If you have Showtime, I suggest that you give the new Marlon Brando doc a look-see

[MrScorpio]

http://www.listentomemarlon.com

It's basically Brando talking about his life in his own words. The parts I liked were when he talked about turning his back on Hollywood in order to dive into the deep end of the Civil Rights pool, for both African-Americans and Native Americans.

He didn't mince his words. No bullshit and whitesplaining, about the way that oppressed peoples fought their own oppression.

Check it out on Hulu if you can't watch it on Showtime.

Great stuff indeed. He was one of the great ones.

[lovemydog]

1. Thanks.

I'm going to check it out.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. As a follow-on note - Brando's only television work was

in "Roots: The Next Generations", playing American Nazi Party leader George Lincoln Rockwell. And based on the link I provided, apparently Brando had acquaintance with Dick Gregory and asked Gregory to ask Haley about a part on that sequel... an interesting behind the scenes tidbit that I was not aware of. I did know that he pretty much waived his standard contract/appearance fee to play the role (at a big "discount" for him). Both mini-series were peopled by the oft-termed "all-star casts" (from both film and television) during that era in any case.

Brando got his only Emmy based on the appearance below, which was the scene that depicted Alex Haley's 1966 interview (writing for Playboy mag) with Rockwell -

Haley, who had his own controversy and demons, was also the transcriber for the famous "Autobiography of Malcolm X".

However it's interesting the subject matter and venue that Brando chose for his television appearance. - a highlight of those who "talk the talk" versus those who "walk the walk" by using their influence to contribute to making a change.

[lovemydog]

4. That's some good acting right there,

by both Brando and James Earl Jones. Man, it gave me the heebie jeebies.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. The whole scene was creepy

and Brando just oozed calm and calculated malevolence.

[lovemydog]

7. Indeed.

Haley did a great job with the interview. It's available in a book (probably out of print) called The Playboy interviews. Really fascinating because they'd let the tape run and transcribe it, so the backup was there if the subject claimed they didn't say that. The Rockwell interview reveals him as a hate-filled whack job. Rockwell was later murdered by one of his former associates. Creepy dude.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lincoln_Rockwell

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Yeah I think I actually saw the book available on Amazon

These sorts of interviews by Playboy really helped to add an extra dimension of substance to the magazine to drive readership beyond its usual demographic. Vanity Fair and Esquire has more recently picked up that mantle.

[lovemydog]

9. Yeah, I love those long interviews where they assign

an interviewer who asks serious questions. At the end of that wiki article there's a link so I presume this stuff is all archived on the web. In that book there's so many revealing interviews. The one with Fidel Castro he says he subscribes to the magazine. The interviewer asks him why it's banned in Cuba and Castro replies his people aren't ready for the corrupting imperialist decadence. LOL!

[randys1]

3. ON Demand, got it, will watch soon. Thanks

[lovemydog]

6. Does anyone recognize other speakers in the first video?

The one of Bobby Hutton's funeral. I recognize Kathleen Cleaver. A friend attended Yale with her years later. They all speak with eloquence. It was a fascinating time.

[pnwmom]

10. Thanks for the rec. I would have missed this otherwise. nt