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November 1993

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Subject:
From:
Pam Wilson <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 2 Nov 1993 18:37:00 CDT
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Thanks to all who responded to my request for information about early black
cinema and production companies. Your responses were both thoughtful and
informative. It's nice to have archivists reading these lists!
 
I'm still interested in hearing how people have used these films in teaching,
and how they have been received by students. It would seem important to
deal with the cultural history of racism and its representations to understand
these self-representations in their historical contexts. Currie's and
Stephen's insights are particularly thought-provoking.
 
I've compiled the responses from both H-Film and Screen-L below,
for those of you who expressed an interest. I'll be in Boston at the
ASA conference for the next week, so if anyone else has any
additions, please email me privately.
 
Pam Wilson
[log in to unmask]
 
**************************
 
Poster:       Sarah Projansky <[log in to unmask]>
 
I know both Todd Boyd and Jane Gaines are working on this topic,
although I don't know what they've published.  I'd look for their
recent work.
 
Also, Manthia Diawara has a new book on Black American Cinema
that should be a good reference.
 
Good luck!
 
Sarah Projansky
Middlebury College
Middlebury, VT  05753
(802) 388-3711
 
******
Poster:       "Rick E. Provine" <[log in to unmask]>
 
There is a series available on video from Phoenix Films
(800.221.1274) entitled "The Tyler Texas Black Film
Collection."  This is a collection of 14 films found in a
warehouse in Tyler Texas, made by black filmmakers from 1939 to
1956.  Directed by (among others) Oscar Micheaux and William
Alexander.  These run the gammit from comedy to drama.  Very
nice collection.
--
********************************************************
*            Rick E. Provine  Media Librarian          *
*            Clemons Library  804/924-7409             *
*     University of Virginia  [log in to unmask]     *
********************************************************
 
*****
Poster:       Currie Thompson <[log in to unmask]>
 
     When we talk of early black cinema, presumably we have in mind what
took place in our own country--in which context I'd like to share a footnote
from Argentina.
     Jose Agustin Ferreyra, also known as "el negro Ferreyra" or "black
Ferreyra," was one of the most important directors--perhaps the most
important director--in Argentine silent film.  He made his first film
UNA NOCHE DE GARUFA (PARTY NIGHT), also known as LAS AVENTURAS DE TITO
(TITO's ADVENTURES) in 1915, which is the same year, I believe, that
Noble Johnson  (??) made the first black American film.  But there all
similarity ends.
     Johnson and the early black US film makers were outsiders who were
trying to make their voice heard--largely or at least partly in response to
the blatant racism in US films such as BIRTH OF A NATION.  Ferreyra was
very much in the inner circle of early Argentine film.  He continued to
make films through 1941, made a number of important films, worked for
Argentina Sono Film, the nation's most important film production company,
on several occasions, and virtually every person who became important in
later Argentine cinema worked in one or more of Ferreyra's films.
     But there is a second difference.  In the two feature films I have
seen by Ferreyra and in the fragments I have seen from some of his other
films, there are no blacks.
     I don't know what to make of this.  In part, I think, it reflects a
different attitude toward race in Argentina and Hispanic countries in
general.  Ferreyra himself was a mulatto.  His father was a Spanish
immigrant, and his mother was the descendant of Africans.  Ferreyra married
a white woman and, apparently, never ran into any problems for this except
when he visited the US (New York).  Perhaps what we are dealing with is that
there were never a lot of people of African ancestry in Argentina--there
were a limited number of slaves in Buenos Aires, which is where the super-
wealthy lived--and after slavery ended the Argentines of African descent
intermaried with the rest of the population and became absorbed.  Perhaps
in the context in which Ferreyra lived and worked, one's being of part
(or all) African ancestry was simply not important.  Perhaps the reason
no blacks appear in Ferreyra's films (the limited number I have been able
to see) is simply a coincidence.  Perhaps there is no exclusion.
     But I'm not certain.  I've tried to see the rest of Ferreyra's films
and have not been successful in getting access to them.  (The company that
once owned them seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth.  The
films must be in someone's hands now, but I can't find whose.)
     So, as I said, a footnote.  And one that, if nothing else, points to
the difference between our own and another culture and how that difference
is reflected in their films.
 
