September 3, 2024
Courtesy: MGM+
"Hollywood Black" is the original four-part documentary series that premiered on MGM+ on August 11, showcasing the resilience of Black filmmakers. It chronicles the Black experience in Hollywood with revealing stories from actors, writers, directors, producers, and historians who continuously fight for Black stories to be told.
Directed and hosted by Justin Simien (Dear White People), and inspired by Donald Bogle's book of the same name, the documentary highlights the narrative of the Black cinematic experience told from the Black perspective while focusing on the many contributions starting from the early 1900s.
With almost an hour for each episode, some of the featured commentaries from prominent and influential figures include Issa Rae, Omar Epps, Giancarlo Esposito, Lakeith Stanfield, Lena Waithe, Gabrielle Union, W Kamu. Bell, Forest Whitaker (Director, Waiting to Exhale), Ava DuVernay (Selma), Steven Caple Jr (Creed II), Melina Matsoukas (Director, Queen and Slim), Reginald Hudlin (Director, Boomerang), Jackeline Stewart (Director and President of Academy Museum of Motion pictures), Donald Bogle (Film Historian), Kassie Lemmons (Director, Harriett), and Gina Prince-Bythewood (Director, Love and Basketball; The Woman King).
Courtesy: MGM+ (Forest Whitaker and Justin Simien)
Episode 1, "Built on our Backs," sets the tone from the silent era to the late 1960s, a generation of Black auteurs make pioneering films that change Hollywood's perception of Black storytelling and counter denigrating imagery of Black people. During the dark days of Jim Crow segregation, silent film star Bert Williams and the Oscar®-winning Hattie McDaniel paved the way for the glamorous Lena Horne and genteel Sidney Poitier to become stars.
With an intimate reflection on Black films and their impact on Hollywood and our society, Simien delves deep into the history of Black culture with the horrible origins of black face for the entertainment of white slave owners to Bert Williams (credited as the first Black man to have a leading role in a film) to the harmful results of "Birth of a Nation", the 1915 silent film that programmed the audience into thinking the racism that was depicted in the movie was acceptable, fueling a resurgence of the Klu Klux Klan. Also highlighted were the era of Blaxploitation and the importance of Oscar Micheo pioneering and leading the way to combat the harmful stereotypes attributed to Hattie McAdams and her breakthrough in Hollywood for being the first African American to receive the Oscar for her portrayal in "Gone With the Wind" while still being confined to the "mammy role" years later to Lena Horne and the revolutionary Sydney Poitier.
Courtesy: MGM+ (Donald Bogle)
In the second episode, "The Defiant Ones," From the late 1960s to early 1980s, Black filmmakers look to celebrate Black culture on screen. As Hollywood begins to see dollar signs after the success of Blaxploitation, Black actors and directors try to maintain their dignity without "selling out ."Bold and defiant filmmakers like Melvin Van Peebles, Charles Burnett, and William Greaves ultimately paved the way for Spike Lee.
In the third episode," The Price of Admission," A new generation of empowered Black filmmakers emerges in the 1990s. Studios finally recognized the commercial value of Black stories and opened the doors for megastars like Halle Berry and Denzel Washington. However, alongside this boom comes an inevitable bust as the popularity of hood films overshadows other groundbreaking works and voices.
Black culture in the '90s finally found its voice with culturally relevant shows such as "Do the Right Thing," a 1989 film directed by Spike Lee that addressed racial tensions in a Brooklyn neighborhood, and notable actors such as Denzel Washington and Whoopi Goldberg, recognized for their power in commercial success. Other cultural films noted in the documentary were John Singleton's "Boyz N the Hood, "Juice," and "Menace to Society," which were often dismissed for their violence as 'hood movies' when their white counterparts were hailed as masterpieces.
Courtesy: MGM+ (Kasi Lemmons)
The discussion of hip-hop in "Hollywood Black" ranges from its evolution as the explosions of black filmmakers became mainstream to the fantastic interview with the creator of the underappreciated silent film, 2010's "Sidewalk Stories" by filmmaker Charles Lane to the authenticity of 1991's "Daughters of the Dusk" to 1996's "The Watermelon Woman."
Simien explores the narrative that while studios tend to be dismissive of black directors, they cultivated a new market for black women in lead roles with representation in films such as "Waiting to Exhale" (1995), "Set It Off" (1996), "Love Jones" (1997), and "How Stella Got Her Groove her Back" (1998) to showcasing positive depictions of love and coming of age films such as "Poetic Justice" (1993), "Soul Food" (1997), "Love and Basketball" (2000), and "Brown Sugar" (2002). By the year 2000, these films and the positive receptions paved the way for more big-budget films to be produced by studios, such as "Rush Hour" (1998), "The Hurricane" (1999) and "The Wood" (1999) to the explosion of multi-talented actors led by Denzel Washington and Halle Berry who powerfully won the 2002 Academy Awards for Best Actor and Actress for their respective roles in "Training Day" and "Monster's Ball." Berry infamously became the first Black woman to win the Oscar for Best Actress, honoring the Black pioneers Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, and Dianne Carroll in her acceptance speech, who made it possible for her to stand in that moment. Sidney Poitier was honored with an Honorary Oscar, marking the first time Black actors were successfully nominated and collectively recognized for their talents.
