Wattstax (1973)

Mixing commentary from ordinary people and celebrities of the time (including Richard Pryor and Ted Lange) with footage from the actual concert, this documentary celebrates the 1973 concert that was held seven years after the Watts riots. There is some really impressive footage of the concert including The Staple Singers, Luther Ingram, and an Isaac Hayes finale. Extremely memorable are the scenes with Rufus Thomas and watching him control the crowd. While I prefer concert films to be (almost) all actual concert footage, in this instance I appreciated the timely discussions on race, gender, and the general state of the city and country.