Well...
Jesus Week is slowly winding down, and all is well, other than listening to too much Yoko Ono...sober. If anyone trys to tell you that pure organic Darjeeling tea is in any way equal to the narcotic properties of Jacob Marley Barley wine (which, in actuality, is beer), they're fucking lying to you. But, as usual, I'm straying from the post. Here's some really cool depression-era cinema from Spencer Williams (of Amos "N" Andy fame). I thought it would fit in well with Jesus Week, because it's from a Missionary Black Baptist perspective, where fire and brimstone can be extremely entertaining. Enjoy!
From qualityinformationpublishers.com:
A landmark in African American independent filmmaking, The Blood of Jesus is a moralistic fantasy adventure through the afterlife. This was the first feature length foray by director Spencer Williams, who utilized an all black cast and a shoestring budget. The result is a look into the life and faith of African Americans in the forties. A pious woman is accidentally shot by her husband, and proceeds to a place in between Heaven and Hell. There she is tempted by the devil to lead a sinful life. She goes from a nightclub to a roadhouse, witness easy money and debauchery. Through these energized scenes, Williams abilities as a director shine through the meager means available to make the film. A struggle for righteousness and goodness, The Blood of Jesus is a historically crucial look at African American culture and art during the great depression.
The financial backer of Spencer Williams' The Blood of Jesus claimed it was "possibly the most successful" and "lived the longest" of all the movies of its period created by black filmmakers for black audiences. Williams wrote, produced and directed this religious drama. He also stars in the leading role of Razz, a ne'er-do-well who accidentally shoots his wife, causing her to hover in limbo between life and death, heaven and hell. The struggle for a woman's soul is underscored by ethereal gospel songs alternated with "down-and-dirty" blues numbers.
In his book Black Film as Genre, Thomas Cripps wrote that the film "provided a brief anatomy of Southern Baptist folk theology by presenting Christian myth in literal termsÉ From its opening voiceover, the film became an advocate for the most enduring traditions of Afro-American family life on Southern ground."
Technical Information:
Title: The Blood of Jesus/ Lying Lips
Year: 1941/ 1938
Country: USA
Director(s): Spencer Williams/Oscar Micheaux
Source: DVD5 Retail
DVD Format: NTSC
Container: VIDEO_TS
Size: 3.82 GB
Length: 00:56:35/ 1:07:05
Programs used: Unknown
Resolution: 720x480
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Video: MPGE2 @ ~4300 kbs
Frame Rate: 29.97
Audio: English- Dolby AC3 @384 kbs
Subtitles: None
Menu: Yes
Video: Untouched
DVD Extras: Oscar Micheaux- Lying Lips (1938)/ Coming Attractions
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