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Recommend me some quality...

Mike_BellMike_Bell 5,736 Posts
edited March 2006 in Strut Central
Melvin Van Peebles movies.thanks in advance.
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  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Watermelon Man (I like this one way better than Sweetback)
    Sweetback
  • mistercmisterc 329 Posts
    Have you seen Sweetback and want to see more or have you never seen anything by him?
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    Watermelon Man (I like this one way better than Sweetback)
    Sweetback

    co-sign
  • lotuslandlotusland 740 Posts
    Watermelon Man (I like this one way better than Sweetback)
    Sweetback

    co-sign

    absolute lunacy. have either of you two accidentally swallowed a thermometer lately? painting with lead based enamals? using 'street' drugs?
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    Watermelon Man (I like this one way better than Sweetback)
    Sweetback

    co-sign

    absolute lunacy. have either of you two accidentally swallowed a thermometer lately? painting with lead based enamals? using 'street' drugs?

    Watermelon man is the best movie in Van Peebles catalogue. Godfrey Cambridge is an underrated comedic genius

    Sweetback is overblown hype. Being labeled as the "first blaxploitation movie" gave this film some sympathy acclaim.

    "we don't understand it so it must be brilliant"
  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Nope. Sure liked Watermelon Man better. Sweetback, although interested, was disjointed and at some points disorienting.
  • Mike_BellMike_Bell 5,736 Posts
    Have you seen Sweetback and want to see more or have you never seen anything by him?
    I first saw Sweet Sweetback's Baaadass Song three years ago. I haven't seen Watermelon Man yet but I always wanted to.

    Sweetback is decent movie to watch when I'm in the mood for it. It's something that I don't watch all the time. Co-sign on what Guzzo and the Non said about it being disorienting at times. I showed it to a friend of mines and he thought Van Peebles took heroin before making the movie.

    I started this thread because I was curious about shit like Don't Play Us Cheap, The Story of A Three Day Pass and any other obscure shit that y'all might be up on. Thanks for the feed back though.
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    Have you seen Sweetback and want to see more or have you never seen anything by him?
    I first saw Sweet Sweetback's Baaadass Song three years ago. I haven't seen Watermelon Man yet but I always wanted to.


    Sweetback is decent movie to watch when I'm in the mood for it. It's something that I don't watch all the time. Co-sign on what Guzzo and the Non said about it being disorienting at times. I showed it to a friend of mines and he thought Van Peebles took heroin before making the movie.

    I started this thread because I was curious about shit like Don't Play Us Cheap, The Story of A Three Day Pass and any other obscure shit that y'all might be up on. Thanks for the feed back though.

    Has Don't play us cheap been released on DVD yet?

    I remember seeing it in a class once.

    I fell asleep
  • Mike_BellMike_Bell 5,736 Posts
    Have you seen Sweetback and want to see more or have you never seen anything by him?
    I first saw Sweet Sweetback's Baaadass Song three years ago. I haven't seen Watermelon Man yet but I always wanted to.


    Sweetback is decent movie to watch when I'm in the mood for it. It's something that I don't watch all the time. Co-sign on what Guzzo and the Non said about it being disorienting at times. I showed it to a friend of mines and he thought Van Peebles took heroin before making the movie.

    I started this thread because I was curious about shit like Don't Play Us Cheap, The Story of A Three Day Pass and any other obscure shit that y'all might be up on. Thanks for the feed back though.

    Has Don't play us cheap been released on DVD yet?

    I remember seeing it in a class once.

