Tongues Untied Part II

I think that 'Tongues Untied' is a great testament to the queer black male. The way this piece was created reads to me as a series of short delicate plays tired together by spoken word and an intensity that each viewer cannot avoid (for example the super close ups). I think it is perhaps the rhythm and movement of the bodies their relationship to the camera that makes me feel as though i am watching a dance piece. I like the way that Riggs is able to bridge the new civil rights movement to the new LGBT movement, specifically within the lens of the queer BLACK male. I appreciate the respect and careful way he put together found footage from the civil rights era marches and footage from what seems to be a gay pride parade, revolutionary movements. The way the two social movements coincide, and the way he bridged the footage together for me signified the importance of intersectional identities--Black and Queer, man "Brother to brother; brother to brother". I also liked the way spoken word was used in transition periods; for example when the dancing body transitioned to a man on the screen speaking to it. How important it is that words were there to help the feel and slow of the piece. I also appreciate the way the interviews were set up so that the piece felt like more of a collaborative effort; on a subject that often goes unspoken or unheard of.