Movie shows life after the Panthers wasn’t simple ■ 03 February 2011 | 10:24 AM
“NIGHT CATCHES US” Blu-ray widescreen and DVD widescreen, 2010, R for language, some sexuality and violence Best extra: Interviews with Black Panthers Bobby Seale, Jamal Joseph, Emory Douglas and singer William “Darondo” Pulliam are a fascinating look at some of the men who orchestrated the movement. RENEWED CONFLICT IS set into motion when former Black Panther Marcus (Anthony Mackie) returns to his Philadelphia neighborhood after years of self-imposed exile. It’s 1976 and the cohort that once embraced him during the height of the black power movement now regards him as an enemy. Word on the street is he snitched on a comrade-in-arms, Neal, who was killed by the cops a few years earlier. The only person who embraces Marcus is Neal’s former wife Patricia (Kerry Washington), a civil-rights lawyer, and her 9-year-old daughter, Iris (Jamara Griffin). Marcus knows Patricia as Patti from her days of radicalism and involvement with the party. Although Patricia has worked to build a façade of normalcy for her daughter, the young girl’s devotion to finding the truth opens barley healed wounds. This film is a unique look at the wreckage left behind after revolutionary violence takes hold of a community. Divisions among members of the Black Panther Party are also revealed – between those who favored militant action to those who preferred to solve problems with community programs. A rich soundtrack scored by The Roots gives the film an undeniable soul. Several period tunes also made the cut. During one scene, Syl Johnson’s “Is It Because I’m Black?” snakes into the narrative in one of the most perfect pairings of song and film. Visually, the film transferred onto Blu-ray well and there are no apparent flaws. Colors look natural and textures are clear. Artful lighting gives many of the scenes unexpected depth and beauty. Although the disc is loaded with special features, a huge opportunity is missed to further education about the Black Panther Party. The only feature that touches on its real-life history is interviews with some former Panthers. The most interesting is with Jamal Joseph who explains how he got involved with the party at a young age. Other interviews are rambling and look amateur, largely because of editing and sloppy videography. Other substantive extras include a short talk with the movie’s screenwriter and director, Tanya Hamilton. This is her first full-length film and, by all accounts, it’s a strong start. “I wanted to make a movie that was really, doggedly African American,” she says. “And by that I mean I think that that whole black power era is just about black people.” Deleted scenes, an alternative ending, behind-scenes footage and a photo gallery are also included on the disc. Because the score is so strong, it would have been nice to hear from The Roots. — Olivia Hubert-Allen -- http://hamptonroads.com/2011/02/movie-shows-life-after-panthers-wasn%E2%80%99t-simple Via InstaFetch -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Sixties-L" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/sixties-l?hl=en.
