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Indiana University Bloomington

Collection | Films by Title: "P"

Listed by title followed by year of release, annotation, genre, running time, format, and director

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Paid in Full (2002) - This film is based on the true story of 1980s Harlem drug kingpins Rich Porter, AZ and Alpo. Ace (Wood Harris) struggles to make a living working at a laundromat, while his friend Mitch (Mekhi Phifer) enjoys a more glamorous lifestyle supported by selling heroin. Ace slowly assimilates into a life of selling coke while Mitch goes to jail and meets Rico (Cam'ron). The trio's newly acclaimed empire quickly falls due to the struggles of power, betrayal and greed. Drama, 98 min., DVD, dir: Charles Stone III.

Palmour Street (1957) Documentary, 22 min., DVD, dir: N/A.

Pancho Villa (1972) - Drama, 90 min., VHS, dir: Eugenio Martin.

Paper Doll (1942) - Dorothy Dandridge stars with the Mills Brothers in this musical short as a cut-out paper doll. Three uncredited African American women in the short. Music Performance, 3 min., 16mm, dir: Josef Berne.

Paradise in Harlem (1939) - Gangster plot set against a backdrop of late thirties jazz, with Lucky Millender and his orchestra. Musical, 85 min., VHS, dir: Joseph Seiden.

Paris Blues (1961) - The story concerns two American expatriate jazzmen (Sidney Poitier and Paul Newman) who have a romance with two American girls on the loose (Diahann Carroll and Joanne Woodward) in Paris. Music score by Duke Ellington; jazz sequences feature Louis Armstrong. Drama, 98 min., 16mm, dir: Martin Ritt.

Paris is Burning (1991) - Jennie Livingston explores Manhattan's African American and Latino queers, espcially transvestites and transsexuals who have organized themselves into "houses." The houses, which serve as family and fashion name for their members, compete at balls--part fashion show, drag party and beauty contest. Documentary, 76 min., DVD, dir: Jennie Livingston.

Passin' It On (1993) - Documentary, 57 min., DVD, dir: John Valdez.

Passing Through (1977) - The film is the story of Womack, a promising young jazz musician who after a prison term, goes on a spiritual search for his adoptive grandfather (Clarence Muse). He is a member of a collection of musicians who are trying to buck the system by gaining control of their musical destiny. They come up against the mob controlled record companies and are forced into a confrontation. Larry Clark's film attempts to subvert the Hollywood action genre, re-organizing confrontation and chase scenes according to the rhythms of jazz. Because of its success with such visual orchestration and its fidelity to the jazz life and scene, Passing Through has been hailed as one of the finest fictional jazz films. Drama, 105 min., 16mm, VHS, dir: Larry Clark.

Patch of Blue, A (1965) - Remembering only the sky as "a patch of blue," a blind white girl of 18, abused by her drunken grandfather and prostitute mother, falls in love with a black man (Sidney Poitier), much to her family's horror. Poitier is Gordon Ralfe; Ivan Dixon plays his brother Mark. Drama, 107 min., 16mm, dir: Guy Green.

Paul J. Rainey's African Hunt (1912) - Documentary, 10 min., VHS, dir: n/a.

Paul Laurence Dunbar: America's First Black Poet (1972) - Produced in 1972 on the hundreth anniversary of Paul Laurence Dunbar's birth, this tribute to the life and work of the man known as the "Negro Poet Laureate" is a collage of still pictures, paintings, art, and film dramatizations including poetry and biography. Additional participating faculty, Fisk Art Department: David Driskell, Earl Hooks, Robert Sengstacke, Jai-B. Bond. Music by Robert Holmes. Documentary, 25 min., 16mm, DVD dir: Carlton Moss.

Paul Robeson (1979) - James Earl Jones is Paul Robeson in this one-man show that is a tribute to the distinguished actor, singer, and activist. Drama, 115 min., DVD, dir: Lloyd Richards.

Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist (1979) - This Academy Award winning documentary records the career experiences of actor Paul Robeson. From Broadway performances in Othello to his work in films like Proud Valley, King Solomon's Mines, and The Emperor Jones, Robeson was a pioneer in the visual arts. The film chronicles his increasing political activism, as captured through the evolution of the lyrics of "Ol' Man River." Documentary, 29 min., VHS, dir: Saul J. Turell.

Paul Robeson: Here I Stand (1999) - Narrated by Ossie Davis, the film includes archival film footage--speeches, Broadway and musical concert performances--of the athlete, singer, scholar and political activist Paul Robeson. Documentary, 127 min., VHS, dir: St. Clair Bourne.

Paul Robeson: The Tallest Tree in Our Forest (1977) - Documentary, 90 min., VHS, DVD, dir: Gil Noble.

Pawnbroker, The (1965) - A film about Sol Nazeman (Rod Steiger), a Jewish pawnbroker who has survived the horrors of a concentration camp leaving him emotionally and intellectually dead. Various people including his black Puerto Rican assistant try to break down the wall he has built but to no avail, until a dramatic moment when his assistant is killed protecting him. Music score by Quincy Jones, his first for an American film. Drama, 100 min., VHS, dir: Sydney Lumet.

Pay As You Exit (1936) - The gang produces "Romeo and Juliet" with a pay as you exit promotion scheme, but leading man Alfalfa has been eating onions and drives off leading lady Darla. Buckwheat, cast as a Nubian slave, is brought in as a substitute Juliet. Children, 10 min., VHS, DVD, dir: Gordon Douglas.

Penitentiary (1979) - The film depicts violence in a state penitentiary where the strongest survive. Martel Gordon (Leon Isaac Kennedy), nicknamed "Too Sweet" has boxing skills that get him out of prison. But the fear of starting a new life on the outside is frightening to inmates like "Seldom Seen" (Floyd Chatman). Drama, 99 min., VHS, dir: Jamaa Fanaka.

Penitentiary 2 (1982) - When Martel "Too Sweet" Gordon's (Leon Isaac Kennedy) girlfriend (Eugenia Wright) is murdered by "Half Dead" (Ernie Hudson), a former fellow prisoner, Gordon goes back into the ring with Mr. T and old pal "Seldom Seen" (Malik Carter) as trainers. "Half Dead" continues to harass Gordon and his family (Peggy Blow, Glynn Turman, Sephton Moody), culminating in a parallel boxing sequence where Gordon defeats Jesse Amos (Donovan Womack) and Mr. T does the same to "Half Dead." Drama, 108 min., VHS, dir: Jamaa Fanaka.

Perfect Image? (1988) - A witty narrative featuring two black actresses--one light, one dark--and alot of makeup, this docu-drama examines women's obsession with beauty, acceptance, and the "perfect image." Documentary, 30 min., VHS, dir: Maureen Blackwood.

Performed Word, The (1982) - This film explores black expressive language, the spoken word dynamically performed in clubs, on playgrounds, and in churches. Berkeley's Bishop E.E. Cleveland of Ephesian Church of God in Christ, and his daughter Pastor Ernestine Cleveland Reems of Oakland's Center of Hope, are among those who exemplify this rich and vital tradition. Documentary, 55 min., 16mm, dir: Ernest Shinagawa & Carlos de Jesus.

Period Piece, A (1991) - The film is a riff on menstruation. It follows Zeinabu irene Davis' film Cycles. Documentary, 4 min., VHS, dir: Zeinabu irene Davis.

Persistent Women Artists (1996) - Artist Betty La Duke presents the lives and works of Lois Mailou Jones, Mine Okubo and Pablita Velarde, three women artists of diverse backgrounds. Their expressive works mirror their life experiences as African American, Asian American and Native American artists. Documentary, 28 min., VHS, dir: Brian Varaday.

Petite Vendeuse de Soleil, La (1999) Drama, 45 min., DVD, dir: Djibril Diop Mambety.

Philip Tabane - This documentary follows world renowned South African musician Philip Tabane as he prepares for a performance. Documentary, 47 min., VHS, dir: Dumisani Phakathi.

