Panther is a 1995 cinematic adaptation of Melvin Van Peebles's novel Panther, produced and directed by Mario Van Peebles.[3] The drama film portrays the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, tracing the organization from its founding through its decline in a compressed timeframe. It was the first narrative feature-film to depict the Black Panther Party.[3]
In this semi-fictionalized account of the origins of the Black Panthers, Vietnam veteran Judge (Kadeem Hardison) returns to his hometown of Oakland to find it beset by violence and police discrimination against African-Americans. Judge's friend Cy tells him about a vigilante group that's organizing against the police and introduces him to its leaders, Bobby (Courtney B. Vance) and Huey (Marcus Chong). Judge joins the movement but is soon beset by police pressure to inform against Huey.
OnRotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 25% approval rating based on 12 reviews, with an average rating of 5.2/10.[4]Roger Ebert stated "There is a fascinating study to be made of the Black Panther Party. Panther is not that film."[5] Panther co-founder Bobby Seale, a major character in the film, called it "80 percent to 90 percent" untrue and "a false-light invasion of my privacy."[6] While Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times praised it as a "sincere attempt at celebratory, spirit-raising filmmaking", he also criticized it as "a frustrating amalgam of truth, violence, supposition and inspiration".[7]
The film grossed $6,834,525 in the United States and Canada and $8 million worldwide.[8][2]
A soundtrack for the film containing R&B and hip hop music was released on May 2, 1995 by Mercury Records. It peaked at number 37 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and was certified gold on July 25, 1995. Featured on the soundtrack was the single "Freedom (Theme from Panther)", a collaboration among more than 60 female R&B singers and rappers that peaked at 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Three singles made it to the Billboard charts, "Head Nod" by Hodge, "The Points", a collaboration between 12 of hip-hop's most popular artists and groups, and "Freedom (Theme from Panther)", a collaboration between over 60 female R&B singers and rappers.
^ abc"15 years of production". Variety. 14 December 1998. p. 102.
^ abNdounou, Monica White (2014). Shaping the future of African American film : color-coded economics and the story behind the numbers. New Brunswick, N.J. ISBN978-0813562551. OCLC879576313.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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