Mr. Soul!

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Michael W @mawilps 09/09/2023 This HBO documentary was alright. The entire crew did a pretty good job on making this documentary about Ellis Haizlip and the rise and fall of the talk show Soul. It was pretty interesting to learn about what made the show so popular and what it represented to the fans. If you haven't seen this documentary, you might enjoy it. It wasn't very good, but not too bad. See more 01/12/2022 ‪”Mr. Soul” is a fantastic documentary about a Nixon-era TV show (“Soul!”) not enough people know existed. The film unfurls so gracefully it reads as fiction. It is an attitude check-inspiring revelation of buried Black American culture along the lines of “Summer Of Soul.” The film holds up a mirror to American society today. Without explicitly calling it out it shows how closely the passive hate & active systemic racism that Nixon promised (in code) to his “silent majority” 50 years ago parallels the white nationalism celebrated by the American Right today. The show itself was astounding for the talent assembled, the subjects confronted, the bold chances taken, the outfits, the backgrounds, & the visionary host of the show, Ellis Hailzlip. And the music. And the poetry. And the dance. The term “groundbreaking” does not do the show justice; mostly through archival footage the film conveys clearly that “Soul!” was far beyond anything seen on American television before or since. Brilliant. Recommended. See more greg r 02/25/2021 This thing is floating a 100% rating. What a joke. It's a couple of hours of zero entertainment. So much potential lost. None of the artists are given any time in the show. It's all just simply a movie trailer that lasts two hours. Dull. So so dull. See more 12/27/2020 A good storie with enjoyable characters, good music, and a interesting perspective about life and How It goes See more brent m 09/10/2020 This excellent, informative and entertaining documentary about the NET (now PBS) series "Soul!" (1968-73) tells the captivating story about the first Afrocentric television show featured on a national network. As a showcase for Black talent, this groundbreaking program introduced the public to an array of rising stars in music, literature, poetry, dance, acting and activism, as well as prominent African-American figures in the arts, sports and politics. It gave the Black community a much-needed voice and paved the way for future Black programming, especially the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Arsenio Hall (who was himself featured on the show as a teenager). But, in addition to paying homage to the show, "Mr. Soul!" presents a fitting tribute to its creator and host, Ellis Haizlip, an openly gay African-American man (a genuinely rare commodity 50 years ago). His vision for the show, both in terms of celebrating the Black community and raising the bar for television quality, was truly radical and innovative for its time -- or virtually any time in broadcast history for that matter. Those who have never heard of Haizlip or "Soul!" owe it to themselves to see this superb release, now available for online streaming. See more 08/29/2020 Uplifting vibrant with some of the best musical footage I've ever seen. See more Read all reviews

Mr. Soul!

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