Philip's Cavalcade (1938) - This George Pal Puppetoon features several musical numbers. Children, 6 min., VHS, dir: George Pal.

Pickaninny Dance, The (1894) - Comedy, 1 min., VHS, dir: W.K.L. Dickson.

Pictorial View of Idlewild, A (1927) - Idlewild Michigan, a resort catering to Middle class African Americans is the subject of this documentary produced by the Chicago Daily News Film Service. Documentary, 22 min., 16mm, VHS, dir: n/a.

Pie, Pie Blackbird (1932) - A vitaphone short featuring instrumental, vocal and dance numbers performed by Eubie Blake, the Nicholas Brothers, and Nina Mae McKinney. Songs performed include: "Blackbird Pie" and "You Rascal You." Musical, 11 min., 16mm, dir: Roy Mack.

Piece of the Action, A (1977) - Dave Anderson (Bill Cosby), a safe cracker, and Manny Durrell (Sidney Poitier), a con man, are blackmailed by Joshua Burke (James Earl Jones), an ex-policeman who knows their history, into doing altruistic work for the community and the young folk. Comedy, 133 min., 16mm, dir: Sidney Poitier.

Pieces d'Identites (1998) Comedy, 93 min., DVD, dir: Mweze Ngangura.

Pigskin Palooka, The (1937) - Alfalfa tries to impress Darla with stories that he's a big football star at military school, but comes home to find himself recruited for Spanky's all stars. Assisted by Buckwheat and Spanky, Alfalfa inadvertently wins the game. Billie Thomas stars as Buckwheat. Comedy, 11 min., 16mm, DVD, dir: Gordon Douglas.

Pinch Singer, The (1936) Comedy, 20 min., DVD, dir: Fred C. Newmeyer.

Pinky (1949) - A young nurse (Jeanne Crain) who has been passing for white returns to her home in the South where she faces decisions about herself, love and her purpose in life. She's helped by her grandmother (Ethel Waters) and her grandmother's former employer (Ethel Barrymore). Nina Mae McKinney has a brief role as an unsavory companion of Frederick O'Neal's. Drama, 102 min., 16mm, VHS, dir: Elia Kazan.

Place in Time, A (1977) - Charles Lane's exploration of apathy is a cinematic tribute to Charlie Chaplin and the other silent greats. Lane plays a street artist who tries to survive and find beauty in the brutal environment of America's greatest city, New York. Drama, 34 min., 16mm, dir: Charles Lane.

Plantation System in Southern Life, The (1951) Historical, 11 min., DVD, dir: N/A.

Playing With Fire (2000) - Riana Robert (Vanessa Williams) tries to dissuade her younger sister Camille (Tangi Miller) from stealing a priceless gold African artifact from Ghana. Drama, 90 min., DVD, dir: Roy Campanella II.

Pocketbook, The (1982) - In this adaptation of a Langston Hughes short story, a young man decides to snatch an older woman's pocketbook. The lady, having won the tussle for her pocketbook, takes the sharp-dressed thief home for food and a lecture and ends up giving him money anyway. Drama, 12 min., 16mm, dir: Billy Woodberry.

Poetic Justice (1993) - Lucky (Tupac Shakur), a street-wise mailman, and Justice (Janet Jackson) are a mismatched pair pushed together on a road trip from south central Los Angeles to Oakland. Joe Torry plays Chicago; Regina King appears as Iesha, Chicago's girlfriend. Drama, 109 min., VHS, dir: John Singleton.

Politics of the Civil Rights Movement (1997) - The C-SPAN Majic Bus Civil Rights Tour and the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change sponsored this C-SPAN production about the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta with Julian Bond and Douglas G. Brinkley on March 29, 1997. Television, 82 min., DVD, dir: n/a.

Pompey's Honey Girl (1905) - Comedy, 1 min., VHS, dir: n/a.

Pooch, The (1932) Comedy, 20 min., DVD, dir: Robert F. McGowan.

