Black Journal; 35; Is Sweetback Really Sweet?
- Transcript
muth sal says how when
i don't want to see him he just keep leaning and leaning and leaning. Get the [expletive] off my back, man! I'm a-I'm clean man, look, I'm clean. There's nothing there. Look! Look! When I get off man, I will throw a ?indaudible? nigga fit on you, understand! Leave! [inaudible] Leave mutha Van Peebles himself, Van Peebles um himself himself said at the beginning of the movie this is starring the black community. [Different speaker] Well then ho- [First speaker] So I feel as though so uh, and I feel as though if you gonna go around say that a movie is starring the black community then community, you know has a right to, you know comment about this and tell you, you know that you not going to use us. You know like make your own thing, that's fine. But, do it that way but don't try to bring us all-don't drag us all into it and uh you can't have-you know you got to have it one way or the other. You know, this is my movie. Fine, I make it the way I want
want. Then, OK. Then it's starring me and my friends. But, don't say it's starring the black community. [Different Speaker] I think it's the best black film I've ever seen. I think it's the best black film ever produced in the United States. [Different Speaker] We feel the only purpose for Sweetback is, as I indicated earlier to titillate, to amuse, and to-to-to stimulate in a rather perverse and vulgar way. To stimulate, you know those carnal senses, you know, particular to skin flicks particular to stag films, particular to girlie magazines, in short we think ?inaudible? um, I'd be very surprised if, uh um everybody agreed on anything. However I think it's a very racist point of view for for a person to say, well, um, I'm black and I don't agree with the film film therefore the film isn't disagreeing with black people. I think um, we're then falling into the same bag as the man that is, all black people think alike. Um, I think I think all black people do think alike by their oppression only one way that they do want
want the oppressor eliminated. After the acts of sex are finished finished we do see Sweetback, the last time he resorts, uh the next to the next to the last time he resorts, he uses his, the tool, the only tool that he has is ?inaudible? time that he knows how to do as a tool for his own liberation. No longer longer is a tool for gratification. [Music] [Different Speaker] ?inaudible? Sweet Sweetback. [Music] [Different Speaker] Brother just keep the faith and ?inaudible? gon' ?inaudible? you through ?inaudible? this is just a skirmish [laughs] ?inaudible? You keep the faith in me. And you my man. You my favorite man. Can you dig it baby? baby. [Different Speaker] ?inaudible? [Different Speaker] Come on boy, talk. [Music]
[Music] Yes, the good dyke fairy godmother. Why didn't you know that all good dykes get fairy godmothers? [Music] Every dollar we make; The Guineas get 20, the police get 40. and Goldberg gets 50. Anybody can tell you that don't add up to a dollar. That adds up to a dollar and a dime. ?inaudible? pretty good news to me sliding up on some white cops. [laughs] Yes, indeed. I'm gonna say a black ?inaudible? movie are for you you [Different speaker] What's happening, uh, on on the uh, coast? [Different speaker] Uh, I don't know? I haven't been to the coast in so long. I can tell you what's happening here. Last night man, I had some okrah as you know
there are all these both the revolutionary the role the ball or what the land that you live a good thing that people had not had the parent of all allowed the talking to wanted don't get that the white man oh thank you tom let me hit and then crumple position and in his short range label on what it takes to get meaning of mind working on the site and i disagree a congress that on their back and the survivors we think he has an exploitative are given me a
skin flick just for that purpose to hustle what people want is a woman living in that collection one of the reasons why the workshop of slogans and yet because we see a trend developing in hollywood a tree in which seems to say that black people that hollywood is that like a lot of films directed at what people all over the country with their new phone a lot of seriousness message about what condition the film's basically won in a bloodless onscreen to a lot of sex in them that the real problem was in the end that as long as we have known for those realist and like it will be satisfied that at least eighty and the ct shells to say includes close unmistakable found that black people have to reject those kinds of bell i think a film that explores the way in which people in black communities can help a fugitive which is what's we've actually done once once he's defined it for
himself once in the film defiance his relationship to the community it is always there because it turns out in some instances he chose to win the health of the chosen ones yeah another race's interesting way enough of a mexican american frozen on the way to the great deal with growing health and get closer to the border helped me get further away from the male half the minister indicated he encounters helps in minnesota left handed were awarding him by telling him that what you have done by our work by helping this young man humanity helps and what you've done by of why why that is bringing them down on you know historically sweep that is now where happen is after a particular reasons not just chasing him because he's a stubborn the centuries now become it becomes about
a political issue and then was on the run because you the sister a young woman who is obviously willing to wade into a political or sixth staffer yeah it caught on to criticize the regime and the great white hope and the mayo and all these kind of movies you know which show the black woman who is uncomfortable is affect frog and nothing else and i think that our fight back i'm puzzled people why they're was made unlikely that the nineteen seventies and why would eventually whiteman me that to me that feel he left everything of exactly the way it is now and had been made by white i think there would've been an outcry from the black community and it wouldn't do that although well overwhelmed them i don't think a black as they are why will give him a three bet without an outcry you know from the community i think if we weave rugs maidan like through the prism of the new testament you know of the enormity of the director and writer but i didn't see anything in
