Blue-Collar African American Life in Killer of Sheep by Charles Burnett

951 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Civil rights society from 1950 to the 1970s

Every so often a film is made that makes a major impact on the culture of cinema. Charles Burnett with his film Killer of Sheep (2007) made that impact. The film was created by Burnett as his masters thesis from the UCLA film school in 1977, but was not formally released until 2007 (Burnett, Milestone Films). Even though it wasn’t released for almost thirty years, the film received international praise. Killer of Sheep brought to life a new image of African American cinema and created a powerful impression of life in the black ghetto. Burnett created a realistic image of African American blue-collar life in a non-traditional structure that changed African American cinema.
Burnett set Killer of Sheep in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, which is historically important to African American history because of the 1965 Watts riots. On August 11th, 1965, the Watts riots broke out in a response to arrest of Marquette Fry by the LAPD (Civil Rights Digital Library). Poor living conditions, high unemployment and harsh racial treatment were occurring in outraged the community of Watts. Frye’s arrest was the catalyst to many days of violence. There was an enormous amount of media coverage of the riots, giving the American population a glimpse into horrifying scenes that took place (Massood). It took a week for peace to be restored to the area, but even after the riots the social and economic conditions did not improve. Watts remained suppressed, but Americans now had a bruised image of the area. Burnett created his film in Watts setting a distressed and fatigued tone for everything that takes place. The history of the area and the civil injustice that sparked the violence can be seen in every environment. The audience is given a glimpse...

... middle of paper ...

...ls the African American blue-collar struggle and by the end is left as sheep on their way to slaughter.

Works Cited
Burnett, Charles, and Milestone Films. Killer of Sheep. Harrington Park: Milestone Films, 2007. Killerofsheep.com. Milestone Films, 2007. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. .
Civil Rights Digital Library. "Watts Riots." Watts Riots. The Digital Library of Georgia, 20 Nov. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2014. .
Ebert, Roger. "Killer of Sheep Movie Review." Rogerebert.com. Rogerebert.com, 29 July 2007. Web. 22 Apr. 2014. .
Massood, Paula J. "An Aesthetic Appropriate to Conditions: Killer of Sheep, (Neo)Realism, and the Documentary Impulse." Wide Angle 21.4 (1999): 20-41. Auraria Library. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Book Review of The Strange Career of Jim Crow

    2071 Words  | 5 Pages

    Prior to the 1950s, very little research had been done on the history and nature of the United States’ policies toward and relationships with African Americans, particularly in the South. To most historians, white domination and unequal treatment of Negroes were assumed to be constants of the political and social landscapes since the nation’s conception. Prominent Southern historian C. Vann Woodward, however, permanently changed history’s naïve understanding of race in America through his book entitled The Strange Career of Jim Crow. His provocative thesis explored evidence that had previously been overlooked by historians and gave a fresh foundation for more research on the topic of racial policies of the United States.

    Read More

  • The Strange Career of Jim Crow by C. Vann Woodward

    1056 Words  | 3 Pages

    C. Vann Woodward wrote The Strange Career of Jim Crow for a purpose. His purpose was to enlighten people about the history of the Jim Crow laws in the South. Martin Luther King Jr. called Woodward’s book, “the historical Bible of the civil rights movement.” (221) Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote revealed the true importance of Woodward’s book. Woodard’s book significance was based on it revealing the strange, forgotten facets of the Jim Crow laws. Assumptions about the Jim Crow’s career have existed since its creation. Woodward tried to eliminate the false theories as he attempted to uncover the truths. Woodward argued the strangest aspects of Jim Crow’s career were, it was a recent innovation and not created in the South

    Read More

  • Battle Royal

    659 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ir eyes off of the naked women dancing. The outbursts towards the black men is farther evidence that during that time, blacks had little to no say and had not felt equal to their white counterparts. Perhaps the most conspicuous symbol of all is the battle itself. The white men pitted a group of black men against each other; the black men were in a no win situation. Instead of expressing their displeasure with the white men, the black men were forced to take their anger out on each other. The narrator also seems to seek approval by the white men; remembering his speech as he fights the other men. According to the protagonist: Should I try to win against the voice out there? Would not this go against my speech, and was not this a moment for humility, for nonresistance?” ( ). He’s worried about defying the white men; letting them down by not performing well enough.

