Movie: In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema

Top 6 Billed Cast

Lawrence Varnado
Lawrence Varnado

Narrator

Herb Jeffries
Herb Jeffries

Himself

Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee

Herself

Jeni Le Gon
Jeni Le Gon

Herself

Leroy Collins
Leroy Collins

Himself

Pearl Bowser
Pearl Bowser

Herself

  • HomePage

  • Overview

    This documentary captures the sounds and images of a nearly forgotten era in film history when African American filmmakers and studios created “race movies” exclusively for black audiences. The best of these films attempted to counter the demeaning stereotypes of black Americans prevalent in the popular culture of the day. About 500 films were produced, yet only about 100 still exist. Filmmaking pioneers like Oscar Micheaux, the Noble brothers, and Spencer Williams, Jr. left a lasting influence on black filmmakers, and inspired generations of audiences who finally saw their own lives reflected on the silver screen.

  • Release Date

    2007-09-15

  • Average

    6.5

  • Rating:

    3.3 starts
  • Tagline

    The true story of a lost era.

  • Genres

  • Languages:

  • Keywords

Recommendations Movies

Phosphor
71%

Phosphor(uk)

2023-09-12

Returning wounded from the war Maksym was overcome by self-doubt, in his physiological state. He is undergoing rehabilitation. He loses contact with his wife. He is tormented by dreams. In one of his dreams Maksym goes to the island to catch a lot of fish, as the paramedic advised him. Maksym takes a boat, net, dynamite from the best man and sails to the island.

Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora
64%

Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora(en)

2010-02-07

The Making-of James Cameron's Avatar. It shows interesting parts of the work on the set.

Shrek 2
73%

Shrek 2(en)

2004-05-19

Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey set off to Far, Far Away to meet Fiona's mother and father, the Queen and King. But not everyone is happily ever after. Shrek and the King find it difficult to get along, and there's tension in the marriage. The Fairy Godmother discovers that Fiona has married Shrek instead of her son Prince Charming and plots to destroy their marriage.

Happy Feet Two
62%

Happy Feet Two(en)

2011-11-17

Mumble the penguin has a problem: his son Erik, who is reluctant to dance, encounters the Mighty Sven — a penguin who can fly! Things get worse for Mumble when the world is shaken by powerful forces, causing him to bring together the penguin nations and their allies to set things right.

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
45%

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation(en)

1997-11-11

A group of heroic warriors has only six days to save the planet in "Mortal Kombat Annihilation." To succeed they must survive the most spectacular series of challenges any human, or god, has ever encountered as they battle an evil warlord bent on taking control of Earth.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
65%

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans(en)

2009-01-22

A prequel to the first two Underworld films, this fantasy explains the origins of the feud between the Vampires and the Lycans. Aided by his secret love, Sonja, courageous Lucian leads the Lycans in battle against brutal Vampire king Viktor. Determined to break the king's enslavement of his people, Lucian faces off against the Death Dealer army in a bid for Lycan independence.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
57%

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked(en)

2011-12-14

Playing around while aboard a cruise ship, the Chipmunks and Chipettes accidentally go overboard and end up marooned in a tropical paradise. They discover their new turf is not as deserted as it seems.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury
61%

The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury(en)

2004-06-15

After their narrow escape at the end of "Pitch Black," Riddick, Jack and the Imam find themselves at the mercy of a madwoman who intends to entomb Riddick forever as part of a twisted art exhibit. With little but a shiv and Riddick's innate viciousness to aid them, Riddick and his allies must find a way to escape from their captor and her band of mercenaries.

Capturing Avatar
70%

Capturing Avatar(en)

2010-11-16

Capturing Avatar is a feature length behind-the-scenes documentary about the making of Avatar. It uses footage from the film's development, as well as stock footage from as far back as the production of Titanic in 1995. Also included are numerous interviews with cast, artists, and other crew members. The documentary was released as a bonus feature on the extended collector's edition of Avatar.

Underworld: Awakening
63%

Underworld: Awakening(en)

2012-01-19

Having escaped years of imprisonment, vampire warrioress Selene finds herself in a changed world where humans have discovered the existence of both Vampire and Lycan clans and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species. Now Selene must battle the humans and a frightening new breed of super Lycans to ensure the death dealers' survival.

Here Comes the Boom
62%

Here Comes the Boom(en)

2012-10-10

A high school biology teacher moonlights as a mixed-martial arts fighter in an effort to raise money to save the school's music program.

