Pioneers of African-American cinema
(DVD)

Disc 1. Two knights of vaudeville (11 min. ; 1915) / produced by the Ebony Film Corporation ; produced by Luther Pollard ; music composed by Donald Sosin ; A reckless rover (14 min. ; 1918) / produced by Luther Pollard ; directed by C.N. David ; produced by Ebony Film Corporation ; Within our gates (79 min. ; 1920) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; new musical score composed by Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky ; The symbol of the unconquered: a story of the Ku Klux Klan (59 min.; 1920) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; music by Max Roach ; By right of birth (fragment) (4 min.; 1921) / directed by Harry A. Gant ; produced by P.H. Updike ; screenplay by Dora Mitchell ; story by George Johnson ; music by Donald Sosin ; Body and soul (93 min.; 1925) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; new musical score composed by Paul D. Miller, aka DJ Spooky ; Screen snapshots (excerpt) (1 min. ; 1920) --

Disc 2. Regeneration (fragment of reel two) (11 min. ; 1923) / directed by Richard Norman ; produced by the Norman Film Manufacturing Company ; music by Donald Sosin ; The flying ace (65 min. ; 1926) / written, produced and directed by Richard E. Norman ; produced at the Norman Studios ; musical score compiled from historic photoplay music by The Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra ; Ten nights in a bar room (64 min. ; 1926) / directed by Roy Calnek ; music by Donald Sosin ; Rev. S.S. Jones home movies (excerpts) (16 min. ; 1924-1928) / directed and photographed by Reverend Solomon Sir Jones ; The scar of shame (86 min. ; 1929) / directed by Frank Perugini ; written by David Starkman ; produced by Colored Players Film Corporation ; music composed and performed by Makia Matsumura --

Disc 3. Eleven P.M. (60 min. ; 1928) / written and directed by Richard Maurice ; music composed and performed by Rob Gal ; Hell-bound train (50 min. ; c.1930) / written and directed by James and Eloyce Gist ; music composed and performed by Samuel Waymon ; Verdict: not guilty (8 min. ; c.1933) / written and directed by James and Eloyce Gist ; music composed and performed by Samuel Waymon ; The darktown revue (18 min. ; 1931) / directed by Oscar Micheaux ; produced by Oscar Micheaux and Alice B. Russell ; produced by the Micheaux Film Corporation ; The exile (78 min. ; 1931) / Frank Schiffman presents an Oscar Micheaux production ; written and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; produced by the Micheaux Film Corporation ; music by Donald Heywood ; Hot Biskits (10 min. ; 1931) / written and directed by Spencer Williams ; produced by Dixie Comedies --

Disc 4. The girl from Chicago (70 min. ; 1932) / A. Burton Russell presents Oscar Micheaux's production ; written and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; produced by Micheaux Pictures Corp. ; Ten minutes to live (58 min. ; 1932) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; Veiled aristocrats (44 min. ; 1932) / written, produced and directed by Oscar Micheaux ; Birthright (73 min. ; 1938) / Burton Russell presents an Oscar Micheaux Production ; screenplay by Oscar Micheaux --

Disc 5. The bronze buckaroo (58 min. ; 1939) / written, produced and directed by Richard C. Kahn ; music by Lew Porter ; Zora Neale Hurston fieldwork footage (excerpt: Logging community near Loughman, Florida) (3 min. ; 1928) ; Zora Neale Hurston fieldwork footage (excerpt: Commandment Keeper Church, Beaufort, South Carolina) (16 min. ; 1940) ; The blood of Jesus (56 min. ; 1941) / written and directed by Spencer Williams ; produced by Amegro Films ; Dirty Gertie from Harlem U.S.A. (60 min. ; 1946) / Alfred N. Sack presents ; directed by Spencer Williams ; produced by Bert Goldberg ; screenplay by True T. Thompson ; The Moses sisters interview (33 min. ; c.1978) / directed and photographed by Pearl Bowser.

Special features: Disc 1. Pioneers of African-American cinema : an introduction (8 min. ; 2016) ; The films of Oscar Micheaux (9 min. ; 2016) --

Disc 2. The color line (6 min. ; 2016) ; Ten nights in a barroom : an introduction (5 min. ; 2016) ; About the restoration (8 min. ; 2016) --

Disc 3. Religion in early African-American cinema (7 min. ; 2016) ; Eleven P.M. : an introduction (3 min. ; 2016) ; S. Torriano Berry discusses the works of James and Eloyce Gist (5 min. ; 2016) --

Disc 4. Veiled aristocrats (Original trailer) (4 min. ; 1932) ; Birthright (Theatrical trailer) (3 min. ; 1938) --

Disc 5. The Tyler-Texas Black Film Collection : the missing link in black cinema (6 min. ; 1985) ; The films of Zora Neale Hurston (2 min. ; 2016) ; The films of Spencer Williams (7 min. ; 2016) ; The end of an era (5 min. ; 2016).