Wattstax

Captured at a time in history when African-Americans could, for the first time, openly, honestly and directly confront their past and contemplate their future with a sense of self-determination, unity, and pride. The ideas are in a beauty contest with the soulful music and,…

laird

transcendant.

Jamelle Bouie

“We may be in prison, but the prison is not in us.” Wattstax features several great performers at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival. With music intercut with footage of Martin Luther King, Jr., and comedic and socio-political commentary from Richard Pryor, this documentary…

Allison M. 🌱

This is what Power sounds like.

Jerry

Chuckled when Rufus Thomas told the audience to come down to the field and then made them return to the stands just one song later.

Rock

You want to see a REAL cocaine bear, check out Isaac Hayes on the stage at WattStax in an ankle length shiny gold chain vest belting out Shaft. Nah, I kid, Hayes famously kept himself pretty straight but goddamn did this movie have the energy (plus a lot of Richard Pryor,…

Cinema_Strikes

The sheer lack of concert footage from this big event quite possibly marginalizes an already-marginal get-together this film was meant to expose. Yet the footage, archival and freshly recorded, Stuart places between the songs inverts the dynamic of WOODSTOCK, MONTEREY POP…

Jake Cole

This movie made me say "hell yeah" to myself 19 times. Four stars!

kevintporter

An expensive and expansive promo piece for Stax Records that offers itself as a promo for black power and beauty. As much a portrait of its audience and its time as a showcase for the festival's music. Beautifully constructed. Introduced by Richard Pryor, who offers…

Nathan