SYNOPSIS

In BAADASSSSS!, Mario sharply observes Melvin’s struggles to raise money to fund SWEETBACK under the guise of creating a black porno film. Melvin ducked creditors, the unions and had to bail out his camera crew after they were arrested because a white cop decided “a bunch of Negroes and hippies couldn’t have come by that camera equipment honestly.” Despite death threats and temporarily losing sight in one eye, Melvin managed to whip into shape a rag-tag, multi-racial crew and finish the film.

The film had a winning formula a hip, empowered black lead and a driving, energetic soundtrack with music from the then up-and-coming band Earth Wind and Fire. Maurice White of Earth Wind and Fire also contributes new music to the new film.

Before the Wright Brothers, there was no manned flight. After them, we have been to the moon and beyond. Before Melvin Van Peebles, there were no films that would dare depict a brother standing up to the “man” and living to tell about it. Baadasssss cinema had arrived.

Despite the fact that initially only two theatres in the whole United States would play his film, SWEETBACK became the top grossing independent hit of 1971 spawning a decade of similar studio fair SHAFT, SUPERFLY and FOXY BROWN. Melvin had brought the hood to Hollywood.


TRAILER


RELEASE DATE

June 10, 2005

DIRECTOR

Mario Van Peebles

WRITER

Mario Van Peebles & Dennis Haggerty (screenplay)

COMPANY

Sony Pictures Classics

GENRE

Biography, Drama

CERT

15

RUNTIME

108 minutes

IMAGES