Not only do I enjoy low budget exploitation films but I love films about the making of films so is there any question as to why I consider this to be one of the years best? Story is about the seemingly impossible task of Melvin Van Peebles (Mario Van Peebles) who in 1971 was fresh off the success of directing "Watermelon Man" and wanted to make a serious film about blacks and made by blacks. The studio won't finance it so Melvin decides to get the money himself and independently make it without the involvement of the union. Melvin enlists the help of a porn producer named Clyde Houston (David Alan Grier) and anyone else willing to work for little or no pay.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Melvin uses his own son Mario (Khleo Thomas) in a graphic sex scene which doesn't set well with others including girlfriend Sandra (Nia Long) but aside from alienating family and the crew Melvin is forced to borrow money from Bill Cosby (T.K. Carter) so that he can finish his film. Once he manages to complete his film he now has the difficulty of getting it shown in theaters because the ratings board has slapped it with an "X" rating.
This film is directed by Mario Van Peebles who plays his own father and he was actually on the set as a 13 year old while "Sweet Sweetback Baadasssss Song" was being made and had a few small roles in it. I've always loved films about the making of films and this is arguably one of the best I've ever seen. Mario doesn't seem to hold anything back as he shows his father in both his best and worst moments and some of the worst were how he lied and used people to get his film made with even resorting to use his own son in a sex scene. It's hard to shake the image of an exhausted and burnt out Melvin slapping his editor when he mentions that he wants to quit. But at his best Melvin was as determined a filmmaker as there ever was even when he had no money and this adds up to one of the most fascinating accounts ever put on film. Mario naturally admires his father but I think it's obvious he also harbors some deep felt resentment about certain things and this film as a whole probably works as a form of therapy for him. The film also has a visual style that's appealing and Peebles uses certain scenes to show the alter image of his father talking to him during this exhausting shoot. If your not a fan of the early black films of the 1970's than this might not have any appeal to you but I am a real fan of those films and I think this is nothing short of fascinating.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Melvin uses his own son Mario (Khleo Thomas) in a graphic sex scene which doesn't set well with others including girlfriend Sandra (Nia Long) but aside from alienating family and the crew Melvin is forced to borrow money from Bill Cosby (T.K. Carter) so that he can finish his film. Once he manages to complete his film he now has the difficulty of getting it shown in theaters because the ratings board has slapped it with an "X" rating.
This film is directed by Mario Van Peebles who plays his own father and he was actually on the set as a 13 year old while "Sweet Sweetback Baadasssss Song" was being made and had a few small roles in it. I've always loved films about the making of films and this is arguably one of the best I've ever seen. Mario doesn't seem to hold anything back as he shows his father in both his best and worst moments and some of the worst were how he lied and used people to get his film made with even resorting to use his own son in a sex scene. It's hard to shake the image of an exhausted and burnt out Melvin slapping his editor when he mentions that he wants to quit. But at his best Melvin was as determined a filmmaker as there ever was even when he had no money and this adds up to one of the most fascinating accounts ever put on film. Mario naturally admires his father but I think it's obvious he also harbors some deep felt resentment about certain things and this film as a whole probably works as a form of therapy for him. The film also has a visual style that's appealing and Peebles uses certain scenes to show the alter image of his father talking to him during this exhausting shoot. If your not a fan of the early black films of the 1970's than this might not have any appeal to you but I am a real fan of those films and I think this is nothing short of fascinating.