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Pioneers of African-American Cinema

November 01, 2023

Pioneers of African-American Cinema (2015) is a digitally restored anthology collection of independent Black cinema from the first half of the 20th century.[1]

About edit

Known as "race films," this category of film was made outside of the Hollywood system, and is notable for its exploration of issues of "class, gender, and politics within the Black community."[1] The most important of these filmmakers was groundbreaking auteur Oscar Micheaux, whose films Within Our Gates (1920), with "its head-on confrontation of racism and lynching,"The Symbol of the Unconquered (1920), about black homesteaders struggling for survival against the Ku Klux Klan on the Midwestern plains," and Body and Soul (1925), featuring legendary performer Paul Robeson's debut as an escaped prisoner, are all included.[1] Directors Spencer Williams, Richard Maurice, writer and ethnographer Zora Neale Hurston, and film-making couple James and Eloyce Gist are all represented, too, however, as are a variety of selections from the Ebony Film Corporation, work by Solomon Sir Jones and more.[2][3]

The complete run time of the entire anthology is more than 25 hours, and the restoration will be of particular significance to scholars, historians, and film aficionados due to its inclusion of formerly inaccessible footage.[1][4] The restoration includes over 12 feature films, including: Hell-Bound Train, Within Our Gates, Birthright, and The Flying Ace. It also includes shorts, fragments, trailers, documentary footage, archival interviews and audio recordings.[5] For greater historical context, some films are presented in pairs, including Hot Biskits and The Blood of Jesus and Verdict Not Guilty and Heaven-Bound Travelers.[6] Musical accompaniment includes work by DJ Spooky, Max Roach, Alloy Orchestra, Samuel Waymon, Makia Matsumura, Donald Sosin and others.[5]

Funded in part by a Kickstarter campaign, the series was produced in association with the Library of Congress, with the cooperation of the British Film Institute, George Eastman Museum, Museum of Modern Art, National Archives, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Southern Methodist University, and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.[5] Curated by scholars Charles Musser and Jacqueline Najuma, the anthology was distributed by Kino Lorber, which specializes in historic art house film.[5]

The box set is available streaming, on BLU-RAY and on DVD, the latter of which is accompanied by a 76-page booklet.[5] The New York Times praised the collection and recommended it for educational institutions.[7]

Anthology contents edit

Film Title Director Year Duration Music Notes
Two Knights of Vaudeville Ebony Film Co. 1915 11 min. Donald Sosin
Mercy the Mummy Mumbled Ebony Film Co. 1918 12 min. Alloy Orchestra (BLU-RAY ONLY)
A Reckless Rover Ebony Film Co. 1918 14 min. Donald Sosin
Within Our Gates Oscar Micheaux 1920 73 min. Paul D. Miller (DJ Spooky)
The Symbol of the Unconquered: A Story of the KKK Oscar Micheaux 1920 59 min. Max Roach
By Right of Birth Lincoln Motion Picture Co. 1921 4 min. Donald Sosin
Body and Soul Oscar Micheaux 1925 93 min. Paul D. Miller (DJ Spooky)
Screen Snapshots Micheaux footage 1920 1 minute Bonus: An Introduction (7 min.); Bonus: The Films of Oscar Micheaux (8 min.)
Regeneration Richard E. Norman 1923 11 min. Donald Sosin
The Flying Ace Richard E. Norman 1928 65 min. Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra
Ten Nights in a Bar Room CPFC 1926 64 min.. Donald Sosin
Rev. S.S. Jones Home Movies Rev. Solomon Sir Jones 1924-26 16 min. Andrew Simpson
The Scar of Shame Frank Peregini 1929 86 min. Makia Matsumura Bonus: The Color Line (5 min.) Bonus: Ten Nights in a Bar Room – An Introduction (4 min.) Bonus: About the Restoration (8 min.)
Eleven P.M. Richard Maurice 1928 60 min. Rob Gal
Hell-Bound Train James and Eloyce Gist 1930 50 min. Samuel D. Waymon Restored by S. Torriano Berry.
Verdict Not Guilty James and Eloyce Gist 1934 8 min. Samuel D. Waymon Restored by S. Torriano Berry.
Heaven-Bound Travelers James and Eloyce Gist 1935 15 min. Samuel D. Waymon Restored by S. Torriano Berry. (BLU-RAY ONLY)
The Darktown Revue Oscar Micheaux 1931 18 min.
The Exile Oscar Micheaux 1931 78 min.
Hot Biskits Spencer Williams 1931 10 min.
The Girl from Chicago Oscar Micheaux 1932 70 min.
Ten min. to Live Oscar Micheaux 1932 58 min.
Veiled Aristocrats Oscar Micheaux 1932 48 min.
Birthright Oscar Micheaux 1938 73 min. Bonus: Veiled Aristocrats Trailer (4 min.) Bonus: Birthright Trailer (4 min.) Bonus: We Work Again (BLU-RAY ONLY) – WPA Documentary (1937, 15 min.)
The Bronze Buckaroo Richard Kahn 1939 58 min.
Zora Neale Hurston Fieldwork Footage (excerpt) Zora Neale Hurston 1928 3 min.
Commandment Keeper Church, Beaufort South Carolina, May 1940 (excerpt) Zora Neale Hurston 1940 15 min.
The Blood of Jesus Spencer Williams 1941 56 min.
Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. Spencer Williams 1946 60 min.
Moses Sisters Interview Pearl Bowser 1978 32 min. Bonus: Texas Tyler Promo Film with Ossie Davis (1985, 6 min.) Bonus: The Films of Zora Neale Hurston (2 min.) Bonus: The Films of Spencer Williams (7 min.) Bonus: The End of an Era (4 min.)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "National Film Preservation FoundationPioneers of African American Cinema". www.filmpreservation.org. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
  2. ^ Gates, Racquel (2016). "Pioneers of African-American Cinema and Its Contemporary Relevance". Film Quarterly. 70 (2): 88–93. doi:10.1525/fq.2016.70.2.88. JSTOR 26413771 – via JSTOR.
  3. ^ Calvario, Liz (February 8, 2017). "Kino Lorber's 'Pioneers of African-American Cinema' Collection Is Available to Stream on Netflix".
  4. ^ Mims, Sergio. "Blu-ray Review: Kino Lorber's "Pioneers of African-American Cinema" | TV/Streaming | Roger Ebert". rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
  5. ^ a b c d e Pioneers of African-American Cinema, retrieved 2022-05-05
  6. ^ Calvario, Liz (2017-02-08). "Kino Lorber's 'Pioneers of African-American Cinema' Collection Is Available to Stream on Netflix". IndieWire. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
  7. ^ Hoberman, J. (August 10, 2016). "'Pioneers of African-American Cinema': Black Filmmaking Aborning". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.

