That's Black Entertainment

William Greaves hosts this fascinating documentary about the underground black film made from the 1920s to the 1950s. Black people saw they were being portrayed negatively in Hollywood films so they went out to make their own films that showed them as they really were. These were made only to be shown in all-black cinemas (cinemas were segregated back then). Most of these films are gone forever but this shows clips from a number that are still around.

The movies spoke out against racism and the terrible conditions that black ghettos were in but--other than that--they were like any other Hollywood film. This film showed me some things I never knew like: How some Hollywood studios used white actors in black face to play black people because they didn't think black people could act! Bing Crosby is shown in one! Black actors had to go to Europe to get roles. Paul Robeson went to England to make movies---and he STILL found himself cast as a slave! Horribly negative stereotypes where shown in cartoons.

Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, Nat King Cole, Cab Calloway all got their start in black independent films. Even Sammy Davis Jr. shown here at the age of 8 in his first film.

Very good and short (about 1 hour) docu on a subject most people are unaware of. Worth catching.

This documentary directed by William Greaves was compiled from lost African American Films referred to as the Tyler Film Collection. Winner of a CINE Golden Eagle Award, it has been widely praised by Bill Cosby, The Urban League, The Associated Press, Good Morning America, etc.

That's Black Entertainment (1990)

*** (out of 4)

Semi-interesting documentary that covers black filmmakers from the 1910s through the 1950s. It's too bad this film spends so much time bashing Hollywood's era of blacks on screen instead of talking about the black producers of the day. Several rare film clips are shown of these films so you'll want to keep your pen ready to write down some of the titles. I really hope someone like Kino or Criterion will release some of these important films, which aren't discussed anymore. Even though this documentary is interesting, it would also be great for a film historian to go back, in greater detail, and tell the story of these filmmakers.

Made in 1990 THATS BLACK ENTERTAINMENT is definitely an exciting homage to the extraordinary talent from black musicals of the 30s 40s 50s. There is a lot to enjoy here of you are not familiar with the musical performers or the time frame. It shows many clips from unseen or unknown films/shorts but many are annoyingly too short or foolishly cropped top and bottom to make a rectangle 'widescreen' image, hence cutting the feet from dancing performers while the narrator tells us what great dancers they were... the Bill Robinson scenes in particularly fall victim to this silly edit practice. If you have seen the Hollywood docos THATS ENTERTAINMENT and THATS DANCING, then you will be familiar that this film follows the same format... but it is the astonishing roster of musical talent and the awesome clips that make this film a winner. I particularly liked the fact it introduced a hip hop segment right at the start of the genre with HOUSE PARTY. Reginald Hudlin, Nelson George and particularly Russell Simmons are particularly appealing whereas Spike Lee here, seems actually boring. And a clip from 1986 shows why the world adopted LL COOL J: one of the most likable and enduring hip hop artist of all. In the first five minutes there is a dynamite Sammy Davis Jr tap routine with his uncle and cousin as the Will Masters Trio that will hook you in for the next hour or so. This s a terrific musical documentary. It even has the unforgettable Nicholas Brothers 'stair' number from STORMY WEATHER, priceless in any film and an outrageous omission from the mainstream dance docos made for white auds in the 70s and 80s. The Cinemascope 50s clips of Eartha Kitt and Dorothy Dandridge are equally exciting and memorable.