Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!

Konterr Brilliant and touching

DipitySkillful an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

Wyatt There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

treywillwest Of course the first thing people talk about is this film's politics- and they are some of the most militant in any film to ever get fairly mainstream, American distribution. I think it could only have played mainstream cinemas in the early 1970s. But the politics are far from the only thing that is remarkable about this work. I don't know how to label it with the vocabulary of genre- its a thing unto itself. A completely unique narrative tone that oscillates between satire, legitimate, hard-nosed agit-prop and even moments of (I think) self-deprecation. Its at once assertive and yet it questions everything, even its own place as an object of the culture industry. As legitimate as its Nationalist message is, its still only a message, and in this way the work is as much an exploitation of Black Rage as it is a vehicle for it. I think the filmmakers understand this, and want to live up to it. Because it is not ultimately a Messianic narrative. The protagonist only brings a message of unity and revolt and suggests, through the narrative, a possible course of study and action. The protagonist does not replace, or even lead, the masses. He is left to narrative space, and he can only toast the potential revolutionary actors, the audience.

mojo2004 I agree this movie could have been better but looking back now I'd say it was exactly what people were looking to see on the screen.All the films with Black cast had the same feel to them and we ate it up.Two of the best that strayed from all that were not talked about as much as the action pictures."Sounder" and "The Learning Tree" which also need to be shown more on TV.As for this film I liked the actor who played the lead.Lawrence Cook who I see died 3 yrs ago was exactly what I pictured Dan Freeman to be like.I recommend this film and i'd love to see a Black film channel that gives you some commentary along with the films as TCM does.Where's Max Julien? How about all the black actresses who paved the way for those working now.Not Hattie McDaniel but Gloria Hendry,Brenda Sykes,Shelia Frazier and Judy Pace just to name a few.I know Vonetta McGee who was with Max Julien on screen and in real life for a time ,married Carl Lumbly.Lonette McKee was on TV often at one time and Rosalind Cash has passed away.Anyhoo see this movie and then see another black film and another.Then pick up a book.Or do both read the book "Native Son" then watch the film "Native Son"-any version."The River Niger" is on DVD in the dollar bin but it's good.If only because James Earl Jones and Glen Turman are in it.

Coventry Very intelligent and sublimely scripted film that stars Larry Cook in a truly powerful role. Cook plays Dan Freeman, the first CIA-recruit since the start of the agency. After an intense training and a mind-strong career of 5 years, Freeman returns to the ghetto where he grew up and mobilizes the future-less black youth to stand up for themselves and begin a violent revolution against the white authorities. The message and criticism in the screenplay is so well-elaborated because Sam Greenlee adapted it from his own novel. True, the film contains a little too much talking and some of the sentimental speeches are hard to swallow (like Freeman's supposedly heart-breaking tale of how he taught his grandmother to read), but most of the criticism against America are quite thought-provoking, daring and way ahead of their time. Around the hour, more action kicks in and we're treated to several convincing riot-sequences and atmospheric images of the ghetto under siege. But, perhaps the most fascinating aspect about "The Spook who sat by the Door" is the psychological battle inside the protagonist's head, resulting in a dazzling end-scene. Knowing the controversy a film like "New Jack City" caused, I'm sure that this movie would provoke far worse situations when re-released properly.It is claimed that this movie was "lost" for over 30 years so it got honored by an immense cult-status. I can only recommend for you to see it yourself.

BookerII I viewed this film in a Pan African Studies class at California State University, Northridge in 1993. Professor James Dennis who was a Civil Rights activist who made the Mississippi Freedom Rides told us this was the best film about and by African-Americans, and I agree with him wholeheartedly! I would like to get this video and show it in the classes I teach in history. This film was ahead of its time. Sam Greenelee is a very good writer and captures the essence of the struggle for African-Americans.