A Century Of Black Cinema
A Century Of Black Cinema is two one-hour specials celebrating the finest Black entertainers ever to grace the silver screen. This absorbing program takes you on an illuminating journey through the careers of the fortunate, the unfortunate, the ground-breaking, the spectacular, the musical, and the comical performers who have inspired millions of people since the first cameras rolled. Enjoy rare film footage ranging from turn-of-the-century independent director Oscar Micheaux to modern day filmmaker, Spike Lee. The program features brilliant performances from scenes of Porgy & Bess, Lilies of the Field, Gone With the Wind, Cotton Comes To Harlem, Waiting To Exhale to name a few, and priceless behind-the-scenes takes with Richard Pryor, Sidney Porter, and James Earl Jones.
Member Reviews
A basic introduction to Black Cinema - jasperlily
Long before Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Whoopi Goldberg and Spike Lee, there was Oscar Micheaux and Nina Mae McKinney. Can't recall those last two names? You're not alone. "A Century of Black Cinema" opens our eyes and fills in the gaps regarding the film contributions of Afro-Americans.
The first half of the documentary (covering the early days of motion pictures to the late 1950s) is more rounded out with historical details. We learn there was a thriving Black film community that ran parallel to its White counterpart in Hollywood--a reflection of the social segregation at the time. A few actors made the crossover into mainstream American films albeit in secondary even demeaning roles. Performers such as Paul Robeson, Lena Horne and Eartha Kitt made it a personal mission to insist on better, leading roles for themselves beyond the stereotypes...and through persistence, they got it.
The pace of the documentary's second half seemed a bit rushed after covering the blaxploitation films of the 1970s. The film goes through a quick blur of familiar names (Eddie Murphy, Lawrence Fishburne, Wesley Snipes, Robert Townsend, Lisa Bonet, Vanessa Williams) but doesn't focus on much of their personal stories in the process. By the time of the '90s, black actors and directors were making breakthroughs in artistry, income and fame that their predecessors could only dream of. It would appear that the struggle for equality no longer existed in Hollywood but, of course, this isn't the case. This documentary is BEGGING for an update. My biggest disappointment was in the film's duration which was TOO SHORT. Many actors such as Cicely Tyson, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis and Morgan Freeman only got a brief mention and not the in-depth review that they deserved.
As a general tribute to outstanding black actors and filmmakers through the years, this film does suffice. A mini-series format would've been a better approach to the subject.
Member Reviews
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A basic introduction to Black Cinema - jasperlily
Long before Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Whoopi Goldberg and Spike Lee, there was Oscar Micheaux and Nina Mae McKinney. Can't recall those last two names? You're not alone. "A Century of Black Cinema" opens our eyes and fills in the gaps ...