The blood of jesus was the second film directed by spencer williams, who was one of the few african american directors of the 1940s. Spencer williams 18931969 was among the very first african american independent filmmakers, and his great cultural morality tale, the blood of jesus 1941, 57 min. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival. An atheist man shoots his religious wife, who then has an out of body experience that takes her to a point where she needs to choose between good and evil. His blood keeps the body of christ healthy and alive. In the rural south of the united states, a godly young woman is accidently wounded by her unchurched husband. At a time when africanamericans among other minority groups were categorically denied their rightful place within the film industry, williams was one of the first to make an impact on the medium through the. It stars cathryn caviness, spencer williams, juanita riley, reather hardeman. Marthas accidentally shot when her husband drops his rifle. The blood of jesus 1941 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
Overview of the blood of jesus, 1941, directed by spencer williams, with cathryn caviness, spencer williams, juanita riley, at turner classic movies. The blood of jesus was added to the national film registry in 1991. Spike lees da sweet blood of jesus is a film in conversation with film. Directed by spencer williams, the film stars cathryn caviness as martha, a newly baptized woman who must choose between christ or worldly temptations. The blood of jesus is a film written, directed, produced by, and starring a man by the name of spencer williams. The blood of jesus bullock texas state history museum. Its allegorical tale of redemption and salvation has a stateliness and simplicity hat contrasts sharply with hellbound train. While i cant deny its historical importance in cinema, the film is lacking in almost every aspect. Scenes from a 1911 italian movie called linferno were used to show souls entering heaven. Williams wrote, produced and directed this religious drama. Martha ann cathryn caviness on the afternoon of her baptism, speaks to husband ras writerdirector spencer williams about his lack of interest in religion, concerned that he may have shot a neighbor s game on his hunting trip, a key moment in the race film the.
The film was unknown to white audiences until many years after its first release, but today it is widely considered to be among the most important of its genre. Martha has a strong christian faith, and as the film opens, she is being baptized into the local black church. Mar 03, 2016 directed by spencer williams in 1941, and starring cathryn caviness, the blood of jesus will be one of more than a dozen feature films showcased in kino lorbers fivedisc collection pioneers of. Widely considered williamss greatest achievement, the blood of jesus was the first race movie selected for the library of congresss national film registry, and in 2008 it was named by time magazine as one the top 25 important movies on race. Hosted by professor jerry carlson and coproduced with the department of media and communication arts of the city college, cuny, each film is followed by lively discussion with scholars, film professionals and critics. The blood of jesus 1941 the blood of jesus 1941 user. Spencer williams, like oscar micheaux before him, developed film making skills through the audacity of doing rather than any type of formal study. To link to this object, paste this link in email, im or document to embed this object, paste this html in website. The blood of jesus 1941, directed by spencer williams. You can find the blood of jesus and the short hot biskits on episode 2, dirty gertie from harlem on episode 14, and the bronze buckaroo on episode 18. Directed by spencer williams in 1941, and starring cathryn caviness, the blood of jesus will be one of more than a dozen feature films showcased in kino lorb. Williams later starred as andy on the amos n andy tv series.
The movie was screened in black theatres and black churches. The 1941 feature blood of jesus was williams first film as a director. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comic con sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Williams was a pioneer africanamerican film producer and director. The blood of jesus 1941 an atheist accidentally shoots his baptist wife. Join us for a special screening and discussion of the blood of jesus as part of the bullocks texas focus film series filmed in texas in 1941 and added to the u. Told in a spare style with no hokum, the movie has the feeling of an honest. Cathryn caviness, spencer williams, juanita riley an atheist accidentally shoots his baptist wife. Blood of jesus, the 1941 movie clip why dont you try. The jury that selects each year the national film registry is unpredictable. The blood of jesus 1941 the financial backer of spencer williams the blood of jesus 1941 claimed it was possibly the most successful and lived the longest of all the movies of its period created by black filmmakers for black audiences. National film registry, the blood of jesus is a morality play about an angel and a devil fighting for a womans soul set to a score of american gospel music.
Blood of jesus and lying lips are examples of an interesting and important but not often well remembered part of american film history, films made by african american directors, writers and actors for african american audiences. The first of these, 1941s the blood of jesus, has a naive grandeur to match its subject. Da sweet blood of jesus is bloody, weird, pure spike lee. Spencer williams july 14, 1893 december, 1969 was an american actor and filmmaker. The blood of jesus 1941 letterboxd your life in film. The blood of jesus is a film from the 1940s directed by one of the few african american directors at the time, spencer williams. Film tersebut juga dirilis dengan judul alternatif the glory road. Mcclennan, in writerdirector spencer williams first feature, the blood of. The blood of jesus watch turner classic movies on tcm. It was written, directed, and starring spencer williams. Feb 29, 2016 spencer williams blood of jesus 1941 is not a bible film as such, though it contains characters from the bible, namely satan, and various quotes from the new testament.
