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Pioneers of African-American cinema / Kino Classics ; Library of Congress ; curated by Charles Musser and Jacqueline Najuma Stewart ; executive producer, Paul D. Miller ; producer, Bret Wood

Catalog Data

Commentator:
Musser, Charles  Search this
Stewart, Jacqueline Najuma 1970-  Search this
Wood, Bret  Search this
Berry, Torriano  Search this
Mashon, Mike  Search this
Composer:
DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid  Search this
Sosin, Donald  Search this
Roach, Max 1924-2007  Search this
Matsumura, Makia  Search this
Gal, Rob  Search this
Waymon, Sam  Search this
Heywood, Donald -1967  Search this
Porter, Lew 1892-1956  Search this
Contributor:
Combs, Rhea L.  Search this
Elliott, Mary N.  Search this
Film director:
David, C. N.  Search this
Gant, Harry A. 1881-1967  Search this
Norman, Richard E. 1891-1961  Search this
Gist, James  Search this
Calnek, Roy  Search this
Perugini, Frank  Search this
Filmmaker:
Jones, Solomon Sir 1869-1936  Search this
Hurston, Zora Neale  Search this
Screenwriter:
Thompson, True T.  Search this
Starkman, David -1947  Search this
Actor:
Williams, Spencer 1893-1969  Search this
Maurice, Richard D.  Search this
Gist, Eloyce 1892-1974  Search this
Preer, Evelyn  Search this
Edwards, Mattie 1866-1944  Search this
Montgomery, Frank 1870-1944  Search this
Chenault, Lawrence 1877-  Search this
Brooks, Clarence  Search this
Robeson, Paul 1898-1976  Search this
Gilbert, Mercedes  Search this
Russell, Julia Theresa  Search this
Rodgers, Marshall -1934  Search this
Alexander, Chester A.  Search this
Cornick, Walter  Search this
Robinson, Madame  Search this
Johnson, Lillian  Search this
Mayo, Stella active 1923-1924  Search this
Maxwell, M. C. active 1920-1925  Search this
Criner, Lawrence 1898-1965  Search this
Boyd, Kathryn (Actress)  Search this
Reynolds, Steve (Actor)  Search this
Gilpin, Charles S (Charles Sidney) 1878-1930  Search this
Henderson, Harry  Search this
McCormack, Pearl  Search this
Johnstone, Norman  Search this
Pettus, William E.  Search this
Fields, Sammie  Search this
Brooks, Eunice  Search this
Moore, Charles R. 1893-1947  Search this
Randol, George  Search this
Comathiere, A. B.  Search this
Mahon, Carl  Search this
Calloway, Starr  Search this
Russell, Alice B.  Search this
Cato, Minto 1900-1979  Search this
Bowman, Laura 1881-1957  Search this
Tucker, Lorenzo  Search this
Newsome, Carman  Search this
Lewis, Lucille  Search this
Guy, Barrington  Search this
Brooks, Lucius  Search this
Young, Artie  Search this
Caviness, Cathryn  Search this
Riley, Juanita  Search this
Hardeman, Reather  Search this
Jones, Jas. B (James B.)  Search this
Film producer:
Micheaux, Oscar 1884-1951  Search this
Kahn, Richard C. 1897-1960  Search this
Cinematographer:
Bowser, Pearl 1931-  Search this
Performer:
Jeffries, Herb  Search this
Everett, Francine 1920-1999  Search this
Boykin, David (Saxophonist)  Search this
Heywood, Donald -1967  Search this
Moore, Tim 1887-1958  Search this
Trible, Andrew  Search this
Davis, Amon  Search this
Martin, Sara 1884-1955  Search this
Four Tones (Musical group)  Search this
Interviewee:
Moses, Lucia Lynn 1908-  Search this
Moses, Ethel  Search this
Moses, Julia  Search this
Author:
Motion picture adaptation of (work): Micheaux, Oscar 1884-1951 Body and soul  Search this
Motion picture adaptation of (work): Micheaux, Oscar 1884-1951 Conquest  Search this
Motion picture adaptation of (work): Micheaux, Oscar 1884-1951 Jeff Ballinger's woman  Search this
Motion picture adaptation of (work): Arthur, T. S (Timothy Shay) 1809-1885 Ten nights in a bar-room, and what I saw there  Search this
Motion picture adaptation of (work): Pratt, William W Ten nights in a bar-room  Search this
Motion picture adaptation of (work): Chesnutt, Charles W (Charles Waddell) 1858-1932 House behind the cedars  Search this