*****
Poster:       Stephen Hart <[log in to unmask]>{
 
Let me suggest _A Seperate Cinema_ by John Kisch and Edward Mapp.  The book
is a collection of posters ranging from the early Black Cinema to the late
sixties.  Though poster art is the book's focus, it provides a forward with
an excellent overview of the history of Black cinema, and other historical
and biographical commentary.  Another title I remember from many years ago
is _From Sambo to Superspade_.  I don't know the author and never got into
reading the book, but I believe it traces Black Cinema history up to the
blackploitation era.
In light of Currie's discussion on Ferreyra, I read in _Seperate Cinema_
that many early black filmmakers, especially Micheaux, cast light skinned
blacks as the protagonists in dramatic roles and dark skinned blacks as
antagonists.  Like Hollywood, leading roles for dark skinned blacks were
only in comedies.  This trend among black filmmakers did not last forever,
but Hollywood carried it on.  Even at that, light skinned blacks were not
often seen in leading or supporting roles--or any black for that matter.
Prints that were distributed in the South excluded any scenes where blacks
had any non-stereotypical role, even if it was a singer doing a song in a
nightclub scene.
While Ferreyra's exclusion of blacks may have been coincidental, I'm
surprised and a bit disappointed that early black filmmakers cast roles
a deliberately.
Let me know what you gather.  Being African-American and an aspiring
filmmaker, I am particularly interested in this subject.  Good luck!
 
Stephen Hart, Florida State University (8-0)
HARTS2@firnvx
 
*****
Poster:       BRIAN TAVES <[log in to unmask]>
 
          Regarding Pam  Wilson's query  on  the  early tradition of  black
          filmmaking, here  are  several observations. First, probably  the
          largest collection of  such  films  is  here  at  the Library  of
          Congress. As well, because many  of  the independently made black
          films  are apparently in  the  public domain,  and  are  of  such
          outstanding interest,  most  are  available  from  various  video
          dealers,   many   of   them   very   small   private   businesses
          (consequently, the duping quality is often poor). Second, on  the
          specific matter  of  the  various black filmmaking companies, the
          closest to  a primary source is  Henry Sampson's Blacks in  Black
          and White, set  to appear  in  its  second edition from Scarecrow
          Press.  Sampson  has  drawn  his  information  largely  from  the
          contemporary black press. I have also written an analysis of  the
          evolution of  the  black corporations toward  a  star  and  genre
          system  in  my chapter  on  1930's  B filmmaking in  Tino Balio's
          volume,  Grand  Design. Richard Grupenhoff's The  Black Valentino
          provides an invaluable case study of the actor Lorenzo Tucker. In
          addition, Phyllis Klotman's book is a very useful catalog.
          Brian Taves
          Motion Picture Division, Library of Congress
          202-707-0023
                                 Tavesmail.loc.gov
 
*****
From:    IN%"[log in to unmask]"   "(Doug Riblet)"  1-NOV-1993
 09:25:39.18
 
The Library of Congress is the best archive source for the Micheaux
films and other early Black films.
 
There is also an archive devoted to the subject at Indiana University
(I think).  A woman from there gave a presentation and showed a
recently restored Black-produced 1920s feature at the LA SCS conference.
I'll try to search up the info in my files if you're really
interested.  I don't think they rent films.
*****
 
Poster:       BRIAN TAVES <[log in to unmask]>
 
          Regarding Doug Riblet's comment, the presentation at the 1990 SCS
          conference was  of  the Norman studio's The Flying Ace, by Gloria
          Gibson-Hudson, an  expert  in  this  field.  She  is  at  Indiana
          University, where Phyllis Klotman is also based.
 
*****
Poster:       William Elliott <[log in to unmask]>
 
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but another place to try is
the Black Film Archive at Indiana University.  Contact Monique Threatt at
"[log in to unmask]" for more information.
 
Bill Elliott
[log in to unmask]
 
*****
From: [log in to unmask]
 
1. Rick Provine has already mentioned the "Tyler Texas, Black Film Collection"
available from Phoenix/BFA Films (800-221-1274).  I don't have a current
catalog of theirs, but I recall vaguely the original brochure from years
back; this collection contains some interesting features, mostly from the
1940s, I think.
 
2. "Birth of a Race": without doing exhaustive checking, I don't know if this
never-completed feature is available for rental or purchase. However, a 10-
minuter excerpt from the film accompanies the Lumivision laserdisc release
of "Birth of a Nation." Since the scope of the 10 reels that were completed
was broader than white/black race relations in America, it's probable that
the excerpt is the portion most relevant to this subject.  Anyway, if you're
interested you can check with Lumivision at: 800-776-5864. It may be that
the source of their material for the disc release has the complete unfinished
feature available, or can direct you elsewhere.
 
Jeff Clark
James Madison Univ.
[log in to unmask]
 
*****
From: BRIAN TAVES <[log in to unmask]>
 
          Per  Jeff Clark's posting, a correction should be noted. BIRTH OF
          A RACE was most decidedly a finished feature film, released on  a
          state rights basis in late 1918, per  the  AFI catalog. A roughly
          complete print is held here at the Library.
          Brian Taves
          Motion Picture Division, Library of Congress
                                 Tavesmail.loc.gov

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