Monday, November 23, 2009

The Murder of Fred Hampton (movie review)

This might be viewed in sequence with several others reviewed in these blogs, hitting around the same time.

American Revolution 2, likewise a documentary, focuses on an alliance between recent immigrants to Chicago and Black Panthers. This film is more about an alliance between Black Panthers and journalists who know they can't afford, as papers of record, to be perceived as dupes. If the facts are clearly not as the police have stated them, then they have no choice but to keep asking questions.

Fred Hampton is a firebrand with an incendiary rhetoric. On the ground, his organization is working hard to win the loyalty of the people his party represents. Medical care and education are being provided.

The police seem somewhat taken aback that their story really has to hold water. The Black Panther rhetoric is so nakedly defiant that authorities assume an implicit social contract gives them carte blanch to commit mayhem.

Fred Hampton is murdered while in his bedroom with his pregnant wife, who survives to contribute an interview.