Motion picture adaptation of (work): Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset) 1874-1965 Rain  Search this
Motion picture adaptation of (work): Stribling, T. S (Thomas Sigismund) 1881-1965 Birthright  Search this
Screen Snapshots, Inc  Search this
Library of Congress  Search this
Production company:
Amegro Films (Firm)  Search this
Colored Players Film Corporation  Search this
Dixie Comedies  Search this
Ebony Film Corp.  Search this
Lincoln Motion Picture Company  Search this
Micheaux Film Corporation  Search this
Norman Film Manufacturing Company  Search this
Norman Studios  Search this
Torriano Film Productions  Search this
Film distributor:
Kino Lorber, Inc.  Search this
Kino Classics (Firm)  Search this
Physical description:
5 videodiscs (approximately 1276 min.) : silent and sound, black and white and color tinted ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 booklet (76 pages : illustrations ; 18 cm)
Type:
Drama
Comedy films
Independent films
Slapstick comedy films
Fiction films
Feature films
Race films
Short films
Silent films
Video recordings for the hearing impaired
Place:
United States
Date:
2016
Notes:
Films originally produced 1915-1946.
Booklet, titled Pioneers of African-American cinema: film notes, includes an introduction by Paul D. Miller (aka D.J. Spooky), and essays by Charles Musser, Jacqueline Najuma Stewart, Rhea L. Combs, and Mary N. Elliott.
Special features include commentary by Jacqueline Najuma Stewart, Charles Musser, Bret Wood, S. Torriano Berry, and Mike Mashon.
Body and soul: Based on the novel by Oscar Micheaux.
Dirty Gerties from Harlem U.S.A.: Based on the story "Miss Thompson" by W. Somerset Maugham.
Ten minutes to live: Based on the short stories "The Faker", "The Killer", and "Harlem after midnight" a collection entitled "Harlem after midnight" (author undetermined).
Ten nights in a bar room: Based on the novel by Timothy Shay Arthur and the stage adaptation by William W. Pratt.
The birthright: Based on the novel by Thomas Sigismund Stribling.
The exile: Based on the novel The Conquest by Oscar Micheaux.
The girl from Chicago: Based on the short story "Jeff Ballinger's Woman" by Oscar Micheaux.
Veiled aristocrats: Based on the novel The House Behind the Cedars by Charles W. Chesnutt.
Contents:
Disc 1. Two knights of vaudeville (11 min. ; 1915) / produced by the Ebony Film Corporation ; produced by Luther Pollard ; music composed by Donald Sosin ; A reckless rover (14 min. ; 1918) / produced by Luther Pollard ; directed by C.N. David ; produced by Ebony Film Corporation ; Within our gates (79 min. ; 1920) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; new musical score composed by Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky ; The symbol of the unconquered: a story of the Ku Klux Klan (59 min.; 1920) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; music by Max Roach ; By right of birth (fragment) (4 min.; 1921) / directed by Harry A. Gant ; produced by P.H. Updike ; screenplay by Dora Mitchell ; story by George Johnson ; music by Donald Sosin ; Body and soul (93 min.; 1925) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; new musical score composed by Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky ; Screen snapshots (excerpt) (1 min. ; 1920) -- Disc 2. Regeneration (fragment of reel two) (11 min. ; 1923) / directed by Richard Norman ; produced by the Norman Film Manufacturing Company ; music by Donald Sosin ; The flying ace (65 min. ; 1926) / written, produced and directed by Richard E. Norman ; produced at the Norman Studios ; musical score compiled from historic photoplay music by The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra ; Ten nights in a bar room (64 min. ; 1926) / directed by Roy Calnek ; music by Donald Sosin ; Rev. S.S. Jones home movies (excerpts) (16 min. ; 1924-1928) / directed and photographed by Reverend Solomon Sir