this film is dedicated to all the brothers and sisters who had enough of the man

On Sweet Sweetback's Baadassssss Song:

There are so many things wrong with this movie. The shock-value aspects of this movie were pushed way too far with nudity and violence in every other scene. The 'plot' was almost impossible to follow. There was no flow to the dialogue. The actors were sub-par, the directorial techniques used were confusing and the soundtrack was distracting. The production quality was horrible. This movie did not make sense. Which calls the question: why would this movie ever be considered significant? Going in to this movie, basically what I knew about it was that it was a) X-Rated and b) considered the first ever blaxploitation film, beating out Shaft by a nose, which came out later that year in 1971. I came to learn that was once the most successful independent film in history even though it opened in only two theaters in America. What made it such a (relatively) high grossing film and also so significant, is the fact that it is the first real blaxploitation film. The first movie made by black people, for black people, about black people, starring black people. While Shaft was much more successful, and it may be assumed that Shaft was in production before Sweetback, which was made in three weeks, Sweetback was still the first of its kind. This movie represents a movement of films that has become a cultural staple in the movie-business.

So many stereotypes are shown in this movie. All and every sexual stereotype about blacks was completely exposed and exploited in this film. It is never really made clear why Sweetback is running from the Man, but it is made sure that Whitey is going after Sweetback. The white cops are the only white characters in this movie and they are shown beating up blacks for no reason, torturing blacks for information, letting dogs on blacks and lying to blacks and there is never a reason established formally for any of this. Sweetback is in the right because he is running from the oppression of the Man.

I am glad that I watched this movie. This movie highlighted a symbol that is used in almost all of the movies I have watched for this project and many more in my recollections. Running. Literally the entire movie Sweetback is running from the cops. Literally running. Sweetback runs with his own two legs all the way from Los Angeles to the Mexican border. So many scenes are just Sweetback running with Earth, Wind and Fire playing in the background, and the first thing that it reminded me of is Roots. In Roots Kunta Kinte repeatedly runs from the plantation and away from his slavery. Every opportunity he gets, Kunta runs and doesn't stop until he is caught. Running was an integral part of Kunta's life in Africa before he was dragged away from his camp and in his life in America Kunta runs for his freedom. In Sweetback, Sweetback runs for his freedom also. As the repetitive lyrics to the soundtrack beat into the brains of the viewer during the running sequences, Sweetback has two legs that won't fail him. Kunta winds up in the unfortunate predicament of being punished for his repeated attempt at running away, so the slave masters chop his foot off. After that moment, Kunta himself will never be truly free, because he cannot run. He never earns his freedom like Sweetback does by running to Mexico.

There was running in In the Heat of the Night, such as in the scene were Virgil is being chased by the bigots. There was running in No Way Out during the gang war scene. It keeps showing up and I believe it will keep making sense. I hope that I at least get this one thing out of Sweetback. Next on the list is Shaft.