Courtesy: MGM+ (Ava DuVernay)
Simien narrates that while there are still many ways to go, Black filmmaking has come a long way since the 1960s, and Hollywood has finally realized not just the wealth potential but the critical success in telling Black stories, however there are many talented actors and actresses who have yet to be recognized. Solving the problem is Tyler Perry, the global icon infamous for being the writer, director, and producer of all his films. He has carved out his niche in Hollywood, emphasizing black talent and stories with complete control of distributing black stories. His "Tyler Perry Studios" in Atlanta, compared to "two Warner Brother Studios," is the very definition of his success. From his larger-than-life cross-dressing "Madea" to culture staples such as "Meet the Browns and "I Can Do Bad All By Myself," Tyler Perry has often been criticized for portraying Black characters stereotypically; however, his contributions to black filmmaking cannot be denied, and he has more than proven that he has found the recipe for success.
In episode 4, "Dear Black People," after the election of Barack Obama, America's first Black president, Hollywood offers Black filmmakers and actors more opportunities than ever. Working across new genres—including horror and superhero blockbusters—Black filmmakers embrace this new landscape and tackle tough social, political, and racial issues to critical and commercial success.
"Hollywood Black, in its fourth installment, continues the narrative that as Hollywood has embraced the cultural phenomenon of a "post-racist," America, Hollywood made a conscious effort to tell uplifting stories such as The Soloist" (2009), "The Blind Side" (2009), "The Butler," (2013) and "42" (2013) but also with missteps such as Viola Davis' "The Help" that told the story of the experiences of a Black maid taking care of a White family in an era where Blacks were exploited. The Black community was ready to turn the page.
"Hollywood Black" also focuses on Oscar Grant, the teen who was shot and killed in the Bay area led by Ryan Cogler's 2009 "Fruitvale Station" to the Academy award-winning "12 Years a Slave", which depicted the horror of slavery from the adaptation of a real slave. Both films had black directors with a predominately black cast; however, a noticeable shut out at the Oscars was Ava DuVernay's "Selma" which failed to produce nominations for Best Director and Actor (David Oyelowo) for his portrayal of Martin Luther King, which prompted the media social movement "OscarsSoWhite" that began trending when the nominations for the 2015 Oscars were released. "Hollywood Black" masterfully captures the outrage and the failed recognition of black talent that should have been recognized but has been very quickly and all too easily relegated to the "Hollywood Blackout of 2015 and 2016" that has been inherited and ingrained in the Hollywood culture of not recognizing Black talent.
Courtesy: MGM+ (Ryan Coogler)
What makes "Hollywood Black" so compelling is each episode focuses on four different eras, so it's a breath of fresh air when Simien focuses on the culturally explosive 2018 "Black Panther" led by the late Chadwick Boseman. The film turned Hollywood on its axis, showcasing black talent in raw, authentic elements that uplifted the Black community and became a global hit similar to 2022's "The Woman King," which showcased the powerful African Agojie women which was also critically acclaimed becoming a huge success proving that black women could lead blockbuster movies. Here, we get a revealing look at Gina Prince-Bythewood, the director of "The Woman King," who shares her struggles to get the movie made with a clip of Viola Davis echoing her sentiment.
Black films have proven their worth and will be commercially successful if Hollywood is committed to telling the stories. As Ava DuVernay puts it, the goal is to get to a place where black films and voices can be rendered authentically as the baton continues to be passed. Thankfully, there are more Black filmmakers now than there were decades before who are reaching a global audience. It's not the talent that is missing; it's the opportunity.
"Hollywood Black" excels with the intimate setting that Simien has crafted. He informs and educates the viewer while letting the discussion and opinions flow naturally to tell a cohesive narrative. The documentary covers all the Black films and actors you will probably know but also, more importantly, covers films that the viewer does not, which were instrumental in paving the way for this generation of Black movies.
The series is at its best when Simien talks in depth with Ava DuVernay about "Selma," Ryan Coogler about "Fruitvale Station," and Forest Whitaker with deep references rooted in history. "Hollywood Black" is a celebration of the black cinematic experience that will take more than 4 hours to cover, however with it's with care and attention to detail, the documentary provides 4 hours worth of necessary viewing to honor the Black experience.
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Hollywood Black is currently streaming on MGM+.
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