Born today most popular celebs most popular celebs celebrity news. The blood of jesus is a 1941 american film with an allblack cast, directed by spencer williams. Its also a little known and underappreciated film from a period when the bible barely featured on the silver screen and the vast majority of portrayals of nonwhite characters were racist and patronisi. Cathryn caviness sebagai sister martha ann jackson. He was best known for playing andy on tvs the amos n andy show and for directing the 1941 race film the blood of jesus. A sinful husband accidentally shoots his newly baptized wife, causing an uproar in their rural town. The blood of jesus is ranked 444th the greatest films. The red blood of courage 1935 the owner of this website is a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon properties including, but not limited to, endless. The blood of jesus ialah filem bangsa amerika 1941 yang ditulis oleh, diarahkan oleh, dan dibintangi oleh spencer williams. Its impossible to conceive of this movie without its ancestors, and its authors questing, prickly relationship to them. The film begins with the narrator bemoaning the lack of true.
The function of human blood in the body is to keep it healthy and alive. She succumbs to the injuries, whereupon a good angel bids her to journey with him to the crossroads of life. The best movies of 1941 picked by critics and filmmakers and sorted by rank. The blood of jesus wikipedia bahasa indonesia, ensiklopedia. The blood of jesus tyler, texas black film collection. A morality play about an angel and a devil fighting for a womans soul, it begins with a baptism and ends in bloody death near a cross all scored to rousing gospel music. The blood of jesus 1941 rotten tomatoes when a heathen husband accidentally shoots his freshly baptized wife, the local townies seek divine intervention. To link to this object, paste this link in email, im or document. One very different religious film is spencer williamss the blood of jesus 41a powerful, unqualified masterpiece. This page provides links to stream this movie from amazon and itunes. Another of the main functions of the blood in the human body is to facilitate cleansing of the system. Caviness delicate frame, wide eyes and heartshaped face remind one of contemporary actress thandie newton.
Directed by spencer williams, released in 1941, mpaa rated approved, with a running time of 57 min. Martha collapses at the crossroads but is saved by the angel, who sends away the men who have been chasing her. Martha ann cathryn caviness on the afternoon of her baptism, speaks to husband ras writerdirector spencer williams about his lack of interest in religion, concerned that he may have shot a neighbor s game on his hunting trip, a key moment in the race film the blood of. The acting is barely passable and the costumes are very low budget. This is also one of the main purposes the blood of jesus does for us. The blood of jesus, go down, death and of one blood. The blood of jesus is ranked 444th on the greatest films. Its also a little known and underappreciated film from a period when the bible barely featured on the silver screen and the vast majority of portrayals of nonwhite characters were racist and. The blood of jesus is a 1941 race film produced, directed, and starring black people and designed to be shown in theatres that served black people during a time when segregation still ruled in many parts of the us. The financial backer of spencer williams the blood of jesus 1941 claimed it was possibly the most successful and lived the longest of all the movies of its period created by black filmmakers for black audiences. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events.
What average rating did they give to the blood of jesus and is it worth watching. Home tyler, texas black film collection the blood of jesus reference url share. With the blood of jesus, williams exhibits an impressive technical skill with camera movement, special effects and symbolism. The blood of jesus adalah sebuah film ras amerika 1941 yang ditulis, disutradarai, dan dibintangi oleh spencer williams. Netflix presents the collection in the manner of a tv series with each film or program listed as an episode. As the crossroads sign is transformed into a crucifix and drops of jesus christs blood land on marthas forehead, she is revived and returned to life. The blood of jesus simple english wikipedia, the free. The blood of jesus 1941 full movie a very old black. N n the fabular blackcast film the blood of jesus 1941, a young religiousminded wife, sister martha jackson cathryn caviness, has just been baptized, her husband razz jackson spencer williams, out hunting on the sabbath, does not share her devotion.
The blood of jesus wikipedia bahasa melayu, ensiklopedia. The best in world cinema is showcased in city cinematheque, cuny tvs muchloved flagship weekend film series. Spencer williams, following the example of his precursor oscar micheaux, worked on several race films through the 1940s and 1950s, the most wellknown of which is his first film and masterpiece, the blood of jesus. The blood of jesus is a 1941 american film with an allblack cast, directed by spencer williams martha and ras are a couple living somewhere in the rural american south. Martha and ras are a couple living somewhere in the rural american south. Dec 14, 2012 an atheist accidentally shoots his baptist wife. This masterpiece of folk cinema that has scarcely lost its power to astonish centers on a woman who journeys between heaven and hell after her husband accidentally shoots her. The blood of jesus by a2zcds overdrive rakuten overdrive. Oct 15, 2018 the blood of jesus awards and nominations. Ia juga dikeluarkan di bawah tajuk alternatif the glory road pelakon. To present the afterlife, williams used scenes from a 1911 italian film called linferno that depicted souls entering heaven. In this deeply felt religious fable set in the rural south, devout martha jackson caviness is. Spencer williams blood of jesus 1941 is not a bible film as such, though it contains characters from the bible, namely satan, and various quotes from the new testament.
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