It’s a memorable display of African-American pride—and extravagant 1970s sartorial style—that also makes room for such leading Black cultural figures of the moment as Richard Pryor, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee and Melvin Van Peeble...

| Feb 27, 2023

All [the performers] draw lively reactions from the crowd who get to chant, "I am somebody." And isn't that all what we want to be?

| Original Score: 3/4 | Dec 18, 2020

It is a fine documentary in that it does, better than any popular music film with the possible exception of Woodstock, document a group of people, their music, how it came to be, and why they like it.

| Dec 18, 2020

This is a fragmented, skittery film that does not have enough moments of interest and hilarity to offset the stretches of boredom.

| Dec 18, 2020

Simply as a means of recording the fruition of hope among a centuries-maligned minority Wattstax can stand proud.

| Dec 18, 2020

Just when you figure that the film industry has exhausted every possible avenue of exploration in the quest to present still another music festival documentary, along comes something with a nice, fresh twist. Such is the case with Wattstax.

| Dec 18, 2020

Once In a while, a muslc-oriented film can transcend the ordinary and become a chronicle of a social mood instead of an on-film record of a concert. It was that way with Monterey Pop and Woodstock; it Is that way with WATTSTAX.

| Dec 18, 2020

Wattstax is always moving from the Coliseum stage to restaurant and barber shop comments; from street and alley scenes to night club episodes and church fronts and what goes on inside.

| Dec 18, 2020

[Wattstax] does contain the usual elements, but also much more.

| Dec 18, 2020

It's a rich tapestry incorporating documentary footage -- the '65 riots, interviews with Watts residents talking about being black in America -- that puts its musical performances (staged by Melvin Van Peebles) in a broad social context.

| Dec 18, 2020

Richard Prvor, the satirist, is very funny; Rufus [Thomas is] a joy to behold in outrageous pink shorts and cloak.

| Dec 18, 2020

Stuart uses the music as an expression of common feeling, and he intercuts concert footage with interview material... The result is necessarily superficial, but it does give the people a voice, and the tone is insistent and important.

| Dec 18, 2020

Big moments musically include the smooth sensitivity of the Staple Singers, Rufus Thomas in pink tropical shorts and cape leading the coliseum in "The Funky Chicken," and Isaac Hayes with very little voice but great presence singing "God Is On Our Side."

| Dec 18, 2020

The cinema-verite material is very cunningly incorporated with the festival coverage of many major black rock activities to make an overall rhythmic pat- tern full of life and vigour.

| Dec 18, 2020

The swaggering "Theme From Shaft" fades into the unsparingly sad state-of-the-community number "Soulsville," beautifully summing up what's come before.

| Dec 18, 2020

The highlights are Isaac Hayes belting out Shaft, Rufus Thomas doing the Funky Chicken and the Reverend Jesse Jackson singing I Am Somebody.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 18, 2020

There isn't enough music, but Stax have at least had the wit to hire Richard Pryor to deliver one of his characteristic monologues (the rest of the time is filled out by chats with the denizens of Watts). Much good music all the same.

| Dec 18, 2020

Whether or not you call it "blaxploitation," there was something like a riot goin' on in the American cinema of 1973.

| Aug 21, 2009

It's a resonant and evocative historical time capsule.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jan 26, 2006

Wattstax is a technical treat, with good sound, recording adding to the flavor of the music.

| Jul 16, 2005