Bill Gunn was a pioneer of Black independent cinema and his influence can still be felt today. Gunn’s contributions as a writer, director, and actor span genres from psychological vampire-filled horror, to experimental soap opera shot on tape. Through his sparse filmography, Gunn delivered sharp commentary on American society and provided a kaleidoscopic look at the interior lives of African-Americans in the process.
In this class we will take a trip through the artist’s body of work and along the way, discuss the myriad ways the filmmaker was able to develop such scintillating work in an industry that sought to stifle him.
Films:
4/9: The Landlord (1970)
4/16: Ganja & Hess (1973)
4/23: Losing Ground (1982)
4/30: Personal Problems (1980)
This class is taught by MMU Instructor Tracy Kernell, a filmmaker and artist working with moving images to explore the intersections of Black vernacular culture, music, and archival practices.
Films will be screened at the Movie Madness Miniplex, followed by an instructor-led discussion. Classes will begin on Tuesday evening, April 9th, and be held each Tuesday through the 30th, at 6:30pm.
Class size will be limited to 18.
Email us at education@moviemadness.org if you have any questions.
In general, the Hollywood Theatre does not provide content advisories about the subject matter shown in our theatre. Films exhibited don’t necessarily reflect the views of the Hollywood Theatre. Information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media and DoesTheDogDie.com.