Anthem (film)
Encyclopedia
Anthem is a nine-minute music video released in 1991. The film was produced by Marlon T. Riggs. The film displays mixes images of mainstream African-American pride, such as traditional African tribal dances, alongside images representing gay pride, such as ACT UP’s “Silence=Death.” The film uses powerful imagery and poetry to explore, celebrate and revolutionize Gay Black culture.
Next, a voice says repeatedly with the music, “Pervert the language.” Then as two naked African-American males kiss each other the voice says, “Every time we kiss” and “Thrust war and gritty fingers in my mouth.”
Then images of roses and a holy cross give way to memorial candles. The narrative voice says, “Immunity in this holy procession of dying.” In response to the memorial candles, the words “Are you scared? Are you safe?” are displayed in white text. The lyrics repeat the statement “In America” as the American Flag is shown in the background. A voice repeats “Gender Blender Blur.”
The image of the ACT UP triangle is shown again, but this time it has the African continent, with the Pan-African horizontal stripes in it. A voice says, “Initiate Me” and later, “A partner looking for a kiss.”
The film concludes with Essex Hemphill
reading his poem, “American Wedding” in front of a background of an American Flag. As the flag in the background fades, a voice says, “I too sing America.”
. (Riggs died after fighting AIDS for many years in 1994.) The film plays a tribute to ACT UP, an organization dedicated to fighting AIDS in the gay community. The film uses the ACT UP triangle and slogan "silence=death." The film seeks solidarity with AIDS victims and draws attention to the pain they are going through. The film shows memorial candles and describes the AIDS epidemic as a "holy procession of dying." The film reaches out to victims by saying, "Are you scared? Are you safe?" Marlon T. Riggs uses a lot of AIDS imagery because he was suffering from AIDS and AIDS was an issue very real in his life.
Interestingly, Marlon T. Riggs uses a holy cross and red rose for imagery in Anthem. Riggs has been critical of the black church's policy of essentially "Don't ask, Don't tell" toward homosexual men and women. Marlon T. Riggs displays the holy cross in positive light. The holy cross, nor the church the cross represents, is not critiqued in Anthem, but rather used as a symbol of remembrance for AIDS victims.
By placing the African continent inside the ACT UP triangle, Marlon Riggs is appealing to Black nationalist movements to include, not exclude, black heterosexuals. Marlon Riggs has criticized the Black power movement directly in papers like his essay "Black Macho Revisted". Riggs believes that the Black power movement's call for unification under a macho culture leaves out both queer and feminine culture. Riggs has said that the caricatures the black community has drawn up around black gays and lesbians can be shown to have a direct cultural lineage from caricatures of blacks as Uncle Tom and the Brute Negro. Anthem responds to the Black macho image with the phrases "Parade it proudly like a man" and "Flaunt it like a man." Marlon T. Riggs is questioning what exactly it means to behave "like a man."
Marlon T. Riggs critiqued the Black Power movement for creating an image of African culture that revolves around the masculine warrior. Marlon T. Riggs wrote that the African Diaspora
created a void in many Black's knowledge of their heritage. This was filled in by the image of the macho, African warrior. Marlon T. Riggs responds to this view of African culture by displaying images of Africans dancing in traditional garb. Images of the tribal dances are mixed with a gay black man dancing. Thus, Marlon T. Riggs is conveying a message that black gay culture can be a part of African heritage.
The use of drums and hip-hop beats is a tribute to black culture. However, Marlon T. Riggs has critiqued rappers, such as Heavy D, for belittling queer culture. Anthem showcases music that encompasses traditional African rhythm without the Black macho lyrics that are ubiquitous in rap music.