the film which would you if it compares with a movie like battle of algiers which were the revolution a movie about how the algerian people were revolutionize you know by the body are the vanguard of the algerian revolution allowed people like feedback to get rid of it because the people you know the whole of you know where they went and told me to change you know are you begin with the cops or for the oppressive forces to you know to change and beethoven and sell that you had to change so i don't see how the term revolutionary came with a dose of since a former youth and we accept if you would say that was revolutionary and they did you know in the weight or trade let it went even further into train the black woman in a sex audit beginning rather receive less less than say this ethnic community that exists is actually existed angela davis because the community would move them through the country a lot of the nurses are live somewhere where the police and i think that's part of what not just trying to say that when a
mother comes directly this week that it is to the community has to turn in times of stress not they're not outside and that forces outside the community from which he assumes will help as the community i think a mountainous area will help the position paper others who work jobs as the van peebles violates every possible about our principles is that europe must function should not be the same person that he was before he saw it or heard it already it is the same as in the artist and that didn't do anything for the region something that didn't do anything for black people except the navy to delay them to get some kind of singer or six years and secondly it accepts the
white principal of a sochi indignation with blackness the unit they're not writing really out of goodwill that is the bill is about exploitation economic political myths about the tools of that work isn't enough on to that for a patient and the videos that began in the void of tune tom oliver to complain about said that i will function as an authority to emmy's all things is not recommended not really am working with india but gunfire and that the only fitting that big a difference means that first revolutionary act though with almost an instinctive that were at play the earth reason aren't in that the revolution of the young brothers is needed what we knew the idea when given
me well that show that he had not yet gotten that sense of community however through his eyes saying what he was actually doing anything tonight show and first they say well there are no positive images i don't intend to make any pleasure of him a prostitute along a hundred am and that was not my intent or can they can broaden and that's where you know you would ostensibly legitimate long long as that in the that's great ah lovely about him as well and are people who do
exist this is what you love of the community with what they are no way salem fact that he's a man and you say well these guys love of grain and one thing that will both speak swahili and dom is already have political cards in that it represents the majority of the movie is how successful financially and it is financially successful because black people are the ones who came to see it i don't know whether that's a very rigid criteria for what the relevant to think of well you know talking with always very successful in the black community and the only ritual of iron dome and all evening which you know which deal i think black people you know but look upon leave as millions displaced girlfriend jane that only the very very important of pitching creating
all images of american weapons and destroyed immediately or black people and the i think that only have black and we become more aware on many levels that you know that we begin to understand how movies can be used against of you know swinging back for the dissenters show no figures were all around the world you all that symbolism over the talk about it out of a van peebles make a political favor the fish and explicitly know if it if it was not perfect that was not really affect that both of the elder wanted his shoulder something else to know why why you know one of the symbol of the actual issue about them what manhood that is what you say and what in your estimation it's really been said directly watch it because i think he's a fellow south and fellow prisoners because fans of the show itself the fact is that he has chosen to explore possibilities he's chosen to its
us as i say you know two filmmakers who said to me that they say they hate the phone to your responsibility is to make a film that shows another part of the market isn't just sweep that is one part of an experienced deadly incidentally now is true the reason was our phone calls for the plan is the chapters about someone who does not exist was never existed there is no job there is no black private i was running around you know saving the people is diving through windows and a model that doesn't happen so what we are asking to do is accept it and on something that isn't real as as an extension or as a rage vultures actually all about as opposed to accepting one portion of the culture and know that we will have not suggested that the entire story of black people is suggesting that this is one aspect of
what is woman who was only will lose to see cheap is does the evil that vision involves sexual satisfaction the assumption that the state has been married to the woman who was the only as a prostitute and i go back to what i talked about before we spoke we have to start to do it because there wasn't those are terms that are used by people were priced like you to describe certain conditions it certainly and so michigan is to discover what condition if a word puzzle prostitution is the exchange of sexual favors for money and never happens there is never any instance where a woman is selling herself the reason we don't see that we make the assumption incidentally but the woman who appear in the beginning of a
