Ep723: There's No Stalgia Like Nostalgia: SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG

Ian and Pat continue their look at Melvin Van Peebles' filmography. Criterion recently released Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films, a packed and gorgeously packaged Blu-ray set that contains Watermelon Man (which they talked about in February) and the writer/director's groundbreaking follow-up, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song!

The 1971 proto-Blaxploitation movie centers on a sex worker named Sweetback (Van Peebles) who finds himself on the lam after beating up two White cops in defense of a Black Panther, whom they rough up while in custody. Using his connections, cunning, and, um, natural talents, Sweetback evades the authorities while igniting a revolutionary spirit in a community that's fed up with police harassment and disenfranchisement.

In this charged and very wide-ranging discussion, Ian and Pat talk about the film's shocking content; Van Peebles' cutting edge use of editing and meta-storytelling; and why it spawned a vital 1970s movie genre. They also delve into modern issues of race, inspired by questions the film raises, and look ahead to next month's annual holiday movie review.

It's a weird, messed-up, poignant show--or as we like to think of it, "Baadasssss"!

Timestamps:

• Intro: 0:00 - 1:09

• Sweet Sweetback Discussion: 1:10 - 54:08

• George Carlin and "Guilty White Liberals": 54:09 - 1:05:56

• Holiday Cheer (Planning Our Annual Christmas Movie Review): 1:05:57 - 1:16:08

• Outro: 1:16:09 - 1:18:33

Show Links:

• Watch the Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song trailer.

• Order Melvin Van Peebles: Essential Films from The Criterion Collection.

• Watch Ian and Pat discuss Van Peebles' Watermelon Man (recorded earlier this year).

• Keep up with Pat at HollywoodChicago.com.

• Subscribe to, like, and comment on the Kicking the Seat YouTube channel!