IDC 3O – African-Canadian History
Hollywood Movie List
The following is a partial list of recommended Hollywood movies that can be
viewed to help supplement course content. All movies should be viewed in
the context of the time period and remember to keep in mind that often
factual material is often sacrificed in order to make the film more marketable
for a larger audience. The aim of watching these suggested movies is merely
to help you get a better understanding of the time period by demonstrating
typical dress, living conditions, politics, society, popular culture, etc. The
movies selected will hopefully give you a “Snapshot” of the Black
Experience…
http://www.iloveblackmovies.com/index.html
http://www.myafricandiaspora.com/index.php
Movie
Title/Year/Director/Starring
BIOGRAPHIES
Ali (2001) Directed by Michael Mann starring Will Smith,
Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, Mario Van Peebles
Malcolm X (1992) Directed by Spike Lee starring Denzel
Washington, Angela Bassett, Delroy Lindo,
Ray (2004) Directed by Taylor Hackford starring Jamie Foxx,
Larenz Tate, Terrence Howard
When We Were Kings (1996) directed by Leon Gast
starring Muhammed Ali, George Foreman, Don King
The Express (2008) directed by Gary Fleder starring Rob
Brown, Dennis Quaid, Charles S. Dutton
What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993) directed by Brian
Gibson starring Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne
Notorious (2009) directed by George Tillman Jr. starring
Jamal Woolard, Derek Luke, Angela Bassett
Tyson (2008) directed by James Toback starring Mike Tyson,
Don King, Cus D’Amato
The Hurricane (1999) directed by Norman Jewison starring
Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Deborah Unger
Lean on Me (1989) directed by John G. Avildsen starring
Morgan Freeman, Robert Guillaume, Beverly Todd
Men of Honour (2000) directed by George Tillman Jr.
starring Robert De Niro, Cuba Gooding Jr., Charlize Theron
Mandela (1996) directed by Angus Gibson & Jo Menell
starring Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela, F.W. de Klerk
The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) directed by Alfred E.
Green starring Jackie Robinson, Ruby Dee, Pat Flaherty
Bird (1988) directed by Clint Eastwood starring Forrest
Whitaker, Sam Robards, Keith David
The Rosa Parks Story (2002) directed by Julie Dash
starring Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson, Peter Francis James
Lady Sings the Blues (1972) directed by Sidney J. Furie
starring Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor
Death of a Prophet (1981) directed by Woodie King Jr.
starring Morgan Freeman, Ossie Davis, George Harris
Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999) directed by
Martha Coolidge starring Halle Berry, Loretta Devine, D.B.
Sweeny
King (1978) directed by Abby Mann starring Ossie Davis,
Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield
SLAVERY
Amistad (1997) directed by Steven Speilberg starring
Djimon Hounsou, Morgan Freeman, Matthew McConaughey
Roots (1977) directed by Marvin J. Chomsky, John Erman,
David Green, Gilbert Moses starring Levar Burton, Ben
Vereen, Louis Gossett Jr.
Glory (1989) directed by Edward Zwick starring Morgan
Freeman, Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick
Birth of A Nation (1915) directed by D.W. Griffith starring
Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Walthall
The Colour Purple (1985) directed by Steven Spielberg
starring Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover
Gone with the Wind (1939) directed by Victor Fleming
starring Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Hattie McDaniel
Beloved (1998) directed by Johnathan Demme starring
Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey, Thandie Newton
Buffalo Soldiers (1997) directed by Charles Haid starring
Danny Glover, Mykelti Williamson, David Jean Thomas
Africa
Cry Freedom (1987) directed by Richard Attenborough
starring Denzel Washington, Kevin Kline, Kevin McNally
Invictus (2009) directed by Clint Eastwood starring Morgan
Freeman, Matt Damon, Tony Kgoroge
Hotel Rwanda (2004) directed by Terry George starring Don
Cheadle, Nick Nolte, Joaquin Phoenix
Blood Diamond (2006) directed Edward Zwick starring
Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly
The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980) directed by Jamie Uys
starring Paddy O’Byrne, N!xau, Marius Weyers
