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The Great Debaters mixes the personal with the political. On the one hand it’s a coming of age story about a bunch of mostly very young college students going through love, parents, etc. On the other it’s about furthering the education and rights of African Americans in a racist country. It takes place at Wiley College in Texas during the Great Depression. It has a large ensemble cast led by Denzel Washington as an English professor at the school who is the head of the debate team and a political organizer.
The heart of the movie is the debates and preparations for them as they go from taking on other all black colleges to white ones. Denzel delivers another powerful performance as the professor. He runs the team like a dictator using his powerful wit and knowledge to intimidate and teach his students. The students Denzel Whitaker, Jurnee Smollett and Nate Parker also have their moments. It’s a very inspiring story as they show the fruits of their hard work.
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Customer reviews
True story 1936 radio broadcast live nationwide between two American college debate teams
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2020
The Great Debaters (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition) Denzel Washington as poet Melvin B Tolson, Forest Whitaker as James Farmer Sr first Nego with a PhD in Texas. James Farmer Jr was 14yo when he joined the debate team, inspired by his father's passion for justice. 7 years later the younger James Farmer age 24 founded CORE the Congress of Racial Equality.Second disc interviews the original participants of the Wiley College debate team and their memories of the rigorous debate Boot Camp imposed by coach Melvin B Tolson.Bonus Disc compiled over 60 CDs worth of African American folk music, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Marian Anderson opera, singers, banjo pickers which surround the living experience of the young college students, their era, and their challenges.Additional 28 page booklet with film stills and commentary complements the two DVD discs.Costume ideas were gathered via scouring vintage stores across the US for 1920s-1930s clothing.Brooks Brothers has been tailoring suits for men since 1800s and agreed to recreate appropriate 1936 suiting for Forest Whitaker and Denzel Washington.Harvard agreed to permit filming in Memorial Hall, first movie filming in the theater for 40 years to recapture the atmosphere of the live broadcast in 1936 of the debate between Wiley Negro college Texas with total enrollment of fewer than 400 students vs Harvard University.Debate Boot Camp featurette follows student actors learning debate format, time restrictions, technique, style during rehearsal prior to filming. Fascinating study of oral debate tradition formal structure, timed presentation, impromptu debates, debate coach critiques of posture diction etiquette.Interviews with the young actors who credit mentoring by veteran Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker for burnishing their professional skill sets.The young actors read books by authors mentioned in the script (eg Zora Neale Hurston WEB DuBois), read American history of the Jim Crow era, engaged in Debate Boot Camp which shaped genuine team bonding and familiarity with debate constraints evident on film.Two disc version was enormously satisfying with in depth featurettes, interviews and history, plus 28 page booklet of stills, quotes, interviews.5* for students interested in debate as a speech style, how to conduct preparation, cognitive flexibility to assume either pro or con stance in contention depending on Resolution assignment, diction, grammar, posture and proficiency in researching and speaking extemporaneously as the Wiley College and Harvard teams had to confront a change in the stated resolution 48 hours before the live radio debate.
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2020
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Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2021
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Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2020
Second disc interviews the original participants of the Wiley College debate team and their memories of the rigorous debate Boot Camp imposed by coach Melvin B Tolson.
Bonus Disc compiled over 60 CDs worth of African American folk music, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Marian Anderson opera, singers, banjo pickers which surround the living experience of the young college students, their era, and their challenges.
Additional 28 page booklet with film stills and commentary complements the two DVD discs.
Costume ideas were gathered via scouring vintage stores across the US for 1920s-1930s clothing.
Brooks Brothers has been tailoring suits for men since 1800s and agreed to recreate appropriate 1936 suiting for Forest Whitaker and Denzel Washington.
Harvard agreed to permit filming in Memorial Hall, first movie filming in the theater for 40 years to recapture the atmosphere of the live broadcast in 1936 of the debate between Wiley Negro college Texas with total enrollment of fewer than 400 students vs Harvard University.
Debate Boot Camp featurette follows student actors learning debate format, time restrictions, technique, style during rehearsal prior to filming. Fascinating study of oral debate tradition formal structure, timed presentation, impromptu debates, debate coach critiques of posture diction etiquette.
Interviews with the young actors who credit mentoring by veteran Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker for burnishing their professional skill sets.
The young actors read books by authors mentioned in the script (eg Zora Neale Hurston WEB DuBois), read American history of the Jim Crow era, engaged in Debate Boot Camp which shaped genuine team bonding and familiarity with debate constraints evident on film.
Two disc version was enormously satisfying with in depth featurettes, interviews and history, plus 28 page booklet of stills, quotes, interviews.
5* for students interested in debate as a speech style, how to conduct preparation, cognitive flexibility to assume either pro or con stance in contention depending on Resolution assignment, diction, grammar, posture and proficiency in researching and speaking extemporaneously as the Wiley College and Harvard teams had to confront a change in the stated resolution 48 hours before the live radio debate.
Verified Purchase
True story 1936 radio broadcast live nationwide between two American college debate teams
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2020
[[ASIN:B00125WAXC The Great Debaters (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)]] Denzel Washington as poet Melvin B Tolson, Forest Whitaker as James Farmer Sr first Nego with a PhD in Texas. James Farmer Jr was 14yo when he joined the debate team, inspired by his father's passion for justice. 7 years later the younger James Farmer age 24 founded CORE the Congress of Racial Equality.Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2020
Second disc interviews the original participants of the Wiley College debate team and their memories of the rigorous debate Boot Camp imposed by coach Melvin B Tolson.
Bonus Disc compiled over 60 CDs worth of African American folk music, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Marian Anderson opera, singers, banjo pickers which surround the living experience of the young college students, their era, and their challenges.
Additional 28 page booklet with film stills and commentary complements the two DVD discs.
Costume ideas were gathered via scouring vintage stores across the US for 1920s-1930s clothing.
Brooks Brothers has been tailoring suits for men since 1800s and agreed to recreate appropriate 1936 suiting for Forest Whitaker and Denzel Washington.
Harvard agreed to permit filming in Memorial Hall, first movie filming in the theater for 40 years to recapture the atmosphere of the live broadcast in 1936 of the debate between Wiley Negro college Texas with total enrollment of fewer than 400 students vs Harvard University.
Debate Boot Camp featurette follows student actors learning debate format, time restrictions, technique, style during rehearsal prior to filming. Fascinating study of oral debate tradition formal structure, timed presentation, impromptu debates, debate coach critiques of posture diction etiquette.
Interviews with the young actors who credit mentoring by veteran Denzel Washington and Forest Whitaker for burnishing their professional skill sets.
The young actors read books by authors mentioned in the script (eg Zora Neale Hurston WEB DuBois), read American history of the Jim Crow era, engaged in Debate Boot Camp which shaped genuine team bonding and familiarity with debate constraints evident on film.
Two disc version was enormously satisfying with in depth featurettes, interviews and history, plus 28 page booklet of stills, quotes, interviews.
5* for students interested in debate as a speech style, how to conduct preparation, cognitive flexibility to assume either pro or con stance in contention depending on Resolution assignment, diction, grammar, posture and proficiency in researching and speaking extemporaneously as the Wiley College and Harvard teams had to confront a change in the stated resolution 48 hours before the live radio debate.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2016
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Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2021
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Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Surprising story.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 23, 2021Verified Purchase
Millie River
A great story, well told
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2012Verified Purchase
Daz955i
No debate needed. Buy it!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2019Verified Purchase
Mike B
No debate at all!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2013Verified Purchase
Bargain hunter
Uplifting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2012Verified Purchase
