Daily Archives: July 22, 1988

The Spook Who Sat by the Door

Possibly the most radical of the “black exploitation” films of the 70s, this movie was an overnight success when it was released in 1973, and then was abruptly taken out of distribution for reasons that are still not entirely clear. A mild-mannered social worker (Lawrence Cook) is recruited by the CIA as a token black, and then proceeds to learn (and later apply) the techniques of urban guerrilla warfare in Chicago (although most of the filming was done in Gary, Indiana). Corrosively ironic and often exciting, this adaptation by Sam Greenlee of his own novel, directed by Ivan Dixon, remains one of the great missing (or at least unwritten) chapters in black political filmmaking. Chicagoan Greenlee will be present at this rare screening to discuss the making of the film, its subsequent repression, and its effect on his career. (Film Center, Art Institute, Columbus Drive at Jackson, Friday, July 22, 8:15, 443-3737) Read more