


Copyright 1995 ABC-CLIO. This review was taken from the ABC-CLIO Video Rating Guide for Libraries on CD-ROM, a 5-year compilation of over 8900 video titles and reviews, 1990-1994. For information regarding order VRGL CD-ROM, contact: ABC-CLIO, P.O. Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911; 805-968-1911
This following text has been included in the UCB Media Resources Center Web site with the kind permission of the publishers.

This combination of live action and historical film and
photographs is an interview with celebrated African-American
playwright August Wilson. The conversation with Wilson is done on
the stage of his play Two Trains Running by an unidentified
interviewer. It begins with Wilson describing this play in the
historical context of African-American history. He then discusses
how his Pittsburgh ghetto background influenced his work, how
African-American language holds unique oral traditions and
interpretations, and how blues music and the black Southern
cultural tradition are important subjects for him to explore in
his plays. This patchwork of comments is woven together by
introductory narration between each sequence that describes
Wilson's life and philosophy.
The technical quality of this work is excellent. Often
interviews of this kind can become boring talking heads offering
no visual variety or creativity. This video is far from this.
While employing sensitively chosen still and moving images that
describe the narrator's remarks, it uses superimposition and
other well-executed special effects to enhance the visual
portions of Wilson's statements. The sound is clear and
professionally finished, especially in the portion that includes
two old blues songs. The woman narrator's presentation is
polished, and Wilson's personality is well depicted. Finally, the
opening and closing credits for the series are also worthy of
note for their artistry and cleverness.
August Wilson is an excellent video for public, college and
university, and school library collections that serve high school
to adult users. Because Wilson is a major figure in contemporary
American theatrical literature, this interview, although brief,
is an important primary source for those interested in
African-American studies, American literature, and theater.
Highly recommended.
August Wilson

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