Documentary: The Weather Underground, We Jam Econo, A Man Named Pearl

Several interesting documentary choices were added to Netflix Watch Instantly this week, two of which I have put in my queue and the other can recommend from seeing it at the Cucalorus Film Festival back in 2009.

Bill Siegel and Sam Green's The Weather Underground was nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar for 2002.  You should try to check out Sam Green's earlier documentary The Rainbow Man/John 3:16, which is not currently streaming but is available on DVD from Other Cinema.  If you find the Weather Undergound interesting, you should also check out the earlier documentary Underground by Emile de Antonio on DVD.

The Weather Underground (Bill Siegel, Sam Green, USA, 2002, 90 minutes)
Netflix: This sobering documentary about a group of 1960s "committed freedom fighters" known as the Weather Underground chronicles a global trend of revolution that sprang from the belief that not acting against violence is violence. A radical offshoot of the Students for a Democratic Society, the Weathermen didn't just march or sit in: They rioted and bombed -- not to change the American political scene but rather to destroy it.  Netflix link.

We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen has been one of the more acclaimed band documentaries of the past few years, earning an 88% positive critical rating and a 95% positive audience rating at Rotten Tomatoes.  I was well behind the curve back when Double Nickels on the Dime came out (okay, I was only 13 in 1983, but I should have been cooler, sooner), but I've finally been catching up with the Minutemen lately and I'm looking forward to this doc.

We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen (Tim Irwin, USA, 2005, 91 minutes)
Netflix: Tim Irwin's documentary chronicles the ups, downs and all-arounds of pioneering punkers the Minutemen. The film weaves together more than 80 interviews to tell the story of the underground California band formed by D. Boon and Mike Watt. Punk icons including Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea and Black Flag's Henry Rollins discuss the band's influence on the genre, and never-before-seen footage captures the raw intensity of the Minutemen live onstage.  Netflix link.

I had a chance to catch A Man Named Pearl at the 2009 Cucalorus Film Festival in Wilmington, North Carolina.  Cucalorus has a strong commitment to regional filmmaking, and this documentary out of South Carolina does a good job of capturing the local flavor of this story about a humble man and his very impressive garden.  Even at 77 minutes the film could be a bit tighter, but it is well worth watching to meet and appreciate Pearl Fryar and his work.

A Man Named Pearl (Scott Galloway, Brent Pierson, USA, 2006, 77 minutes) 
Netflix: Angered by white residents' racist comments that he wouldn't "keep up his yard," Pearl Fryar teaches himself topiary sculpture and becomes the first African American in his Bishopville, S.C., neighborhood to win the coveted "yard of the month" award. This acclaimed documentary traces Fryar's inspiring story, as he grows into a legendary horticulturist, welcoming thousands of tourists eager to catch a glimpse of his stunning works of art.  Netflix link.

Quick Picks: Harold and Maude (1971); The Spook Who Sat at the Door (1973)

According to InstantWatcher, a large list of Miramax films will be coming to Netflix Watch Instantly this week (in fact, it is supposed to be today, so stay tuned) and I plan to cover many of the highlights to the list over the course of this week.  There are so many to look at, in fact, that I decided to add a Quick Picks entry today to look briefly at some films from the 1970s that otherwise might be overlooked.

Not that Harold and Maude is an overlooked film, but it might not be noticed in the onslaught of films that are coming this week.  Simply put, everyone needs to see Harold and Maude at some point in their time on this Earth.  I associate the film with the film society scene at the University of Wisconsin--Madison, where it would be certain to play at least once every year until the societies died out.  It benefits from multiple viewings not only because of the quality of the film, but also because ones perspective it changes as one gets older.  It's perfect for the college crowd because it touches on youth angst and resistance to authority.  But it is also a rare Hollywood film that is also about getting old.  I hate to sound like a broken record when discussing films from the 1970s, but the experimentation in Hollywood as it tried to capture the emerging youth market of the counter culture led to some films that would have a hard time being made today.  It was possible to make a studio film that wasn't really for everybody, and Harold and Maude is not for all tastes in terms of content and tone. 

A thought occurred to me as I was preparing this entry: Is Michael Cera the Bud Cort of the 2000s?  Both of them are unlikely leading men, yet they both found their respective niche playing awkward young men in quirky narratives.  The difference, I think, is that even Michael Cera probably couldn't pull of the delicate mix of tones required for Harold and Maude.  Perhaps more importantly, I don't know of any recent American film (indie or studio) that has a character like Maude, or a performance comparable to Ruth Gordon's performance here.  Any attempt to do similar material now would probably come off as cold and ironic, but what is special about Harold and Maude is that by the end it is genuinely moving despite the broad, dark humor.