    I fell asleep
    Dude, that's the same question that I had asked myself a couple of days ago. If you doze off watching that movie, then maybe I shouldn't fucks with it.
  • mistercmisterc 329 Posts
    Don't Play Us Cheap has been released on DVD...and whatever you thought of Sweetback is what you'll think of the other ones. I think his son's docudrama on the making of Sweetback is more interesting than the actual film...but it's still an important film.
  • coffinjoecoffinjoe 1,743 Posts
    Nope. Sure liked Watermelon Man better. Sweetback, although interested, was disjointed and at some points disorienting.

    cosiney

    they use to play "watermelon man" on dc tv all the time back in the 70's
    use to have a heap of the soundtrack sealed from that spot

    sweetback is best viewed on under heavy influence
    i liked the music & surreal qualities (liked a f-ed version of "jo jo dancer")
    seemed like the sound was out of sync with the visuals

    "don't play us cheap" was on the cable a bunch 5-8 years ago
    maybe it was a better live stage production
    it was a trip seeing all the familiar sit com faces in very different rolls

    thread hi jack
    who has seen & or liked "Putney Swope" ??
  • Mike_BellMike_Bell 5,736 Posts
    Don't Play Us Cheap has been released on DVD

    Oh really. I'll check for it.

    I think his son's docudrama on the making of Sweetback is more interesting than the actual film...
    Yeah I got that. I like that movie as well and I kind of agree with you as far as it being more interesting than the original


    but it's still an important film.
    No doubt.
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    Don't Play Us Cheap has been released on DVD...and whatever you thought of Sweetback is what you'll think of the other ones.

    Not true. Watermelon man and Sweetback have totally different directing & editing styles. As does DPUC

    I think his son's docudrama on the making of Sweetback is more interesting than the actual film...but it's still an important film.

    this is the typical answer I hear. I don't like sweetback all that much, but its still great/ important/ brilliant/etc.

    WHY?

    Oh and Mario cannot direct worth shit. The only reason that film came out ok is cause he was telling his own story.

    New Jack City, Posse don't hold up and all his skinamax flicks aren't going to really show a proud legacy.
  • Mike_BellMike_Bell 5,736 Posts
    all his skinamax flicks aren't going to really show a proud legacy.
    Like this gem right here...





  • mistercmisterc 329 Posts
    I don't like sweetback all that much, but its still great/ important/ brilliant/etc.

    WHY?


    It's the first American film written, directed, and produced by a black person.

    It's the first American film to make a majority of it's revenue from black patrons.

    It's the first American film to employ black people in apprenticeships so that they could garner vocational skills protected by white unions.

    It's the first American film that attempted to portray black folks independent of their relationship to white people.
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    I don't like sweetback all that much, but its still great/ important/ brilliant/etc.

    WHY?


    It's the first American film written, directed, and produced by a black person.

    It's the first American film to make a majority of it's revenue from black patrons.

    It's the first American film to employ black people in apprenticeships so that they could garner vocational skills protected by white unions.

    It's the first American film that attempted to portray black folks independent of their relationship to white people.

    those are no more than trivia facts (except for the last one which can be debated. Cabin in the Sky & Slew of other films from the 40's also did this).

    none of that makes the film any more watchable.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts

    who has seen & or liked "Putney Swope" ??

    me. one of my favourite films ever. still nothing even remotely comparable has been made.

    the borman six girl has GOT to have SOUL!
  • mistercmisterc 329 Posts
    I don't like sweetback all that much, but its still great/ important/ brilliant/etc.

    WHY?


    It's the first American film written, directed, and produced by a black person.

    It's the first American film to make a majority of it's revenue from black patrons.

    It's the first American film to employ black people in apprenticeships so that they could garner vocational skills protected by white unions.

    It's the first American film that attempted to portray black folks independent of their relationship to white people.

    those are no more than trivia facts (except for the last one which can be debated. Cabin in the Sky & Slew of other films from the 40's also did this).

    none of that makes the film any more watchable.

    I'm not really trying to get into this. If you care there are plenty of books you can read.
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    I don't like sweetback all that much, but its still great/ important/ brilliant/etc.

    WHY?


    It's the first American film written, directed, and produced by a black person.

    It's the first American film to make a majority of it's revenue from black patrons.

    It's the first American film to employ black people in apprenticeships so that they could garner vocational skills protected by white unions.