Scooby-Doo! and the Samurai Sword
77%

Scooby-Doo! and the Samurai Sword(en)

2009-04-07

The Mystery Inc. gang takes a trip to Japan and finds themselves circling Asia and the Pacific in a treasure hunt, racing against the vengeful Black Samurai and his Ninja warriors to find the legendary Sword of Fate, an ancientblade fabled to possess extraordinary supernaturalpowers.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
55%

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor(en)

2008-07-01

Archaeologist Rick O'Connell travels to China, pitting him against an emperor from the 2,000-year-old Han dynasty who's returned from the dead to pursue a quest for world domination. This time, O'Connell enlists the help of his wife and son to quash the so-called 'Dragon Emperor' and his abuse of supernatural power.

Film
60%

Film(en)

2000-01-01

Men live in a mine.

WWE WrestleMania XXVII
75%

WWE WrestleMania XXVII(en)

2011-04-02

The Rock returns home to be The World’s Most Electrifying Host of WrestleMania XXVII from Atlanta, GA. The Great One will lay the SmackDown on all of the pomp and festivities that makes WrestleMania the world’s greatest, annual pop culture extravaganza. John Cena looks to dethrone the self-proclaimed “most must see WWE champion in history” the Miz. Undertaker’s legendary 18-0 WrestleMania winning streak has never been in greater peril when Triple H challenges the Phenom. Alberto Del Rio looks to fulfill his destiny and take Edge’s World Heavyweight Championship. A bitter and personal rivalry comes to a head when Randy Orton battles CM Punk.. All this and more when the Superstars of WWE invade the Georgia Dome for WrestleMania XXVII.

The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012
62%

The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Flash Back 2012(ja)

1987-06-21

Flash Back 2012 is Minmay's farewell concert. Featuring some of her best songs, the music is performed over various scenes and events taken from the first Macross television series as well as Macross: Do You Remember Love film. Also included is a newly animated closing sequence showing the launch of Misa's colony vessel, the Megaroad-01, into space.

The Matrix Revolutions
67%

The Matrix Revolutions(en)

2003-11-05

The human city of Zion defends itself against the massive invasion of the machines as Neo fights to end the war at another front while also opposing the rogue Agent Smith.

The Karate Kid Part II
63%

The Karate Kid Part II(en)

1986-06-18

Summoned by his dying father, Miyagi returns to his homeland of Okinawa, with Daniel, after a 40-year exile. There he must confront Yukie, the love of his youth, and Sato, his former best friend turned vengeful rival. Sato is bent on a fight to the death, even if it means the destruction of their village. Daniel finds his own love in Yukia's niece, Kumiko, and his own enemy in Sato's nephew, the vicious Chozen. Now, far away from the tournaments, cheering crowds and safety of home, Daniel will face his greatest challenge ever when the cost of honor is life itself.

Quantum of Solace
63%

Quantum of Solace(en)

2008-10-29

Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M interrogate Mr. White, who reveals that the organization that blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

X-Men: The Last Stand
64%

X-Men: The Last Stand(en)

2006-05-24

When a cure is found to treat mutations, lines are drawn amongst the X-Men—led by Professor Charles Xavier—and the Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organised under Xavier's former ally, Magneto.

Similar Movies

Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film
70%

Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film(en)

2000-01-03

A short documentary about the Making Of Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943).

Netflix vs. the World
60%

Netflix vs. the World(en)

2020-12-11

The story of how a tiny, broke Silicon Valley startup slew giants of the movie rental world, warded off Amazon and forced movie making and distribution into the digital age.

The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat
71%

The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat(fr)

1896-06-30

A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.

Merchant Ivory
77%

Merchant Ivory(en)

2024-08-30

The first definitive feature documentary to lend new and compelling perspectives on the partnership, both professional and personal, of director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant, and their primary associates, writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and composer Richard Robbins. Footage from more than fifty interviews, clips, and archival material gives voice to the family of actors and technicians who helped define Merchant Ivory’s Academy Award-winning work of consummate quality and intelligence. With six Oscar winners among the notable artists participating, these close and often long-term collaborators intimately detail the transformational cinematic creativity and personal and professional drama of the wandering company that left an indelible impact on film culture.

That Guy Dick Miller
70%

That Guy Dick Miller(en)

2014-03-07

Documentary about veteran character actor Dick Miller, whose career in and outside of Hollywood has spanned almost 200 films across six decades, featuring a diverse range of interviews with directors, co-stars, and contemporaries.

