MISSION
Created in 2008 in Charlotte, NC, the Classic Black Cinema Series (C.B.C.S.) has been specifically designed as a vehicle to expose the community to the vast artistic value black film has had around the globe throughout the years.
The series showcases the amazing diversity of cultures and experiences that are woven within the African Diaspora through a selection of films.
Our mission is to appeal to as diverse a population as possible and further the appreciation of Black Cinema. We aim to not only draw a diverse group of movie goers together, but also to provide a forum for Charlotte area residents to openly discuss social issues and the unique legacy of black filmmaking that has served as a frame of reference for today’s contemporary films.
The films explore common themes that run through black films that are influenced by black culture in itself.The love of movies is cross-cultural and we seek to take advantage of this universal pastime to provide a cultural bridge in our community.
LOCATION:
harvey b. gantt center
551 S. Tryon St.
Charlotte, NC 28202
COST:
FREE FOR GANTT CENTER MEMBERS OR $9.00 WITH REGULAR MUSEUM ADMISSION
upcoming screenings
Each month we showcase the amazing diversity of cultures and experiences that are woven within the African Diaspora through a selection of films. We are diligent about selecting films that interest and reflect the artistic contribution that black culture has had in the world and foster relevant, topical, compelling and even challenging discussion among our audience.
Our movies screen every 2nd Sunday of the month
Body and Soul
A minister is malevolent and sinister behind his righteous facade. He consorts with, and later extorts from, the owner of a gambling house, and betrays an honest girl, eventually driving them both to ruin.
Boycott
BOYCOTT is a behind-the-scenes look at the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955. When Rosa Parks, a black, upstanding citizen of the community, refuses to give up her seat to a white man, she is jailed, giving the black community of Montgomery an opportunity to stage a one-day bus boycott to protest bus segregation. A young preacher, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is selected as the leader of the newly formed Montgomery Improvement Association, the organization that will lead the boycott. The movie follows how a one-day event turned into a standoff that lasted well over a year and gave rise to some of the greatest leaders of the nonviolent civil rights movement.
The Decks ran Red
MGM’s 1958 seagoing suspense thriller film The Decks Ran Red stars James Mason, Broderick Crawford, Dorothy Dandridge, and is based on the book Infamy at Sea.
The bronze buckaroo
Cowboy Bob Blake (Herbert Jeffries) and four friends ride to Arizona to help Betty Jackson (Artie Young), the sister of Bob's friend, Joe (Rollie Hardin), who has gone missing.
Solomon Northup’s Odyssey
This is based on a true story. Solomon Northrop is a black man in the mid 19th century before slavery was abolished. He's a born freeman who works as a carpenter and is also a part time musician. One day he is approached by some men who want him to play for them. However, that is not their intention; they have kidnapped him and sold him into slavery.
The Well
A small, racially-mixed American town succumbs to violence and utter mayhem after a white man suspected of kidnapping a missing black girl is released by the white authority.
Princess Tam Tam
Her story is like a French version of Princess Caraboo, with her masquerading as a phony royal from Tunisia. Actually, she was played by Josephine Baker, an American, so that rather makes her a citizen of the world.
The Flying Ace
A WWI fighter pilot returns to his former job as a railroad detective, and must recover a satchel filled with $25,000 of stolen payroll, locate a missing employee, and capture the gang of thieves responsible.
Night of the living Dead
A ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the Northeast of the United States.
Dirty Gertie from Harlem USA
An all-black Caribbean island resort welcomes flashy dancer Gertie La Rue, forced to perform in this remote spot because she two-timed Al, her Harlem lover.
Come Back Charleston Blue
Sequel to Cotton comes to Harlem. Another bad influence is hitting Harlem and Gravedigger and Coffin Ed are the two cops who will stop it. Charleston Blue was a prohibition era black gangster, dead 4 decades. When he seems to have reappeared, once again slitting throats with his Blue straight edge razors, the two cops begin a complicated search for some answers.
About
CURATOR AND HOST: Felix curtis
After retiring from a long career as a computer systems analyst, Felix came to Charlotte in 2006 from the Oakland / San Francisco Bay Area. Being an avid film buff and historian Felix started sharing his passion with the public as a curator of “The San Francisco Black Film Festival” and “Black Filmworks” the annual film festival component of the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame where he later served as Executive Director.
Felix was actively involved with Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame for over 12 years, however, he was a participant in their activities since it’s inception 28 years ago.
His first involvement with the organization was as a ‘Community” level judge for the Film, Video and Screenplay Competition. This was his first exposure to the collective works of independent Black filmmakers. Felix was enthralled and fascinated by the works and took it upon himself to get more involved by enhancing the processes of judging and presentation. He coordinated the annual Film and Video Competition for over 7 years which involved a review of all films submitted to insure the proper category slot; the selection of judges and group leaders along with the film categories to be judged by each group.
His work on the Steering Committee of Black Filmworks (the Annual Film Festival component of BFHF) consisted of curating the film screening selections. During Black Filmworks he moderated the filmmaker question and answer sessions. In order to make available the works of independent Black filmmakers to the public on an ongoing basis he began hosting a popular monthly screening at Geoffrey’s Inner Circle, a landmark event space in Oakland that lasted for 4 years.
