The Detroit Film Theatre at the world-reknown (and air-conditioned!) Detroit Institute of Arts celebrates cinematically the Juneteenth weekend with not one but three blockbusters of African Americana!
Tomorrow at 7:00pm, one showing only, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson's 2021 award-winning documentary, Summer of Soul!
In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson fashioned a joyful and transporting documentary — part music film, part historical record — created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture, and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) in New York.
Incredibly, most of the footage was largely forgotten–but no more. Summer of Soul shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being, and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of injustice, past and present. Including concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and many more. Academy Award® Winner, Best Documentary Feature; Grand Jury Prize, Sundance Film Festival. (118 min.)
Try to stay seated.
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Stormy Weather
On Saturday, at sweltering 3:00pm and muggy 7:00pm, the final days of the Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898--1971 exhibition close with the 1943 classic, star-studded musical, Stormy Weather!
One of two musical entertainments featuring all-Black casts released by major Hollywood studios in 1943, Stormy Weather has a traditional movie romance plot — but what really matters in this incredible film is the cast and musical numbers.
The great Lena Horne, whose performance of the title song is one for the ages, is only one of the brilliant talents on screen; there's also Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, Katherine Dunham and her dance company, Dooley Wilson (Casablanca’s piano player), and the astonishing Nicholas Brothers, Fayard and Harold, performing what may still be the greatest dance number in movie history [emphasis mine -- r^2^ ] (their tap shoes are on display in Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898 – 1971, at the DIA through June 23). (78 min.)
"Different Times": from the Wikipedia entry…
Although Stormy Weather and other musicals of the 1940s opened new roles for African Americans in Hollywood, breaking through old stereotypes and far surpassing limited roles previously available in race films produced for all-black audiences, it still perpetuates stereotypes. Notably, the musical numbers in the movie contain elements of minstrelsy. The performance of a cakewalk, for example, features flower headdresses reminiscent of the Little Black Sambo figures used in historical misrepresentations of Black American males.
…just so you know.
Performing live at 7:00pm screening is the DFT's special guest, Detroit's musical child prodigy, Frank "Sugar Chile" Robinson!
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Moonlight
Finally, at the Sunday 2:00pm matinée, director Barry Jenkins' 2016 Academy Award winning film, Moonlight, starring Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes and Mahershala Ali. Moving. Touching. Difficult. Gripping. Yeah, it's all those adjectives and more. Jenkins' adaption of Tarell Alvin McCraney's play follows the life of Chiron from childhood to adulthood, his relationship with father-figure crack dealer Juan and his addicted mother Paula and how he just tries to navigate through the situations he finds himself in, inside and out. If you've never seen this powerful film, I'll say no more other than it's not what you'd call a "popcorn movie". You may need to bring Kleenex along.
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Tickets for all showings are $10, $8.50 for seniors, students and DIA members and available online (plus $1.50 inconvience fee).
Stay cool "old school", fool! Go to the movies!
My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I'm happy. I can't figure it out. What am I doing right? -- Charles Schulz
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