Armond White
Acting
Biography
Armond Allen White (born 1953) is an American film and music critic who writes for National Review and Out. He was previously the editor of CityArts (2011–2014), the lead film critic for the alternative weekly New York Press (1997–2011), and the arts editor and critic for The City Sun (1984–1996). Other publications that have carried his work include Film Comment, Variety, The Nation, The New York Times, Slate, Columbia Journalism Review, and First Things. White is known for his provocative, idiosyncratic, and often contrarian reviews, which have made him a controversial figure in film criticism. As an African-American, gay, conservative film critic, he has been called a "minority three times over in his profession."
Known For
With archive film clips and interviews, this brief look at a frequently overlooked historical period of filmmaking acts as an introduction rather than a complete record. It features interviews with some of the genre's biggest stars, like Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, and Richard Roundtree. Director Melvin Van Peebles discusses the historical importance of his landmark film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. For a contemporary perspective, the excitable Quentin Tarantino offers his spirited commentary and author/critic bell hooks provides some scholarly social analysis.
BaadAsssss Cinema
Elvis Mitchell uncovers why Chameleon Street (1989) by Wendell B. Harris Jr. failed to secure a proper distributor deal. Originally aired as a segment on "20/20".