![Film historian Felix Curtis shines light on the artistic value of the complex Black film canon. DISCOVERING BLACK FILM CLASSICS SouthPark Magazine By Michael Solender October 20, 2020Two years after moving to Charlotte from the San Francisco Bay area in 2006, Felix Curtis was itching to bring his love of lesser-known films featuring Black artists and themes to Charlotte audiences. Curtis came to Charlotte as the longtime curator of the San Francisco Black Film Festival and Black Filmworks, the annual festival component of the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, where he later served as executive director. In 2008, the Classic Black Cinema Series was born, screening the second Sunday afternoon monthly at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture. (The series has been online during the pandemic.) SouthPark recently spoke with Curtis, who shared insights on his selection process, race films and contemporary filmmakers to watch. Comments were edited for brevity. What criteria do you use to designate a film classic and choose for screening? It’s the quality and the content of the film. Since launching the series, most films have been in that ’30s to ’60s period. Initially I looked to noteworthy talent like Dorothy Dandridge, Oscar Micheaux, the great Paul Robeson, Josephine Baker and others.Recently, I’ve been showing the films that have been done in the ’70s. Half or maybe even three quarters of my audience hasn’t seen these films. The older films are the ones that I really gravitate toward, because they highlight actors that people aren’t familiar with or didn’t know existed but were great actors. You mention Micheaux, why is he so venerated?He’s identified as the godfather of Black cinema. Modern-day filmmakers like Spike Lee and John Singleton found inspiration in Micheaux. He was a guerrilla filmmaker, making films on small budgets and [with] borrowed material. Two classic Micheaux films I recommend are both silent. Within Our Gates (1920) was a counterpoint to Birth of a Nation (1915). Body and Soul (1925) is a classic because it was Paul Robeson’s first film, and he played two parts. There was an era (from the ’20s to the ’40s) of what were called “Race Films.” What is their background? Race films were films [made by Black film companies for Black audiences] that had a predominantly Black cast and predominantly racial themes. There was segregation in the mainstream theaters during this time. These were serious films though, not comedies. They were dramas. There was always this element of the color, of there being either someone passing for white or someone upholding the Black race against those who were trying to degrade the race. In the ’70s there were Blaxploitation films. These films had a predominantly black cast, though the subject matter was usually that of ‘getting one over on the man.’ Superfly (1972) is a good example. One of my favorites is Willie Dynamite (1973). It was a Blaxploitation film featuring a good-natured pimp. Ironically, the star of this film was one of the original stars of Sesame Street, Roscoe Orman. What do you find exciting about contemporary Black film? Female filmmakers are showing what they’re capable of. Ava DuVernay is spearheading that whole genre of positive image, love stories — dealing with things other than race, dealing with relationships. Ryan Coogler is doing great things. Black Panther (2018) is a culmination of his prior great work. Fruitvale Station (2013) was great. Many actors are getting into directing now. Regina King is doing great work acting and directing, and Spike Lee is still producing Spike Lee movies. Hollywood is not the epicenter of quality films. Independent films are now dominating as far as the quality, and audiences are responding.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58b9d22b414fb53851181956/1610232723988-HAOR7J43AJG31IH1GU8B/Felix+Curtis-4.jpg)
Film historian Felix Curtis shines light on the artistic value of the complex Black film canon.
DISCOVERING BLACK FILM CLASSICS
SouthPark Magazine
By Michael Solender
October 20, 2020
Two years after moving to Charlotte from the San Francisco Bay area in 2006, Felix Curtis was itching to bring his love of lesser-known films featuring Black artists and themes to Charlotte audiences.
Curtis came to Charlotte as the longtime curator of the San Francisco Black Film Festival and Black Filmworks, the annual festival component of the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, where he later served as executive director. In 2008, the Classic Black Cinema Series was born, screening the second Sunday afternoon monthly at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture. (The series has been online during the pandemic.)
SouthPark recently spoke with Curtis, who shared insights on his selection process, race films and contemporary filmmakers to watch.
Comments were edited for brevity.
What criteria do you use to designate a film classic and choose for screening?
It’s the quality and the content of the film. Since launching the series, most films have been in that ’30s to ’60s period. Initially I looked to noteworthy talent like Dorothy Dandridge, Oscar Micheaux, the great Paul Robeson, Josephine Baker and others.
Recently, I’ve been showing the films that have been done in the ’70s. Half or maybe even three quarters of my audience hasn’t seen these films. The older films are the ones that I really gravitate toward, because they highlight actors that people aren’t familiar with or didn’t know existed but were great actors.
You mention Micheaux, why is he so venerated?
He’s identified as the godfather of Black cinema. Modern-day filmmakers like Spike Lee and John Singleton found inspiration in Micheaux. He was a guerrilla filmmaker, making films on small budgets and [with] borrowed material. Two classic Micheaux films I recommend are both silent. Within Our Gates (1920) was a counterpoint to Birth of a Nation (1915). Body and Soul (1925) is a classic because it was Paul Robeson’s first film, and he played two parts.
There was an era (from the ’20s to the ’40s) of what were called “Race Films.” What is their background?
Race films were films [made by Black film companies for Black audiences] that had a predominantly Black cast and predominantly racial themes. There was segregation in the mainstream theaters during this time. These were serious films though, not comedies. They were dramas. There was always this element of the color, of there being either someone passing for white or someone upholding the Black race against those who were trying to degrade the race.
In the ’70s there were Blaxploitation films. These films had a predominantly black cast, though the subject matter was usually that of ‘getting one over on the man.’ Superfly (1972) is a good example. One of my favorites is Willie Dynamite (1973). It was a Blaxploitation film featuring a good-natured pimp. Ironically, the star of this film was one of the original stars of Sesame Street, Roscoe Orman.
What do you find exciting about contemporary Black film?
Female filmmakers are showing what they’re capable of. Ava DuVernay is spearheading that whole genre of positive image, love stories — dealing with things other than race, dealing with relationships. Ryan Coogler is doing great things. Black Panther (2018) is a culmination of his prior great work. Fruitvale Station (2013) was great. Many actors are getting into directing now. Regina King is doing great work acting and directing, and Spike Lee is still producing Spike Lee movies. Hollywood is not the epicenter of quality films. Independent films are now dominating as far as the quality, and audiences are responding.