Panther (film)
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''Panther'' is a 1995 cinematic adaptation of Melvin Van Peebles's novel ''Panther,'' produced and directed by
Mario Van Peebles Mario Van Peebles (born January 15, 1957) is an American film director and actor best known for directing and starring in ''New Jack City'' in 1991 and '' USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage'' in 2016. He is the son of actor and filmmaker Melvin V ...
. The drama film portrays the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, tracing the organization from its founding through its decline in a compressed timeframe. It was the first narrative feature-film to depict the Black Panther Party.


Plot summary

In this semi-fictionalized account of the origins of the Black Panthers, Vietnam veteran Judge (Kadeem Hardison) returns to his hometown of Oakland to find it beset by violence and police discrimination against African-Americans. Judge's friend Cy tells him about a vigilante group that's organizing against the police and introduces him to its leaders, Bobby (Courtney B. Vance) and Huey (Marcus Chong). Judge joins the movement but is soon beset by police pressure to inform against Huey.


Cast


Reception

On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...
, the film holds a 31% approval rating based on 13 reviews.
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
stated "There is a fascinating study to be made of the Black Panther Party. Panther is not that film." Panther co-founder Bobby Seale, a major character in the film, called it "80 percent to 90 percent" untrue and "a false-light invasion of my privacy." While Kennith Turan praised it as a "sincere attempt at celebratory, spirit-raising filmmaking", he also criticized it as "a frustrating amalgam of truth, violence, supposition and inspiration".


