King in Chicago

(7)6.457min2009

Most people learn about Dr. Martin Luther King's amazing leadership fighting Southern racism. Far less discussed is his prophetic leadership, in 1966, confronting Northern urban racism, poverty and housing discrimination. Through stirring music and photos along with in-depth interviews with Dr. King's close friends and colleagues, this documentary details their methods, frustrations, and dreams.

Genres: Documentary Special Interest

Director: Seth McClellan

Starring: Jesse Jackson Michael Pfleger James Bevel

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Supporting actors: Dorothy Tillman Al Sampson C.T. Vivian Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Studio: Thorn Creek Productions

Subtitles: English [CC]

Audio Languages: English

Purchase rights: Stream instantly Details

Format: Prime Video (streaming online video)

Devices: Available to watch on supported devices

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Rosemary Spaulding

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2017

Format: Prime VideoVerified Purchase

Interesting information!

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Hoosier Daddy

Shallow, inaccurate, unprofessional, and even racist

Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2016

Format: Prime VideoVerified Purchase

If you are expecting history, accuracy, clear story telling, or professional film making, look elsewhere. This isn't a documentary - there isn't one historical clip of Dr Martin Luther King at all - or even Chicago itself in the 1960s. There's no narrator! There are a few screens with titles - many displaying poor grammar, incorrect capitalization, and misuse of the comma, when they're not presenting incorrect history.

Mostly, this is a series of modern-day interviews with aging hippies and 60s radicals strung together with video of a crazed woman with a purple rag on her head screaming (or is it singing?) in a stairwell. Two of the negro speakers - one a former Chicago alderman - make appallingly offensive anti-white hate remarks Just as loathsome was the film maker's decision to shoot the interviews as EXTREME close-up shots, with the subject's faces taking up the entire screen, at times overpowering it to the point that ALL you see are their eyes, nose, and mouth, and could count the speakers' pores. Yuck!

Historically-speaking, I learned nothing I didn't know already and have to call-out the film makers for their inexcusable failure to provide ANY historical context. There's no background information about Chicago, its history, its racial problems, whatsoever. No mention of the Great Migration, of the 1919 race riots, of Bronzeville, of restrictive housing covenants, real estate redlining, Wilson Wagons, block-busting, the Democrat party bulldozing negro neighborhoods to build high rise public housing projects they then walked away from maintaining, or the Democrat party strategically locating a 14-lane federal interstate highway to enforce race boundaries. There are no interviews with ethnic whites who were not involved in "the Movement" to explain their perspective. There's actually no attempt to explore the visceral and violent reaction of whites to integration efforts in the 60s.

Given that the people interviewed for this film obviously knew Dr King and spent time with him in Chicago, this film represents a tragic waste of an opportunity, and a waste of viewers' time.

2 people found this helpful

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Daniel Nearing

It is a great discussion piece to view during Black History Month or ...

Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2016

Format: Prime Video

"King in Chicago" is a compelling contemporary film about Martin Luther King's time in Chicago, a lesser known and rarely discussed period in his life. It is spirited, balanced, and ultimately moving. It is a great discussion piece to view during Black History Month or at any time. The documentary has very positive energy at the same time as it wrestles frankly with what had to have been one of the most difficult, frustrating experiences in Dr. King's life. Highly recommended.

One person found this helpful

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Dustin K Voss

I love it and would recommend to anyone

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2017

Format: Prime Video

I've used King in Chicago as part of my History of Chicago class here in Chicago. Hearing voices from those active in the movement for justice has made a huge impact on my young students. McClellan's historical approach engages students in a way where students have access to analyzing the films' claims. I love it and would recommend to anyone.

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Daniel Nearing

A moving and provocative study of a rarely explored time in the American civil rights movement

Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2009

Format: DVD

3 people found this helpful

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jeannie

One Star

Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2018

Format: Prime Video

Racist, anti-white, and bigotry. Skip it.

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English United States

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