The N Word (2004) Online

Watched this on TRIO one night. Great Great Great documentary on the N word. I highly recommend it. Many perspectives and viewpoints. It's amazing how much a word has been so much a part of our history. This documentary is for everyone to watch. The documentary isn't too heavy handed but gives not only history of the word but also shows that not all African Americans think alike on the use of the word, which I think is powerful. They got a bunch of celebrities white black and more to discuss it, and a bunch of clips from movies, TV, music videos, and sound bites from everything. it was very detailed. I would like to find this on DVD somewhere, it be good for schools to watch. It's actually fun to see every one from professors at Harvard, to Ice Cube, to Sandra Bernhart (spelling) talk about the word and their experiences with it.

Words are not value neutral. They express concepts and ideas. Often, words reflect society's standards. This documentary does an outstanding job of exploring just where we are at as a society with regard to...that word. This is a must see. The wide range of the famous and not so famous who provide commentary is worth the price of admission. From the iconic Dick Gregory to George Carlin, Whoopie Goldberg, Sam Jackson, Bryant Gumble and many more, this is stuff that will get you thinking. Add in some archive footage of MLK, Johnnie Cochran, (even Mark Fuhrman!)Moms Mabley, etc. and you have a really noteworthy piece of art on your hands. Again...this is a must see.

Interesting documentary, aired on Trio in early July. IMDb has the movie clocked at 86 minutes, while Trio squeezed it into a one hour time slot with commercials to boot. I want to know what I didn't get to see and am anticipating its release on DVD.

The film explores the history of the word throughout its inception to present day. Woven into the narrative are poetry, music, and commentary from celebrities about their personal experiences with the word and their viewpoints. Each perspective is unique, as is each experience... some are much more comfortable with the word than others.

This movie will have you pondering for a while, the power of one word to hurt as much as this one does. Highly recommended.

Sit down with an open mind, and be prepared to step into a world that is extraordinarily intimate to black people in America. The film is a hardcore, in your face discussion of a word, the n-word, which is guaranteed to evoke emotion when said. This piece opens with the commentary of some of Hollywood's more tenured and respected black stars. Stars like Nia Long, Samuel L. Jackson, LeVar Burton and Quincy Jones acknowledge the role the n-word has played in their lives. (You'll appreciate their willingness to care less about their glamorous and clean-cut images, (I'm sure they paid a publicist thousands for). You must applaud their candidness, because in my research I found that many were approach for commentary, but refused to participate. Congratulate Bryant Gumbel when you realize Al Roker refused the interview…and so on.) From celebrities to hip-hop heads, scholars to linguists, social experts to average people on the street, Todd Williams (screenwriter, director) and Helena Echegoyen (producer) polled Americans in a frank discussion of a word that is clearly powerful enough to hold the same weight of controversy for hundreds of years.

By no means does this documentary attempt to give answers of what to do with the n-word, or whether its common use today is right or wrong. But, it is a thorough exploration of the past, present and future of it. In the film, Ice Cube acknowledges the n-word once symbolized disgrace, but has now been embraced by street culture as an expression of love. "Black people have done this with a lot of things," he insists. "We take this word that has been a burden to us, digest it, and spit it back out as a badge of honor." In contrast, another hip-hop star, Chuck D, found that point of view ridiculous "…that's like someone throwing garbage at you…and you saying I'm going love and embrace this garbage." Even legendary producer Quincy Jones doesn't quite know what to do with the word, but adds, "A lot of people have tried to flatten it . . . so it wouldn't be that (hurtful). But it is designed to be derogatory. . . It's an expression of hate. It has the ability inside the family to be either the most affectionate, or the most hurtful (word)." There is even a 20-30 minute dedication to Richard Pryor's journey of the word. Pryor became a star from his unprecedented public embrace of the n-word, and then later came full circle by declaring that he would never use it again.

The n-word carries its weight in controversy. Chris Rock explains in comedic form his view of why it's so controversial: "This word… it's like the only thing white people can't do. That's the only reason anybody writes about it. It's like white people can't believe there's a thing that exists they can't do." (Funny.)

So you'll laugh, think, get angry and even sad. The piece is put together with a nice flow. There are noteworthy transitions to break up the monotony of talking heads, such as inserts of poetry from the past and present-- from the likes of Langston Hughes to Saul Williams, and monologues from Cree Summer and Jasmine Guy. I must also tell you about the sepia-toned pictures which add to the detail of the piece.

The "N-Word" originally screened in 2004, the DVD is set to release in early 2006. A timely release after the heated race debates triggered by Hurricane Katrina.