“Now he’s good and dead…”
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Synopsis:
Fred Hampton, 21-year-old chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party, is murdered in cold blood by Chicago policemen.
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Genres:
Response to Peary’s Review:
As Peary notes, this film is “crudely made but powerful and important”. Amazingly enough, the filmmakers set out simply to show the hardships of being a black, openly political activist in 1960s Chicago, but instead found themselves documenting the controversy surrounding Hampton’s death (purportedly done by police in self-defense). The most compelling scenes show various Black Panthers giving stirring speeches and organizing community projects to combat poverty. The least successful are those attempting to understand what exactly went on in the apartment where Hampton was killed — it’s hard to keep track of the evidence.
Redeeming Qualities:
- Powerful, vintage footage of Black Panther speeches and projects in action
Must See?
Yes. While the sound quality and editing of this film leave much to be desired, it’s noteworthy as an important historical document.
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Posted on March 26th, 2006 by admin
Filed under: Response Reviews
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