Wattstax

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

1.1K

YOUR RATING

Documentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singers, and more.

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Concert Comedy Documentary Music

Documentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singe... Read allDocumentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singers, and more.Documentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singers, and more.

Director
- Mel Stuart
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

1.1K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Mel Stuart
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination total

Self
(as Debra Manning)

Eric Mercury

Self

Abu Talib

Self
(as Freddy Robinson)

Lee Sain

Self

Ernie Hines

Self

Sonny Warner

Self
(as Little Sonny Warner)

The Newcomers

Themselves

Eddie Floyd

Self

The Temprees

Themselves

Frederick Knight

Self

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9:57

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Originally The Bar-Kays were going to enter the L.A. Coliseum riding in horse-drawn chariots. However, when the executives of Stax Records heard what the group had planned they ordered them not to do it. It turned out that the reason they didn't want the group to do it was so that they wouldn't upstage the concert's headliner, Isaac Hayes.

Alternate versions
The 2003 restoration includes the original ending; Isaac Hayes performing the songs "Theme From Shaft" and "Soulsville", which were removed from the film following the 1973 Los Angeles premiere due to the threat of a lawsuit from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) over the use of those songs in a motion picture. The replacement ending, Isaac Hayes performing "Rolling Down A Mountainside" (recorded on a Los Angeles soundstage months after the concert) has been removed and is included as extra material on the 2003 DVD release.

Connections
Edited into Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! (2003)

Soundtracks
What You See Is What You Get
Written by Tony Hester
Performed by The Dramatics

User reviews20

Featured review

10/10

Outta Sight!

This is an absolute gem and a richly textured time capsule in so many ways. Growing up making Hip-Hop in the 80's and 90's I used to wish I was a teenager in the late 60's and early 70's just to be around all of that great music. Seeing this movie now has solidified that dream. I should mention the scene when Rufus Thomas comes on and the crowd literally 'bum-rushes' the field in what today would be considered a riot but as the swarm of people descend from the stands to the sound of Rufus's opening number 'Funky Chicken', the riot is a dancing, feel good frenzy! I don't think anywhere in the world in today's society could so many people swarm into a small space like that and there not be any violence. They were just itching to dance and boy did they ever!!! Then, after Rufus wrapped it up he playfully instructed them to kindly move back to the stands and like angels, every single one of them did as requested in unison! OK one drunk guy stayed but Rufus joked with him and then told the crowd to 'go get him' and on cue some of them rushed the field to 'playfully' scurry him back to the stands.

You've really got to see this movie! Very addictive; I watched it three times within a week of first seeing it. Far out and solid!