Rating summary
| Movie |  | 5.0 |
| Video |  | 3.0 |
| Audio | | 3.0 |
| Extras |  | 0.0 |
| Overall |  | 4.5 |
Black Is... Black Ain't Blu-ray Movie Review
A compelling exploration of what it means to be a black person.
Reviewed by Neil Lumbard September 20, 2021
Black Is... Black Ain't is a compelling documentary produced by Marlon Riggs and Nicole Atkinson. Starring Angela Davis, Bell Hooks,
Essex Hemphill, Bill T. Jones, Michele Wallace, B. Smith, and Cornel West, Black Is... Black Ain't explores what it means to be black in
America. One of the best documentaries of Riggs and a must-see production (most especially for students and for educators).
Focusing on African-American history, societal structures, and changes in cultural depictions of black communities and individuals
across the entire spectrum of America, Black Is... Black Ain't seeks to help define what it means to be a black person in the USA –
while showcasing diversity found within the black community across the nation. Exploring blackness through many different cultural facets (including
LGBTQ roles). What does it truly mean to be black?
Blackness defined.
One of the central metaphors of the documentary is found through Riggs' grandmother's famous jumbo: Riggs' compares the mixture of
ingredients in the gumbo and the distinctive flavors to the African-American experience in America (with a wide range of unique distinctions). Across
the country, individuals in black culture are portrayed negatively as “not black enough” or “too black” too frequently.
Riggs' addresses these problems and how these conceptions can be changed.
Edited by Christiane Badgley (A Trip to the County, Guangzhou Dream Factory), Black Is... Black Ain't explores
the subject of blackness in America with a nice editorial eye. The film flows well throughout and there are never any lulls in the filmmaking. The
editing is superb.
Marlon Riggs (Affirmations, Tongues Tied) crafted another stunning documentary: Black Is... Black Ain't is a film that
comes entirely from the heart. The focus on black culture and its myriad of roles within America makes the filmmaking even more distinctive and
compelling to watch. There is a sense of passion and curiosity throughout the production. While there may be an endless variety of answers to what it
means to be black in America, Marlon Riggs' exploration will provide plenty of food-for-thought. Don't miss this important film.
Black Is... Black Ain't Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Arriving on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection, Black Is... Black Ain't is presented in the original 1.33:1 full frame aspect ratio. The
documentary production comes from a new high-definition digital master. The release has obvious source limitations and appears as though it is in
standard-definition. Nonetheless, the presentation has somewhat better resolved compression compared to a standard DVD. The Criterion presentation
preserves the documentary well (despite modest-at-best color reproduction and image depth).
Black Is... Black Ain't Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The release is presented in uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo. The lossless audio is presented in 24 bit depth. The high-resolution audio sounds crisp
and clear throughout the documentary. Though the audio has a more limited dynamic range compared to modern films, Black Is... Black Ain't
sounds perfectly
fine throughout.
Black Is... Black Ain't Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
To find out more regarding the supplemental features in The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs collection, please refer to the main review page for the release.
Black Is... Black Ain't Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Black Is... Black Ain't is essential viewing. The documentary explores what it means to black – in all the degrees to which blackness
is defined. Marlon Riggs (Ethnic Notions, Color Adjustment) made something special with this compelling documentary. A superb
production. Highly recommended.
