I got to meet Charles Burnett when he came to UWM's theatre to showcase his film and let me tell you I had no idea he was the guy sitting behind me. I was about to tell this hollow minded individual to stop mowing down his popcorn like no ones business during the first short film. He was chomping on it so loud i could barely get into the film. Then the thought crossed my mind "hmmm....it could be this 'Charles Burnett' the mastermind LA filmmaker" so i opted to wait. Sure enough "I'm pleased to announce Charles Burnett" the guy with the largest bucket of popcorn available stands up. Dodged the bullet there, I'm sure my Professor would have kicked my ass, for saying anything remotely negative to Mr. Burnett. Ahhh, how funny life can be.
Shot in Watts over a year of weekends for less than $10,000, the film has both a timelessness and an appropriate aimlessness to it. This is an everyday world, blue-collar and poor and real, where acquiring a used engine is an all-day proposition. Charles Burnett gives us one of, if not the only MFA thesis film that made the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.
"Killer Of Sheep" gives us Stan who works long hours at a slaughter house and an accompaniment of other friends who paint a picture of everyday working class people trying to affect the course of life.
Sheep, is praised by Italian neo-realistic directors, particularly Vittorio De Sica and Roberto Rossellini, and is on many critics top 100 movie lists.
It was never released publicly (and never was intended too) until 2007, because of licenses with music. Which brings up another facet of the film, the music was intended to also tell a story and document the history of African-American music.
(1977)
His film shows what life was like for the struggling black man in the seventies. It is in some ways still similar to "Nothin' But A Man" but definitely shows more equality, it is a continuation of "The New Negro" and a refreshing look on what was to come.
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