Just an Old Sweet Song is a 1976 TV film by MTM Enterprises and Company Four, based on the novel of the same name that also came out in the same year. Melvin Van Pebbles, author of the novel, wrote the script and composed the music. Originally telecast September 14, 1976, as a CBS "General Electric Theater" special, Just an Old Sweet Song was the first of three pilots for Down Home, a proposed TV series created by filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles. Robert Hooks and Cicely Tyson star as Nate and Priscilla Simmons, the patriarch and matriarch of a middle-class Detroit family. Upon learning that their grandmother (Beah Richards) is not long for this world, Nate and Priscilla pack up their kids and head down South. Eventually, the family rediscovers its African-American roots and elects to stay in their new rural surroundings. Robert Hooks' real-life sons (Kevin and Eric Hooks) appear as his screen sons, Junior and Highpockets. Just an Old Sweet Song was followed by two 60-minute sequels in 1978: Kinfolks (in which Madge Sinclair replaced Cicely Tyson as Priscilla Simmons) and Down Home. Alas, none of the three films yielded a weekly series. Plot: A family from Detroit takes a two-week vacation in the south which makes multiple changes in their life they didn't think were possible. We do not own the rights to any of this film. This film is being used for historical and educational purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Black Excellence:

Starring Robert Hooks, Cicely Tyson, Kevin Hooks

Lady Sings the Blues is a 1972 American biographical musical drama film directed by Sidney J. Furie about jazz singer Billie Holiday, loosely based on her 1956 autobiography which, in turn, took its title from Holiday's song. It was produced by Motown Productions for Paramount Pictures. Diana Ross, in her feature film debut, portrayed Holiday, alongside a cast including Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James T. Callahan, and Scatman Crothers. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards in 1973, including Best Actress for Diana Ross. Plot: The story of the troubled life and career of the legendary Jazz singer, Billie Holiday, who fights drug addiction to make a name for herself. Synopsis: Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday. Her late childhood, stint as a prostitute, early tours, marriages and drug addiction are featured. Storyline: Pop star Diana Ross portrays legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday in this biographical drama. Beginning with Holiday's traumatic youth, the film depicts her early attempts at a singing career and her eventual rise to stardom, as well as her difficult relationship with Louis McKay (Billy Dee Williams), her boyfriend and manager. Casting a shadow over even Holiday's brightest moments is the vocalist's severe drug addiction, which threatens to end both her career and her life. We do not own the rights to any of this film. This film is being used for historical and educational purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Black Excellence:

The River Niger is a 1976 film adaptation of the 1972 Joseph A. Walker play of the same title. The film was directed by Krishna Shah, and starred James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, and Louis Gossett Jr. The film had a limited commercial release in 1976 and has rarely been seen in later years. The soundtrack is by War, including the theme song "River Niger". Plot: An intimate look at life in the ghetto: Johnny Williams is a house painter who moonlights as a poet, struggling to financially and emotionally support his cancer-ridden wife Mattie. But times are tough and the poverty-troubled streets are even tougher, and it takes every ounce of Johnny's love and courage for the couple to make it through their strife, finding redemption in the River Niger. Storyline: In a poor African-American neighborhood in Los Angeles, once-aspiring poet Johnny Williams (James Earl Jones) takes a low-paying job as a house painter in order to support his family. Already struggling to make ends meet, Williams -- who rests his hopes on his son Jeff (Glynn Turman), an Air Force lieutenant -- grows more despondent when he learns his wife, Mattie (Cicely Tyson), has terminal cancer. Now, Williams must summon the depths of his spirit to overcome his family's plight. Tagline: Some rivers can't be dammed... some people won't be broken. We do not own the rights to any of this film. This film is being used for historical and educational purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Black Excellence:

Starring James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson, Louis Gossett Jr.

Desperation drives two nuns to perform an exorcism no nun should attempt. With a possessed child at the mercy of evil and the opposition of the Catholic Church, they take on the dangerous forbidden rituals themselves, putting their immortal souls in grave danger. They must confront the terrifying cost of their sacrilegious actions, but one goal remains: the boy must be saved at all costs.

