IMDb RATING
8.0/10
14K
YOUR RATING
Documentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African-American music and culture and promoted Black pride and unity.Documentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African-American music and culture and promoted Black pride and unity.Documentary about the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival which celebrated African-American music and culture and promoted Black pride and unity.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 73 wins & 43 nominations total
Ethel Beatty
- Self - Festival Attendee
- (as Ethel Beatty-Barnes)
Al Sharpton
- Self - Minister & Activist
- (as Reverend Al Sharpton)
Jesse Jackson
- Self - Minister & Activist
- (as Reverend Jesse Jackson)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe Harlem Cultural Festival comprised six concerts that took place between June 29 and August 24, 1969, in Marcus Garvey Park (at the time, Mount Morris Park), and attracted a combined in-person audience of 300,000.
- GoofsThe subtitle, "When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised," is incorrect. In 1969, the year the Harlem Cultural Festival concerts took place, two TV specials about them were shown: July 28, 1969 on CBS (while the concerts were still taking place) and September 16, 1969 on ABC.
- Crazy creditsThere is a scene after the end credits featuring Stevie Wonder and his band leader bantering back and forth on stage.
- ConnectionsFeatured in CBS News Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley: Episode #43.26 (2021)
- SoundtracksDrum Solo
Written by Stevie Wonder
Performed by Stevie Wonder
Published by Jobete Music Co. Inc. on behalf of itself and Black Bull Music
Licensed courtesy of Wonder Productions, Inc.
Steve Wonder appears courtesy of Wonder Productions, Inc.
Featured review
Grazing in the Grass
Greetings again from the darkness. Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson's directorial debut is a history lesson wrapped in a concert film, and it's just the blended spoonful we need. You might know Questlove best as the bandleader/drummer on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon", and with this documentary, he has proven his skill in balancing the visuals with the message. The Harlem Cultural Festival was held over six weekends in the summer of 1969. Yep, the same summer as (and only 100 miles from) the infamous and celebrated Woodstock festival. A total of 300,000 people attended the free events held in Mt Morris Park in Harlem, and Questlove's film brings back what has been forgotten.
TV director Hal Tulchin filmed each week's concert in hopes that it would have market value. When he was unable to market the footage, all 47 reels remained stashed in his basement for 50 years. Questlove weaves a magic carpet that injects interviews, statements, and news clips over the powerful music being performed on stage. We get interviews with festival attendees, musicians, NY Times reporter Charlayne Hunter-Gault, and historical perspective from news clips of Richard Nixon, the Vietnam War, and the assassinations of John Kennedy, Malcolm X, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King. The festival was organized to commemorate MLK's death the previous year, and at a time when the black community featured much anger and unrest. The Black Panthers were brought in for security as drugs spiraled out of control in Harlem.
It was never just about the music, but what music it was! Gospel, blues, soul, and R&B filled the air, as the crowd cheered, danced, and sang along. We learn Maxwell House coffee served as a sponsor, and there is a segment on NYC Mayor Lindsay, who supported the festival and was well-respected in the Black community. Tony Lawrence, a lounge singer and radio DJ, served as the festival's host and producer. He introduced each of the acts, and did so with quite a sense of fashion.
The performers aren't necessarily shown in the same order as the festival, but that matters little. Stevie Wonder is at a decisive point in his career, and his drum solo (yes, drums) is energizing. We also get to see and hear such acts as BB King, the 5th Dimension, the Staples Singers, Mahalia Jackson, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Nina Simone. We also hear an audio recording of Mavis Staples recalling how "unreal" it was for her to sing with Mahalia. Other highlights include David Ruffin hitting and holding a high note on "My Girl", the Edwin Hawkins Singers performing "Oh, Happy Day", Hugh Maskela jolting the crowd with "Grazing in the Grass", and Sly and the Family Stone (and their "white drummer") leading the audience through "Higher". The late Nina Simone comes across as especially regal and powerful in her time on stage. There are clips of comedian Moms Mabley on stage, as well as Jesse Jackson orating. Lin-Manuel Miranda discusses the music of Puerto Rico and Spanish Harlem, and one of the most touching segments finds Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr recalling the backstory of how The 5th Dimension came to record "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine in".
Early marketing attempts re-branded the festival as "Black Woodstock", but that didn't change the fact that the market was limited at the time. Festival-attendee Musa Jackson is interviewed as he watches the film, and it's clear that it's an affirmation of the era. It's also fascinating to hear Charlayne Hunter-Gault recount how she fought the NY Times over her preferred description of people as "Black" rather than the previously utilized "Negro". Questlove's film immediately becomes a historical time capsule and one that should be viewed by many.
Available on Hulu.
TV director Hal Tulchin filmed each week's concert in hopes that it would have market value. When he was unable to market the footage, all 47 reels remained stashed in his basement for 50 years. Questlove weaves a magic carpet that injects interviews, statements, and news clips over the powerful music being performed on stage. We get interviews with festival attendees, musicians, NY Times reporter Charlayne Hunter-Gault, and historical perspective from news clips of Richard Nixon, the Vietnam War, and the assassinations of John Kennedy, Malcolm X, Bobby Kennedy, and Martin Luther King. The festival was organized to commemorate MLK's death the previous year, and at a time when the black community featured much anger and unrest. The Black Panthers were brought in for security as drugs spiraled out of control in Harlem.
It was never just about the music, but what music it was! Gospel, blues, soul, and R&B filled the air, as the crowd cheered, danced, and sang along. We learn Maxwell House coffee served as a sponsor, and there is a segment on NYC Mayor Lindsay, who supported the festival and was well-respected in the Black community. Tony Lawrence, a lounge singer and radio DJ, served as the festival's host and producer. He introduced each of the acts, and did so with quite a sense of fashion.
The performers aren't necessarily shown in the same order as the festival, but that matters little. Stevie Wonder is at a decisive point in his career, and his drum solo (yes, drums) is energizing. We also get to see and hear such acts as BB King, the 5th Dimension, the Staples Singers, Mahalia Jackson, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Nina Simone. We also hear an audio recording of Mavis Staples recalling how "unreal" it was for her to sing with Mahalia. Other highlights include David Ruffin hitting and holding a high note on "My Girl", the Edwin Hawkins Singers performing "Oh, Happy Day", Hugh Maskela jolting the crowd with "Grazing in the Grass", and Sly and the Family Stone (and their "white drummer") leading the audience through "Higher". The late Nina Simone comes across as especially regal and powerful in her time on stage. There are clips of comedian Moms Mabley on stage, as well as Jesse Jackson orating. Lin-Manuel Miranda discusses the music of Puerto Rico and Spanish Harlem, and one of the most touching segments finds Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr recalling the backstory of how The 5th Dimension came to record "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine in".
Early marketing attempts re-branded the festival as "Black Woodstock", but that didn't change the fact that the market was limited at the time. Festival-attendee Musa Jackson is interviewed as he watches the film, and it's clear that it's an affirmation of the era. It's also fascinating to hear Charlayne Hunter-Gault recount how she fought the NY Times over her preferred description of people as "Black" rather than the previously utilized "Negro". Questlove's film immediately becomes a historical time capsule and one that should be viewed by many.
Available on Hulu.
helpful•265
- ferguson-6
- Dec 29, 2021
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Summer of Soul
- Filming locations
- Mount Morris Park, Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA(location of concerts)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,320,649
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $802,054
- Jul 5, 2021
- Gross worldwide
- $3,696,069
- Runtime1 hour 58 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1
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By what name was Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021) officially released in India in Hindi?
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