Customer Reviews

The African American Cinema Vol 1: Oscar Micheaux's Within Our Gates

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I'm fortunate enough to have taped this old classic from 1920 which reflects all the awfullness that was our country in 1919. Which isn't to say we as a society have changed so much, but lynching is not a resolution anymore to a proublem with an African American.
This movie showed a world from the past and I loved the fact that this film still exists, so often all charecters in our silent films are played by whie people in black face. We must never forget and this very artistic representation of how our country once oppressed the African American is a wonderous reminder. Theres painfully true scenes of rape and lynch mobs that grab the black charecters to lynch much like I imagined a Jew was grabbed in Nazi Germany in 1940, difference is we in this country were the bad guys! Its tough to view, but I'll always cherish this evidance of a more primative time.

I can't rate the film's artistic qualities, but as a historic body of work this film is incredible. Micheaux's work is a vital addition to film history and to understanding African American culture and history at the turn of the century. One sees an amazing amount of introspection in this film (notice the Uncle Tom preacher) as well as the inversion of traditional Southern conventions about sexuality and racial characteristics. One should watch this film in conjunction with DW Griffith's Birth of A Nation to get two very different portrayals views of American history.

A stand-alone DVD is desperately needed.