row of houses is devastated that they are as a group for women feel a little more than everyone just been fortunate simply because their in house coats or bathrooms are the capacity you know because the home of the dayton does that mean that a black woman who is pursuing a master's degree in sociology is a positive that you know the woman does not have to go to the revolutions across larry to work you know to the twenty eight day the vice president over ties in prison after it means simply that you have women who do different kinds of things in order to survive now the supporters claim that the opening scene shows and little boy essentially says the scene shows audie at how like meehan are initiated them into sexual assault was your book that there is no system that is nothing in the black tradition
it was in africa the prose that black people have ever used sex to initiate a man or there were many other internet businesses and there's this absolutely not who will based on the bucket right what annoys me about what it was so we know there are guys who have a lot of sexual encounters of thirteen twelve eleven and speak very proudly and you know it's besides a badge of honor with the fact that someone conference that particular reality in the film suddenly causes to become as larry nielsen recently the new puritans follow the new victorian sachs is a fact of life and we know that and people look at that film i'm sure i know one one brother talked about the family the week before had been telling me in a totally different contacts that he updates and heather's first sexual maturity very proud of what he was
outraged but now the emotion show enough they'll avoid doing precisely the thing that he was so proud of only seven days before as to the criticism in any way cause due to really reconsider whether you're right or not you think they will modify your profit from the picture phone yeah you know none of that are done is done saddened me live beyond its film you doubt on the man's colonization well ahmed ullah labour lawmakers came to debate with me with guns i'll be very happy if been pleasantly surprised that they go to debate with a white mane of video art movement for three john wayne on the make no mistake about imposing way that is concerning but he played in the black community and never worry with it
and they know me afterwards thank you from the nitty gritty mess that the rat they realize the nitty gritty mess with people who will make the revolution they may not be able to make the revolution in the terms that that will look glum including india and it is the book of tomorrow you feel that there will be any benefit to the black community as a result of the controversy about sweet right all men know what i mean it's already had an enormous that a positive campaign even if they're disagreeing with me ah has forced him into a certain awareness over the nih committee they win that is going to
think negative one of them is something within the bank it is calm endive is confirming any confederate one of film but winning isn't never had enough forgive me and they don't feel that that nasa ended then and not about what menino said of that would come to discuss ahmed ahmed means forbidden agree with me with rifles are only going to get a rifle and one on fifth avenue and government level certainly not if this robot and they do god meant that if the ad that as the media the unpleasant personal well you know one thing that we don't like
you know fb thank you sen george mcgovern of declared presidential candidate that quickly away from his warm words about senator robert byrd suitability for the supreme court he said i cannot accept a man who has mediocre or was a racist or who is unethical only the day before mcgovern said that bird was quote a man of enormous industry impersonal pride he would quote ruin every effort to become a great justice senator byrd has been awarded since nineteen sixty three and has no record of legal or judicial practice
bird admits that he was a member of the ku klux klan during nineteen forty two and forty three but he says he's not paying dues after that according to the new york post someone has turned up a letter he wrote in nineteen forty six for the imperial wizard and which he's quoted as saying i'm a former played all of the ku klux klan in raleigh county the plan is needed to date as never before a substantial number of white people are still clinging to grow stereotypes about blacks and black animosities toward whites are hardening this from a recently conducted lou harris poll blacks who agree with the statement whites are really sorry slavery for blacks was abolished has risen from sixty three to seventy percent over the past year whites for the most part it's growing racism according to the harris poll while at the same time excepting prejudicial stereotypes an overwhelming eighty one percent of blacks believe that most whites view blacks are inferior but only twenty one percent of whites actually admitted that they did hold such a view is recently a black supreme court judge in washington dc charity alexander
business the court case because a white policeman did not refer to a black woman complainant as miss or ms is now the washington court of appeals plans to re prosecute the case and action usually reserved when the judges found guilty of misconduct judge alexander as previously complained on racial prejudice and cooperations and accuse the chief judge of planning a stool pigeon in his courtroom now alexander faces a possible investigation a letter signed white and fan out from chicago states after watching i one made to contributions for as much as i could afford to the ku klux klan and the national states rights party to what one hundred more rounds of forty five caliber shells and one hundred more rounds of twelve gauge shotgun shells are loaded with the law but shot three will visit a camel this weekend to select a big main doll i will train and on blackberrys ps know why don't you read this letter on your by drone program for information on by daryl wright for free people sure black journal ten columbus circle new york
a black people the victims of intentional or unintentional destruction the issue of genocide will be discussed next week on by darrell by john williams author of the mammogram and sam yet wrote the charts until next week as we know the only
end me steve mayor gray and eight a day to be in
power well again you will are really new uses the letters
- Series
- Black Journal
- Episode Number
- 35
- Episode
- Is Sweetback Really Sweet?
- Contributing Organization
- Thirteen WNET (New York, New York)
- Library of Congress (Washington, District of Columbia)
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip/62-0z70v89r15
- NOLA Code
- BLJL 000035
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip/62-0z70v89r15).
