Wattstax

Wattstax (1973) starring Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Luther Ingram, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Richard Pryor. Marking the anniversary of the 1965 Watts riots, a great gathering of black people shows up in Los Angeles to hear music and celebrate the African-American spirit. Interspersed with the music are interviews with various blacks, talking about life, love and whitey. Some of the funniest bits are those with Richard Pryor. There's lots of music, culminating in an appearance by Isaac Hayes. All in all, I would recommend this movie to black people; some whites will enjoy it, but I think they would be in the minority. (Closed captions make the dialogue understandable -- even the songs are captioned.) Grade: B