Here is a complete "race film" from 1948 titled Killer Diller.

It's mostly a musical based on a complete vaudville show from back in the day. Features Moms Mabley, a young Nat King Cole, Dusty Fletcher, The Clark Brothers, Buttefly McQueen (from Beulah), Patterson and Jackson (a famous comic duo from those times.)

Very cool to look at.

EDIT: I should post the file shouldn't I.

[Edited 1/18/12 17:54pm]

Thanks for posting this

mjscarousal said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

mjscarousal said:

Thanks for posting this

Why so sad?

One of the actors had an "all black face" similiar to what black actors had to wear in the minstrel shows. I know Bojangles Robinson participated in that...it just reminded me of it. I thought it was entertaining nonetheless... Did you check out Stormy Weather?

Stormy Weather was an all black production: Katherine Dunham, Nicholas Brothers, Cab Calloway etc are in it..

mjscarousal said:

Great thread.

Love those "war years" black films. Murder On Lenox Avenue and Moon Over Harlem are my fave from that period.

The wealth of talent in those films, is scary.

[Edited 1/19/12 11:20am]

Harlepolis said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

mjscarousal said:

One of the actors had an "all black face" similiar to what black actors had to wear in the minstrel shows. I know Bojangles Robinson participated in that...it just reminded me of it. I thought it was entertaining nonetheless... Did you check out Stormy Weather?

Stormy Weather was an all black production: Katherine Dunham, Nicholas Brothers, Cab Calloway etc are in it..

Yes, sadly you had to wear "blackface" and act a certain kind of way in those days. And yes, I have Stormy Weather. Actually (for my own historical purpose) I just purchased a colection of "Race Films" as they called them back in the day. Over 90 films in the collection of all black cast.

I would love to get a collection like that because I adore all those old films with legendary African American entertainers. Where did you purchase yours from?

^^My mom ordered Amos & Andy DVD's from the Malaco Records catalog. The quality varies because I don't think the original film/tapes were used, if they even still exist.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

The collection I got is what you would call an "official bootleg" lol. They used to advrtise them in Ebony/Jet magz (they still might.) 95 movies on 9 DVDs for 86 bucks (75 but 86 ship and handle.) If you don't want that many, Amazon.com sells 2 films on 1 disc for about 7 bucks. Theyre called Harlem Double Play.

Yeah, most of what I got are from the Harlem Double Play features. Unfortunately, the quality is shot to hell(and these are the best versions) I hope somebody restore those movies in a presentable condition.

Harlepolis said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Harlepolis said:

Yeah, most of what I got are from the Harlem Double Play features. Unfortunately, the quality is shot to hell(and these are the best versions) I hope somebody restore those movies in a presentable condition.

That's the reason why I went with the 95 dvd set instead of the double features. You get the same presentation. Also, most of those old race films have no copyright and probably no original take on the films either astheywere on minimal budgets in the first place.

Melvin Van Peebles talks briefly about these films in Classified X. Skip to 2:40

Deja vu?

Harlepolis said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Harlepolis said: That's the reason why I went with the 95 dvd set instead of the double features. You get the same presentation. Also, most of those old race films have no copyright and probably no original take on the films either astheywere on minimal budgets in the first place.

Melvin Van Peebles talks briefly about these films in Classified X. Skip to 2:40

Deja vu?

Similar to this old special? Start around 3:45.

[img:$uid]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61NzhcSQrbL.jpg[/img:$uid]

[Edited 1/19/12 23:37pm]