Soundtrack

A soundtrack for the film containing R&B and hip hop music was released on May 2, 1995 by
Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it ...
. It peaked at number 37 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number 5 on the
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated ...
and was certified gold on July 25, 1995. Featured on the soundtrack was the single " Freedom (Theme from Panther)", a collaboration among more than 60 female R&B singers and rappers that peaked at 45 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Three singles made it to the Billboard charts, "Head Nod" by Hodge, "
The Points "The Points" is a rap song performed by The Notorious B.I.G., Coolio, Doodlebug, Big Mike, Buckshot, Redman, Ill Al Skratch, Heltah Skeltah, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Busta Rhymes, Menace Clan and Jamal. It was released in 1995 via Mercury Rec ...
", a collaboration between 12 of hip-hop's most popular artists and groups, and " Freedom (Theme from Panther)", a collaboration between over 60 female R&B singers and rappers. # " Freedom (Theme from Panther)" - 4:47 #:
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
, Felicia Adams, May May Ali, Amel Larrieux, Az-Iz,
Blackgirl BlackGirl is an American pop/dance vocal trio consisting of Pam Copeland, Nycolia "Tye-V" Turman, and Rochelle Stuart from Atlanta, that formed in 1992 on the Kaper/RCA/ BMG label. Biography BlackGirl released their debut album '' Treat U Righ ...
, Mary J. Blige,
Tanya Blount Tanya Trotter (born Tanya Blount) is an American actress, musician and author. Early life and education Blount was educated at Morgan State University, where she majored in psychology and sang in the university choir. She has a son named Antoni ...
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, Casserine, Changing Faces, Coko, Tyler Collins,
N'Dea Davenport N'Dea Davenport (born September 22, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and producer. She was the lead vocalist in the UK acid jazz band the Brand New Heavies and made pioneering contributions to the genre of acid jazz. Career He ...
, E.V.E., Emage,
En Vogue En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single ...
, Eshe & Laurneá (of Arrested Development),
Female Female ( symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Fema ...
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For Real For Real is an American R&B and soul quartet, that formed in 1990. In the latter part of that decade they were nominated for a Billboard Music Award and a Soul Train Music Award. The ladies have now reunited and are touring. Biography For Real ...
, Penny Ford, Lalah Hathaway,
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, Jamecia, Jazzyfatnastees,
Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
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Billy Lawrence Billy Lawrence (born May 3, 1971, in Boca Raton, Florida) is an American R&B/soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern ...
, Joi, Brigette McWilliams, Milira, Miss Jones, Cindy Mizelle, Monica, Me’Shell NdegéOcello, Natasha, Pebbles,
Pure Soul Pure Soul was an American R&B girl group who were signed to Interscope Records in the mid 1990s. They are perhaps best known for their hit single We Must Be in Love, the debut single from their self-titled debut album. The "Pure Soul" album (th ...
, Raja-Nee, Brenda Russell, SWV, Chantay Savage, Sonja Marie, Tracie Spencer, Sweet Sable, TLC, Terri & Monica, Vybe,
Crystal Waters Crystal Waters (born November 19, 1961) is an American house and dance music singer and songwriter, best known for her 1990s dance hits " Gypsy Woman", " 100% Pure Love", and 2007's "Destination Calabria" with Alex Gaudino. All three of her st ...
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Caron Wheeler Caron Melina Wheeler (born 19 January 1963) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer and musician. Born and raised in London, she performed in various singing competitions as a teenager and began her recording career as one of the found ...
, Karyn White, Vanessa Williams, Xscape, Y?N-Vee, Zhané # "Express Yourself" - 3:48 ( Joe) # "We'll Meet Again" - 4:43 ( Blackstreet) # "Black People" - 4:11 ( George Clinton,
Belita Woods Belita Karen Woods (October 23, 1948 – May 14, 2012) was a lead singer of the late 1970s R&B group Brainstorm. She also performed with Parliament-Funkadelic for two decades, beginning in 1992. Brainstorm had a disco hit in 1977 called "Lovin' ...
& Funkadelic) # " Let's Straighten It Out" - 4:05 ( Usher & Monica) # "
The Points "The Points" is a rap song performed by The Notorious B.I.G., Coolio, Doodlebug, Big Mike, Buckshot, Redman, Ill Al Skratch, Heltah Skeltah, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Busta Rhymes, Menace Clan and Jamal. It was released in 1995 via Mercury Rec ...
" - 4:54 #: Big Mike, Biggie Smalls, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Buckshot, Busta Rhymes, Coolio,
Digable Planets Digable Planets () is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987. The trio is composed of rappers Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler, Mariana "Ladybug Mecca" Vieira, and Craig "Doodlebug" Irving. The group is notable for their contributions to the subgenr ...
, Heltah Skeltah,
Ill Al Skratch Ill Al Skratch (also known as Brooklyn/Uptown Connection) is a hip hop duo consisting of two rappers, Big Ill from Brooklyn and Al Skratch from Harlem (Uptown). They are best known for their 1994 single, " I'll Take Her". Biography The duo' ...
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Jamal Jamal ( ar, جمال ''/'') is an Arabic masculine given name, meaning "beauty",Jamal
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Menace Clan Menace Clan was an American hip-hop duo composed of Dante "Dee" Miller and Walter "Assassin" Adams formally signed to Rap-a-Lot Records. After signing with Rap-a-Lot, the duo appeared on Poppa LQ's ''Your Entertainment, My Reality'' and Bushwick ...
& Redman # "Slick Partner" - 2:46 ( Bobby Brown) # "Stand (You Got To)" - 4:35 ( Aaron Hall) # "The World Is a Ghetto" - 4:32 ( Da Lench Mob) # "If I Were Your Woman" ( Shanice & Female) # "We Shall Not Be Moved" - 4:49 ( Sounds of Blackness & Black Sheep) # "A Natural Woman (You Make Me Feel Like)" - 3:48 (Female) # "Freedom" (Dirty Dozen remix) - 4:49 #: MC Lyte, Meshell Ndegeocello, Nefertiti, Patra,
Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
,
Salt-n-Pepa Salt-N-Pepa (also stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa or Salt 'N Pepa) is an American hip-hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). Their debut album, '' Hot, ...
, Left Eye of TLC, Da 5 Footaz, & Yo-Yo # "Head Nod" - 3:33 (Hodge) # "Stand!" - 4:28 ( Tony! Toni! Toné!) # "Don't Give Me No Broccoli and Tell Me It's Green's" - 6:17 ( The Last Poets) # "
The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the ...
" - 3:12 ( Brian McKnight, Boys Choir of Harlem &
Slash Slash may refer to: * Slash (punctuation), the "/" character Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Slash (Marvel Comics) * Slash (''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'') Music * Harry Slash & The Slashtones, an American rock band * Nash ...
) # "The Ultimate Sacrifice" - 3:15 ( Stanley Clarke)


Awards

*
Locarno International Film Festival The Locarno Film Festival is an annual film festival, held every August in Locarno, Switzerland. Founded in 1946, the festival screens films in various competitive and non-competitive sections, including feature-length narrative, documentary, s ...
– Prize of the
Ecumenical Ecumenism (), also spelled oecumenism, is the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships among their churches and promote Christian unity. The adjec ...
Jury, Special Mention: Silver Leopard


References


Bibliography

*


External links

* * {{Black Panther Party 1995 films 1990s biographical drama films African-American biographical dramas Drama films based on actual events Films about the Black Panther Party Black Power Films about the Central Intelligence Agency Cultural depictions of J. Edgar Hoover 1990s English-language films Films about the Federal Bureau of Investigation Films about activists Films based on American novels Films directed by Mario Van Peebles Films scored by Stanley Clarke Films set in Oakland, California Political films based on actual events PolyGram Filmed Entertainment films Working Title Films films 1995 drama films 1990s American films