| “An Evening of Independent Film” At the Century Orleans 18 Theatres Continued |
| Since this was an advanced screening the following information is from Sony Pictures Classics Website.* Opens in New York and LA May 2004 Sony Pictures Classics’ “Baadasssss!” The film is written, produced, directed by Mario Van Peebles, co-executive produced by Tobie Haggerty, co- produced by Dennis Haggerty and executive produced Michael Mann. Cast: Mario Van Peebles, Rainn Wilson, David Alan Grier, Nia Long, Paul Rodriguez, Joy Bryant, Saul Rubinek, Terry Crews, Ossie Davis, Adam West, Khleo Thomas, Glenn Plummer , Karimah Westbrook, Khalil Kain, John Singleton |
Synopsis: Renegade pimp Sweetback hits the road after hacking up two corrupt police officers who were busying
themselves with brutally beating up a young black man.
Melvin took on the Hollywood machine on his own terms and changed the game." - Ossie Davis
The year was 1971 and the hot ticket at the box office was THE FRENCH CONNECTION. Little did audiences and the
film industry know that in the same year the birth of a new era was about to explode…Independent Black Cinema.
The city was Detroit, and a weathered Melvin Van Peebles sat alone in the Grand Circus theatre watching only a few
ticket buyers enter where his new film - his follow up to the successful comedy WATERMELON MAN - was about to
play. After months of clawing, scheming and fighting to finish the film he wanted to make, the moment had arrived,
and in a virtually empty theatre, Melvin sat with just a few curious onlookers. By the end of the screening, Melvin was
alone. No one could have predicted what happened after that momentous end would be the beginning of history.
Melvin Van Peebles stunned the world for the first time with his debut feature THE STORY OF A THREE-DAY PASS.
Filmed in France and selected as the French entry in the San Francisco Film Festival, Melvin's film was awarded the
top prize. Saying it was controversial would be an understatement. In 1968, for a black man to walk up to the podium
and accept the top festival award for a film he had to go abroad to make now that's how you make your mark.
After his comedy WATERMELON MAN, Melvin was determined to push the Hollywood boundaries with the
groundbreaking, and even more controversial, SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG. Turned down by every
major studio including Columbia, where he had a three-picture deal, Melvin was forced to basically self-finance.
Risking everything he had, Melvin delivered to the world the first Black Ghetto hero on the big screen, whether they
were ready or not!
More than 30 years later, history is being fashioned again. Mario Van Peebles, Melvin's son, directs an honest and
revealing portrait of his pioneering father. Following in his dad's footsteps, and documenting his exceptional journey
towards political defiance through cinema, Mario directs and stars as Melvin in BAADASSSSS!, based on the book
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song written by his father right after making SWEETBACK. The book went onto
become a best seller, has been translated into several languages and is now a standard in university film classes.
In BAADASSSSS!, Mario sharply observes Melvin's struggles to raise money to fund SWEETBACK under the guise of
creating a black porno film. Melvin ducked creditors, the unions and had to bail out his camera crew after they were
arrested because a white cop decided "a bunch of Negroes and hippies couldn't have come by that camera equipment
honestly." Despite death threats and temporarily losing sight in one eye, Melvin managed to whip into shape a rag-tag,
multi-racial crew and finish the film. The film had a winning formula a hip, empowered black lead and a driving,
energetic soundtrack with music from the then up-and-coming band Earth Wind and Fire. Maurice White of Earth
Wind and Fire also contributes new music to the new film.
Before the Wright Brothers, there was no manned flight. After them, we have been to the moon and beyond. Before
Melvin Van Peebles, there were no films that would dare depict a brother standing up to the "man" and living to tell
about it. Baadasssss cinema had arrived.
Despite the fact that initially only two theatres in the whole United States would play his film, SWEETBACK became
the top grossing independent hit of 1971 spawning a decade of similar studio fair SHAFT, SUPERFLY and FOXY
BROWN. Melvin had brought the hood to Hollywood.
themselves with brutally beating up a young black man.
Melvin took on the Hollywood machine on his own terms and changed the game." - Ossie Davis
The year was 1971 and the hot ticket at the box office was THE FRENCH CONNECTION. Little did audiences and the
film industry know that in the same year the birth of a new era was about to explode…Independent Black Cinema.
The city was Detroit, and a weathered Melvin Van Peebles sat alone in the Grand Circus theatre watching only a few
ticket buyers enter where his new film - his follow up to the successful comedy WATERMELON MAN - was about to
play. After months of clawing, scheming and fighting to finish the film he wanted to make, the moment had arrived,
and in a virtually empty theatre, Melvin sat with just a few curious onlookers. By the end of the screening, Melvin was
alone. No one could have predicted what happened after that momentous end would be the beginning of history.
Melvin Van Peebles stunned the world for the first time with his debut feature THE STORY OF A THREE-DAY PASS.
Filmed in France and selected as the French entry in the San Francisco Film Festival, Melvin's film was awarded the
top prize. Saying it was controversial would be an understatement. In 1968, for a black man to walk up to the podium
and accept the top festival award for a film he had to go abroad to make now that's how you make your mark.
After his comedy WATERMELON MAN, Melvin was determined to push the Hollywood boundaries with the
groundbreaking, and even more controversial, SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG. Turned down by every
major studio including Columbia, where he had a three-picture deal, Melvin was forced to basically self-finance.
Risking everything he had, Melvin delivered to the world the first Black Ghetto hero on the big screen, whether they
were ready or not!
More than 30 years later, history is being fashioned again. Mario Van Peebles, Melvin's son, directs an honest and
revealing portrait of his pioneering father. Following in his dad's footsteps, and documenting his exceptional journey
towards political defiance through cinema, Mario directs and stars as Melvin in BAADASSSSS!, based on the book
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song written by his father right after making SWEETBACK. The book went onto
become a best seller, has been translated into several languages and is now a standard in university film classes.
In BAADASSSSS!, Mario sharply observes Melvin's struggles to raise money to fund SWEETBACK under the guise of
creating a black porno film. Melvin ducked creditors, the unions and had to bail out his camera crew after they were
arrested because a white cop decided "a bunch of Negroes and hippies couldn't have come by that camera equipment
honestly." Despite death threats and temporarily losing sight in one eye, Melvin managed to whip into shape a rag-tag,
multi-racial crew and finish the film. The film had a winning formula a hip, empowered black lead and a driving,
energetic soundtrack with music from the then up-and-coming band Earth Wind and Fire. Maurice White of Earth
Wind and Fire also contributes new music to the new film.
Before the Wright Brothers, there was no manned flight. After them, we have been to the moon and beyond. Before
Melvin Van Peebles, there were no films that would dare depict a brother standing up to the "man" and living to tell
about it. Baadasssss cinema had arrived.
Despite the fact that initially only two theatres in the whole United States would play his film, SWEETBACK became
the top grossing independent hit of 1971 spawning a decade of similar studio fair SHAFT, SUPERFLY and FOXY
BROWN. Melvin had brought the hood to Hollywood.
*This was an advanced screening, but I have to say it was an interesting film and I think one that many people need to
see. The film is not for everyone, it does have nudity and I think it is not rated at this time. ~ Carolyn Weaver
see. The film is not for everyone, it does have nudity and I think it is not rated at this time. ~ Carolyn Weaver
Vegas' Arts & Entertainment Corner
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