Abstract
Nat Turner's slave rebellion is a watershed event in America's long and troubled history of slavery and racial conflict. Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property tells the story of that violent confrontation and of the ways that story has been continuously re-told during the years since 1831. It is a film about a critical moment in American history and of the multiple ways in which that moment has since been remembered. Nat Turner was a "troublesome property" for his master and he has remained a "troublesome property" for the historians, novelists, dramatists, artists and many others who have struggled to understand him.
To emphasize the fictive component of historical reconstruction, the film adopts an innovative structure: interspersing documentary footage and interviews with dramatizations of different versions of the story, using a new actor to represent Nat Turner in each version. As literary critic Henry Louis Gates explains in the film, "There is no Nat Turner to recover; you have to create the man and his voice." The filmmakers chronicle an extraordinary history of attempts to create and to recreate the man. Such a complex film required a unique collaboration between MacArthur Genius Award feature director Charles Burnett, acclaimed historian of slavery Kenneth S. Greenberg and award-winning documentary producer Frank Christopher.
To emphasize the fictive component of historical reconstruction, the film adopts an innovative structure: interspersing documentary footage and interviews with dramatizations of different versions of the story, using a new actor to represent Nat Turner in each version. As literary critic Henry Louis Gates explains in the film, "There is no Nat Turner to recover; you have to create the man and his voice." The filmmakers chronicle an extraordinary history of attempts to create and to recreate the man. Such a complex film required a unique collaboration between MacArthur Genius Award feature director Charles Burnett, acclaimed historian of slavery Kenneth S. Greenberg and award-winning documentary producer Frank Christopher.
Collection
Subject
Virginia, Slave insurrections--Historiography, Influence (Literary, artistic, etc.), Confessions of Nat Turner (Styron, William), Turner, Nat--1800?-1831, Styron, William--1925-2006--Confessions of Nat Turner, Slavery in literature, African Americans in literature, American fiction--20th century--History and criticism, Slave insurrections--Virginia--Historiography, Southampton Insurrection, 1831
Contributors
Woodard, Alfre (Narrator), Foner, Eric (Commentator), Wood, Peter (Commentator), Davis, Mary Kemp (Commentator), Burnett, Charles (Director), Christopher, Frank (Producer), Burnett, Charles (Writer), Christopher, Frank (Writer), Greenberg, Kenneth S. (Writer), Greenberg, Kenneth S. (Producer), Subpix LLC (Producer), KQED Public Television (Collaborator), California Newsreel (Firm) (Distributor)
Duration
00:57:31 (HH:MM:SS)
Language:
English
Target or Intended Audience
adult/continuing education, higher education
Copyright Holder
| Name | California Newsreel |
| Role | distributor |
| Telephone | 415-284-7800 |
| Address | 500 Third Street, Suite #505, San Francisco, CA 94107-1875 |
| [email protected] |
Copyright Date
2002-01-01
Rights Declaration:
This video is protected by copyright. You are free to view it but not download or remix it. Please contact the licensing institution for further information about how you may use this video.
Persistent/Share URL
https://54098.surd9.group/show.php?pid=njcore:86565
Basic LTI parameter
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PID
njcore:86565
Metadata