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The Cinematography of James E. Hinton for “Ganja and Hess”

Buy this DVD at Amazon.com! The first Black cinematographer presented to me by name was Spike Lee’s powerhouse, Ernest R. Dickerson. My natural-born instinct begs the question, were there any more Black cinematographers before Dickerson? It is surprising to me, for example, to discover that Gordon Parks was not a cinematographer.

The name James E. Hinton is a very important answer to my begging question. He was the cinematographer for Bill Gunn’s second directorial effort in 1973’s Ganja and Hess. This ethereal and effortlessly African image of Mabel King (as the mythical “Queen of Myrthia”) compels me to wonder about the cinematography—and sparks my curiosity about James E. Hinton (and Bill Gunn). Apart from some fascinating tidbits in the DVD extras, I am still looking for more about James E. Hinton. Here is a note from the Harvard Film Archive:

The films of the photographer, cinematographer and filmmaker James E. Hinton were donated to the HFA in 2008. Hinton began making photographs while he was an active participant in the Civil Rights movement in the 1950’s. As a witness to the violent reactions that the movement provoked in the American South, he captured moments that were often overlooked by the main stream media.

Mabel King in Ganja and Hess

The Cinematography of James E. Hinton for Ganja and Hess

The valuable commentary of the Ganja and Hess DVD reveals a shocker about the splendid and talented Marlene Clark—her smile preserved and described by Hinton in this image. Marlene’s career was hampered by her looks! Her physical appearance was a liability for the kind of roles she intended to play—less like Pam Grier and more like Cicely Tyson. This makes the dramatic, mainstreaming roles played by Halle Berry more historically significant.

Marlene Clark in Ganja and Hess

Marlene Clark in Ganja and Hess

Comments

Angela, 2009-07-15 18:04:57

Haven't heard about Ganja and Hess in a long time. It was a wonderful sensual experience. My friend Candece Tarpley was also in the film.

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