New Orleans Film Society

Synopsis

Spike Lee’s bio-epic Malcolm X presents filmmaking at its most glorious — a feast for the senses, driven by exigent purpose. From the neon-hued zoot suits and ebullient Lionel Hampton refrains to the indelible images of Nelson Mandela and a burning American flag, Lee frames the life of Malcolm Little in a bittersweet rhapsody of sight and sound. And a magnificent Denzel Washington immerses himself in the character of a cocky hoodlum who transforms into the austere yet charismatic voice of an oppressed nation.