    It's the first American film that attempted to portray black folks independent of their relationship to white people.

    those are no more than trivia facts (except for the last one which can be debated. Cabin in the Sky & Slew of other films from the 40's also did this).

    none of that makes the film any more watchable.

    I'm not really trying to get into this. If you care there are plenty of books you can read.

    I have, I've been going to school for the last several years in order to get my Film degree and I'm going for a minor in african american history, and I'm not trying to turn this into an argument either. Just stating that I didn't like the film and when I ask others about it I always get the same answer (I didn't like it, but I think its brilliant/ genius/ etc.)

    IMHO a lot of this comes from people just accepting what critics have said and not allowing their own tastes to be expressed.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts


    It's the first American film that attempted to portray black folks independent of their relationship to white people.

    This is just not true at all.
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts


    It's the first American film that attempted to portray black folks independent of their relationship to white people.

    This is just not true at all.

    cosign.

    We'd have to go back several decades to find that
  • 99Problems99Problems 1,541 Posts


    It's the first American film that attempted to portray black folks independent of their relationship to white people.

    This is just not true at all.


    Let's hear some examples here...
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts


    It's the first American film that attempted to portray black folks independent of their relationship to white people.

    This is just not true at all.


    Let's hear some examples here...

    well there werent too many intergrated films up through the 60's. I'm sure you've heard again and again that the only roles really given to black actors in non-black films were that of a mammy, butler, and other servant type roles.

    there was however films made for black audiences going back to the turn of the century

    I mentioned Cabin in the Sky earlier in this thread and Dr*w, I highly recommend you go out and rent this. It just came out on DVD about a month ago and has some nice extras
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    There is a lot to be said for context, so considering all the elements that went into making the film**, it???s hard for me to hate it. To be corny, it???s kinda punk.

    Granted, at times, the film is down-right unwatchable and borderline incomprehensible, but so is Maya Deren and I???d rather watch Sweetback any day over that ??? cause as ???art??? as it it is ??? it does not take itself too seriously. It???s fun, fucked up, sexy, dirty, surreal, messy, political, DIY and I like it.

    **ie Van Peebles got gonorrhea from one of the actresses during one of the sex scenes. He applied for compensation from the Directors Guild because he ???got hurt on the job??? and used the money to buy more film.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts


    It's the first American film written, directed, and produced by a black person.



    And as for this one, we can probably go back even further, but for a genuine maverick
    and influential artist, there is Oscar Micheaux, who was producing/writing/directing films as early as 1919.
    He did all three on Body & Soul in 1924.

    And his films

    It's the first American film to make made a majority of it's their revenue from black patrons.


    It's the first American film that attempted to portray black folks independent of their relationship to white people.
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts


    It's the first American film written, directed, and produced by a black person.



    And as for this one, we can probably go back even further, but for a genuine maverick
    and influential artist, there is Oscar Micheaux, who was producing/writing/directing films as early as 1919.
    He did all three on Body & Soul in 1924.

    And his films


    I know I shouldn't but somehow I feel for not saying this/ knowing this.

    good research I'm about to look more into Mr. Micheaux's films
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    Body & Soul in 1924.


    LOL the guy that wrote the reader review on that page
    was channeling 3rd Bass:

    The Minister. One word - Sinister!
  • coffinjoecoffinjoe 1,743 Posts

    I know I shouldn't but somehow I feel for not saying this/ knowing this.

    good research I'm about to look more into Mr. Micheaux's films

    cable has been playing a great documentary about him (maybe an encore or ifc channel)
    & i think mr van peebles is the narrator
  • coffinjoecoffinjoe 1,743 Posts
    midnight ramble is about Micheaux
  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts

    I know I shouldn't but somehow I feel for not saying this/ knowing this.

    good research I'm about to look more into Mr. Micheaux's films

    cable has been playing a great documentary about him (maybe an encore or ifc channel)
    & i think mr van peebles is the narrator

    yeah I've seen that documentary before. Really good. They don't make heroes like that anymore

    Dude had a rough life. Amerikkka had a hard on for him.
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