List of Favorite Movies and Television Miniseries About Slavery
With the recent releases of Steven Spielberg's new movie, "LINCOLN" and Quentin Tarrantino's latest film, "DJANGO UNCHAINED", I found myself thinking about movies I have seen about slavery - especially slavery practiced in the United States. Below is a list of my favorite movies on the subject in chronological order:
LIST OF FAVORITE MOVIES AND TELEVISION MINISERIES ABOUT SLAVERY
"Skin Game" (1971) - James Garner and Lou Gossett Jr. co-starred in this unusual comedy about two antebellum drifter who pull the "skin game" - a con that involves one of them selling the other as a slave for money before the pair can escape and pull the same con in another town. Paul Bogart directed.
"Mandingo" (1975) - Reviled by many critics as melodramatic sleaze, this 1975 adaptation of Kyle Onstott's 1957 novel revealed one of the most uncompromising peeks into slave breeding in the American South, two decades before the Civil War. Directed by Richard Fleischer, the movie starred James Mason, Perry King, Brenda Sykes, Susan George and Ken Norton.
"Roots" (1977) - David Wolper produced this television miniseries adaptation of Alex Haley's 1976 about his mother's family history as American slaves during a century long period between the mid-18th century and the end of the Civil War. LeVar Burton, Leslie Uggams, Ben Vereen, Georg Sanford Brown and Lou Gossett Jr. starred.
"A Woman Called Moses" (1978) - Cicely Tyson starred in this two-part miniseries about the life and career of Harriet Tubman, the former slave and abolitionist, who was the most successful conductor of the Underground Railroad during the last decade before the Civil War. Based on Marcy Heidish's book, the miniseries was directed by Paul Wendkos.
"Half-Slave, Half-Free: Solomon Northup's Odyssey" (1984) - Avery Brooks starred in this television adaptation of free born Solomon Northup's 1853 autobiography about his twelve years as a slave in antebellum Louisiana. Gordon Parks directed.
"North and South" (1985) - David Wolper produced this television adaptation of John Jakes' 1982 novel about the experiences of two American families and the growing discord over slavery during the twenty years before the American Civil War. Patrick Swayze and James Read starred.
"Race to Freedom: The Story of the Underground Railroad" (1994) - Actor Tim Reid produced this television movie about four North Carolina slaves' escape to Canada, following the passage of the Compromise of 1850. Janet Bailey and Courtney B. Vance starred.
"The Journey of August King" (1996) - Jason Patric and Thandie Newton starred in this adaptation of John Ehle's 1971 novel about an early 19th century North Carolina farmer who finds himself helping a female slave escape from her master and slave catchers. John Duigan directed.
"A Respectable Trade" (1998) - Emma Fielding, Ariyon Bakare and Warren Clarke starred in this television adaptation of Philippa Gregory's 1992 novel about the forbidden love affair between an African born slave and the wife of his English master in 18th century Bristol. Suri Krishnamma directed.
"Mansfield Park" (1999) - Slavery is heavily emphasized in Patricia Rozema's adaptation of Jane Austen's 1814 novel about a young English woman's stay with her rich relatives during the first decade of the 19th century. Frances O'Connor and Jonny Lee Miller starred.
"Human Trafficking" (2005) - Mira Sorvino starred in this miniseries about the experiences of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent investigating the modern day sex slave trafficking business. Donald Sutherland and Robert Caryle co-starred.
"Amazing Grace" (2007) - Michael Apted directed this account of William Wilberforce's campaign against the slave trade throughout the British Empire in Parliament. Ioan Gruffudd, Benedict Cumberbatch, Romola Garai Rufus Sewell and Albert Finney starred.
"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (2012) - History and the supernatural merged in this interesting adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's 2010 novel about the 16th president's activities as a vampire hunter. Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie and Mary Elizabeth Winstead starred.
"Lincoln" (2012) - Daniel Day-Lewis portrayed the 16th president in Steven Spielberg's fascinating account of Lincoln's efforts to end U.S. slavery, by having Congress pass the 13th Amendment of the Constitution. Sally Field, David Strathairn and Tommy Lee Jones co-starred.
"Django Unchained" (2012) - Quentin Tarantino directed this take on Spaghetti Westerns about a slave-turned-bounty hunter and his mentor, who sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner. Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo Di Caprio, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson starred.