BAADASSSSS! is a 2003 biopic, written, produced, directed by, and starring Mario Van Peebles. The film is based on the struggles of Van Peebles' father Melvin Van Peebles (played by Mario himself), as he attempts to film and distribute Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, a film that was widely credited with causing Hollywood to create the blaxploitation genre in order to try to market films to the black audience which it proved existed. The film a...
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BAADASSSSS! is a 2003 biopic, written, produced, directed by, and starring Mario Van Peebles. The film is based on the struggles of Van Peebles' father Melvin Van Peebles (played by Mario himself), as he attempts to film and distribute Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, a film that was widely credited with causing Hollywood to create the blaxploitation genre in order to try to market films to the black audience which it proved existed. The film also stars Joy Bryant, Nia Long, Ossie Davis, Paul Rodriguez, Rainn Wilson, and Terry Crews.
The film focuses on the social barriers and production problems which Melvin Van Peebles had to overcome, as well as the personal sacrifices he had to make. The film features such events as Melvin's film being rejected by every studio in Hollywood, and his subsequent attempts to raise funding by pretending that he was making a black pornography movie. Melvin's battles with his creditors and unionists are also shown, as is the farcical scene of him...
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