My 10 Best Black Heritage Films
Mar 14 '01 (Updated Mar 23 '01)
The Bottom Line These are 10 of what I believe to be the greatest Black Heritage movies available.
Welcome to my list of the 10 Best Black Heritage Films. I have no doubt that I will leave off a picture that is near and dear to someones heart, that is probably very deserving of being on this list, but these are the films that I thought of first for this category, and each is one that I have seen and has had a strong impact on me.
So, enough with the talk, let's get to the films!
10. Cooley High (1975)
Although critics usually label this as a rip-off of 'American Graffiti', in reality, it is worlds apart. The experiences of the white kids in 'Graffiti' could never be the same as those of these black kids coming of age in Chicago of 1964. The characters are memorable, the scenarios are real and the outcome is poignant. Well worth watching.
9. Boyz N The Hood (1991)
Again, it's a coming of age film, but with South Central, LA as the backdrop. Gifted writing and direction by John Singleton, and great performances by many fine black actors, such as: Cuba Gooding Jr, Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Ice Cube, Tyra Ferrell, Angela Bassett, Morris Chestnut, and more. Dealing with the struggles against racism, economic oppression, and the LA streetgangs. A very powerful indictment of a) the system that oppresses many black people, and b) the way that many of us give in to that same system, and take our brothers and sisters down with us.
A very, very good first movie by Mr.Singleton.
8. The Great White Hope (1970)
This is probably the finest work that James Earl Jones has ever done. In this film, he portrays the first black heavyweight boxing champion, Jack Jefferson (read:Jack Johnson), who not only has to cope with the prevalent racism of 1910 America in his profession, but also in his personal life, where he is involved in an interracial relationship. Needless to say, many taboos are presented for examination in this film, and it definitely deserves the praise it received from critics.
7. Glory (1989)
3 Oscars attest to the greatness of this film. Basically, it's about the formation of the first unit of black soldiers in the Civil War. It shows the struggle to create the unit, keep the unit alive politically, and how the unit distinguishes itself on the field of combat.
Many good actors helped this great screenplay become an excellent movie. This includes such talents as Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, and Cary Elwes.
6. Malcolm X (1992)
One of the main reasons that Spike Lee's best film ever is so good, is because of how closely they stuck to the book upon which the film was based - 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X' which was written from taped conversations that Malcolm X had with author Alex Haley (Roots etc).
From his childhood until his unfortunate murder, Malcolm's life is chronicled in very faithful detail. A few liberties were taken here and there by Spike Lee, but mostly, it's like seeing the book come to life. The book is essential reading, and the movie is a wonderful overview of the life and times of an amazingly charismatic black man, played to brilliant perfection by Denzel Washington.
5. Malcolm X: Make It Plain (1995)
The only documentary on my list, this is a very insightful look at Malcolm X, utilizing actual footage of Malcolm X himself, and the remembrances and anecdotes of his family, friends, colleagues, and contempories. A very well made documentary that meshes well with Alex Haley's book, to give us a 'whole' vision of Malcolm and how he contributed to the progress of race relations in this country.
4. The Color Purple (1985)
Spielberg takes us back to Slavery Days, and does it with style! This is a big, sweeping look at the Black Experience in the South in the 1930's. Full of emotion, pain, humor, and lessons - Steven Spielberg's movie hits every emotional button in sight and you are swept up from the first miserable moment of Celie's life. It vaguely reminds me of 'The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman', but only, maybe, because of the fact that both deal with a similar time period, and both are viewed through the recollections of black women. Very moving.
3. King (1978)
Paul Winfield stars in this TV movie, that chronicles the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Winfield 'becomes' King, in much the same way that Denzel WAS Malcolm X. The performance is quite superb, with support from Ossie Davis and Cicely Tyson, to name but two others.
2. Carmen Jones (1954)
This adaptation of a classic opera by Bizet is here for one reason only. Some of the very best black actors of the time appear in this film, and they are not slaves, butlers, maids, paupers, thieves, or anything with a negative connotation. It's a tragic love story (with frequent bursts of song!) played out by such talent as; Harry Belafonte, Dorothy Dandridge, Diahann Carroll, and Pearl Bailey. There are no resolutions to racial conflict here, it's a love story, pure and simple. But give that this was made in 1954, it is a groundbreaking movie, just in terms of the fact that it has a predominantly black cast, and that there are no 'Stepin Fetchit' type characters on display. Basically, it's one of the first movies made in Hollywood to depict blacks as regular people. Refreshing and enjoyable,too!
1. In The Heat of The Night (1967)
Sidney Poitier has worked a long time in Hollywood, trying to perform in films where he could show humanity and pride in his heritage. It was hard for me to pick this over my all-time favorite movie ever;'To Sir, With love', but I felt that for this category, 'Heat of The Night' was just slightly more appropiate. This excellent film got 5 Oscars, which is a testament to just how good a film it is. Poitier plays a big-city detective who becomes embroiled in a murder-mystery in Mississippi, where he earns the grudging respect of the local police chief (Rod Steiger). Sidney Poitier gives us a character in Virgil Tibbs who is handsome, intelligent and proud. Tibbs has worked hard to attain his job and skills, and he has to work hard to prove that he is every bit as worthy as anybody. Picture the steamy South in the Sixties, and just try and imagine being a black man in a strange town. Or, just watch this film and try not to react when Tibbs encounters the many faces of predujice, and must deal with them. This film not only shows how very much the same we all are, but it also has a pretty good murder-mystery that will hook you, as well.
So that's my personal list of top 10 Black Heritage films. I tried to contain my verbosity, and succeeded in a couple of instances!
Of course, there were a few other films that I wanted to include, such as;
'Bopha!'(1993)-Danny Glover in Apartheid South Africa
'The Wood'(1999)-coming of age tale set in the early eighties
'A Soldiers Story'(1984)-racism in and outside of the military
'Amistad'(1997)-the practices of the slave trade come under Spielberg's scrutiny
and there are more and more.
So, before I list another 10, I'll call it a day! Hope you will check out a few of these films, they are all very well made, and all thought-provoking.
Thanks.
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britguy
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Member: Ken
Location: Yonkers,New York
Reviews written: 52
Trusted by: 30 members
About Me:
Raised in England
Living in America
Wife and 2 kids
Lab Technologist and Photographer
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