Melvin Van Peebles

Criterion Column: THROW DOWN, THE DAMNED, and MELVIN VAN PEEBLES: ESSENTIAL FILMS
Criterion Column: THROW DOWN, THE DAMNED, and MELVIN VAN PEEBLES: ESSENTIAL FILMS

We took a look at Criterion’s September releases, including Johnnie To’s Throw Down and Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films.

WATERMELON MAN: Debunking the White Moderate
WATERMELON MAN: Debunking the White Moderate

It was a minor miracle, and in great part attributable to Van Peebles, that Watermelon Man turned into such a masterpiece.

SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS SONG: A Blaxploitation Classic That Remains All Too Relevant Today
SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS SONG: A Blaxploitation Classic That Remains All Too Relevant Today

Sweetback’s rage is infectious, especially since the relations between the police and the black community have changed so little since the film’s release.