The Untold Story Of
Emmett Louis Till (DVD + CD-ROM)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: B+ Documentary: B
When I was young, I had heard the story of Emmett Till,
but since the 1980s, that story has mysteriously disappeared because it is
still considered to hot to handle and with a rollback and reclamation attitude
from the conservative side (and worse) of the country, it is no surprise that a
sort of silence and censorship has befallen this key part of history. Keith A. Beauchamp’s bold and powerful The
Untold Story Of Emmett Louis Till (2005) is an amazing retelling of the
story of how the mutilation of a young 15-year-old black male was a huge
impetus for what became the long-overdue Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
He manages to secure the last interviews with family
members, dig up obscure facts, visual aids and text, then assembles them in a
way that offers amazing impact and made this critic angry in particular that
certain media forces have tried to cleanse or ignore the story in the first
place. It is a vital part of American
History that should be mandatory for all to see, hear and know. To be blunt, a 15-year-old young man
whistled at a white woman in a way to suggest she was attractive and that was
all. In order to set an example, a
conspiracy was assembled by certain white supremist leaning forces to abduct,
attack, mutilate and murder him, than cover it up. It happened and denying that is beyond obscene. Beauchamp should have had an Oscar® nomination
for Best Documentary and only its 70 minute length could be the pale reason for
an excuse not to. If you do not know
the till story, this is a must-see program with great journalistic integrity.
The 1.33 X 1 image is shot on analog NTSC video and looks
good, compiled over several years and also including various stills and film
footage throughout. The Dolby Digital
2.0 Stereo has no real surrounds, but is very good for a documentary
presentation. The combination shows
that the creators really cared about the material. Extras include a CD-ROM that has printable materials on the
history and subject of Till and Civil Rights.
There is also a nice paper slip with a director’s statement and the main
DVD includes trailers for this and three other ThinkFilm titles including Protocols
Of Zion, text about Till, an interview featurette and full-length audio
commentary by director Beauchamp that is very thorough.
- Nicholas Sheffo
