comes in the way of whites he encounters--mostly they are outwardly loathing of him. However, the truly insidious ones are those whose seeming tolerance masks bigotry--in one case Whitmore hitches a ride from an old man who appears okay, then starts questioning him incessently about sex and black men's desire for white women, after which Whitmore gets roughly thrown out of the car and name-called when he refuses to get into the conversation! In another case he gets acquainted with a college student who seems alright, but when they get to his hotel room--like the man before him--only wants to talk about sex in regard to black as opposed to white men! Whitmore's physical and emotional abuse at the hands of hatred, bigotry, and sexual stereotyping transforms him into a calm reporter knowingly yet naively going on assignment, to a seethingly angry and emotionally disillusioned man trying to cope with prejuduce and insulting stereotypes of blacks as an insensitive, sex-crazed race. Although somewhat moralistic, this is an excellent unsettling and thought-provoking film.
Black Sampson features Rockne Tarkington as Sampson, A night club owner (Who owns a lion) and who dosen't want any drugs in his neiborhood. William Smith is terrific as evil Johnny Napa, who wants to own the neiborhood and starts a war with Sampson.
"Every Brother's Friend. Every Mother's Enemy."
Starring Rockne Tarkington, William Smith &Connie Strickland
Based in part on the true story of Zairian military leader-turned-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, director Valerio Zurlini's compelling drama stars Woody Strode as an anti-colonial leader in a strife-torn African nation who is betrayed by a power-hungry follower.
Sol (Tariq Trotter) is an up-and-coming hip-hop artist from the Jamaican section of Crown Heights. Sara (Karen Goberman) is a straightlaced Jewish girl from a very religious family. Their worlds collide (literally) one night when a car carrying Sol and his pal Scratch (Bonz Malone) collides with a car driven by Sara's boyfriend Judah (David Vadim). Judah and Scratch quickly get into a heated argument about who is at fault, but Sol and Sara share an instant, mysterious connection.
Tensions mount between the Jewish and black communities as Judah and a group of Jewish vigilantes seeks vengeance on Scratch, and Scratch retaliates by blowing up Judah's car. Judah and his friends retaliate by burning down the door to Club Dread, a popular hip-hop nightspot where Sol and his group are playing.
As the situation escalates, Sol and Sara reject the madness the see coming from their friends and relatives, and seek refuge in each other.
Few actresses have captivated the camera as powerfully as Dorothy Dandridge in Carmen Jones. Her polished beauty plays in irresistible contrast to her title character's leonine sexuality and fluid emotions; a man can't decide from moment to moment if he wants to save her from doom, build her a castle, or never let her out of bed. Of course, that's the problem with the boys in this semi-experimental adaptation of Bizet's opera, Carmen. Straight-arrow Joe (a strapping Harry Belafonte), an obedient corporal on a Southern military base during World War II, is all set to go to flight school and marry his hometown sweetie, Cindy Lou (Olga James), when his troublemaking sergeant orders him to accompany Carmen to a civilian court. In short order, Joe is swept up in Carmen's carnal anarchy and her craving for release from lousy options in life. An impulsive act of violence ensures that Joe's future is gone forever, putting Carmen in the difficult position of destroying their relationship to save him. Oscar Hammerstein II took Bizet's music in 1943 and rewrote the book and lyrics. The result is largely a smashing success with a few missteps (the bullfighter in Bizet's piece becomes a heavyweight boxer here, which breaks up a certain grace in the story) and a couple of perfect stretches (the long prelude to Carmen and Joe's first embrace, set on Carmen's hoodoo-ish home turf). Despite the fact that both Dandridge and Belafonte were singers, their vocal performances were dubbed by LeVern Hutcherson and Marilyn Horne. (Yes, it is a little disconcerting to hear another voice come out of the more familiar Belafonte's mouth.) Otto Preminger directed with his usual eye on economy of action and production, as the numerous musical numbers tend to be shot in lengthy, single, carefully choreographed takes. The result can be a little visually static at times, but the passion behind the singing pulls everything through
There is not a movie in this whole world that moved me more than "The Color Purple". It is an instant classic. Spielberg made great character developments and characteristics, unlike the uninspired characters from his other movies, such as Saving Private Ryan. The women of the movie were absolutely UNFORGETTABLE. Whoopi Goldberg gives the performance of the lifetime as the shy, abused, and mistreated Celie. This is the finest screen debut ever!! Oprah Winfrey was heartbreaking as the strong Sophia. Margaret Avery gives an outstanding dramatic and musical performance as the singer Shug Avery, who were only one of the few people that cared about Celie. These 3 women were all nominated for an Academy Award for these performances. Whoopi- Best Actress, Oprah And Margaret Avery for their suporting roles. This film was tied with "Out of Africa" as the film with the most nominations coming to the 1985 Academy Awards (11 nominations each). But it was the ultimate shut out in oscar history. First of all, director Steven Spielberg wasn't even nominated as its director, after winning the prestigious Director's Guild Awards, but was nominated for Best Picture. Second, The Color Purple didn't even receive a single award out of its great feat of 11 nominations. Out of Africa won the award that year, which was undeserving in The Color Purple's presence,similar to this year's Oscars when Shakespeare in Love won instead of the far greater "Saving Private Ryan" (which is also Steven Spielberg's film). But unlike Shakespeare in Love, Out of Africa was a great masterpiece, but not as great as The Color Purple. This film is a must see. It will make you cry every single time you see it.
VHS & DVDSet in Chicago in 1964, the movie follows aspiring writer Preach (Glynn Turman) and local basketball star Cochise (Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs) as they wander their neighborhood, drifting in and out of their classes at Cooley Vocational High School. The two friends pull pranks, crash parties, commit petty crimes, and generally try to enjoy their lives in an impoverished urban environment. Preach falls in love with a smart girl named Brenda (Cynthia Davis), whom he wins over by reciting poetry--leading to one of the silliest and sweetest love scenes you'll ever see. When Preach and Cochise go on a joy ride with a pair of young hoods, they end up arrested. Their history teacher, Mr. Mason (Garrett Morris), gets them off, but the hoods think the boys sold them out and come seeking revenge. Cooley High depicts the rough life of African Americans in the 1960s with honesty and humor, offering no easy solutions or lessons. It's a roughly made movie, but Turman and Jacobs are both excellent, and there's an attention to reality that makes it engaging, refreshing, and ultimately moving. The soundtrack is a great compilation of 1960s soul, including the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops, and Smokey Robinson. An unjustly neglected film that deserves rediscovery.
A lean, funny, Nixon-era movie about a romance nearly undone by a patronizing welfare system. Diahann Carroll stars as Claudine, single mother of six children in Harlem and a maid working for under-the-table wages. Forever worried that her white caseworker will discover her meager, outside income (thus eliminating meager government benefits), Claudine further complicates her domestic situation by falling in love with Roop (James Earl Jones). An affable Romeo and absent but financially supportive father of several kids, Roop by his presence jeopardizes Claudine's official status as a mom without means. The couple's decision to go forward results in welfare backlash, personal humiliation, family strain, and corrosive behavior. A sharp script layers the personal story within a socially conscious treatment, while Jones and Carroll's special chemistry turns the characters into fully rounded people.
