“A CONVERSATION WITH MELVIN VAN PEEBLES AND WALTER MOSLEY”

“A Conversation with Melvin Van Peebles & Walter Mosley”

A CONVERSATION WITH  MELVIN VAN PEEBLES AND WALTER MOSLEY

 “A Conversation with Melvin Van Peebles and Walter Mosley” took place on Monday night, April 6, 2015 at the Global Center’s Grand Hall at New York University to a full house.  It was indeed wonderful to see such a turnout for these two “masters of their crafts”.  The event was arranged and moderated by  scholar, filmmaker, art historian and Director of the Institute of  African American Affairs at New York University, Professor Manthia Diawara.  Famed best selling novelist Walter Mosley introduced Melvin.

Melvin Van Peebles in his inimitable style, speaks words of encouragement to the audience at New York University.

It seemed that the night belonged to Melvin. Always as relaxed and comfortable before an audience of thousands as he is before an audience of one, Melvin punctuated film clips of his early films, “Story of a Three Day Pass”, “Sweetback’s Badass Song”, and “Watermelon Man” with his patently humorous background narratives depicting many daily realities of his life on and off the set during each project.  Unmasking the wisdom that comes with experience and age, these anecdotes seemed to be both enlightening and entertaining for the audience who, like me, seemed to be unabashedly among the fondest of his fans. One of the things that sticks out in my memory of the evening and that I had not appreciated until that moment was a comment from Gordon Parks in  one of the film clips. Gordon Parks remarked that Melvin had been very “courageous” in his work. I think that is “Right On!” for Melvin.  The word “courageous” encapsulates the essence of the man in  his work and in his life.  Good to see an old friend doing good!

Other commitments required me to leave before the conclusion, but I have no doubt that the event will be well remembered by all those in attendance.