The Last King of Scotland (2006) directed by Kevin
Macdonald starring Forrest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry
Washington
Beyond Borders (2003) directed by Martin Campbell
starring Angelina Jolie, Clive Owen, Terry Polo
Black Hawk Down (2001) directed by Ridley Scott starring
Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewen MacGregor
Lumumba (2000) directed by Raoul Peck starring Eriq
Ebouaney, Alex Descas, Marka Kotto
Cry the Beloved Country (1995) directed by Darrell Roodt
starring James Earl Jones, Charles S. Dutton, Richard Harris
Sarafina! (1992) directed by Darrell Roodt starring Whoopi
Goldberg, Leleti Khumalo, Miriam Makeba
Tsotsi (2005) directed by Gavin Hood starring Presley
Chweneyagae, Terry Pheto, Kenneth Nkosi
The Air Up There (1994) directed by Paul Michael Glasser
starring Kevin Bacon, Charles Gitonga Maina, Nigel Miguel
Yesterday (2004) directed by Darrell Roodt starring Kenneth
Khambula, Leleti Khumalo, Harriet Lenabe
The Wooden Camera (2003) directed by Ntshaveni Wa Luruli
starring Junior Singo, Dana de Agrella, Innocent Msimango
The Power of One (1992) directed by John G. Avildsen
starring Morgan Freeman, Stephen Dorff, Daniel Craig
Goodbye Bafana (2007) directed by Bille August starring
Jospeh Fiennes, Dennis Haysbert, Dianne Kruger
Shooting Dogs (2005) directed by Michael Caton-Jones
starring John Hurt, Steve Toussaint, David Gyasi
Sometimes in April (2005) directed by Raoul Peck starring
Debra Winger, Idris Elba, Fraser James
A Dry White Season (1989) directed by Euzhan Palcy
starring Donald Sutherland, Marlon Brando, Susan Sarandon
Shake Hands with the Devil (2007) directed by Roger
Spottiswoode starring Roy Dupuis, James Gallanders, Owen
Sejake
Civil Rights
Mississippi Burning (1988) directed by Alan Parker starring
Willem Dafoe, Gene Hackman, Francis McDormand
Ghosts of Mississippi (1996) directed by Rob Reiner
starring Alex Baldwin, James Woods, Whoopi Goldberg
4 Little Girls (1997) directed by Spike Lee starring Maxine
McNair, Queen Nunn, Dianne Braddock
Rosewood (1997) directed by John Singleton starring Ving
Rhames, Jon Voight, Don Cheadle
Get on the Bus (1996) directed by Spike Lee starring Ossie
Davis, Charles S. Dutton, Bernie Mac
The Great Debators (2007) directed by Denzel Washington
starring Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker
A Time To Kill (2006) directed by Joel Shumacher starring
Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey
Panther (1995) directed by Mario Van Peebles starring
Angela Bassett, Kadeem Hardison, Chris Rock
In the Heat of the Night (1967) directed by Norman
Jewison starring Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Lee Grant
The Long Walk Home (1990) directed by Richard Pearce
starring Sissy Spacek, Whoopi Goldberg, Ving Rhames
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) directed Robert Mulligan
starring Gregory Peck, Robert Duvall, Frank Overton
Racial Commentary
Bamboozled (2000) directed by Spike Lee starring Michael
Rappaport, Damon Wayans, Jada Pinkett Smith
Jungle Fever (1991) directed by Spike Lee starring Wesley
Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Halle Berry
Guess who’s coming to dinner? (1967) directed by
Stanley Kramer starring Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracey,
Katherine Hepburn
To Sir, With Love (1967) directed by James Clavell starring
Sidney Poitier, Judy Geeson, Christian Roberts
When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Parts
(2006) directed by Spike Lee starring George W. Bush,
Condoleeza Rice, Harry Belafonte
Prom Night in Mississippi (2008) directed by Paul
Saltzman starring Morgan Freeman
…tick…tick…tick… (1970) directed by Ralph Nelson
starring Jim Brown, Fredrich March, Mills Watson
Crash (2004) directed by Paul Haggis starring Sandra
Bullock, Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon
Disctrict 9 (2009) directed by Neil Blomkamp starring
Sharlto Copley, Nathalie Boltt, John Sumner
Monster’s Ball (2001) directed by Marc Forster starring
Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thornton, Heath Ledger
White Man’s Burden (1995) directed by Desmond Nakano
starring Harry Belafonte, John Travolta, Kelly Lynch
Urban Society
Juice (1992) directed by Ernest R. Dickerson starring Tupac
Shakur, Omar Epps, Samuel L. Jackson
Boyz in the Hood (1991) directed by John Singleton
starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne
