The Cool World

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William L Regarded as an early example of American film sincerely attempting to explore black culture, and to some as an early iteration of the blaxploitation genre, The Cool World may be radical in design but it's not necessarily an exceptional film in and of itself. It's an interesting depiction of an environment that has since been explored nearly to death - disaffected black urban youth resorting to crime or gangs in the absence of any other support - but the acting quality and almost laughable subplots (a young man pleading with his brother to return to school and a responsible way of life) that seem more reminiscent of an '80s Reagan-funded anti-weed film distributed to public schools really are a tough sell. The shortcomings are a shame, because there are parts of The Cool World that are genuinely engrossing. We open immediately on a radical preacher claiming black racial superiority on a street corner to an unsure crowd and follow it up with an engrossing school trip with a teacher trying to point out New York city landmarks over the raucous banter throughout the bus. Moments like these seem to fit the period exceptionally well and set some high expectations for the authenticity and intensity that the film will deliver, but then the story starts to coalesce, which between its delivery and content largely comes off as canned. A film that may have a place in history, but is more a curiosity or stepping stone than a must-see. (2.5/5) Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/19/21 Full Review S R 1001 movies to see before you die. A fictionalized documentary about youth in Harlem that takes issues head on and exposes and remembers the issues faced then at the time. Lawrence Fishburne was a surprise. It was on RUS. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/24/23 Full Review Audience Member a semi-documentary made by shirley clarke, recognized as one of the leading independent film makers of the early 60s new american cinema. starring real harlem youth and gang members, the film explores the ghetto slum life of drugs and violence without the heavy moralizing of most hollywood films of the period. brilliant editing and killer jazz score by the dizzy gillespie quintet Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member The Incredible Birth of Blaxpoitation a stylish and grandious Movie brilliant directed and entertaining which shows lot of Afro-American Culture, the Rise of the Afro-American Acivitism, it critize Racism and the Race Divortion also great Music Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Nice document of Harlem life in the 60s, but pretty dull story. I don't know if it's just the sound system at the MoMA theater, but I found the sound really harsh and jumbled together - too bad since the film was part of the Jazz on Film series there. Could barely hear the music. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/12/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Cool World

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