Black Is... Black Ain't Blu-ray Movie

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.

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.