Belknap Collection for the Performing Arts - the AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA COLLECTION
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AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA CINEMA AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA The history of the African-American Cinema is a harsh timeline of racism, repression and struggle contrasted with film scenes of boundless joy, hope and artistic spirit. Until recently, the study of the "separate cinema" (a phrase used by historians John Kisch and Edward Mapp to describe the segregation of the mainstream, Hollywood film community) was limited, if not totally ignored, by writers and researchers. The uphill battle by black filmmakers and performers, to achieve acceptance and respect, was an ugly blot on the pages of film history. Upon winning his Best Actor Oscar for LILLIES OF THE FIELD (1963), Sidney Poitier accepted, on behalf of the countless unsung African-American artists, by acknowledging the "long journey to this moment." This emotional, heartbreaking and inspiring journey is vividly illustrated by the latest acquisition to the Belknap Collection for the Performing Arts - THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA COLLECTION. The valuable research material, housed in this collection, includes over 300 pressbooks (illustrated campaign and advertising catalogs sent to theatre owners), press kits (media packages including biographies, promotional essays and illustrations), programs and over 1000 photographs and slides. The journey begins with the blatant racism of D.W. Griffith's THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915), a film respected as an epic milestone, but reviled as the blueprint for black film stereotypes that would appear throughout the 20th century. Researchers will follow African-American films through an extended period of stereotypical casting (SONG OF THE SOUTH, 1946) and will be dazzled by the glorious "All-Negro" musicals such as STORMY WEATHER (1943), ST.LOUIS BLUES (1958) and PORGY AND BESS (1959). The post-war era introduces the serious black actor to the American moviegoer (Sidney Poitier in A RAISIN IN THE SUN, Dorothy Dandridge in BRIGHT ROAD and Brock Peters in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD), but the promise was greater than reality. The period of "Blacksploitation" or "Blaxploitation" in the late 1960s and 70s is a major area covered in the African- American Cinema Collection. Films such as SHAFT, SUPERFLY, SCREAM, BLACULA ,SCREAM and CLEOPATRA JONES offered flashy lead roles to black actors, but action and grit often overshadowed character development and plotlines. However, the film output did prove the audience for black film was present and eager. The "New Black Wave", beginning in the 1980s (led by directors such as Spike Lee and John Singleton) was the culmination of a century of filmmaking and yearning. Films such as DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) and BOYZ N THE HOOD (1991) tackled serious topics that crossed racial lines and appealed to mainstream audiences. As the new century began, the black actor would find himself among the major box office stars of the day, and actors such as Denzel Washington, Halle Berry and Whoopi Goldberg would win Oscars for serious, high-profile and varied roles. The African-American filmmaker was finally earning the respect that was long overdue. The acquisition of the African-American Cinema material lays an important foundation for a collection that will expand to include promotional material for black silent film contributions, independent "race films" (made for black theatre audiences in the 1930s, 40s and 50s), the "all-colored" Westerns and the African-American musical contributions from the advent of the talking film to present day music videos. As it stands, the AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA COLLECTION is an impressive overview of the black film experience, but the collection is a work in progress and far from complete. Box 1 Box 2 Box 3 Box 4 Box 5 Press Kits Press Kits Press Kits Press Kits Press Kits "Above" "Dangerous" "How" "New" "Sister" https://www.library.ufl.edu/spec/belknap/cinema/cinemaaa.htm[2/1/2021 4:06:25 PM] AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA Box 6 Box 7 Box 8 Box 9 (Oversize) Box 10 (Oversize) Scripts Programs Pressbooks Pressbooks Pressbooks "Band" "Black" "Across" "Abby" "Piece" FILM TITLE CAST FORMAT BOX 1 Duane Martin, Leon, Above the Rim (1994) Press Kit Tupac Shakur Ali (2001) Will Smith, Jamie Fox Press Kit Morgan Freeman, Nigel Press Kit (3 Amistad (1997) Hawthorne copies) Baby Boy (2001) Tyrese, Taraji P. Henson Press Kit Martin Lawrence, Will Bad Boys (1995) Press Kit Smith Damon Wayans, Savion Bamboozled (2000) Press Kit Glover Halle Berry, Martin Baps (1997) Press Kit Landau Faizon Love, Vanessa Bell Bebe's Kids (1992) Press Kit Calloway Oprah Winfrey, Danny Beloved (1998) Press Kit Glover Best Man, The (1999) Taye Diggs, Nia Long Press Kit Eddie Murphy, Judge Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) Press Kit Reinhold Martin Lawrence, Nia Big Momma's House (2000) Press Kit Long Forest Whitaker, Diane Bird (1988) Press Kit Venora Scott Caan, Robert Black and White (1999) Downey, Jr., Marla Press Kit Maples Richard Wright IV, Ralph Black Boy (1995) Press Kit Ellison Angela Davis, Essex Black Is...Black Ain't (1995) Press Kit Hemphill Martin Lawrence, Marsha Black Knight (2001) Press Kit Thomason Damon Wayans, David Blankman (1994) Press Kit Alan Grier https://www.library.ufl.edu/spec/belknap/cinema/cinemaaa.htm[2/1/2021 4:06:25 PM] AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA Martin Lawrence, Luke Blue Streak (1999) Press Kit Wilson Danny Glover, Angela Boesman and Lena (2000) Press Kit Bassett Bones (2001) Snoop Dogg, Pam Grier Press Kit Eddie Murphy, Robin Boomerang (1992) Press Kit Givens Jamie Fox, Tommy Booty Call (1997) Press Kit Davidson Danny Glover, Malcolm Bopha (1992) Press Kit MacDowell Steve Martin, Eddie Bowfinger (1999) Press Kit Murphy Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Boys N the Hood (1991) Press Kit Gooding, Jr. Lucinda Dickey, Adolpho Breakin' 2 (1984) Press Kit Quinones Joe Morton, Daryl Brothers From Another Planet, The (1984) Press Kit Edwards Brother Minister: The Assassination of Roscoe Lee Browne Press Kit Malcolm X (1994) (Narrator) Morris Chestnut, D.L. Brothers, The (2001) Press Kit Hughley Damon Wayans, Adam Bulletproof (1996) Press Kit Sandler Warren Beatty, Halle Bulworth (1998) Press Kit Berry Whoopi Goldberg, Bobcat Burgler (1997) Press Kit Godthwait CB4 (1993) Chris Rock, Allen Payne Press Kit Bokeem Woodbine, Cynda Caught Up (1998) Press Kit Williams Samuel L. Jackson, Colm Caveman's Valentine, The (2001) Press Kit Feore Whoopi Goldberg, Clara's Heart (1988) Press Kit Michael Ontkean Christopher Reid, Class Act (1992) Press Kit Christopher Martin Tamara Dobson, Bernie Cleopatra Jones (1973) Press Kit Casey https://www.library.ufl.edu/spec/belknap/cinema/cinemaaa.htm[2/1/2021 4:06:25 PM] AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA Harvey Keitel, John Clockers (1995) Press Kit Turturro Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Color Purple, The (1985) Press Kit Glover Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Coming to America (1988) Press Kit Hall Cool Runnings (1993) Leon, Doug E. Doug Press Kit Alfre Woodard, Delroy Crooklyn (1994) Press Kit Lindo James Earl Jones, Richard Cry the Beloved Country (1995) Press Kit Harris Back to index. BOX 2 Thokozani Nkosi, Ron Dangerous Ground (1997) Press Kit Smerczak Dead Presidents (1995) Larenz Tate, Keith David Press Kit James Bond III, Kadeem Def by Temptation (1990) Press Kit Hardison Denzel Washington, Tom Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) Press Kit Sizemore Mark Morales, Darren Disorderlies (1987) Press Kit Robinson Eddie Murphy, Lane Distinguished Gentleman, The (1992) Press Kit Smith Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Shawn Wayans, Marlon Press Kit Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) Wayans Do the Right Thing (1989) Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis Press Kit Eddie Murphy, Ossie Dr. Dolittle (1998) Press Kit Davis AlfreWoodard, Al Down in the Delta (1998) Press Kit Freeman Down to Earth (2001) Chris Rock, Regina King Press Kit Eriq LaSalle, Vondie Drop Squad (19940 Press Kit Curtis-Hall Whoopi Goldberg, Frank Eddie (1996) Press Kit Langella Gene Hackman, Will Enemy of the State (1998) Press Kit Smith Ernie Andrews: Blues for Central Avenue Ernie Andrews, Harry https://www.library.ufl.edu/spec/belknap/cinema/cinemaaa.htm[2/1/2021 4:06:25 PM] AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA Press Kit (1987) "Sweets" Edison Debbi Morgan, Vondie Eve's Bayou (1997) Press Kit Curtis-Hall Robert Duvall, James Earl Family Thing, A (1996) Press Kit Jones Fire This Time, The (1994) Brooke Adams (Narrator) Press Kit Robert Townsend, Michael Five Heartbeats (1991) Press Kit Wright Robin Givens, Marco Foreign Student (1994) Press Kit Hofschneider Maxine McNair, Chris Four Little Girls (1997) Press Kit McNair Sean Nelson, Giancarlo Fresh (1994) Press Kit Esposito Friday (1995) Ice Cube, Chris Tucker Press Kit James Belushi, Tupac Gang Related (1997) Press Kit Shakur Richard Belzar, D'qunde Get On the Bus (1996) Press Kit Bonds Forest Whitaker, John Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) Press Kit Tormey Ed Cambridge, Bianca Gifted, The (1993) Press Kit Ferguson Theresa Randle, Isaiah Girl 6 (1996) Press Kit Washington Erich Anderson, Richard Press Kit (2 Glass Shield, The (1994) Anderson copies) Matthew Broderick, Glory (1989) Press Kit Denzel Washington Nel Mitchell, Kenan Good Burger (1997) Press Kit Thompson Great Performances - Dance in America: Alvin Ailey, American Dance Theatre - Steps Alvin Ailey Press Kit Ahead (1991) Samuel L. Jackson, Jeff Great White Hype, The (1996) Press Kit Goldblum Jermaine Ashwood, Amir Harlem Diary (1995) Press Kit Williams Foster Eddie Murphy, Richard Harlem Nights (1989) Press Kit Pryor https://www.library.ufl.edu/spec/belknap/cinema/cinemaaa.htm[2/1/2021 4:06:25 PM] AFRICAN-AMERICAN CINEMA Christopher Scott Cherot, Hav Plenty (1997) Press Kit Chenoa Maxwell Denzel Washington, Ray He Got Game (1998) Press Kit Allen Tia Carrere, Louise High School High (1996) Press Kit Fletcher Omar Epps, Kristy Higher Learning (1995) Press Kit Swanson Laurence Fishburne, Tim Hoodlum (1997) Press Kit Roth Eddie Murphy, Jeff Holy Man (1998) Press Kit Goldblum William Gates, Arthur Hoop Dreams (1994) Press Kit Agee How High (2001) Method Man, Redman Press Kit Christopher Reid, House Party 2 (1991) Press Kit Christopher Martin Christopher Reid, House Party 3 (1994) Press Kit Christopher Martin Back to index.