“Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022)” written & directed by Elvis Mitchell

Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022)

Director:  Elvis Mitchell

Writer: Elvis Mitchell

Stars: Elvis Mitchell (voice), Margaret Avery, Harry Belafonte, Suzanne De Passe, Antonio Fargas, Laurence Fishburne, Sheila Frazier, Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Glynn Turman, Mario Van Peebles, Billy Dee Williams  and Zendaya

Tagline: Is That Black Enough For You?!? How One Decade Forever Changed the Movies (And Me)”

The Plot…

Elvis Mitchell, the writer and director of Is That Black Enough for You?!?, is a film scholar and film critic.  Here he explores the history and impact that African-American cinema had on all films and American culture.  There is an emphasis on the 1970s.  The film makes use of film clips as well as interviews with many of the artists who lived through this period.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I greatly enjoyed Is That Black Enough for You?!?.  The two hours and 15 minutes flew by.  It was interesting to see the history of how African-Americans were portrayed in movies and the impact the late 60s and early 70s had when more black artists were able to take control of their films.  The interviews are the glue that holds it all together,  The film clips reminded me of many movies I’d seen in my youth and many more I’d like to see.

When the film was over, it left me wanting to dig deeper into the history of black artists such as Paul Robeson, Mantan Moreland (who sadly wasn’t mentioned), Oscar Micheaux and many others.  The topic is so huge it would be hard to cover in just one film and I’m sure that fed in to Mitchell’s decision to focus on the late 60s though the mid 70s.  I would love to see a streaming series that took a deeper look.  Elvis Mitchell, are you listening?

Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022) earns 4 of 5 stars.