Harold and Maude (Hal Ashby, USA, 1971, 91 minutes)
Netflix: Death-obsessed teen Harold Chasen (Bud Cort) is being hassled by his domineering mother (Vivian Pickles) to play the dating game, but he'd much rather attend funerals, which is where he meets the feisty Maude (Ruth Gordon), a geriatric widow who's high on life. The seemingly mismatched pair forms a bond that turns into a highly unconventional -- but ultimately satisfying – romance in this comical cult favorite from director Hal Ashby.  Netflix link.





I still have not seen The Spook Who Sat by the Door, but I first heard about it from Christopher Sieving when discussing his research on African-American cinema and blaxploitation.  So its addition to Netflix Watch Instantly gives me an opportunity to add it to my queue as well as congratulate Chris on the recent publication of his book, Soul Searching: Black Themed Cinema from the March on Washington to the Rise of Blaxploitation from Wesleyan Press.

The Spook Who Sat by the Door (Ivan Dixon, USA, 1973, 102 minutes)
Netflix: After spending several years in Washington as the CIA's token black agent, Dan Freeman (Lawrence Cook) quietly returns to Chicago to launch a potent political revolution made up of leftist radicals and black nationalists. The goal of his well-trained guerilla army? To launch an all-out offensive against the nation's white-dominated power structure. Ivan Dixon, best known for his role as Sgt. "Kinch" Kinchloe on "Hogan's Heroes," directs. Netflix link.

Quick Picks: The Legacy of Sweet Sweetback's Badassss Song

Melvin Van Peebles's Sweet Sweetback's Badasss Song was an important turning point in American independent and African American cinema.  The immediate consequence of its success was Hollywood's response of the so-called blaxpoitation genre (although there is a debate as to whether Sweet Sweetback's itself should be considered an exploitation film).  The longer legacy of the film was its influence on subsequent African American independent filmmakers.  As Spike Lee stated, "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song gave us all the answers we needed. This was an example of how to make a film (a real movie), distribute it yourself, and most important, get paid. Without Sweetback who knows if there could have been a. . . She's Gotta Have It, Hollywood Shuffle, or House Party?"

In addition to the film itself, Netflix Watch Instantly is also streaming two documentaries featuring Melvin Van Peebles that should help put Sweet Sweetback's in context. Not currently streaming, but also worth looking at on DVD, is Mario Van Peebles's tribute to his father's film, Baadasssss! from 2003.

Sweet Sweetback's Badassss Song (Melvin Van Peebles, USA, 1971, 97 minutes)
Netflix: Sweetback (Melvin Van Peebles) is an apolitical African American sex performer who becomes a reluctant hero when he kills the white policemen who brutalized a young prisoner for racist reasons. On the run to Mexico, he encounters numerous interesting characters. Putting black cinema on the map and ushering in the 1970s blaxploitation genre, Van Peebles's thrilling work is also a historically and ideologically significant essay on race relations. Netflix link.

How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It) (Joe Angio, USA, 2007, 84 minutes)
Netflix: Joe Angio's award-winning documentary chronicles the remarkable career of influential African-American filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles. Through archival footage and interviews, the film traces Van Peebles's life as a director, Air Force pilot, actor, musician, novelist and stock trader. Spike Lee, Gil Scott-Heron, Gordon Parks and son Mario Van Peebles are among the admirers who discuss the artist's contributions to film and other areas. Netflix link.

Classified X (Mark Daniels, USA, 1998, 52 minutes)
Netflix: Actor and filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles (Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song) explores the depiction of African-Americans in film in this incisive documentary. Starting with some of the first silent films, Van Peebles uses clips and stills from more than 70 movies to explore racism and stereotyping in Hollywood and independent cinema. Cinephiles as well as anyone interested in social history will find much to think about here. Netflix link.




Below is one of the original trailers for Sweet Sweetback's Badassss Song.  I look forward to your reactions and feedback in the comments section.  --JLK

Quick Picks: Putney Swope

In addition to the regular longer entries, I will occasionally send out Quick Picks with just the titles, descriptions and links.

Putney Swope (Robert Downey, Sr., USA, 1969, 85 minutes)
Netflix: Robert Downey Sr. directs this whip-smart satire of race relations and corporate culture in 1960s America that explores what happens when the sole black executive at a major New York City advertising firm (Arnold Johnson) finds himself in charge. In addition to replacing his all-white board with an all-black slate of new members, he also changes the firm's name to the more descriptive Truth and Soul Inc. Netflix link.

Downey emerged from the New York underground (harder films to find include the very funny Chafed Elbows) and scored a crossover hit with this outrageous satire.  At least one technique was a carryover from his underground days: Downey himself dubbed the voice of the lead character when the lead actor (Arnold Johnson) couldn't seem to remember his lines.

As it turns out, Netflix Watch Instantly also has Downey's far less renowned film, Up the Academy. Mad Magazine publisher William Gaines paid 30,000 to take Mad's name off of after the initial theatrical release was titled Mad Magazine Presents: Up the Academy.  (The Mad references were reinstated after Gaines's and Time Warner's purchase of Mad.)