Spike Lee is known as one of the most prominent and influential
black filmmakers of his generation. Little known, however, are his
student films that established his style and concerns.
Throughout the month, as part of its annual Black History Month
programming, the Museum of Television & Radio will screen two
of Spike Lee’s lesser-known films: “A Huey P. Newton
Story” and his thesis film from New York University,
“Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads.”
It may seem out of place that a museum which archives television
and radio performances is spotlighting a filmmaker. However, both
films aired on television before even being considered for release
in theaters.
“Spike Lee is someone who has done significant TV
work,” said Ron Simon, the program’s curator. “We
wanted to alert the public to it.”
One of the films, “Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop”
centers on the difficulty of inner-city blacks breaking out of the
cycle of poverty. The film aired on PBS after winning a Student
Academy Award in 1983.
Unlike “Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop,” “A
Huey P. Newton Story” was made for television. The film
chronicles the history of Black Panther party leader Huey P.
Newton, adapted from Roger Guenveur Smith’s off-Broadway
one-man show of the same name. The film won a Peabody Award in
2002, honoring both Lee’s directing and Smith’s
acting.
“Smith’s performance is so great and gripping it
just needed to be showcased,” said Sheryl Woodruff, the
program’s curatorial assistant.
In addition to raising issues pertaining to black history, the
two films also serve to illuminate Lee’s career which later
blossomed with “Do the Right Thing,” “Malcolm
X” and the recent “25th Hour.”
“They show (Lee’s) transition from a young
man’s point of view to a mature filmmaker,” Simon
said.
In addition to the screenings of Lee’s films, the museum
has also highlighted other programs from its archive for normal
console viewing. The museum attempts to cover the wide range of
black culture that has appeared on television, selecting a range of
media from traditional sitcoms such as “A Different
World” to filmed performances of Alvin Ailey dances.
“With over 120,000 programs in the archive, (the
selections) tell people to look for specific titles,”
Woodruff said.
In another program running throughout the month, the museum will
screen programs from the 1960s featuring the musical work of Sammy
Davis, Jr., adding another way to look at the representation of
blacks on television.
“It’s crucial that we continue to look at material
and reinterpret it every generation,” Simon said.
The variation in programming within the larger Black History
Month program allows viewers to see these past TV works in a new
context.
“Each year we want to delve into a different aspect of
black history,” Simon said.
Of the 10 additional titles suggested by the museum, only two
are taken from traditional TV sitcom or drama series. Along with
the screenings of Lee’s films, this year’s focus may be
on exploring how different arts such as dance, singing, and acting
have portrayed black culture on television.
“It’s just a sampling of ideas that will hopefully
spark other ideas,” Simon said.
For more info call (310) 786-1000. “A Huey P. Newton
Story” screens Wed., Fri., and Sat. and “Joe’s
Bed-Stuy Barbershop” screens Thurs.and Sun. throughout Feb.
All screenings are at 12:15 p.m.