Porgy & Bess (1959) - A poignant love story set against the backdrop of Catfish Row in post-Civil War South. The film showcases many black stars: Sidney Poitier plays Porgy, Dorothy Dandridge is Bess, Brock Peters is Crown, Sammy Davis, Jr. is Sportin' Life. George Gershwin's score won an Oscar. Musical, 140 min., 16mm, dir: Otto Preminger.

Porky's Phoney Express (1938) - Children, 7 min., VHS, dir: Howard & Dalton.

Porky's Picnic (1939) - Children, 7 min., VHS, dir: Robert Clampett.

Portnoy's Complaint (1972) - Comedy, 101 min., VHS, dir: Ernest Lehman.

Portrait of Jason (1967) - Jason Holliday, a 33-year old black male prostitute, spent 12 months before Shirley Clarke's camera one night; the film is edited down to less than two hours. It reveals what society can do a man it doubly rejects, as a black and as a homosexual. Documentary, 105 min., VHS, dir: Shirley Clarke.

Portraits in Black -

Documentary, VHS.

Posse (1993) - Mario Van Peebles stars as Jessie Lee in this Western about a mostly black posse who battles a pompous, racist colonel, and a vicious white sheriff who want to take over Freemanville, a peaceful black frontier settlement. Robert Hooks plays King David, Jessie's preacher father who is murdered by klansmen; Melvin Van Peebles is Papa Joe, Jessie's mentor; Charles Lane is Weezie; Tone-Loc, Angel; Big Daddy Kane, Father Time; Pam Grier, Phoebe; Salli Richardson, Lana; and the Hudlin brothers play reporters. Western, 113 min., VHS, dir: Mario Van Peebles.

Possum (1999) - On The Best of the Acapulco Black Film Festival (2001). Drama, 26 min., DVD, dir: Jermaine Encarnacion.

Potluck and the Passion, The (1993) - A group of women gather for a potluck to celebrate a lesbian couple's first anniversary. Drama, 23 min., VHS, DVD, dir: Cheryl Dunye.

Poverty in Rural America (1965) Documentary, 28 min., DVD, dir: N/A.

Powerful Thang, A (1992) - Zeinabu irene Davis's film takes an intimate look at love and its risks as experienced by Yasmine Allen (Asha Feyijinmi Sinki) and her "Ebony Prince" Craig Watkins (John Jeeks). Poetry readings from the works of Alice Dunbar Nelson, Paul Laurence Dunbar and Rita Dove are interwoven in the story. Drama, 57 min., VHS, dir: Zeinabu irene Davis.

Praise House (1991) - Julie Dash's video, made originally for television, features the dance troupe Urban Bush Women. It uses dance, chants and field hollers to tell the story of a young black woman whose drive to express herself artistically is limited by the 'workaday' world. Drama, 30 min., VHS, dir: Julie Dash.

Prelude to Swing Plus 50 (1987) - Prelude To Swing Plus 50 is a musical that is preformed by African American college students. This film was made at Indiana University Bloomington. Musical, 82 min., VHS, dir: John R. Winninger.

Prescription for Time (2005) - Geraldine (Gaye Saunders), an elderly woman, suffers from early signs of dementia and fears losing her independence to her daughter. In an attempt to change her fate, she finds hope in a drug that promises to extend life. Now caught in a crossroad between fear and hope, Geraldine must find the courage to face the truth of her reality or watch her life spin dangerously out of control. Drama, 15 min., DVD, dir: Keith McQuirter.

Press Conference USA with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King (1963) Television, 29 min., DVD, dir: N/A.

Prince Among Slaves (2008) Documentary, 60 min., DVD, dir: Andrea Kalin.

Princess Tam-Tam (1935) - A French author who has come to North Africa to write a novel becomes enamored with Josephine Baker. In French with English subtitles. Comedy, 80 min., VHS, dir: Edmund Greville.

