Image

9:35 AM / Friday March 29, 2024

11 Feb 2017

Essential ‘Pioneers of African-American Cinema’ collection is now streaming on Netflix

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
February 11, 2017 Category: Entertainment Posted by:

By Sergio Mims

shadowandact.com

One of the most acclaimed Blu-Ray sets of last year, headlined several times on this blog, was Kino Lorber’s collection “The Pioneers of African-American Cinema.” The set, which was curated by historians Prof. Jacqueline Najuma Stewart of the University of Chicago and Charles Musser of Yale University, is a collection of some 25 digitally restored early Black films – or “race films” – made by Black and White filmmakers, from the silent era to the 1940’s.

Nearly 500 independently produced race films, exclusively made for Black audiences, were produced in the United States between 1915 and 1952, and shown in over 1000 movie theaters across the country; although most of them are now lost due to neglect and poor preservation.

The collection restored some of these films, returning them to their proper role as significant and vital additions to the history of Black people in the movies, and to the development of cinema.

The 5-disc Blu-Ray set was released last summer; but if you haven’t had the opportunity to pick up a copy, you’re in luck because Netflix has made 22 of the 25 films in the collection available to stream starting this week, for all subscribers.

Among the films available now are Oscar Micheaux’s 1925 silent film, “Body and Soul” with Paul Robson in his first screen role, and new music by DJ Spooky; the 1939 western “The Bronze Buckaroo,” with Herb Jeffreys wearing a cowboy hat decades before Denzel Washington wore one; the 1946 Spencer Williams film “Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A.”; and the truly weird, almost surrealistic 1926 silent film “Eleven P.M.”, made by the Detroit-based Black filmmaker and actor Richard Maurice, of which very little is known, and which is sadly his only film that is said to have survived.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Leave a Comment

Recent News

Philly NAACP

March 24, 2024

March 17, 2024

Tweet Email Tweet Email Related Posts Philadelphia Judicial Primary Candidates At A Glance Guide Philadelphia Judicial Candidates...

Commentary

cj speaks…The call to order

March 23, 2024

Tweet Email Philadelphia’s recent travesties continue to be highlighted in the news: the ongoing shooting incidents, train...

Health

Combatting loneliness in older adults

March 17, 2024

Tweet Email FAMILY FEATURES The bonds found in friendships and other relationships are an important factor in...

Home and Garden

So, You want to build a retaining wall: 6 things to know before you start

March 3, 2024

Tweet Email BPT When you want to enhance your outdoor living space, consider building with retaining wall...

Fur Babies Rule!

Dog grooming advice to keep pets clean and healthy

March 2, 2024

Tweet Email FAMILY FEATURESRegular grooming can keep your dog looking and smelling his or her best, but...

Seniors

‘Soaring’ over hills or ‘playing’ with puppies, study finds seniors enjoy virtual reality

February 23, 2024

Tweet Email By Terry Spencerassociated press POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — Retired Army Col. Farrell Patrick taught computer...

The Philadelphia Sunday Sun Staff