A Timeline Of The Van Peebles Family In Film

We the Party, opening on April 6th, is an independent film directed and produced by Mario Van Peebles. If that sounds familiar, it's because over the past twenty years, Mario has written, directed, and/or produced (and nearly always acted in) over a dozen independent films and documentaries, in addition to studio and TV gigs.

Where might this intense drive come from? Some would argue that Mario's father, Melvin Van Peebles, invented truly independent cinema with his landmark Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song!, and he certainly reshaped the way Hollywood viewed filmmakers of color. In recognition of We the Party, which features performances from Mario and four of his five children, we take a look back at the impact the Van Peebles clan has had on the movie business.

Movie: Watermelon Man

When Columbia Pictures hired Melvin Van Peebles to direct the feature Watermelon Man, they were taking a risk in more ways than one. Not only was this writer/director/composer black, but he had been living in France, where his work as a filmmaker, novelist, musician, and playwright had been praised for its unique artistic sensibility.

So he was a bona fide artist, and they were asking him to direct a comedy about a racist white man whose skin magically turns black overnight. At the end of the original screenplay, the lead character (played by black actor Godfrey Cambridge in white face) was supposed to return to being white, as if it had all been a bad dream. Melvin was having none of it, instead filming an alternate ending in which the character remained black, and then "neglecting" to shoot the other version. It was clear that working for the man was not really Melvin's thing—so much so, he rejected Columbia's subsequent three-picture deal.

Movie: Sweet Sweetback's Baadassss Song!

Melvin has admitted that his film making methods in the early days were haphazard, to say the least. But if there was one thing he knew with certainty, it was that black audiences would come to see a film about a powerful black man sticking it to the system. When no studio would pick up Sweet Sweetback, Melvin decided to fund the film himself (although it took a $50,000 loan from Bill Cosby to finish production). Melvin insisted on an integrated crew for the shoot, and in order to avoid union segregation (and union salaries), he presented to the world that he was shooting a porn. Which was only partly a lie—the film shows Melvin, as Sweet Sweetback, actually getting it in more than once. Moreover, an early scene shows the young Sweet, played by a thirteen-year-old Mario, being deflowered by a prostitute.

Mario's sex scene was simulated, but it remains just one of the controversial aspects of the film. Critics of Black Cinema have different feelings about the film, and about whether or not it can be lumped together with the Blaxploitation films it spawned. But all that aside, Huey P. Newton made it required viewing for the Black Panthers, and the film grossed more money than any independent film to that point in history, striking a chord with a black audience that was more than ready for a film of its own.

Movie: Jaws: The Revenge

Why would we follow up Sweet Sweetback with a film that boasts the rare 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes? Well, for one thing, it represents the next time that Melvin and Mario shared an acting credit, but it also proves that there are many ways to subvert Hollywood expectations. Mario's character in the film, Jake, is attacked by the title Great White, but he lives to the end—no small accomplishment for an actor of color in a horror flick.

Movie: Identity Crisis

Since Mario's first introduction to the family business was pretending to knock boots with a hooker, maybe Melvin owed him this one. Identity Crisis is no watershed moment in film making, but it does represent a major moment in the Van Peebles family legacy: here were Melvin and Mario collaborating together on an independent film for the first time. That it told the story of a rapper named Chilly D (played by Mario) whose body is inhabited by the soul of a dead, gay fashion designer is maybe best forgotten.

Movie: New Jack City

Unlike most other Van Peebles family hits, New Jack City was a studio picture all the way. Nonetheless, it marked the debut of a very promising young, black director. In addition to launching Mario's directing career, and giving him a serious shot in the arm as an actor, the film sent Wesley Snipes' star into orbit, proved that Ice-T could play a cop, and allowed a young comedian named Chris Rock to show his dark side.

Sometimes commercial success can be revolutionary. New Jack City hit right at a moment when urban and hip-hop culture were infiltrating the zeitgeist like never before, and once again, a Van Peebles was at the forefront of a film making movement.

Movie: Posse

Ok, not every bright idea can become a film making revolution. The black cowboy story Posse, directed by and starring Mario, did not exactly change the world, but you must give him credit for not playing it safe after the success of New Jack City. The film features supporting performances from papa Melvin, Isaac Hayes, Tone Loc, and the one and only Big Daddy Kane.

Movie: Ali

The Van Peebles clan was no stranger to the Black Power movement. As mentioned, Black Panthers co-founder Huey P. Newton was a huge supporter of Sweet Sweetback, and in 1995, Mario produced and directed the film Panther about the formation of the party. So he was an inspired choice to play the most iconic of militant Civil Rights leaders, Malcolm X, in Michael Mann's Muhammad Ali biopic. The performance represents one of his best in something he neither wrote, directed, nor produced.

Movie: Baadassss!

The Van Peebles way is all about blending life and art, and Baadasssss!, a making-of biopic that tells the story of Sweet Sweetback's production, is the most formal example of their ethos in action. Mario plays Melvin, allowing him to portray his father directing his young self (played by Khleo Thomas) in that infamous sex scene. Therapy, anyone?

All in all, the film is a thoughtful, caring portrait of the trials Melvin underwent to get his landmark film made—even if it shows its lead character warts and all (and yes, Melvin famously contracted an STD on the Sweet Sweetback set). A critical success (nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards), Baadasssss!, unlike the film it pays homage to, was not a financial success.

Movie: All Things Fall Apart

In another inspired choice, Fiddy hired Mario to direct what is ultimately a project right in the Van Peebles sweetspot: an independent black film with a message for the community. That 50 Cent, who also starred, does not yet seem to be the world's greatest screenwriter or actor is a separate issue—he called on the right director to guide him through a performance that saw him go to some very challenging places emotionally and shed massive weight (as in pounds).

Unfortunately, the movie's best press came when the legal team for legendary African writer Chinua Achebe refused to grant the rights to the film's original title, Things Fall Apart. Apparently, Mr. Achebe scoffed at FIddy's offer of a million dollars—making Chinua a baadasssss in his own right.

Movie: We the Party

We the Party is a comic drama that features performances from Mario Van P., Michael Jai White, Tiny Lister, and Snoop Dogg, as well as musical groups The Rejectz, New Boyz, and Pink Dollaz—but more importantly, it is a clear indication that the Van Peebles legacy is being carried on by the next generation.

It stars Mario's son Mandela Van Peebles as a Los Angeles high school student trying to find his way in uncertain times. The coming of age story also features Mario's kids Makaylo, Morgana, and Maya, and while it will appeal to all audiences, it seems certain to connect with young people of color, just as Melvin Van Peebles' seminal work did over forty years ago.