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In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema

200759mBrad Osborne
IMDb 7.7

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Synopsis

"The true story of a lost era."

This documentary captures the sounds and images of a nearly forgotten era in film history when African American filmmakers and studios created “race movies” exclusively for black audiences. The best of these films attempted to counter the demeaning stereotypes of black Americans prevalent in the popular culture of the day. About 500 films were produced, yet only about 100 still exist. Filmmaking pioneers like Oscar Micheaux, the Noble brothers, and Spencer Williams, Jr. left a lasting influence on black filmmakers, and inspired generations of audiences who finally saw their own lives reflected on the silver screen.

Documentary
HollywoodFilmmakingBlack History

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Frequently asked questions

What is In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema (2007) about?

This documentary captures the sounds and images of a nearly forgotten era in film history when African American filmmakers and studios created “race movies” exclusively for black audiences. The best of these films attempted to counter the demeaning stereotypes of black Americans prevalent in the popular culture of the day. About 500 films were produced, yet only about 100 still exist. Filmmaking…

Who stars in In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema?

In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema stars Lawrence Varnado (Narrator), Herb Jeffries (Himself), Ruby Dee (Herself), Jeni Le Gon (Herself), Leroy Collins (Himself). The film was directed by Brad Osborne.

How long is In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema?

In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema has a runtime of 59 min and premiered in 2007.

Is In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema worth watching?

In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema holds an IMDb rating of 7.7/10. Fans of Documentary are most likely to enjoy it — TasteRay can tell you how well it matches your personal taste.

Where can I watch In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema?

Streaming availability for In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema changes by country and service. TasteRay tracks where it is available across Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Max, Apple TV+ and 50+ other platforms — the current options for your country are shown on this page.