Promesse, La (1996) - Assita (Assita Ouedraogo) and Amidou (Rasmane Ouedraogo) are illegal immigrants working for a man (Olivier Gourmet) and his son, Igor (Jérémie Renier) in Antwerp, Belgium in this award-winning film (Best Belgian Film at the 1997 Brussels International Film Festival and Best Foreign Language Film at the 1998 National Society of Film Critics Awards). Drama, 93 min., VHS, dir: dir: Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne.

Promised Land, The (1992) - This documentary focuses on West Indian migration to Great Britain and the United States. Documentary, 7 min., VHS, dir: Joan Baker.

Promised Land, The: A Dream Deferred (1995) - Part two of three explores the destruction of cultural and political gains of Nothern politicians who ignore the increasing resentment from overcrowding and increased ghettoization of African Americans. Documentary, 90 min.,VHS, dir: Anthony Geffen.

Promised Land, The: Strong Men Keep A-Coming On (1995) - The three-part series The Promised Land, co-produced by BBC-TV and Discovery Channel, chronicles the migration of millions of rural black Americans from the segregated South to Chicago between 1930 and 1970. Strong Men Keep A-Comin' On, the third segment, depicts how the migration comes of age with Chicago's first African-American mayor and the integration. The other two parts are Take Me to Chicago and A Dream Deferred. Documentary, 90 min., VHS, dir: Anthony Geffen.

Promised Land, The: Take Me To Chicago (1995) - Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the first of three segments explores migration from the South to Chicago during the 1930s through the 50s. Documentary, 90 min., VHS, dir: Anthony Geffen.

Proudly We Served: The Men of the USS Mason (1995) - Proudly We Served interweaves the personal stories of the individual crewmembers with newly discovered historic footage of the USS Mason.Documentary, 58 min., VHS, dir: Mary Pat Kelly.

Pryor's Place: Vol. 1, Readers of the Lost Art & Home Free (1985) - Television Series, 60 min., VHS, dir: Paul Miller.

Pryor's Place: Vol. 2, High Noon at 5:30 & The Kimosabe Blues (1985) - Television Series, 60 min., VHS, dir: Paul Miller.

Pryor's Place: Vol. 3, Sax Education & Too Old Too Soon, Too Smart Too Late (1984) - Television Series, 60 min., VHS, dir: Paul Miller.

Pryor's Place: Vol. 4, To Catch a Little Thief & Cousin Rita (1984) - Television Series, 60 min., VHS, dir: Paul Miller.

Psychedelic Perfume (2000) - Sa'mu's (Khari A. Abayomi) life is turned upside down after he finds his wife in bed with another woman. He seeks comfort from his dead other brother, who in turn "sets up" Sa'mu on three blind dates. Drama, 82 min., VHS, dir: Khari A. Abayomi.

Psychological Residuals of Slavery (2007) Documentary, 18 min., DVD, dir: N/A.

Pups is Pups (1930) Comedy, 20 min., DVD, dir: Robert F. McGowan.

Purlie Victorious [aka Gone Are the Days! or The Man From C.O.T.T.O.N.] (1963) - Rev. Purlie (Ossie Davis) enlists the aid of Lutibelle (Ruby Dee) to trick Cap'n Cotchipee out of $500 to pay for a real church for Blacks in a small southern town. The comedy satirizes southern behavior during the Civil Rights movement of the sixties. Comedy, 99 min., VHS and DVD, dir: Nicholas Webster.

Purple Rain (1984) - A young musician, The Kid (Prince), experiences tumultuous times in his career, his home life, and his relationship with Apollonia (Apollonia Kotero). Morris Day plays himself as the impeccable competitor complicating the Kid's rise to fame and his love life. Drama, 111 min., VHS, dir: Albert Magnoli.

Pursuit of Happyness, The (2006) - Drama, 117 min., DVD, dir: Gabriele Muccino.

Putney Swope (1969) - Story of what happens when Blacks take over a Madison Avenue ad firm. Arnold Johnson is Putney Swope. Comedy, 84 min., 16mm, VHS, dir: Robert Downey, Sr..

Putney Swope [excerpts] (1969) - Outtakes/excerpts from the feature film. Comedy, 37 min., 16mm, dir: Robert Downey, Sr..

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