November 01, 2023
pioneers, african, american, cinema, 2015, digitally, restored, anthology, collection, independent, black, cinema, from, first, half, 20th, century, directed, bypearl, bowser, ebony, film, corporation, zora, neale, hurston, solomon, jones, richard, kahn, linco. Pioneers of African American Cinema 2015 is a digitally restored anthology collection of independent Black cinema from the first half of the 20th century 1 Pioneers of African American CinemaDirected byPearl Bowser Ebony Film Corporation Zora Neale Hurston Solomon Sir Jones Richard C Kahn Lincoln Motion Picture Company Richard Maurice Oscar Micheaux Richard Norman Spencer Williams Jr Produced byLibrary of Congress with the cooperation of the British Film Institute George Eastman Museum Museum of Modern Art National Archives National Museum of African American History and Culture Southern Methodist University and the UCLA Film amp Television ArchiveMusic byAlloy Orchestra Makia Matsumura Max Roach Donald Sosin DJ Spooky Samuel WaymonDistributed byKino LorberRelease date2015Running time25hr 12min CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish Contents 1 About 2 Anthology contents 3 See also 4 ReferencesAbout editKnown as race films this category of film was made outside of the Hollywood system and is notable for its exploration of issues of class gender and politics within the Black community 1 The most important of these filmmakers was groundbreaking auteur Oscar Micheaux whose films Within Our Gates 1920 with its head on confrontation of racism and lynching The Symbol of the Unconquered 1920 about black homesteaders struggling for survival against the Ku Klux Klan on the Midwestern plains and Body and Soul 1925 featuring legendary performer Paul Robeson s debut as an escaped prisoner are all included 1 Directors Spencer Williams Richard Maurice writer and ethnographer Zora Neale Hurston and film making couple James and Eloyce Gist are all represented too however as are a variety of selections from the Ebony Film Corporation work by Solomon Sir Jones and more 2 3 The complete run time of the entire anthology is more than 25 hours and the restoration will be of particular significance to scholars historians and film aficionados due to its inclusion of formerly inaccessible footage 1 4 The restoration includes over 12 feature films including Hell Bound Train Within Our Gates Birthright and The Flying Ace It also includes shorts fragments trailers documentary footage archival interviews and audio recordings 5 For greater historical context some films are presented in pairs including Hot Biskits and The Blood of Jesus and Verdict Not Guilty and Heaven Bound Travelers 6 Musical accompaniment includes work by DJ Spooky Max Roach Alloy Orchestra Samuel Waymon Makia Matsumura Donald Sosin and others 5 Funded in part by a Kickstarter campaign the series was produced in association with the Library of Congress with the cooperation of the British Film Institute George Eastman Museum Museum of Modern Art National Archives National Museum of African American History and Culture Southern Methodist University and the UCLA Film amp Television Archive 5 Curated by scholars Charles Musser and Jacqueline Najuma the anthology was distributed by Kino Lorber which specializes in historic art house film 5 The box set is available streaming on BLU RAY and on DVD the latter of which is accompanied by a 76 page booklet 5 The New York Times praised the collection and recommended it for educational institutions 7 Anthology contents editFilm Title Director Year Duration Music