Do the Right Thing (1989) directed by Spike Lee starring
Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, John Turturro
Menace II Society (1993) directed by the Hughes Brothers
starring Larenz Tate, Jada Pinkett Smith, Samuel L. Jackson
Hustle and Flow (2005) directed by Craig Brewer starring
Terrence Howard, Anthony Anderson, Isaac Hayes
Crooklyn (1994) directed by Spike Lee starring Spike Lee,
Delroy Lindo, Isaiah Washington
Mo’ Betta Blues (1990) directed by Spike Lee starring Spike
Lee, Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes
American Gangster (2007) directed by Ridley Scott starring
Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Josh Brolin
New Jack City (1991) directed by Mario Van Peebles
starring Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Chris Rock
Baby Boy (2001) directed by John Singleton starring Tyrese
Gibson, Snoop Dogg, Ving Rhames
Poetic Justice (1993) directed by John Singleton starring
Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Billy Zane
Higher Learning (1995) directed by John Singleton starring
Omar Epps, Ice Cube, Jennifer Connelly
School Daze (1988) directed by Spike Lee starring Laurence
Fishburne, Kadeem Hardison, Ossie Davis
She’s Gotta Have It (1986) directed by Spike Lee starring
Spike Lee, Joie Lee, Tracy Camilla Johns
Precious (2009) directed by Lee Daniels starring Gabourey
Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Mariah Carrey
Get Rich or Die Trying (2005) directed by Jim Sheridan
starring 50 Cent, Terrence Howard, Joy Bryant
Colors (1988) directed by Dennis Hopper starring Sean
Penn, Robert Duvall, Don Cheadle
Training Day (2001) directed by Antoine Fuqua starring
Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn
Dangerous Minds (1995) directed by John N. Smith starring
Michelle Pfeiffer, Courtney B. Vance, Renoly Santiago
American Pimp (1999) directed by the The Hughes Brothers
starring Heidi Fleiss, Hugh Hefner, Conan O’Brien
Crips and Bloods: Made in America (2008) directed by
Stacey Peralta narrated by Forest Whitaker
Sports
Hoop Dreams (1995) directed by Steve James starring
William Gates, Arthur Agee, Isiah Thomas
Go Tigers! (2001) directed by Kenneth A. Carlson starring
Dave Irwin, Ellery Moore, Joe Paterno
Remember the Titans (2000) directed by Boaz Yakin
starring Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Ryan Gosling
Pride (2007) directed by Sunu Gonera starring Terrence
Howard, Bernie Mac, Tom Arnold
Coach Carter (2005) directed by Thomas Carter starring
Samuel L. Jackson, Ashanti, Channing Tatum
Heaven is a Playground (1991) directed by Randall Fried
starring D.B. Sweeney, Terry Bradley, Don James
He Got Game (1998) directed by Spike Lee starring Denzel
Washington, Ray Allen, Rosario Dawson
Blue Chips (1994) directed by William Friedkin starring Nick
Nolte, Bob Cousy, Shaquille O’Neal
Above the Rim (1994) directed by Jeff Pollack starring
Tupac Shakur, Marlon Wayans, Bernie Mac
Sunset Park (1996) directed by Stever Gomer starring
Terrence Howard, Rhea Perlman, Fredro Starr
Glory Road (2006) directed by James Gartner starring Josh
Lucas, Derek Luke, Jon Voight
More than a Game (2008) directed by Kristopher Belman
starring Lebron James, Dru Joyce, Romeo Travis, Sian Cotton
The Gridiron Gang (2006) directed by Phil Joanou starring
Dwayne Johnson, Xzibit, Setu Taase
Brian’s Song (1971) directed by Buzz Kulik starring James
Caan, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Warden
The Great White Hope (1970) directed by Martin Ritt
starring James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander, Hal Holbrook
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack
Johnson (2004) directed by Ken Burns starring Jack
Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, Keith David
The Blind Side (2009) directed by John Lee Hancock
starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) directed by Robert
Redford starring Will Smith, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron
Cool Runnings (1993) directed by Jon Turteltaub starring
John Candy, Doug E. Doug, Leon
War
A Soldier’s Story (1984) directed by Norman Jewison
starring Howard E. Rollins Jr., Denzel Washington, Robert
Townsend
Miracle at St. Anna (2008) directed by Spike Lee starring
John Turturro, Derek Luke, Michael Early
The Tuskegee Airmen (1995) directed by Robert Markowitz
starring Laurence Fishburne, Allen Payne, Andre Braugher