Production Team
| Producer Director | Marlon T. Riggs |
| Editor Co-Director | Christiane Badgley |
| Poetry Performances | “American Wedding” by Essex Hemphill Essex Hemphill Essex Hemphill was an American poet and activist. He was a 1993 Pew Fellowships in the Arts.-Biography:Essex Hemphill was born April 16, 1957 in Chicago and died on November 4, 1995 of AIDS-related complications... “Unfinished Work” by Colin Robinson |
| Contributing Poets | Reginald T. Jackson Steve Langley Donald Woods Donald Woods Donald James Woods, CBE was a white South African journalist and anti-apartheid activist.As editor of the Daily Dispatch from 1965 to 1977, he befriended Steve Biko, leader of the anti-apartheid Black Consciousness Movement, and was banned by the government soon after Biko's death, which had been... |
| Cast | The Bella Boys Bernard Branner Brian Freeman Brian Freeman Brian James Freeman is an author whose fiction has been published in magazines and anthologies including Borderlands 5, Corpse Blossoms, and all four volumes of the Shivers series. His first novel, Black Fire, was written under the pseudonym James Kidman... Jesse Harris Jesse Harris Jesse Harris is a Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter. He has collaborated with several musical artists including Norah Jones, Melody Gardot, Madeleine Peyroux, Nikki Yanofsky, and Lizz Wright.-Early life and education:... David Kirkland Willi Ninja Willi Ninja Willi Ninja was an American dancer and choreographer best known for his appearance in the documentary film Paris is Burning.... Tim Riera Marlon T. Riggs |
Synopsis
The film begins with a voice repeating, “Parade it proudly like a man; flaunt it like a man.” The Pan-African Flag, with black, red and green stripes, is flashed across the screen throughout the short film. Another voice tells the audience to “Rearrange syllables, Revolution” as the words are flashed on the screen in white on time with the hip hop music. The call for revolution occurs as images of an African American dancing, the pink hue triangle used to symbolize ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) and ACT Up’s slogan “Silence=Death” are displayed on the screen.Next, a voice says repeatedly with the music, “Pervert the language.” Then as two naked African-American males kiss each other the voice says, “Every time we kiss” and “Thrust war and gritty fingers in my mouth.”
Then images of roses and a holy cross give way to memorial candles. The narrative voice says, “Immunity in this holy procession of dying.” In response to the memorial candles, the words “Are you scared? Are you safe?” are displayed in white text. The lyrics repeat the statement “In America” as the American Flag is shown in the background. A voice repeats “Gender Blender Blur.”
The image of the ACT UP triangle is shown again, but this time it has the African continent, with the Pan-African horizontal stripes in it. A voice says, “Initiate Me” and later, “A partner looking for a kiss.”
The film concludes with Essex Hemphill
Essex Hemphill
Essex Hemphill was an American poet and activist. He was a 1993 Pew Fellowships in the Arts.-Biography:Essex Hemphill was born April 16, 1957 in Chicago and died on November 4, 1995 of AIDS-related complications...
reading his poem, “American Wedding” in front of a background of an American Flag. As the flag in the background fades, a voice says, “I too sing America.”
Analysis
By the time Marlon T. Riggs produced Anthem he had been diagnosed with AIDSAIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. (Riggs died after fighting AIDS for many years in 1994.) The film plays a tribute to ACT UP, an organization dedicated to fighting AIDS in the gay community. The film uses the ACT UP triangle and slogan "silence=death." The film seeks solidarity with AIDS victims and draws attention to the pain they are going through. The film shows memorial candles and describes the AIDS epidemic as a "holy procession of dying." The film reaches out to victims by saying, "Are you scared? Are you safe?" Marlon T. Riggs uses a lot of AIDS imagery because he was suffering from AIDS and AIDS was an issue very real in his life.
Interestingly, Marlon T. Riggs uses a holy cross and red rose for imagery in Anthem. Riggs has been critical of the black church's policy of essentially "Don't ask, Don't tell" toward homosexual men and women. Marlon T. Riggs displays the holy cross in positive light. The holy cross, nor the church the cross represents, is not critiqued in Anthem, but rather used as a symbol of remembrance for AIDS victims.
By placing the African continent inside the ACT UP triangle, Marlon Riggs is appealing to Black nationalist movements to include, not exclude, black heterosexuals. Marlon Riggs has criticized the Black power movement directly in papers like his essay "Black Macho Revisted". Riggs believes that the Black power movement's call for unification under a macho culture leaves out both queer and feminine culture. Riggs has said that the caricatures the black community has drawn up around black gays and lesbians can be shown to have a direct cultural lineage from caricatures of blacks as Uncle Tom and the Brute Negro. Anthem responds to the Black macho image with the phrases "Parade it proudly like a man" and "Flaunt it like a man." Marlon T. Riggs is questioning what exactly it means to behave "like a man."
Marlon T. Riggs critiqued the Black Power movement for creating an image of African culture that revolves around the masculine warrior. Marlon T. Riggs wrote that the African Diaspora
African diaspora
The African diaspora was the movement of Africans and their descendants to places throughout the world—predominantly to the Americas also to Europe, the Middle East and other places around the globe...
created a void in many Black's knowledge of their heritage. This was filled in by the image of the macho, African warrior. Marlon T. Riggs responds to this view of African culture by displaying images of Africans dancing in traditional garb. Images of the tribal dances are mixed with a gay black man dancing. Thus, Marlon T. Riggs is conveying a message that black gay culture can be a part of African heritage.
The use of drums and hip-hop beats is a tribute to black culture. However, Marlon T. Riggs has critiqued rappers, such as Heavy D, for belittling queer culture. Anthem showcases music that encompasses traditional African rhythm without the Black macho lyrics that are ubiquitous in rap music.