NotesTwo Knights of Vaudeville Ebony Film Co 1915 11 min Donald SosinMercy the Mummy Mumbled Ebony Film Co 1918 12 min Alloy Orchestra BLU RAY ONLY A Reckless Rover Ebony Film Co 1918 14 min Donald SosinWithin Our Gates Oscar Micheaux 1920 73 min Paul D Miller DJ Spooky The Symbol of the Unconquered A Story of the KKK Oscar Micheaux 1920 59 min Max RoachBy Right of Birth Lincoln Motion Picture Co 1921 4 min Donald SosinBody and Soul Oscar Micheaux 1925 93 min Paul D Miller DJ Spooky Screen Snapshots Micheaux footage 1920 1 minute Bonus An Introduction 7 min Bonus The Films of Oscar Micheaux 8 min Regeneration Richard E Norman 1923 11 min Donald SosinThe Flying Ace Richard E Norman 1928 65 min Mont Alto Motion Picture OrchestraTen Nights in a Bar Room CPFC 1926 64 min Donald SosinRev S S Jones Home Movies Rev Solomon Sir Jones 1924 26 16 min Andrew SimpsonThe Scar of Shame Frank Peregini 1929 86 min Makia Matsumura Bonus The Color Line 5 min Bonus Ten Nights in a Bar Room An Introduction 4 min Bonus About the Restoration 8 min Eleven P M Richard Maurice 1928 60 min Rob GalHell Bound Train James and Eloyce Gist 1930 50 min Samuel D Waymon Restored by S Torriano Berry Verdict Not Guilty James and Eloyce Gist 1934 8 min Samuel D Waymon Restored by S Torriano Berry Heaven Bound Travelers James and Eloyce Gist 1935 15 min Samuel D Waymon Restored by S Torriano Berry BLU RAY ONLY The Darktown Revue Oscar Micheaux 1931 18 min The Exile Oscar Micheaux 1931 78 min Hot Biskits Spencer Williams 1931 10 min The Girl from Chicago Oscar Micheaux 1932 70 min Ten min to Live Oscar Micheaux 1932 58 min Veiled Aristocrats Oscar Micheaux 1932 48 min Birthright Oscar Micheaux 1938 73 min Bonus Veiled Aristocrats Trailer 4 min Bonus Birthright Trailer 4 min Bonus We Work Again BLU RAY ONLY WPA Documentary 1937 15 min The Bronze Buckaroo Richard Kahn 1939 58 min Zora Neale Hurston Fieldwork Footage excerpt Zora Neale Hurston 1928 3 min Commandment Keeper Church Beaufort South Carolina May 1940 excerpt Zora Neale Hurston 1940 15 min The Blood of Jesus Spencer Williams 1941 56 min Dirty Gertie from Harlem U S A Spencer Williams 1946 60 min Moses Sisters Interview Pearl Bowser 1978 32 min Bonus Texas Tyler Promo Film with Ossie Davis 1985 6 min Bonus The Films of Zora Neale Hurston 2 min Bonus The Films of Spencer Williams 7 min Bonus The End of an Era 4 min See also editAfrican American cinema Black women film pioneers Black women filmmakers Race filmReferences edit a b c d National Film Preservation FoundationPioneers of African American Cinema www filmpreservation org Retrieved 2022 05 05 Gates Racquel 2016 Pioneers of African American Cinema and Its Contemporary Relevance Film Quarterly 70 2 88 93 doi 10 1525 fq 2016 70 2 88 JSTOR 26413771 via JSTOR Calvario Liz February 8 2017 Kino Lorber s Pioneers of African American Cinema Collection Is Available to Stream on Netflix Mims Sergio Blu ray Review Kino Lorber s Pioneers of African American Cinema TV Streaming Roger Ebert rogerebert com Retrieved 2022 05 05 a b c d e Pioneers of African American Cinema retrieved 2022 05 05 Calvario Liz 2017 02 08 Kino Lorber s Pioneers of African American Cinema Collection Is Available to Stream on Netflix IndieWire Retrieved 2022 05 05 Hoberman J August 10 2016 Pioneers of African American Cinema Black Filmmaking Aborning The New York Times via NYTimes com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pioneers of African American Cinema amp oldid 1173586830, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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