Sweet Sweetbacks song
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Sweet Sweetbacks song |
| Original title | Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1971 |
| length | 93 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Melvin Van Peebles |
| script | Melvin Van Peebles |
| production |
Jerry Gross , Melvin Van Peebles |
| music |
Earth, Wind & Fire , Melvin Van Peebles |
| camera | Robert Maxwell |
| cut | Melvin Van Peebles |
| occupation | |
| |
Sweet Sweetbacks Lied (Original Title: Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song ) is an American thriller from 1971 . Directed by Melvin Van Peebles , who also wrote the screenplay, took on the lead role, co-produced the film, co-wrote the music and worked as a film editor.
action
The orphan Sweetback grew up in Los Angeles . As an adult he works as a prostitute. After an African American was murdered, the police tried to present a guilty party and arrested Sweetback, who was due to be released a few days later for lack of evidence.
When the police arrest a member of the Black Panther Party and beat him up while lying on the ground, Sweetback knocks them down and flees. Sweetback is questioned as a witness and beaten up on the orders of the police chief, but when the police car is set on fire, he escapes.
He ends up at the Hells Angels , who demand a duel with their female boss and ask him which weapon he wants to fight with. He names sex as his choice and eventually satisfies the leader, at which point he is allowed to leave. However, some of them betray him to the police. Shortly afterwards, two police officers appear in his hiding place. When they try to arrest him, they seriously injure his companion and are themselves killed.
Sweetback continues to flee alone to the Mexican border and is eventually chased by police dogs, of which he kills one. In the end he reaches Mexico .
Reviews
Vincent Canby wrote in the New York Times on May 9, 1971 that the film showed an African American who refused to play his assigned role in society. "Simplistic showmanship" and confusing visual style would replace technical complexity of execution. The injustice would be exploited instead of being dramatized ( "Instead of dramatizing injustice, Van Peebles merchandizes it" ).
Cinema magazine wrote that the film was a "classic from the heart of the ghetto" . He disrupts with “sexism and violence” , but captivates “with the intoxicating rhythm of his pictures” .
backgrounds
The film was shot in Los Angeles . Its production amounted to an estimated 150 thousand. Dollars . The film grossed approximately $ 15.2 million in US cinemas.
In Germany, the film was first shown on November 4, 1997 on Arte .
The director's son, Mario Van Peebles , showed the genesis of this film in his film Baadasssss! from 2003.
Web links
- Sweet Sweet Backs song in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Sweet Sweet Backs song at Rotten Tomatoes (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Vincent Canby's film review , accessed July 19, 2008
- ^ Cinema , accessed July 19, 2008
- ↑ Filming locations for Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song , accessed July 19, 2008
- ^ Box office / business for Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song , accessed July 19, 2008
- ↑ Sweet Sweetback's song. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed September 2, 2017 .
- ↑ Baadasssss! In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed September 2, 2017 .