Jones ; The scar of shame (86 min. ; 1929) / directed by Frank Perugini ; written by David Starkman ; produced by Colored Players Film Corporation ; music composed and performed by Makia Matsumura -- Disc 3. Eleven P.M. (60 min. ; 1928) / written and directed by Richard Maurice ; music composed and performed by Rob Gal ; Hell-bound train (50 min. ; c.1930) / written and directed by James and Eloyce Gist ; music composed and performed by Samuel Waymon ; Verdict: not guilty (8 min. ; c.1933) / written and directed by James and Eloyce Gist ; music composed and performed by Samuel Waymon ; The darktown revue (18 min. ; 1931) / directed by Oscar Micheaux ; produced by Oscar Micheaux and Alice B. Russell ; produced by the Micheaux Film Corporation ; The exile (78 min. ; 1931) / Frank Schiffman presents an Oscar Micheaux production ; written and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; produced by the Micheaux Film Corporation ; music by Donald Heywood ; Hot Biskits (10 min. ; 1931) / written and directed by Spencer Williams ; produced by Dixie Comedies -- Disc 4. The girl from Chicago (70 min. ; 1932) / A. Burton Russell presents Oscar Micheaux's production ; written and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; produced by Micheaux Pictures Corp. ; Ten minutes to live (58 min. ; 1932) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; Veiled aristocrats (44 min. ; 1932) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; Birthright (73 min. ; 1938) / Burton Russell presents an Oscar Micheaux Production ; screenplay by Oscar Micheaux -- Disc 5. The bronze buckaroo (58 min. ; 1939) / written, produced and directed by Richard C. Kahn ; music by Lew Porter ; Zora Neale Hurston fieldwork footage (excerpt: Logging community near Loughman, Florida) (3 min. ; 1928) ; Zora Neale Hurston fieldwork footage (excerpt: Commandment Keeper Church, Beaufort, South Carolina) (16 min. ; 1940) ; The blood of Jesus (56 min. ; 1941) / written and directed by Spencer Williams ; produced by Amegro Films ; Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. (60 min. ; 1946) / Alfred N. Sack presents ; directed by Spencer Williams ; produced by Bert Goldberg ; screenplay by True T. Thompson ; The Moses sisters interview (33 min. ; c.1978) / directed and photographed by Pearl Bowser
Special features: Disc 1. Pioneers of African-American cinema : an introduction (8 min. ; 2016) ; The films of Oscar Micheaux (9 min. ; 2016) -- Disc 2. The color line (6 min. ; 2016) ; Ten nights in a barroom : an introduction (5 min. ; 2016) ; About the restoration (8 min. ; 2016) -- Disc 3. Religion in early African-American cinema (7 min. ; 2016) ; Eleven P.M. : an introduction (3 min. ; 2016) ; S. Torriano Berry discusses the works of James and Eloyce Gist (5 min. ; 2016) -- Disc 4. Veiled aristocrats (Original trailer) (4 min. ; 1932) ; Birthright (Theatrical trailer) (3 min. ; 1938) -- Disc 5. The Tyler-Texas Black Film Collection : the missing link in black cinema (6 min. ; 1985) ; The films of Zora Neale Hurston (2 min. ; 2016) ; The films of Spencer Williams (7 min. ; 2016) ; The end of an era (5 min. ; 2016)
Summary:
Among the most fascinating chapters of film history is that of the so-called "race films" that flourished in the 1920s -'40s. Unlike the "black cast" films produced within the Hollywood studio system, these films not only starred African Americans but were funded, written, produced, edited, distributed, and often exhibited by people of color. Entrepreneurial filmmakers built an industry apart from the Hollywood establishment, cultivating visual and narrative styles that were uniquely their own.
Topic:
African Americans  Search this
African Americans in motion pictures  Search this
African American motion picture producers and directors  Search this
Call number:
video 001493
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_1082560