| Photos (see all 10 | slideshow) | Videos |
| Simon Chuckster | ... | Beetle | |
| Melvin Van Peebles | ... | Sweetback | |
| Hubert Scales | ... | Mu-Mu | |
| John Dullaghan | ... | Commissioner | |
| West Gale | |||
| Niva Rochelle | |||
| Rhetta Hughes | ... | Old Girl Friend | |
| Nick Ferrari | |||
| Ed Rue | |||
| John Amos | ... | Biker (as Johnny Amos) | |
| Lavelle Roby | |||
| Ted Hayden | |||
| Mario Van Peebles | ... | Young Sweetback / Kid (as Mario Peebles) | |
| Sonja Dunson | |||
| Michael Augustus | |||
| Peter Russell | |||
| Norman Fields | |||
| Ron Prince | |||
| Steve Cole | |||
| Megan Van Peebles | ... | Kid (as Megan Peebles) | |
| Joe Tornatore | |||
| Mike Angel | |||
| Jeff Goodman | |||
| Curt Matson | |||
| Marria Evonee | |||
| Jon Jacobs | |||
| Bill Kirschner | |||
| Vincent Barbi | |||
| Chet Norris | |||
| Joni Watkins | |||
| Jerry Days | |||
| John Allen | |||
| Bruce Adams | |||
| Brer Soul | |||
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Edson C. Kurose | ... | Coronor (as Ed Kurose) | |
| Max Van Peebles | ... | Young Sweetback | |
| Maggie Bembry | ... | Woman (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| Melvin Van Peebles | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Melvin Van Peebles | (written by) | |
Produced by | |||
| Jerry Gross | .... | producer | |
| Melvin Van Peebles | .... | producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Earth Wind & Fire | |||
| Melvin Van Peebles | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Robert Maxwell | (as Bob Maxwell) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| Melvin Van Peebles | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Nora Maxwell | .... | makeup supervisor | |
Production Management | |||
| Clyde Houston | .... | production manager | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| José García | .... | second unit director | |
| Clyde Houston | .... | assistant director | |
Sound Department | |||
| John H. Newman | .... | sound editor | |
| Arthur Piantadosi | .... | dubbing sound | |
| Clark Will | .... | sound | |
| Luke Wolfram | .... | sound editor | |
Special Effects by | |||
| Cliff Wenger | .... | special effects | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Jose Garcia | .... | camera operator | |
| Robert Maxwell | .... | camera operator | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Jeremy Hoenack | .... | assistant editor | |
| J.F. Kinyon | .... | archival editorial services (uncredited) | |
Other crew | |||
| Chic Borland | .... | production assistant | |
| Skip Karnas | .... | production assistant | |
| Winfred Tennison | .... | production assistant | |
| Priscilla Watts | .... | production assistant | |
|
|
|
|
|
| Malcolm X | Coonskin | Boyz n the Hood | Cidade de Deus | Tightrope |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Crime section | IMDb USA section |
| Add this title to MyMovies |
This is quite possibly the worst film ever made! The story behind the production and the intentions of Peebles may be inspiring, but the movie sure ain't. Sure, the backbone of it was a seriously slap in the face for the oppressive end of the white establishment which still resonates today - and rightly so. But the significant message this movie was conceived to communicate is utterly lost in an unbearably sloppy 90 minute montage of violence, running and f**king. As if that weren't poor taste enough, we even get to watch a guy taking a dump wearing only a towel - lovely.
I have no moral objection to the film, but cannot get past the fact that it is utterly incoherent from start to finish. The plot is almost non-existent, and only about a third of the screen time has anything to do with the 'story' anyway. There are random scenes that have no apparent meaning or significance whatsoever.
It looks dreadful, as if the cameraman was on speed and crack at the same time. Beyond this, the night sequences (which make up a large percentage of the film) are so dark that you literally cannot see a thing. Alas, that may be just as well, as it goes some small way to detracting from the mind-blowingly poor 'acting'. Sweetback himself just pouts and minces about, and he's the best 'character' in there. The sound is awful, often with two songs (the same two songs on a continuous loop) literally playing on top of each other.
I really wanted to like this movie, and I still acknowledge it as a milestone in American culture and social history. As a side note, it was not the first blaxploitation film as is popularly believed - Cotton Comes to Harlem was a year earlier. That said, technically Sweetback isn't a blaxploitation film at all as it was financed and produced entirely by a black man. Moot point really, but worth mentioning.
In case my point has been lost, let me recapitulate. Sweet Sweetback has to be one of the very worst films I have ever seen in my life. As a piece of cinema, there is absolutely nothing redeeming about it whatsoever.
Approach this as a documentation of the shift in (black) American social consciousness as it related to popular culture of the late '60s and early '70s. Otherwise avoid it altogether, you'll thank me later.