A fairly obscure topic--independent African American filmmaking in the decades leading to World War II--is given a thorough and informative treatment in this 55-minute documentary, produced and dire...( read more
)cted by Tom Thurman. Various scholars and historians discuss the factors that were brought to bear on these endeavors--including the church and Christian morals (damnation and the devil, often literally depicted, are recurring themes), life and prejudice in the Deep South, the simple need for entertainment, and so on--and the ways that they influenced the black community. Clips by such artists as Oscar Micheaux, Spencer Williams, and Eloyce Gist are provided, while among the DVD bonus features are two complete films, The Blood of Jesus and Go Down Death (each about an hour long). And while they tend towards the crude and stereotypical, these filmed morality plays are fascinating to watch. --Sam Graham
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28% want to see it
1,607 ratings
DVD Release Date: February 4, 2003
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