Well-researched and rich in archival material, "A Force More Powerful" makes a case for overcoming oppression through acts of nonviolent resistance as demonstrated by a series of successful, blood-free uprisings orchestrated over the past 70 years.
But while the feature-length documentary certainly makes its reflective point, it's a little too dry and long-winded for theatrical consumption, playing more like an audio-visual university dissertation on nonviolence theory.
Following Oscar-qualifying runs in Los Angeles and New York, the film would be a better fit on the History Channel or the Learning Channel.
Using the nonviolent strategies of Mohandas K. Gandhi as his model, historical documentarian Steve York moves from 1930s India to 1950s Nashville, where the Rev. James Lawson Jr., one of the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement, led a successful lunch counter sit-in that would strike a significant blow against segregation.
York turns to 1980s South Africa where anti-Apartheid Activist Mkhuseli Jack led a consumer boycott in the township of Port Elizabeth that would intentionally raise the ire of the Botha government and ultimately draw international attention.
Thanks to its wealth of archival footage and the informed narration of Oscar-winning Gandhi portrayer Ben Kingsley, the film manages to be more than just a parade of analytical talking heads, but after a very tangible 110 minutes of being pummeled by pacifist aggression, a tiny little fistfight can be a beautiful thing.
A FORCE MORE POWERFUL
Santa Monica Pictures
A Peter Ackerman-York Zimmerman production of
A Steve York film
Director-writer-producer:Steve York
Producer:Peter Ackerman
Executive producers:Dalton Delan, Jack DuVall
Directors of photography:Giulio Biccari, Peter Pearce, Dilip Varma
Editors:Joseph Wiedenmayer, Anny Lowery Meza
Music:John D. Keltonic
Narrator:Ben Kingsley
Color and black and white/stereo
Running time -- 110 minutes
No MPAA rating...
But while the feature-length documentary certainly makes its reflective point, it's a little too dry and long-winded for theatrical consumption, playing more like an audio-visual university dissertation on nonviolence theory.
Following Oscar-qualifying runs in Los Angeles and New York, the film would be a better fit on the History Channel or the Learning Channel.
Using the nonviolent strategies of Mohandas K. Gandhi as his model, historical documentarian Steve York moves from 1930s India to 1950s Nashville, where the Rev. James Lawson Jr., one of the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement, led a successful lunch counter sit-in that would strike a significant blow against segregation.
York turns to 1980s South Africa where anti-Apartheid Activist Mkhuseli Jack led a consumer boycott in the township of Port Elizabeth that would intentionally raise the ire of the Botha government and ultimately draw international attention.
Thanks to its wealth of archival footage and the informed narration of Oscar-winning Gandhi portrayer Ben Kingsley, the film manages to be more than just a parade of analytical talking heads, but after a very tangible 110 minutes of being pummeled by pacifist aggression, a tiny little fistfight can be a beautiful thing.
A FORCE MORE POWERFUL
Santa Monica Pictures
A Peter Ackerman-York Zimmerman production of
A Steve York film
Director-writer-producer:Steve York
Producer:Peter Ackerman
Executive producers:Dalton Delan, Jack DuVall
Directors of photography:Giulio Biccari, Peter Pearce, Dilip Varma
Editors:Joseph Wiedenmayer, Anny Lowery Meza
Music:John D. Keltonic
Narrator:Ben Kingsley
Color and black and white/stereo
Running time -- 110 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 11/15/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Well-researched and rich in archival material, "A Force More Powerful" makes a case for overcoming oppression through acts of nonviolent resistance as demonstrated by a series of successful, blood-free uprisings orchestrated over the past 70 years.
But while the feature-length documentary certainly makes its reflective point, it's a little too dry and long-winded for theatrical consumption, playing more like an audio-visual university dissertation on nonviolence theory.
Following Oscar-qualifying runs in Los Angeles and New York, the film would be a better fit on the History Channel or the Learning Channel.
Using the nonviolent strategies of Mohandas K. Gandhi as his model, historical documentarian Steve York moves from 1930s India to 1950s Nashville, where the Rev. James Lawson Jr., one of the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement, led a successful lunch counter sit-in that would strike a significant blow against segregation.
York turns to 1980s South Africa where anti-Apartheid Activist Mkhuseli Jack led a consumer boycott in the township of Port Elizabeth that would intentionally raise the ire of the Botha government and ultimately draw international attention.
Thanks to its wealth of archival footage and the informed narration of Oscar-winning Gandhi portrayer Ben Kingsley, the film manages to be more than just a parade of analytical talking heads, but after a very tangible 110 minutes of being pummeled by pacifist aggression, a tiny little fistfight can be a beautiful thing.
A FORCE MORE POWERFUL
Santa Monica Pictures
A Peter Ackerman-York Zimmerman production of
A Steve York film
Director-writer-producer:Steve York
Producer:Peter Ackerman
Executive producers:Dalton Delan, Jack DuVall
Directors of photography:Giulio Biccari, Peter Pearce, Dilip Varma
Editors:Joseph Wiedenmayer, Anny Lowery Meza
Music:John D. Keltonic
Narrator:Ben Kingsley
Color and black and white/stereo
Running time -- 110 minutes
No MPAA rating...
But while the feature-length documentary certainly makes its reflective point, it's a little too dry and long-winded for theatrical consumption, playing more like an audio-visual university dissertation on nonviolence theory.
Following Oscar-qualifying runs in Los Angeles and New York, the film would be a better fit on the History Channel or the Learning Channel.
Using the nonviolent strategies of Mohandas K. Gandhi as his model, historical documentarian Steve York moves from 1930s India to 1950s Nashville, where the Rev. James Lawson Jr., one of the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement, led a successful lunch counter sit-in that would strike a significant blow against segregation.
York turns to 1980s South Africa where anti-Apartheid Activist Mkhuseli Jack led a consumer boycott in the township of Port Elizabeth that would intentionally raise the ire of the Botha government and ultimately draw international attention.
Thanks to its wealth of archival footage and the informed narration of Oscar-winning Gandhi portrayer Ben Kingsley, the film manages to be more than just a parade of analytical talking heads, but after a very tangible 110 minutes of being pummeled by pacifist aggression, a tiny little fistfight can be a beautiful thing.
A FORCE MORE POWERFUL
Santa Monica Pictures
A Peter Ackerman-York Zimmerman production of
A Steve York film
Director-writer-producer:Steve York
Producer:Peter Ackerman
Executive producers:Dalton Delan, Jack DuVall
Directors of photography:Giulio Biccari, Peter Pearce, Dilip Varma
Editors:Joseph Wiedenmayer, Anny Lowery Meza
Music:John D. Keltonic
Narrator:Ben Kingsley
Color and black and white/stereo
Running time -- 110 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 11/15/1999
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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