How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It)

Melvin Van Peebles is assured a place in the history of American cinema for his 1971 independent production Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, generally credited as the keystone in the blaxploitation genre. But as Joe Angio's lively and provocatively titled documentary makes clear, Van Peebles has led a kaleidoscopic life as an Air Force pilot (one of his flights ferried the atomic bomb across the Pacific), French-language novelist, and Wall Street trader, all of which preceded his barrier-breaking ascent into filmmaking. Sweetback was not Van Peebles' first film—he previously directed the long-forgotten French-based indie drama The Story of a Three-Day Pass (1968) and the silly studio-financed comedy Watermelon Man (1970)—although the success of Sweetback did not encourage Van Peebles to continue pursuing an active career in cinema (his subsequent film output was spotty and mostly obscure). But Van Peebles remained a creative dynamo, generating Broadway shows, original music compositions, occasional television commentary (some of which is included in the special features section), and more provocative writing. Van Peebles emerges in the film's interviews as a charming and fascinating raconteur, and the chorus of approval from the likes of the late Gordon Parks, Spike Lee, and his son Mario confirms his unique position in American culture. Other DVD extras include clips of a band performing a pair of Van Peebles' songs. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)