In a time when Black issues are at the forefront of society – as they should be – and coming off a highly contentious election year that still somewhat lingers throughout our society, it is important to reflect upon the past to see what lessons we can harness for the future. This is what makes the release of the newly-restored documentary Nationtime such a cherished piece of filmmaking for those wanting to educate themselves. Upon the invitation of Amiri Baraka, legendary filmmaker William Greaves (Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One) traveled to Gary, Indiana along with 10,000 other Black citizens to capture the National Black Political Convention in March of 1972. It was an election year and the hope was for the in-fighting to be suspended for a weekend in hope of developing a national agenda that could bring all Black people together for the common goal of Black political power. As an opening prologue reads, while the convention was deemed a “failure” the truth is that it served as a pivotal turning point for Black self-determination.
As he was known for in his filmmaking, Greaves takes a cinema verite approach to the material as he captures the material without much in the way of editorializing or interviews. Sidney Poitier does occasionally interject with some narration to give you the slightest bit of context, and Harry Belafonte (who does appear in the film) comes in with some poetry to interject some textural artistry, but other than this you are left to process the material at face value. The broadly-defined camps heading into the convention boiled down to those Black people who wanted to find a way to work within the system of the time and those who thought it would be more beneficial to form an all-Black party. Even with legislative victories intended to help further civil rights, White people were still finding ways to hold back Black empowerment. Yet, how would the “Black Power” rhetoric serve the average Black person on a day-to-day basis when the struggle to gain true power seemed insurmountable?
The speakers on hand for this historic gathering and those captured on film speak with an impassioned energy that helps wade through some of these issues while advocating for the power of unity. Gary mayor Richard Hatcher kicks things off by getting the audience ready for the days of purposeful grandstanding that will hopefully shed some clarity on their direction. Rev. Jesse Jackson delivers one of the most dynamic speeches of the event after being introduced by Coretta Scott King, who herself brings a powerful vision to the proceedings by channeling the work of her late husband. Jackson takes you on a journey, but as a clear thesis he bellows, “I am a Black man, I want a Black party. I do not trust White Republicans or White Democrats.” The point is blunt, but it is honest and shows why it was so difficult to come to a consensus on certain issues. Speakers such as comedian Dick Gregory add a bit of levity to the proceedings, but even he is aware of the seriousness of the proceedings and closes with a powerful message.
As it works in the modern day, you have to inject some excitement into politics by way of celebrity which ushers in appearances from figures such as the previously-mentioned Harry Belafonte, Richard Roundtree (Shaft), and Isaac Hayes, who provides some music on stage to break up the cascading speeches. If there is any impediment to the film, it is in the way in which some of the material presented on screen may be unclear to modern viewers. There comes a pivotal point when a segment of the audience wants to walk out over a dispute, but it is difficult to gather what exactly is in question and who is on which side of the equation. You do not have to do homework before watching this documentary, but some confusion might arise in places if you are completely unfamiliar with all of the issues happening at the time of convention. For the most part, this film serves as a snapshot of a pivotal point on this long road to equality and justice for Black people. It should be examined with the respect it deserves.
Video Quality
The Blu-Ray of Nationtime is sourced from a new 4K restoration supervised by IndieCollect of the original camera negative presented in its original 80-minute cut. This is a gorgeous transfer that all but eliminates any blemishes to the print outside of the occasional white specks, tiny cuts and other small blemishes. The transfer maintains impeccable film grain support throughout with nothing looking unnatural and no major instances of spiking. When you consider the age of the film and condition of the source material, it is pleasing to see the material looking so strong. There does not appear to be any issues with compression artifacts or any other such digital anomalies. The track does show off some fine detail in the clothing of the subjects and in some of the background elements in the crowded hallways. Colors present with a nice vividness that pops off the screen. This presentation does a stellar job of giving life to the brief moment in history.
Audio Quality
The new Blu-Ray is presented with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that suits the material as well as the source will allow. The speeches are the main focus of this feature, and they mostly hold up quite well considering the conditions of capturing the live convention. The sound in a gymnasium is often poor in modern times, so capturing the words blaring out of the PA system can at times be a challenge. Some of the speeches are a bit muddled due to some of the limitations of the equipment and the chatter of the crowded convention hall. There are also a few musical performances in the latter half of the film that are not fully delineated but they are far from a mess of sound. There are a couple moments where there is a fluctuation in the audio that seems to stem from damage to the source material, but these are very brief and not an overwhelming issue. Considering the limitations in place in the course of this restoration, the results are largely excellent. English subtitles are provided for those who desire them.
Special Features
The Blu-Ray of Nationtime includes a booklet featuring the essays “Lost For Decades, William Greaves’ Nationtime Expands American History” and “Notes On The Restoration of Nationtime” by Indie Collect President Sandra Schulberg which gives some background information on Greaves and how the project came together, as well as the massive undertaking that was the restoration process. There is also the essay “Black Power, Yesterday And Today” by author Leonard N. Moore which provides a great amount of context and insight into the film’s legacy that is so worthwhile. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Audio Commentary: Editor/Camera Operator David Greaves takes you through the film moment by moment offering invaluable insights into both the process of creating the film in the editing room and being at the event. This is a wonderful addition to the package that truly adds a lot of insight.
- Interview with Louise Greaves: A 15-minute featurette in which filmmaker Louise Greaves discusses her professional work with and marriage to William Greaves. She is able to shine a light on his filmmaking process in a way that most others would be unable to do.
- Interview with David Greaves: A nearly 16-minute featurette in which son of William Greaves and Editor/Camera Operator David Greaves discusses his father’s career including the birth of cinema verite, the place of narration in his films, the difficulty in editing Nationtime, how his father funded the film out of his own pocket, the energy of the event and more.
- Trailer: A two-minute trailer is provided for Nationtime.
Final Thoughts
Nationtime is a powerful film that gives you insight into the past that helps contextualize the present. Even if the exact issues are not the same, the goal very much is which makes the impassioned speeches resonate just as strongly as when the words were first uttered. There are moments that may seem opaque to a modern audience, but largely the film will connect with those willing to engage with it. Kino Lorber has given this title an excellent Blu-Ray with a top-notch A/V presentation and a lovely assortment of special features. Recommended
Nationtime is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Lorber has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
