Documentary Film Discussion Group - Mr. Soul! (1 hr. 44 min.) Directed By: Melissa Haizlip , Samuel D. Pollard Available on PBS and elsewhere as a feature film Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer 96%
By Douglas Davidson March 1, 2021 In 1968, you couldn’t turn on the television, listen to the radio, or read something in print without seeing a white face. Even during the Civil Rights Movement, any presentation of the Black experience was almost always presented through a white lens. That is, until SOUL! hit the airwaves and suddenly Black faces were sharing their perspectives on the world without outside influence or the need for candor. Produced by Ellis Haizlip, SOUL! became the place where, one night a week, Americans could turn on their television to see and hear the unfiltered version of the Black experience. It would be transformative professionally for many and, undoubtedly, personally for all involved. Winner of the Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards for Best First Documentary Feature and on the 93rd Oscar shortlist for Original Song “Show Me Your Soul,” Mr. SOUL!’s director Melissa Haizlip explores the seminal work born from her Uncle Ellis, from its genesis in 1968 to its racially motivated cancellation after 130 episodes in 1973 due to political pressure.