Sabita Ghising Tamang
Prof. Rebecca Jones-Hackett
Hist 111 #3178
Movie Review 1
March 24, 2020
1. Name of film: Slavery by Another Name
2. Main point of the film: The main point of the film is to show how African Americans were
treated even after freedom was declared. Freedom was just synchronized in papers, but
blacks were not yet free. They were made to work forcefully threatening their lives. Slavery
was abolished but blacks were not as free as they should be. Free men and women forced
into industrial servitude, bound by chains, faced with subhuman living conditions and
subject to physical, psychological and emotional torture.
3. P What is the point of view of the film? Was it overly favorable or critical of a particular
group or individual?
The point of view of the film was clear and shocking. It’s a well-known fact that the
foundation of the country where freedom comes first was made on slavery and cruel whites
never stopped showing their supremacy to blacks even if freedom was promised but not
fulfilled. It was a stunning reality that frequently went unacknowledged, at that point and
now: A colossal arrangement of constrained, unpaid work, for the most part influencing
Southern Black men that endured until World War II. From almost the first moment, white
Southerners were responding to try to put African Americans back into a position of slavery.
The Old South which was becoming new would never proceed without blacks. The point of
view of the movie was to show the crooked whites never wanted to pay for an animal (blacks)
whose labor was always free.
Yes, it was favorable on black Southerners who were treated brutally, whose stories were
unheard and who never got freedom as it was promised.
4. I What inferences were made in the film? Were there parts of the film that filmmakers
must have made up because they couldn't have known this from the available evidence?
The inferences made in the film were clear and traumatizing. The dead and abolished slavery
took its re-birth; it was simple and straight but an exploitative system where there was only
power, force and brutality. Depth of poverty and inability of African American, no access to
wealth and jobs.
With the end of reconstruction, the nature of both crime and punishment both changed
dramatically, it was a crime to speak loud by black Americans, crime to sell products of your
farm after dark, over exaggeration of African American criminality during this time.
Yes, there are some scenes like two white people riding a horse recklessly referring blacks
as horse to compare the brutality of that time. Some drawn pictures of and blacks lying on
the ground with shotgun in head, whites pressing a black man with their shoes, white men
carrying a knife with written words like “This is a white men government” are also the part
where the filmmakers must have made themselves.
5. P What Techniques are used in the film to persuade the audience to the filmmaker’s point
of view? Note music, camera angle, character portrayal, etc.
The pairing technique of storytelling by Laurence Fishburne and real-life stories presented
in the film. The oral forms of experiences by the characters in the movie was noticeable
which made the viewers understand the point of view of the film. The character portrayal of
Ezekiel Archay spread light to the whole movie. Interviews with the historians like Adam,
Mary Ellen Curtin were also important techniques used in the movie.
6. E What evidence is included to support the point of view put forth in the film? What is
the source of that evidence? How strong is it?
The pig law in Mississippi enhanced penalties for misdemeanor offenses, to now felony
offenses, in Tennessee prison up to 5 years for stealing eight cent fence rails. These laws are
strong evidence. The author of this movie, Douglas A. Blackmon and other historians like
Mary Ellen Curtin, Adam Green.
Descendants of the victims and masters like Sharon Malone.
The source of these evidences are the letters sent from the Pratt Coal Mines in 1884 to
Alabama’s new inspector of prison. Ezekiel Archay, author of these letters is strong evidence.
7. R What relevant information do I know? Does it contradict or support the story presented
in the film?
I know about the civil war and the emancipation proclamation declared in 1865. But I was
unaware of the hidden facts that were shown on the film. I can guess that blacks were never
treated as equal humans seeing today's events and incidents. But I was aware of the brutal
choices that whites made regarding blacks in so called “Freedom America”. It supports the
story presented in the film.
8. Overall, how strong are the historical arguments in this film? Is it historically accurate?
Overall, the historical arguments in this film are strong. The historical argument of
unexplored aspects of American history. This movie creates a broad racial, economic,
cultural and political backdrop for events that have haunted many African Americans alike.
Yes, it is historically accurate.
__________________________________________________________________________

1983, 1990 Midwest Publications
* Critical Thinking Press & Software