Say Amen, Somebody
UW Cinematheque 821 University Ave., UW Vilas Hall, Room 4070, Madison, Wisconsin
press release: USA | 1982 | DCP | 100 min.
Director: George T. Nierenberg
Nierenberg’s landmark documentary celebrates the rich tradition and transporting beauty of African American gospel music. Effortlessly weaving together rousing performances, oral history, and vérité asides, Nierenberg balances footage of gospel titans Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey and Mother Willie Mae Ford Smith with younger disciples of the art like Zella Jackson Price, the O’Neal Twins, and the Barrett Sisters. Shot by Don Lenzer (Woodstock) and Ed Lachman (Carol), the up-close musical sequences are known to carry viewers, be they believers or not, to a plane of ecstasy. Newly remastered in 4K image and 5.1 surround sound by Milestone Films. “The most joyful movie I’ve seen in a very long time” (Roger Ebert).
New Restorations: From the ridiculous (the Marx Bros.’ Horse Feathers) to the sublime (Claude Berri’s moving The Two of Us), our August-December calendar features more than a half dozen other programs of digital restorations not already included in one of our other series. A selection of features and documentaries from around the world and throughout cinema history, the highlight of this series will be an October 31 program of silent movies curated by The New York Times' film critic Mahohla Dargis.