Animation
The Princess and The Frog (2009) directed by Ron
Clements and Jon Musker starring Anika Noni Rose, Oprah
Winfrey, Terrence Howard
Bebe’s Kids (1992) directed by Bruce W. Smith starring
Faizon Love, Nell Carter, Tone Loc
Afro Samurai (2007) directed by Takashi Okazaki starring
Samuel L. Jackson, Phil LaMarr, Yuri Lowenthal
The Boondocks (2005) directed by Aaron McGruder starring
Regina King, John Witherspoon, Gary Anthony Williams
Blaxpoitation
Shaft (1971) directed by Gordon Parks starring Richard
Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Charles Cioffi
Shaft in Africa (1973) directed by John Guillermin starring
Richard Roundtree, Frank Finlay, Vonetta McGee
Disco Godfather (1979) directed by J. Robert Wagoner
starring Rudy Ray Moore, Carol Speed, Jimmy Lynch
Black Mama, White Mama (1973) directed by Eddie
Romero starring Pam Grier, Sid Haig, Margaret Markov
Hell up in Harlem (1973) directed by Larry Cohen starring
Fred Williamson, Julius Harris, Gloria Hendry
Blackenstein (1973) directed by William A. Levy starring
John Hart, Ivory Stone, Joe De Sue
Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde (1976) directed by William Crain
starring Bernie Casey, Rosalind Cash, Marie O’Henry
Black Gestapo (1975) directed by Lee Frost starring Rod
Perry, Charles Robinson, Phil Hoover
Black Samson (1974) directed by Charles Bail starring
Rockne Tarkington, William Smith, Carol Speed
Dolemite (1975) directed D’Urville Martin starring Rudy Ray
Moore, Jerry Jones, Lady Reed
Blacula (1972) directed by William Crain starring William
Marshal, Vonetta McGee, Denise Nicholas
Sweet Jesus, Preacherman! (1973) directed by Henning
Schellerup starring Roger E. Mosley, William Smith, Michael
Pataki
Cleopatra Jones (1973) directed by Jack Starrett starring
Tamara Dobson, Bernie Casey, Brenda Sykes
Willie Dynamite (1974) directed by Gilbert Moses starring
Roscoe Orman, Diana Sands, Albert Hall
Black Belt Jones (1974) directed by Robert Clouse starring
Jim Kelly, Gloria Hendry, Scatman Crothers
Super Fly (1972) directed by Gordon Parks Jr. starring Ron
O’Neal, Carl Lee, Julius Harris
Foxy Brown (1974) directed by Jack Hill starring Pam Grier,
Antonio Fargas, Peter Brown
The Mack (1973) directed by Michael Campus starring
Richard Pryor, Max Julien, Don Gordon
Comedy
Barbershop (2002) directed by Tim Story starring Cedric the
Entertainer, Ice Cube, Anthony Anderson
Soul Men (2008) directed by Malcolm D. Lee starring
Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Isaac Hayes
Blazing Saddles (1974) directed by Mel Brooks starring
Cleavon Little, Harvey Korman, Gene Wilder
Coming to America (1988) directed by John Landis starring
Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones
Driving Miss Daisy (1989) directed by Bruce Beresford
starring Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, Dan Aykroyd
Soul Plane (2004) directed by Jessy Terrero starring Snoop
Dogg, Method Man, Tom Arnold
Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking
Your Juice in the Hood (1996) directed by Paris Barclay
starring Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Bernie Mac
Friday (1995) directed by F. Gary Gray starring Ice Cube,
Chris Tucker, Nia Long
CB4 (1993) directed by Tamra Davis starring Chris Rock,
Allen Payne, Chris Elliott
Fear of a Black Hat (1994) directed by Rusty Cundieff
starring Mark Christopher Lawrence, Larry B. Scott, Rusty
Cundieff
Harlem Nights (1998) directed by Eddie Murphy starring
Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx
Life (1999) directed by Ted Demme starring Eddie Murphy,
Martin Lawrence, Bernie Mac
House Party (1990) directed by Reginald Hudlin starring
Christopher Reid, Christopher Martin, Martin Lawrence
How High (2001) directed by Jesse Dylan starring Red Man,
Method Man, Fred Willard
The Wash (2001) directed by DJ Pooh starring Dr.Dre,
Snoop Dogg, Tommy Chong
The Ladies Man (2000) directed by Reginald Hudlin starring
Tim Meadows, Billy Dee Williams, Will Ferrell
Good Hair (2009) directed by Jeff Stilson starring Maya
Angelou, Eve, Chris Rock
Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005) directed by Darren
Grant starring Tyler Perry, Cicely Tyson, Steve Harris
Head of State (2003) directed by Chris Rock starring Chris
Rock, Bernie Mac, Dylan Baker
The Original Kings of Comedy (2000) directed by Spike
Lee starring Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac
