Week 6 context for films screened and discussion

This week’s feature films centered around black rebellion. Some films are made by black filmmakers and others by white filmmakers. Some are independent films and other are Hollywood studio films note the differences between how the films made by black directors (The Learning Tree, Spook…, Shaft, Sweetback, etc.) depict black people and those made by white directors (Putney Swope, Foxy Brown, etc.) depict black people. Note how the Hollywood “Blaxploitation films inspired by the success of Sweetback and sometimes directed by black people still upheld some of the stereotypes codified in Birth of A Nation while attempting or pretending to be about “Black Power”. Note how gender stereotypes were still maintained even in this “liberation mindset period”.

Use this discussion thread to post any questions/thoughts you have about the material this week. This will count towards your participation points when you answer each other’s questions and respond to what others are saying.