Starring Song Hye-kyo, Jeon Yeo-bin, Lee Jin-uk

Honeydripper is a 2007 American musical drama film written and directed by John Sayles. Stars Danny Glover and Charles S. Dutton. Overview: In 1950s Alabama, the owner of the Honeydripper juke joint finds his business dropping off and against his better judgment, hires a young electric guitarist in a last ditch effort to draw crowds during harvest time. Synopsis: Faced with mounting debts and stiff competition from a rival nightclub and its newfangled jukebox, small-town Alabama club owner Tyrone Purvis (Danny Glover) and his partner Maceo (Charles S. Dutton) book rhythm-and-blues star Guitar Sam to save their failing venue, the Honeydripper. But when Sam doesn't show up on the appointed day, Tyrone must resort to increasingly desperate measures in his struggle to secure a last-minute replacement and keep the Honeydripper from closing its doors. Storyline: 1950. Rural Alabama. Cotton harvest. It's a make-or-break weekend for the Honeydripper Lounge and its owner, piano player Tyrone "Pine Top" Purvis. Deep in debt to the liquor man, the chicken man, and the landlord, Tyrone is desperate to lure the young cotton pickers and local Army base recruits into his juke joint, away from Touissant's, the rival joint across the way. His plan to hire a guitar legend goes awry and Tyrone is forced to take drastic action in a final scheme to save the club. Plot: Filmed and set in Georgiana, Alabama circa 1950, the film stars Danny Glover as the owner of a traditional blues club that is failing and in danger of being taken over until he hires a young electric guitarist (Gary Clark, Jr.) to stand-in as the popular "Guitar Sam" in the hopes of attracting a younger crowd. The film also stars musician Keb' Mo' as a mysterious blind guitarist, actor/comedian Kel Mitchell and singer Mable John. Rhythm and blues singer Ruth Brown recorded some songs for the film and was cast to play the role ultimately played by John, but died before filming started. We do not own the rights to any of this film. This film is being used for historical and educational purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Black Excellence:

Starring Danny Glover, LisaGay Hamilton, Yaya DaCosta

Freedom Song is a 2000 biographical made-for-television drama film based on true stories of the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi in the 1960s. It tells the story of the struggle of African Americans to register to vote in the fictional town of Quinlan. In the midst of the Freedom Summer, a group of high school students in the small town are eager to make grassroots changes in their own community. The young activists meet resistance not only from white southerners, but from their parents, who have experienced firsthand the violence that can result from speaking out. As high school students band together with the support of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, they make strides in registering African American voters and gaining awareness for their cause. The film was made for television and released on February 27, 2000, on the TNT TV channel in the United States. It was written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson and co-written by Stanley Weiser. Winner of the Image Award, Writers Guild of America award, and Golden Gate Award, it stars Danny Glover, Vicellous Reon Shannon, and Vondie Curtis-Hall. Storyline: A tale about a young man's struggle for equality and justice and basic American rights in 1960s Mississippi and the harrowing ordeals people wanting the same opportunities endured, before Blacks were allowed to vote, and when they did sit-ins at White establishments. The young man, Owen (Vicellous Reon Shannon), is at odds with his father Will (Danny Glover) who is afraid his son's anti-segregation activities will jeopardize the family's livelihood and safety. Review: "Freedom Song" is a surprising, powerful, emotional, sometimes funny, always honest look at the civil rights movement. This is a wonderfully told story. It focuses mostly on teenagers, and it's fascinating. This film is an impressive re-telling of how the non-violent emphasis within that movement led to its eventual success. Carole King's "Song of Freedom" is a great anthem for the film. America is a deeply racist nation, so unsurprisingly there is a lot of bigotry in this movie. Everyone should have a right to vote. No matter what race or ethnic group. America was based on freedom and liberty at its founding, but white Americans didn't extend that same freedom and liberty to the hundreds of thousands of black people they held in slavery. I live in Alabama and right now in May 2026 white people are doing their very best to diminish the power of the black vote and deny African Americans political representation in Alabama and across the South. In May 1963, Birmingham, Alabama became infamous for its use of fire hoses and police dogs on marching African American students during the civil rights protests against segregation. Black people were beaten bloody in Selma, Alabama in 1965 simply for marching for the right to vote. The Supreme Court has dismantled the ensuing Voting Rights Act of 1965. In 2026 in Montgomery, Alabama, the site of the 1955-56 Bus Boycott, 70 years later, amid protests, flooding and evacuations, the Alabama Legislature passed special election bills that produce a racial gerrymander. The struggle continues... We do not own the rights to any of this film. This film is being used for historical and educational purposes only. No copyright infringement intended. Black Excellence:

