Customer Reviews

Five On The Black Hand Side [VHS]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The summary of the movie on the back of the video cover says it all--glorified, unified, and filled-with-pride. "Five on the Black Hand Side" portrays an African-American family going through changes during the 1970s. The older brother Booker T. Washington Brooks is a socialist who talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk. His younger brother Gideon, is a black revolutionary who defies the father and everyone around him. Their sister is getting married and the mother, Mrs. Brooks has had it with her husband. She doesn't really want out of her marriage but she wants some change in their marriage, which not only means her, but her husband. Mrs. Brooks goes to war with help from her neigbors and children. Mr. Brooks wants the best for his children but he is too controlling of how they should live their lives which creates a friction between Gideon and him. He is also resistant to change.
This movie during its period dealt with the issues of gender within the African-American community as well as racism and socialism. I wonder if "Barbershop" got their idea from this movie!

This is a true film classic. Comedy or not. It was written by Charlie Russell, who also was a counselor in the S.E.E.K. college program at City College in New York. His brother is the Basketball star Bill Russell. All this to say that, Charlie may have surprised many people who did not know he was a writer and who eventually made such a classic true comedy. It is based on the trials and liberation of 'Mrs Brooks' from 'Mr Brooks'. All of this is done without exploiting the lifestyle of Black folks. You just must see this film to see what a true comedy is like, Black or White...it is a true "Classic".

I can remember seeing "Five On The Black Hand Side" as a teenager in Los Angeles California at the Baldwin Hills Movie Theater in 1973. This movie gave me a sense of being very proud of my blackness, It gave me hope in being who I am...To walk with dignity and hold my head and not be ashamed of who I am. Every human being on this planet earth regardless of race, color or creed should be proud of their heritage and most of all, be very proud of THEMSELVES and to go for your positive dreams..This movie represents just that.I strongly suggest this movie to be purchased from AMAZON and add it to your movie collection.

During the 70s, when Blaxpoitation films were of the norm, you had such films as this, "Amazing Grace" and of course, "Cooley High". In this film, you had a family about to marry off their only daughter in a Afrocentric wedding ceremony that the father disapproves of; Matter of fact, the father is a barber who goes to work in suits(with the appropriate smock put on at work). Consults an organizer(as well as his wife's); and is as tight reined with his family as he is with himself; He's got one son out of his house and living on the roof and being afrocentric; the other son cannot get with no one but white women; He dictates to his wife(Clarice Taylor, later known as Cosby's mom on the Cosby show) as to what to wear as well as what to do, and she is SICK of it!! so she hatches a plan along with her friends(Virginia Capers and Janet DuBois later of "Good Times") to demand a list of things that she want from her husband; Oh, and then is when the good times roll!! Good family film; a bit dated but real good;

Most blacks I know love this movie, even the most Europeanized. It is the first film that I am aware of to depict such a pro-African mindstate for African Americans. How groundbreaking this was in 1973 is lost to the people of today who can not comprehend the extent of anti-Africanism in American culture and what it was like for these first years when African Americans formally became full citizens in America. This film has yet to be followed up as it drowned in the mist of blaxploitation.

Though I'm sure some African Americans out of touch will not get this movie, but it is interesting to note that the only person who rated it low on here was icebergslims, who I know to be white, though many of his reviews show an interest in Africana studies. Many of his reviews are spot on and insightful, though his distance from the experience is evident and an obstacle to depthful comprehension.

However, because the black experience is experienced and not read about or watched on TV or even from black friends, there is an ineffable reality of the black existence in america that has aspects of it that are esoteric to the black community. Such esoteric experiences are common in any marginalized group. It crosses over to gender or sexuality,etc. For example, no matter how much I respect women there are many things about there existence I wont get, simply because I am not one. Likewise, some nonblack people will be unable to get the lure of Five on the Black Hand Side. Sure they know there is a meaningful message but it does not overide the "corny" aspect of the film. Corny because it's not full of the typical dolemite, of which Icebergslims admits to be a great fan of, or richard pryor bambozzled humor? To the liver of black experience it is the subtleties of the experience revealed in the film (even as a man I cried when the mother looked at her new afro in the mirror, and said,"is that me?")that no amount of black research will make nonblacks sensitive to.

That being said, this is such a powerful movie. Watch it not to be thrilled with great acting or even plot, heck, not even message. Instead be moved by the spirit of Five on the Black Hand Side.

Five on the Black Hand Side follows the familiar seventies vein of confronting political issues in Black films. The subject matter of Black Hand Side ranges from the Black family, to interracial dating, to the Black political conciousness that unfortunately is lacking in recent days. I would highly recommend this movie to every Black person, in particular every Black family. This movie is a true, and unfortunately rare gem.

This film harks back to a time when africentricity was woven into the psyche of the younger generation. Blackness informed all of their life decisions and defined their aesthetic. This is definitely true of the younger generation in this film. Another dynamic at play in this film is a sort of intergenerational upheaval. Some members of the older generation were reconsidering their long held beleifs on what it meant to be Black in America while the rest of the older generation stood firm staunchly defending their fossilized ideals. So if you're in the mood to see a comedic family film with a post sixties revolutionary air view "Five On the Black Hand Side" and breathe in the culture!

I had a chance to see this movie over this past weekend and I must say I found this movie very funny and at the sametime very powerful. I had saw a little bit of the movie like a month ago and from the little part I saw I thought the movie was boring until I found out that my girl Ja'Net DuBois (I'm a huge fan of hers!!!) was in so I had to see it again and once I saw it from beginning to end I feel in love with the movie. The interactions b/w Ruby and Stormy Monday were funny as heck and Mr. Brooks attitude towards his wife was just straight NASTY!!!! I'm glad that Gladys had came to her senses to tell Mr. Brooks that she wasn't going to take his stuff nomore and that she was out if he didn't start treating her like a human being instead of like an animal so I was glad that he got his stuff together too. Sad to say that its men out there who treat their women like the way Mr. Brooks does Gladys in the movie and much worser and there is many women who doesn't have the courage that Gladys had to tell him enough was enough. Anyways I also enjoyed Marvin and Gails wedding it was a very beautiful wedding and my girl Stormy Monday a.k.a Ja'Net DuBois looked so Beautiful in her dress and her hair was cute had all the men looking at her when she made her toast but all in all I really enjoyed this movie alot!!!!

films like this tackled so many issues&covered a wide array of subject matter.very much on point Soul Film.a film like this in the early 70's still isn't brought to light in the modern era of film making&find that ironic.very well written&a really good film.

I can't believe I never heard of this film until I found it on Amazon! This is probably the "Blackest" movie I've ever seen (besides "The Spook Who Sat By The Door", of course)! By that I mean, there are nonstereotypical & beautiful Black people everywhere (in fact I think it's completely Black!), they are talking about things that we REALLY talk about, and most of them are natural and/or lack that subconscious wannabe white thing that too many of us have, such as when our women perm their hair! This movie is like a miracle! I would go to the movies more often if Hollywood was considerate enough to release REAL Black movies like this, because I know there are Black people trying to make them! The movies we get today are almost ALWAYS very coonish because this is a culture that rarely knows how to be funny without insulting someone in some way! That goes for the Black movies too! This movie is pure and intelligent! It's funny in a realistic way not in a "written comedy" kind of way. If you like intelligent Black family films such as Claudine or Mahogany, then just buy it! You will enjoy and appreciate it!