Wattstax Details

Wattstax

Originally released in 1973, WATTSTAX is a musical and cultural artifact that pays tribute to the Watts riots, which ravaged Los Angeles for six days beginning August 11, 1965. The film's main focus is the Watts Summer Festival's 1972 concert held at the Los Angeles Coliseum, featuring performances by Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staple Singers, The Bar-Kays, Luther Ingram, and a host of other soul singers. Concert footage is intercut with interviews of African-Americans, who discuss the state of black America in the early 1970s, as well as the effects the riots had on Los Angeles and America at large.

Starring	Ossie Davis, Richard Pryor, Fred Berry, James Alexander, Billy Eckstine
Director	Mel Stuart
Run time	DVD: 1 hr 43 mins
Certificate
Genres	Documentary, Drama, Music/Musical
Language	DVD: English
Released	Production year: 1973 To Rent: DVD: not available