Starring Danny Glover, Vicellous Shannon, Vondie Curtis-Hall

MEAN MOTHER (1974) | A GRITTY BLAXPLOITATION ACTION CLASSIC BlackTree Media presents Mean Mother, a 1974 action-packed crime drama starring Dobie Gray, Dennis Safren, Luciana Paluzzi and Albert Cole. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, the film follows two American soldiers whose lives take an unexpected turn after they become involved in criminal activities overseas. Years later, their paths cross again in Europe, where smuggling, betrayal and dangerous underworld connections pull them into a violent struggle for survival. Directed by Al Adamson and León Klimovsky, Mean Mother blends Vietnam-era drama, international crime and the gritty action style of 1970s exploitation cinema. Dobie Gray, best remembered for his hit songs The “In” Crowd and Drift Away, takes on a leading dramatic role in this unusual entry in the blaxploitation era. 🎬 Year: 1974 | Rating: Not Rated | Runtime: Approximately 88 minutes Rediscover a lesser-known piece of 1970s Black cinema featuring a celebrated soul singer in an unexpected action role. 📺 Watch classic movies and television 24/7 at BlackTreeTV.com — Where Legends Live Forever. 🔔

Starring Dobie Gray, Dennis Safren, Luciana Paluzzi

CB is searching for his friend David, a talented songwriter who disappeared after succumbing to mental illness and drug addiction. He meets Heather, a young woman with CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome,) an invisible illness regrettably labeled “The Suicide Disease.” From their shared pain and loss, a connection blossoms and they decide to investigate David’s disappearance together. The hunt descends down dangerous paths fraught with poisonous roadblocks and underworld predators. Something doesn’t add up. The puzzle pieces don’t fit. Until suddenly… everything clicks! Starring: Zebedee Row, Rachel Alig, Julia Smushkova, Ryan Welsh, Keri Bunkers, Mark Vanda Directed by: Matthew Michael Ross Please visit our website to get more information: 🔔Love unique stories and talented filmmakers?

Starring Zebedee Row, Rachel Alig, Julia Smushkova

Review the film on LETTERBOXD: The definitive 4K master of 'Everything Grows In Eden'. 🌿 SYNOPSIS - A young woman promises to take her suicidal best friend to an alternative retreat but when their volatile mutual friend joins the trip, an unexpected detour to a local commune forces all three to confront some painful truths. ⭐️ CREDITS - Written and directed by Jack Johnston Starring Sophie Reynolds, Sandy Keayes, Cameron Mighell, Nicholas Vincent and Kira Nelson Music by Ian Aising Featuring songs from Ellen James and Felix Leunig & The Looming Feelings 💪 Officially selected for the Brunswick Underground Film Festival (BUFF) 2026 🌟 WANT TO GET IN CONTACT?

Starring Sophie Reynolds, Sandy Keayes, Cameron Mighell

The official music video for Bruno Mars' "The Lazy Song" from the album 'Doo-Wops and Hooligans''. Stream: Directed by Bruno Mars and Cameron Duddy Choreographed and Performed by Poreotics: Comic Chimp Mask used by permission of Easter Unlimited, Inc. / FunWorld Div. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2009. The Romantic – the new album from Bruno Mars, available now. Listen now: Stream or Download Doo-Wops & Hooligans: Join Bruno’s mailing list:

The Weeknd - The Hills (Official Video) Download Song: Taken from the new album Beauty Behind The Madness Stream/Share on Spotify: Connect with The Weeknd: Directed by Grant Singer Produced by Nathan Scherrer Production Company: FREENJOY, INC. Music video by The Weeknd performing The Hills. © 2015 The Weeknd XO, Inc., Manufactured and Marketed by Republic Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

MAYHEM OUT NOW Listen to “Die With A Smile”, song and video out now: Directed by Daniel Ramos & Bruno Mars Follow Lady Gaga: Facebook: Instagram: TikTok: Twitter: YouTube: Website: Follow Bruno Mars: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: TikTok: YouTube: Website: Official Store: Music video by Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars performing Die With A Smile.© 2024 Interscope Records