Famously made for under $10,000 in the early 1970s, Charles Burnett’s portrait of life in Watts never received a commercial release due to legal issues surrounding its use of music. But it was eventually chosen by the Library of Congress to be preserved in the National Film Registry. Comparisons to Italian Neorealism are frequent in discussions of his early work, with the theme of environmental determinism — or at least influence — infusing the portrait of urban life with a spiritual dimension. — Kenneth R. Morefield (2023)
Arts & Faith Films:
2010 Top 100 — #48