- Description
- Episode Description
- Filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles responds to the critics of his controversial film Sweet Sweetbacks Baadassss Song on Black Journal when the Emmy-winning series ask: Is Sweetback Really Sweet? The program focuses on the criticism and plaudits the film has received from the black community. It has been called both exploitative and a tool of liberation. The film is also discussed on Black Journal by Clayton Riley, a movie critic of the New York Times, who feels that Sweetback is the best black film he has ever seen; and Frances Ward of Chicagos Kuumba Drama Workshop and Peter Bailey, movie critic of Ebony Magazine, who attack the film as negative and exploitative. Written, produced and directed by Van Peebles, Sweet Sweetbacks Baadasssss Song centers around a professional sexual exhibitionist and proficient lover, who becomes transformed into a revolutionist. He kills several policemen and with the aid of the black community, some Mexican field workers, and his on ingenuity and sexual abilities escapes to Mexico. Black Panther Huey Newton has called it the first truly revolutionary black film. Van Peebles, who also stars as the her in the film, describes to Black Journal his feelings about his black critics: I got very positive feelings about it. It seems that our people have not had the courage, for all their loud talking towards this film, to attack the white man. And if they can get themselves together to attack meif this is what it takes to get the niggers mind workingthen perhaps it will become a positive thing. Bailey and Ward attack the film for its heavy emphasis on sex, which they believe fosters a negative image of the black woman and on of degeneracy in the black community. Both question the films merit as black art, stating that it is not functional to the black community because, in Baileys words, there is no vision, looking forward, or solutions offered. Clayton Riley offers his rebuttal to the criticisms leveled against the use of sex and violence in the film. For Riley pornography and prostitution are the white mans terminology and reflect a system of white values: We cant say that a culture is oppressive and then use its standard to describe something about yourself. Credits: Black Journal, a production of NET Division, Educational Broadcasting Corporation. Executive Producer: Tony Brown. The program is telecast nationally by PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service.
- Series Description
- Black Journal began as a monthly series produced for, about, and - to a large extent - by black Americans, which used the magazine format to report on relevant issues to black Americans. Starting with the October 5, 1971 broadcast, the show switched to a half-hour weekly format that focused on one issue per week, with a brief segment on black news called "Grapevine." Beginning in 1973, the series changed back into a hour long show and experimented with various formats, including a call-in portion. From its initial broadcast on June 12, 1968 through November 7, 1972, Black Journal was produced under the National Educational Television name. Starting on November 14, 1972, the series was produced solely by WNET/13. Only the episodes produced under the NET name are included in the NET Collection. For the first part of Black Journal, episodes are numbered sequential spanning broadcast seasons. After the 1971-72 season, which ended with episode #68, the series started using season specific episode numbers, beginning with #301. The 1972-73 season spans #301 - 332, and then the 1973-74 season starts with #401. This new numbering pattern continues through the end of the series.
- Broadcast Date
- 1971-10-19
- Asset type
- Episode
- Topics
- Race and Ethnicity
- Media type
- Moving Image
- Duration
- 00:32:18
- Credits
-
- AAPB Contributor Holdings
-
Thirteen - New York Public Media (WNET)
Identifier: ARC-DBS-1090 (unknown)
Format: Digital Betacam
Generation: Master
Color: Color
-
Thirteen - New York Public Media (WNET)
Identifier: netnola_bljl_35_doc (WNET Archive)
Format: Video/quicktime
Duration: 00:30:00
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 1832356-2 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 1 inch videotape: SMPTE Type C
Generation: Master
Color: Color
Duration: 0:29:05
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 1832356-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 2 inch videotape: Quad
Generation: Master
Color: Color
Duration: 0:29:05
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 1832356-3 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: U-matic
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: Color
Duration: 0:29:05
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 1832356-4 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: Digital Betacam
Generation: Copy: Access
Duration: 0:29:05
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 1832356-6 (MAVIS Item ID)
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: Color
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 1832356-7 (MAVIS Item ID)
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: Color
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 1832356-9 (MAVIS Item ID)
Generation: Copy: Access
Color: Color
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 1832356-5 (MAVIS Item ID)
Generation: Master
Color: Color
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 1832356-8 (MAVIS Item ID)
Generation: Master
Color: Color
If you have a copy of this asset and would like us to add it to our catalog, please contact us.
- Citations
- Chicago: “Black Journal; 35; Is Sweetback Really Sweet?,” 1971-10-19, Thirteen WNET, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed November 21, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-62-0z70v89r15.
- MLA: “Black Journal; 35; Is Sweetback Really Sweet?.” 1971-10-19. Thirteen WNET, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. November 21, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-62-0z70v89r15>.
- APA: Black Journal; 35; Is Sweetback Really Sweet?. Boston, MA: Thirteen WNET, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-62-0z70v89r15