Several Friends (1969)

An improvised late '60's short-subject student film, and debut movie of Director, Charles Burnett; done in the neo-realist, documentary film style. A day-in-the-life South Central L.A. tale... See full summary »

Director:

Charles Burnett

Writer:

Charles Burnett

Stars:

Andy Burnett, Eugene Cherry, Charles Bracy

Cast

Cast overview:
Andy Burnett
Eugene Cherry	...	(as Gene Cherry)
Charles Bracy
Cassandra Wright
Donna Deitch
Deloras Robinson
James Miles
L.E. McGraw
Ernest Cox
L.R. Canan
Arthur Boot
Allen Jurgins

Storyline

An improvised late '60's short-subject student film, and debut movie of Director, Charles Burnett; done in the neo-realist, documentary film style. A day-in-the-life South Central L.A. tale about a rag-tag group of unemployed black male pals. The realistic dialogue and attitudes of the principal players will remind the viewer of latter day Spike Lee/ Ice Cube movies. The moving of the washing machine scene will remind one of the 'engine carrying' sequence' of Burnett's '77 "Killer of Sheep" Feature. Inspiring.

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Plot Keywords:

independent film | 

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Genres:

Short

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 2011 (USA)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

21 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

I Only Get This Feeling
Written and Performed by Dee Ervin (as Dee Irwin)

User Reviews

3 shorts by Burnett

Several Friends (1969)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Student film from director Burnett shows several friends in South Central L.A. sitting around smoking pot and drinking beer. I'm really not sure what point the director was going for but I got very little out of the story. I'm not sure if this is a bash about unemployment or if this is suppose to be fun. The plot never really comes through so it's hard to know how we're suppose to feel about the characters.

Horse, The (1973)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Strange and surreal short about four white men waiting for a black man to show up so that he can put down an old horse. This is a very strange short but Burnett tells the story in such a way that it kept me interested until the end. I'm not sure what the message was or if there was one but this is certainly a weird little film.

When it rains (1995)

** (out of 4)

A musician tries to save a woman and her children from being thrown out of their South Central apartment. Seeing as this short came twenty-plus years after the directors previous films, I was a little shocked to see he hadn't grown much in his directorial style. Perhaps it's unfair to judge him by these shorts but I really haven't been impressed too much.