Tuesday, October 07, 2008

MC Spotlight: Melvin Van Peebles


I was checking out this documentary, and I wanted to do a post on Filmmaker, Actor, Activist, and overall cool -- old skool -- Chicago bred Melvin Van Peebles, but then I saw this great article already written. So, I figured...hey, why reinvent the wheel when this one rolls so smooth; thanks, Biluxi. I Just feel there is not enough said about elders like Mr. Van Peebles. Anyway, just check out his hat and glasses; this brother has serious style. Peace~

*Check out more about Mr. Melvin Van Peebles @ Melvin Van Peebles.org.

14 comments:

Babz Rawls Ivy said...

You are so right about the epitome of COOL! Sure there were others who were fine and cool..Calvin Lockhart, Gordon Parks, but Melvin was hip, cool AND had swagger.

Great article!

the prisoner's wife said...

SWEETBACK!!!

i think enough isn't said about Mr. Van Peebles. Sweet Sweetback pretty much kicked off an era of Black cinema & the Blaxplotation movement. what i admire is that he pulled together black folks and wanted to make a film EXCLUSIVELY financed by black dollars. this brotha was/is revolutionary.

Anonymous said...

When I first open your sight, and saw the pic, I said that is one cool cat. I could not have been more head on with that one!

Mickle in NZ said...

And there is a general elction here, 4 days after the US Presidential election.

Ours is not an "A" or "Z" only, but at times might be, depending on how the 2 main parties deal with the other SIX. Roll on MMP General election here. okay - we don't have states, population only 4.2 mill.

I live in NZ's capital city, am a right synical wotsit, having worked in both Govt and Private sector. I get to see the MPs out on their daily jog, or out to buy groceries. No pedestals, they're in same daily position as me here in NZ

Hope and care for Stephen's blog readers and followers, and much love and care to Stephen and his family, much hope for us all

All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said...

now thats a cat with style

Anonymous said...

The pic - the face - the lines, the drama, the understanding, the wisdom. It's all there to behold. No words needed.

How often do we pause to really LOOK at each other? To appreciate the stories carried on each other's faces?

First time visitor here, followed a twitter pal lead. I'll be back, fo sho.

Marvin Blogs at Free Spirit: http://inspiritandtruths.blogspot.com/
Eye Twitter 2 - http://twitter.com/Paize_fiddler

Anonymous said...

Me again. I'm the recent visitor called "Kumarajiva" in your sidebar widget. I still sometimes go by that name, it was given to me by a Zen Master I was studying under in my younger spiritual seeker years.

Stephen A. Bess said...

Lovebabz-
Indeed, he is the man. This is why they won't give him but so much time on the mic. He might say too much.

Faith-
Yes, and that hat is definitely my style.

Mickle-
Thanks for the well-wishes for the elections. I wish you the same along with your family and friends. ~Peace & Prosperity

TStephens-
True, indeed.

Marvin D. Wilson-
Thank you sir for the visit. I'm glad that you like it here. I will head over to check you out as well. I stopped there for a short time last night, but it was too late for me to read. :)

Stephen A. Bess said...

PWife-
You said it all. Sweetback is one of my favorites. I have it in my collection. I saw this documentary on Blaxploitation. It talked about some of the actors of the movement and how they despised the name, "Blaxploitation." It was a name that the NAACP came up with to describe their displeasure of the genre.

get zapped said...

Hey, thanks for bringing this man to our attention. What a distinguished face. I look forward to learning more about this man.

Peace to you~

James Tubman said...

LMAO

im just thinking about that BAAAAAAAAAAAADASSSSS movie he made

i forgot that title

that was too crazy

too funny too

Writing on Board said...

I've seen all of his films. I sat through a summer retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. Sweetback and Watermelon are my favorites. As for his son. New Jack City. I even liked Posse. Nobody ever commented on how good Big Daddy Kane was in that. Big Daddy rocked it and nobody noticed. "It ain't easy being the Kane."

MVP is an MVP. No doubt.

Lyrically speaking said...

you are right Mr. Bess, not enough is said about our talented elders, gret post. I'm back, stop by when you get a chance :)

Mickle in NZ said...

Mr Melvin Van Peebles, wow, sincere thank you to Stephen and Biluxi for teaching me so much more, once more. Even in my wee nation, that is just a village on the global economic scene, we learn, and care. And remain our own determined selves.

Whoops, or maybe, New Zealand "ism" getting away on me

Love, care, peace and hope, Michelle in Wellington, NZ

Whatever may happen in our World's politics and economics, my rescue cat will continue to snore, loudly, purry purr anyway, and wake me up for breakfast!

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