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Melvin Van Peebles' Watermelon Man

by Andrew J. Rausch

Looky Rating System: Violence 0/5, Love & Romance 0/5, Mental Health 0/5, Language 0/5, Substance Use 0/5, Fear / Horror 0/5, Fantasy / Supernatural 0/5, LGBTQ+ Representation 0/5.

Description

Melvin Van Peebles (1932-2001) is one of the most important figures in the history of black cinema. He is best known for his 1971 low-budget film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, which is often credited with kicking off the blaxploitation film cycle. His previous effort, 1970's Watermelon Man, Van Peebles' first and only studio film (making him only the third black filmmaker to helm a studio picture), is sometimes dismissed as a footnote.