Amos and Andrew (1993) directed by E. Max Frye starring
Samuel L. Jackson, Nicholas Cage, Dabney Coleman
Fat Albert (2004) directed by Joel Zwick starring Kenan
Thompson, Aaron Frazier, Marques Houston
Romance
Love and Basketball (2000) directed by Gina PrinceBythewood starring Omar Epps, Dennis Haysbert, Sanaa
Lathan
Mississippi Masala (1991) directed by Mira Nair starring
Denzel Washington, Sarita Choudhury, Charles S. Dutton
How Stella Got her Groove Back (1998) directed by Kevin
Rodney Sullivan starring Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs, Whoopi
Goldberg
The Best Man (1999) directed by Malcolm D. Lee starring
Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut
Inkwell (1994) directed by Matty Rich starring Larenz Tate,
Morris Chestnut, Jada Pinkett Smith
Jason’s Lyric (1994) directed by Doug McHenry starring
Jada Pinkett Smith, Allen Payne, Eddie Griffin
The Wood (1999) directed by Rick Famuyiwa starring Omar
Epps, Taye Diggs, Tamala Jones
Love Jones (1997) directed by Theodore Witcher starring
Larenz Tate, Nia Long, Isiaiah Washington
Purple Rain (1984) directed by Albert Magnoli starring
Prince, Apollonia Kotero, Morris Day
Brown Sugar (1995) directed by Forest Whitaker starring
Taye Diggs, Mos Def, Whitney Houston
Hip Hop Culture
Breakin (1984) directed by Joel Silberg starring Lucinda
Dickey, Michael Chambers, Adolfo Quinones
Beat Street (1984) directed by Stan Lathan starring Rae
Dawn Chong, Guy Davis, Jon Chardiet
8 Mile (2002) directed by Curtis Hanson starring Eminem,
Brittany Murphy, Kim Basinger
Wild Style (1983) directed by Charlie Ahearn starring Easy
A.D., Almight K.G., Busy Bee
Miscellaneous
The Preacher’s Wife (1996) directed by Penny Marshall
starring Denzel Washington, Gregory Hines, Whitney Houston
Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) directed by Carl Franklin
starring Denzel Washington, Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals
The Fighting Temptations (2003) directed by Johnathan
Lynn starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Beyonce Knowles, Steve
Harvey
Gospel Hill (2008) directed by Giancarlo Esposito starring
Angela Bassett, Danny Glover, Adam Baldwin
Akeela and the Bee (2006) directed by Doug Atchison
starring Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett
The Cotton Club (1984) directed by Francis Ford Coppola
starring Richard Gere, Gregory Hines, Diane Lane
Soul Food (1997) directed by George Tillman Jr. starring
Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox, Nia Long
Drumline (2002) directed by Charles Stone III starring Nick
Cannon, Zoe Saldana, Orlando Jones
The Player’s Club (1998) directed by Ice Cube starring
Bernie Mac, Jamie Foxx, Terrence Howard
Mandingo (1975) directed by Richard Fleischer starring Ken
Norton, James Mason, Perry King
Idlewild (2006) directed by Bryan Barber starring Big Boi,
Andre Benjamin, Terrence Howard
City of God (2002) directed by Fernando Meirelles starring
Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen
Dreamgirls (2006) directed by Bill Condon starring Eddie
Murpy, Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles
This is it (2009) directed by Kenny Ortega starring Michael
Jackson, Mekia Cox, Timor Steffens
Posse (1993) directed by Mario Van Peebles starring Mario
Van Peebles, Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Blair Underwood
Set it Off (1996) directed by F. Gary Gray starring Queen
Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Vivica A. Fox
Dead Presidents (1995) directed by the Hughes Brothers
starring Larenz Tate, Terrence Howard, Chris Tucker
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) directed by Gabriele
Muccino starring Will Smith, Thandie Newton, Jaden Smith
John Q (2002) directed by Nick Cassavetes starring Denzel
Washington, James Woods, Anne Heche
Waiting to Exhale (1995) directed by Forest Whitaker
starring Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine
A Rage in Harlem (1991) directed by Bill Duke starring
Forest Whitaker, Gregory Hines, Danny Glover
The Five Heartbeats (1991) directed by Robert Townsend
starring Robert Townsend, Leon, Michael Wright
The Visitor (2007) directed by Thomas McCarthy starring
Richard Jenkins, Danai Gurira, Amir Arison
Finding Forrester (2000) directed by Gus Van Sant starring
Sean Connery, Rob Brown, Anna Paquin
Half Nelson (2006) directed by Ryan Fleck starring Ryan
Gosling, Nathan Corbett, Tristan Wilds