Afrocentricity - Vol. 1

Starring:Afrocentricity
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
On the surface, this collection of shorts by up-and-coming African American filmmakers arrived at a perfect time. The cutting-edge products of the New Black Cinema of the early '90s had disappeared, giving way to embarrassingly stereotypical, scatological fare such as Booty Call and Next Friday. This feature-packed compilation (which includes production notes, interviews with all of the filmmakers, and audio commentary by four) attempts to prove that African American cinema is intent on moving past the lowbrow humor, as six of the seven shorts steer clear of any comedy. For example, A Gut Feeling is a creepy, supernatural film noir that relies heavily on moody atmosphere, while Breakfast at Ben's and Kings look deeply into cultural issues such as racism and stereotypes, featuring protagonists rising out of the ghetto. There's even a documentary here, Hip Hop: The New World Order, which attempts, albeit thinly, to show the expansive impact of rap music all over the globe. While this is all respectable, most of these shorts reveal the main flaw that's ruining not only African American cinema, but all American movies: The writing is terrible. Many of these directors demonstrate a knack for visual style and a professional handling of their amateur actors, but the writing, for the most part, is paper-thin, cliché ridden, and often painful (The Gift and Breakdown tie for worst honors). Ironically, it's Charles Stone III's true, the shortest film here--and the one that spawned both the pop culture catch phrase "Whazzup?!" and the successful series of Budweiser commercials--that gets it all right. In a span of 2 minutes, Stone's minimalist dialogue and frantic editing give a hilarious look at male bonding, though virtually nothing is said. On his commentary track, Stone says his main focus as a filmmaker is his words; the script is the key. The other six directors here should listen up. --Dave McCoy

Afrocentricity - Vol. 1
Average customer rating:

Very inspirational

AFROCENTRICITY - VOLUME 1!

Hands Down one of the best DVD's I've seen thus far.

The newest batch of great directors

AFROCENTRICTY-- TRULY A COLLECTORS ITEM

Afrocentricity - Vol. 1
Starring: Chuck D , Chuck D. , and Vanessa A. Williams
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004TYP9
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Amazon.com

On the surface, this collection of shorts by up-and-coming African American filmmakers arrived at a perfect time. The cutting-edge products of the New Black Cinema of the early '90s had disappeared, giving way to embarrassingly stereotypical, scatological fare such as Booty Call and Next Friday. This feature-packed compilation (which includes production notes, interviews with all of the filmmakers, and audio commentary by four) attempts to prove that African American cinema is intent on moving past the lowbrow humor, as six of the seven shorts steer clear of any comedy. For example, A Gut Feeling is a creepy, supernatural film noir that relies heavily on moody atmosphere, while Breakfast at Ben's and Kings look deeply into cultural issues such as racism and stereotypes, featuring protagonists rising out of the ghetto. There's even a documentary here, Hip Hop: The New World Order, which attempts, albeit thinly, to show the expansive impact of rap music all over the globe. While this is all respectable, most of these shorts reveal the main flaw that's ruining not only African American cinema, but all American movies: The writing is terrible. Many of these directors demonstrate a knack for visual style and a professional handling of their amateur actors, but the writing, for the most part, is paper-thin, cliché ridden, and often painful (The Gift and Breakdown tie for worst honors). Ironically, it's Charles Stone III's true, the shortest film here--and the one that spawned both the pop culture catch phrase "Whazzup?!" and the successful series of Budweiser commercials--that gets it all right. In a span of 2 minutes, Stone's minimalist dialogue and frantic editing give a hilarious look at male bonding, though virtually nothing is said. On his commentary track, Stone says his main focus as a filmmaker is his words; the script is the key. The other six directors here should listen up. --Dave McCoy

Customer Reviews:

Very inspirational.......2001-11-24

I can't add much to what has already been said about this DVD, but I am glad that I stumbled upon it in the video store. I'm not sure why it's titled "Afrocenticity,"--because it's not really about that, but the focus of Black filmmakers and their work definitely fills a void in the filmmaking industry. For what we get with this DVD is a collection of work by artists who are serious about their craft and are not making up something for a quick buck.

One of my favorite pieces is "Kings," a short film about young successful attorney who is forced to confront where he has come from and where he's going. It's conveys a prevelant theme amongst many African people who have been successful in White mainstream corporate America, but who also are struggling to understand how they keep ties with the community in which they grew up. The directing and cinamatagraphy of this piece are very well done. A warm, soulful mood is set throughout the piece that make for a compelling short story.

Muhammida El Muhajir's "Hip Hop: The New World Order," may be lacking in her camera work, but she makes up for it with her international travels to document the impact of Hip-Hop in places like Japan, France, and Cuba. I hope this piece is made into a full production.

And finally, I liked "Breakdown," which to me has sort of a Hitchkock influence. I won't say anymore about the plot, because it would give it way. In the end, though, the story is not oringinal, it's a fine piece of storytelling that is directed, shot, and edited with serious attention to the craft of filmmaking.

I really look forward to future volumes of short films like "Afrocentricity." These type of collections serve to expose the work of young or unknown artists who are trying to work within and beyond the mainstream.

AFROCENTRICITY - VOLUME 1!.......2001-10-12

This is an OUTSTANDING COLLECTION of INNOVATIVE SHORT FILMS that feature some of the most promising young AFRICAN-AMERICAN DIRECTORS! CHARLES STONE III offers "True," the hilarious short that introduced the now infamous "Whazzup" guys from the Budweiser commercials! JEFF BYRD manages to get VANESSA WILLIAMS to star as the only survivor of a shoot-out at a bus station in "Breakdown." LEE DAVIS directs "A Gut Feeling," which follows two cops on a routine call that goes very, very wrong. CHUCK WILSON's "Breakfast as Ben's (my personal favorite), is a moving story of a young man who works his way out of the ghetto and tries to give something back to the community. NIVA DORRELL offers "Kings," where a successful attorney has to make some very tough choices when his past catches up with him. TANYA BOYD, from "Days of Our Lives," presents "The Gift," based on a true story about a blind sculptor who is offered the chance for surgery that can restore his sight. MUHAMMIDA EL MUHAJIR's documentary "Hip Hop: The New World Order," which looks at how that particular musical form has gone world wide. Each of these films is accompanied by an INTERVIEW with the DIRECTOR, some of whom provide AUDIO COMMENTARY. This is a WONDERFUL COLLECTION of short films by directors we will be hearing a lot about in the FUTURE! More importantly, VOLUME 1 suggests there will be more volumes to come, which is great news indeed!

Hands Down one of the best DVD's I've seen thus far........2000-08-19

This is one of the most original DVD's that I've seen in a long time. It's refreshing to see that someone is actually utilizing the DVD technology to it's fullest. I love the fact that the creators of this DVD filled it with content from the filmmakers themselves like the interviews, directors commentaries and the production notes that come along with all the films.I found all the filmmakers fascinating with there stories about trial and tribulations of making a film. Oh and I really dig the packaging great graphics and design work. Hope to see more DVD's like this one.

The newest batch of great directors.......2000-08-11

THis is really a unique perspective. Not a stereotypical one in the bunch. I look forward to seeing what feature films this group comes back with. Loved true, the kickoff for the Bud campaign and also the Hip Hop documentary was really interesting.

AFROCENTRICTY-- TRULY A COLLECTORS ITEM.......2000-07-18

This awesome collection of short films by Black Directors should air in its entirety on television. I can't believe that this collection is the first of its kind. This DVD sheds light on several Black filmmakers at a time in their careers when making a film is solely about that--making films. This is a must buy for any filmgoer that appreciates film as art and likes to follow a director's career from its inception.

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