    Read More

  • Watts Riots Essay

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Watts riots is one of the most important riots in the many important riots that have occurred in the United States. Thousands of African-Americans, fed up with the horrible police brutality at the time, reacted by battling the police in the streets along with the looting and burning of White-owned stores. The riot was unprecedented, but not unexpected, during a time of great racial tension, with the Civil Rights Movement having become an ever-increasing strain on the country. Police brutality was not the only factor in causing the riot, as there were economic problems in the Black community at the time that also contributed to the unrest. The Watts riot, also known as the Watts Rebellion, influenced riots to come in the decades following

    Read More

  • Civil Disobedience

    577 Words  | 2 Pages

    In New York during the 1940’s a non-violent act of civil disobedience occurred among blacks to protest segregation laws. Blacks were not allowed to live in white neighborhoods, had to ride in the back of buses, lived in poverty with poor schools, and were frequently beaten by police.

    Read More

  • The March on Washington - August 28, 1963

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    Shaskolsky, Leon. “The Negro Protest Movement- Revolt or Reform?.” Phylon 29 (1963): 156-166. JSTOR. U of Illinois Lib., Urbana. 11 Apr. 2004 .

    Read More

  • Lasting African Conributions to American Society

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    New World Encyclopedia (2009) African-american civil rights movement (1955-1968), Retrieved on March 16, 2012 from

    Read More

  • Themes In Battle Royal, By Ralph Ellison

    1197 Words  | 3 Pages

    The narrator is not the only black male in the story to have experience the racism with the white men. The narrator tries to get away from the racism but struggles to, he come across multiple African Americans that attempt to do the same thing. All of these provide an idea to the correct way to be black in America and it also demonstrates how blacks should act. It is said that anyone who doesn’t follow these correct ways are betraying the race. In the beginning of the story, the narrator’s grandfather says that the only way to make racism become extinct that African Americans should be overly nice to whites. The Exhorter named Ras had different beliefs of the blacks rising up to the whites and take power from the whites. Even though these thoughts come from the black community to take the freedom from the whites, the stories reveals that the are just as dangerous as the whites being racist. The narrator has such a hard time throughout the whole story exploring his identity. While doing so, it demonstrates how so many blacks are betraying their race because the have such a hard time dealing with it. In the end of the story once the battle was over the boys are brought to get their payment. That is when the narrator is able to present his speech to everyone. He was completely beat up and bruised and blood coming from his mouth and nose when he begins his speech. All the other men are laughing and yelling at him,

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Black Southerners By John B Boles

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1619 a well-known issue was brought to life that is now known as an American catastrophe. In the book Black Southerners, the author John B. Boles doesn’t just provide background of how slavery began or who started it, and doesn’t just rant about the past and how mistreated the African American race was; he goes on to explain how as slavery and racism boosted the families of these slaves began to grow closer to a community and the efficiency and profitability of slavery. He also shows the perspective of not just the slaves, but the bondsmen as well to show the different perspectives throughout this point in time. As far as my generation goes, we all picture slavery as African American’s picking cotton, or doing chores around the house, going

    Read More

  • Chicago Race Riot of 1919

    3035 Words  | 7 Pages

    Waskow, Arthur I. “The 1919 race riots [microform]: a study in the connections between conflict and violence/Arthur I Waskow.” Madison: University of Wisconsin, 1963.

    Read More

  • A Rose For Emily

    1740 Words  | 4 Pages

    takes place in the south, where at the time, slaves were newly emancipated and things are

    Read More

  • Social Existing Issues Depicted in Fruitvale Station

    1188 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first social issue portrayed through the film is racial inequality. The audience witnesses the inequality in the film when justice is not properly served to the police officer who executed Oscar Grant. As shown through the film, the ind...

    Read More

  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964

    1836 Words  | 4 Pages

    Levy, Peter B., The Civil RIghts Movement, Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, 1998. Web. 24 June 2015.

    Read More

  • Race in the Movie City of God

    1525 Words  | 4 Pages

    In conclusion, after view this film, it is clear that one can see how black youth are being viewed as killers and savages. This is not true. There have been many admirable scholars and scientists who come from the African American culture. This movie, though it depicts what goes on in South America, takes the violence committed by black youth too far. One cannot view a film and take it that this is what a race is like. The filmmakers depicted black youth in a harsher light.

    Read More

  • The Selma-Montgomery March

    2478 Words  | 5 Pages

    Garrow, David J. Protest at Selma: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. New York: New Haven and London Yale University Press. 1978

    Read More

More about Blue-Collar African American Life in Killer of Sheep by Charles Burnett

Open Document