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Classified X

  • TV Movie
  • 2007
  • PG-13
  • 53m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
264
YOUR RATING
Classified X (2007)
Documentary

A history of the racially stereotyped portrayal of African Americans in cinema.A history of the racially stereotyped portrayal of African Americans in cinema.A history of the racially stereotyped portrayal of African Americans in cinema.

  • Director
    • Mark Daniels
  • Writer
    • Melvin Van Peebles
  • Stars
    • Melvin Van Peebles
    • Margaret Barker
    • Joanna Barnes
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    264
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mark Daniels
    • Writer
      • Melvin Van Peebles
    • Stars
      • Melvin Van Peebles
      • Margaret Barker
      • Joanna Barnes
    • 7User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Photos6

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    Top cast79

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    Melvin Van Peebles
    Melvin Van Peebles
    • Self…
    Margaret Barker
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Joanna Barnes
    Joanna Barnes
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Ethel Barrymore
    Ethel Barrymore
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Harry Belafonte
    Harry Belafonte
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Ingrid Bergman
    Ingrid Bergman
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    David Brian
    David Brian
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Lloyd Bridges
    Lloyd Bridges
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Steve Brodie
    Steve Brodie
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Charles Bronson
    Charles Bronson
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Jim Brown
    Jim Brown
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    James Burke
    James Burke
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Jeff Corey
    Jeff Corey
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Lou Costello
    Lou Costello
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Jeanne Crain
    Jeanne Crain
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Tony Curtis
    Tony Curtis
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Dorothy Dandridge
    Dorothy Dandridge
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Gloria DeHaven
    Gloria DeHaven
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    • Director
      • Mark Daniels
    • Writer
      • Melvin Van Peebles
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews7

    7.4264
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    Featured reviews

    4weasel_neal

    Alright film

    Melvin makes a lot of good points in this movie, and it becomes painfully obvious that in cinema, racism has festered over time. Lately, the casting and representation of blacks in films has improved greatly. However, the tone of the film was too bitter. I could easily mope around and lament about how upset it makes me that the white actor was always portrayed as a wealthy landowner or action hero, and cite just as many examples as he does. After I saw this film, all I could muster was a "Yeah, and...." I guess my point is that Van Peebles is trying to muster up sympathy for black cinema actors while pointing the fingers at the mostly white movie studio and casting executives of that time, and, taking from his example, I could make a film which musters up sympathy for the white actors that were portrayed as extremely racist or prejudiced landowners or business people or action stars or in any other bad light just as easily.
    6lee_eisenberg

    the all-white jury should be wary of rating this X

    Melvin Van Peebles came to moviegoers' attention when he released "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song", in which he played a hustler who has to go on the lam after killing some cops who were attacking a Black Panther. The movie was widely seen as the first frank look at what African-Americans wanted to say about their experiences, as opposed to what would make whites comfortable. Van Peebles released the movie with the tagline RATED X BY AN ALL-WHITE JURY.

    With "Classified X" Van Peebles takes a look at the portrayals of African-Americans in movies since the birth of cinema. Lest you think that the racist depictions started with "The Birth of a Nation", Van Peebles includes scenes from Thomas Edison's movies which use blacks as the incompetent comic relief. From the portrayals of savages in loin cloths to modern movies in which blacks raise the consciousness of a white hero, Van Peebles has ample criticism of the depictions.

    It's important to understand that this is part of US history. Van Peebles notes that the white power structure basically convinced blacks that these depictions were OK. I would've liked to hear Van Peebles's opinion of movies like "Buck and the Preacher". He noted that theaters now siphon off money from movies like "Malcolm X". I would like to see an update to see what Van Peebles's opinion of movies since 1998 that have focused on race relations, although I can guess what he would say about some movies. In the end, I recommend this one.
    10rzanders

    About this documentary

    I saw this documentary and thought that it was well presented. It raised issued long past forgotten. Although he did not mention new directors we must understand that the majority of viewers at the time was White America and the treatment of Black Professionals was being portrayed as "Stupid". To compare this I recommend "Scandalize My Name" which comments on the "Black List" and how it affected the image and careers of famous black American. The director newcomers did not have the fight that was being waged in early cinema, their achievements are the results of past battles. The Black image was being shaped and forged through the most influential mode-Cinema. Nowhere could you stigmatize, demoralize and stereotype a people than the cinema.
    8goat's milk

    compelling and opinionated

    A compelling movie. Van Peebles provides a lot of interesting historical information. He argues that while the portrayals of black characters have changed over the years, they are still as racist as ever, and that Hollywood suppresses black filmmakers. I find it a bit difficult to sympathize with him since he seems to think that the only movie in history that had any value is one he made himself. He barely gives Spike Lee and John Singleton a passing mention.
    lexdevil

    Grumpy but endearing, in a way

    Melvin Van Peebles is never short on opinions. I'd find it a lot easier to accept them if he weren't responsible for the vastly overrated Sweet Sweetback's Baadassss Song (forgive me if I omitted any 'a's or 's's from the title) and cinematic atrocities such as the racist, sexist, and plain awful Identity Crisis. Nonetheless, this is a fascinating and frequently dead on documentary about Hollywood's treatment of African American filmmakers.

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 12, 2007 (Argentina)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • France
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Melvin Van Peebles' Classified X
    • Production companies
      • Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC)
      • Channel 4 Television Corporation
      • Ecoutez Voir
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $65
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $65
      • Oct 18, 1998
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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