Michael's Movie Grade: A+
An incredible concert movie and one of the best documentaries in recent years.
In 1969, the same summer that Woodstock happened another less documented but no less important music festival accorded. This was The Harlem Culture Festival. This festival featured some of the greatest black musicians in America. This concert was just as much a celebration of black culture as it was an incredible array of great music. The importance of a celebration like this in 1969 in the midst of the civil rights movement can not be understated. When Gladys Knight is interviewed she states that the importance of the night goes far beyond just the music and as we watch this film it is hard not to agree. Like the concert itself this film is just as much about the place, time and culture as the While a concert movie can never fully capture being there in person, this film comes as close as a movie like this can. Watching the performances and the audience, you can feel the excitement and get caught up in it. Adding to this is great interviews with not only the artists but also the people attending the festival, people arranging the festival and some of the security (the security was provided by the Black Panthers). Because of this we see the concert from all sides and the movie becomes all the more immersive. Director Questlove (in his feature length directorial debut) appropriately leaves out any narration leaving the history to be told mostly by those who were there.
The most obvious praise to give this movie is that the music is fantastic. Featured here is B.B. King, Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson, Gladys Knight, The Staple Sisters and so much more. All of them are at the top of their game and this is American music at its best. My only complaint is that I would have liked even more music here.
This film is a must watch for all fans of music and/or movies. This is both documentary filmmaking and American music at its finest.
-Michael J. Ruhland
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