Panther (film)
Panther is a 1995 American film about the story of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense . Mario van Peebles directed the film based on a script written by his father Melvin Van Peebles . The film takes artistic freedom, but essentially adheres to the historical guidelines. The film belongs to the so-called New Black Cinema .
action
The film deals with the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, known as the Black Panthers , during the era of the Black Power movement. Another focus is on the program COINTELPRO of the FBI put, a strategy that fought with illegal methods the black civil rights movement.
The film argues that the US government agencies ( FBI / CIA ) were working with organized crime to flood the city centers - which were mostly blacks - with heroin and cocaine. This policy should prevent the positive development of black communities. The film is dedicated to those who have made a contribution to the development of African Americans.
production
What is remarkable about this film is the ensemble: Angela Bassett , Chris Tucker , Bobby Brown, and Chris Rock , all of whom later made careers in Hollywood. Angela Bassett, who plays Betty Shabazz in the movie , played the same role in Spike Lee's Malcolm X in 1992 . Melvin Van Peebles , who wrote the script, heralded the era of blaxploitation film with Sweet Sweetback's song in the early 1970s .
criticism
The film critic Roger Ebert gave the film 2½ out of 4 stars: “ Panther does a good job, however, of capturing the idealism and excitement of the party's early days” ( Panther manages to capture the idealism and enthusiasm of the party's early days ).
Award
- Locarno International Film Festival - Jury Prize, Silver Leopard
Web links
- Panther in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Roger Ebert: Review - Panther. May 3, 1995.