Two, Three Times Branco
0%

Two, Three Times Branco(fr)

2018-10-28

Akerman, Monteiro, Oliveira, Ruiz, Schroeter and Wenders are among the directors he produced: Deux, trois fois Branco is a portrait of Portuguese producer Paulo Branco, between life and legend.

The Story of Doctor Carver
40%

The Story of Doctor Carver(en)

1938-06-18

The story of Dr. George Washington Carver (1864-1943), black educator and horticulturist. He is perhaps most well known for developing over 140 products from all parts of the peanut plant, including the shells and husks. He also developed products based on sweet potatoes and soybeans, and developed a cotton hybrid that was named after him.

Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic
70%

Sword-and-Sandal: The Story of the Period Epic(fr)

2019-04-14

The history of the peplum genre, known as sword-and-sandal cinema, set in Antiquity, from the silent film era to the present day.

Stallone, profession héros
69%

Stallone, profession héros(fr)

2019-04-26

How Animated Cartoons Are Made
60%

How Animated Cartoons Are Made(en)

1919-09-06

Wallace Carlson walks viewers through the production of an animated short at Bray Studios.

Laurel & Hardy: Their Lives and Magic
78%

Laurel & Hardy: Their Lives and Magic(de)

2011-12-28

The lives of Stan Laurel (1890-1965) and Oliver Hardy (1892-1957), on the screen and behind the curtain. The joy and the sadness, the success and the failure. The story of one of the best comic duos of all time: a lesson on how to make people laugh.

Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory
67%

Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory(fr)

1895-03-22

Working men and women leave through the main gate of the Lumière factory in Lyon, France. Filmed on 22 March 1895, it is often referred to as the first real motion picture ever made, although Louis Le Prince's 1888 Roundhay Garden Scene pre-dated it by seven years. Three separate versions of this film exist, which differ from one another in numerous ways. The first version features a carriage drawn by one horse, while in the second version the carriage is drawn by two horses, and there is no carriage at all in the third version. The clothing style is also different between the three versions, demonstrating the different seasons in which each was filmed. This film was made in the 35 mm format with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and at a speed of 16 frames per second. At that rate, the 17 meters of film length provided a duration of 46 seconds, holding a total of 800 frames.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness
76%

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness(ja)

2013-11-16

Follows the behind-the-scenes work of Studio Ghibli, focusing on the notable figures Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki.

Christina Lindberg: The Original Eyepatch Wearing Butt Kicking Movie Babe
40%

Christina Lindberg: The Original Eyepatch Wearing Butt Kicking Movie Babe(en)

2015-10-02

A look at the life and work of Christina Lindberg, the most famous Swedish model of the 1970s and star of exploitation cinema.

Hollywood: Lights, Camera, Blasphemy!
0%

Hollywood: Lights, Camera, Blasphemy!(en)

1995-10-15

"No film may throw ridicule on any religious faith..." So began Article VIII of the Hollywood Production Code, a series of ethical guidelines that for forty years helped the motion picture industry produce many of the greatest and most family-friendly films in history. That was then, however, this is now. A revered "historical" movie quietly takes every opporturnity to lie and twist the facts in order to make Christians appear as backward, foolish hypocrites. An actress jumps at the chance to play a Christ-hating role, saying, "I'm an atheist, so it was a joy." One of Hollywood's most respected directors films a passion play written by a disciple of Friedrich Nietzsche, the father of the "God is dead" movement. Not surprisingly, the movie's Jesus helps crucify people and later confesses that satan is inside him. A media mogul states that "Christianity is a religion for losers."

Circus of Books
70%

Circus of Books(en)

2019-04-26

For decades, a nice Jewish couple ran Circus of Books, a porn shop and epicenter for gay LA. Their director daughter documents their life and times.

Int.Anouchka-Night
0%

Int.Anouchka-Night(fr)

Anouchka is a 30 year old screenwriter who works in a wine bar for a living. She traces her last 15 years of alcoholism thanks to a screenplay she wrote.

Adam Sandler: Funny Guy
40%

Adam Sandler: Funny Guy(en)

2020-07-01

Adam remains a consistent favorite among fans who are comforted that they will always have a good time. Get the inside story on this fascinating actor, comedian, screenwriter, producer, husband, father, and forever FUNNY GUY.

Thirty-Three
0%

Thirty-Three(en)

2024-07-01

Film 33 is the most advanced film class in a community college where the entire class teams up to make a short film. In 2023 Spring, the 23rd short film is being made. This epic documentary details the highs and lows of the production of this short film, and all the dramatic events that occurred.