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A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Follows Gordon Parks' stellar career from staff photographer for LIFE magazine, through his artistic development photographing everyday Americans, through his evolution as a novelist and groundbreaking filmmaker.

Director

John Maggio

Year

Genre

Box Office

N/A

Production

HBO Documentary Films,Kunhardt Films

Awards

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and I just see all these, like,
tweets. And it says, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

and I just see all these, like, tweets. And it says,

For the first time, I understood
what Gordon was talking about, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

For the first time, I understood what Gordon was talking abo...

I might have turned eventually - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I might have turned eventually

What distinguishes Gordon Parks - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

What distinguishes Gordon Parks

One person around White people - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

One person around White people

I think just gave him an insight
to the Black narrative. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I think just gave him an insight to the Black narrative.

Boy, they sure are having
a good ol' time - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Boy, they sure are having a good ol' time

Kansas itself offered you
freedom on one hand, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Kansas itself offered you freedom on one hand,

Four or five
of my closest friends - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Four or five of my closest friends

Gordon lived a wandering life
as a young person. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Gordon lived a wandering life as a young person.

I had great expectations,
you know. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I had great expectations, you know.

He had to go through all these
different forms of life, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He had to go through all these different forms of life,

And the more you observe, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

And the more you observe,

He would ride the trains
and pick up the magazines, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He would ride the trains and pick up the magazines,

He's teaching
himself photography - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He's teaching himself photography

That's how Gordon Parks
started out, you know, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

That's how Gordon Parks started out, you know,

When Gordon Parks came along,
he found value and interest - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

When Gordon Parks came along, he found value and interest

At a time and in a society - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

At a time and in a society

In January 1942,
Parks receives word - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

In January 1942, Parks receives word

The purpose of the FSA
was to resettle American farmers - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

The purpose of the FSA was to resettle American farmers

It set up a unit
of photographers and filmmakers - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

It set up a unit of photographers and filmmakers

Many of the
photographers who shot for - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Many of the photographers who shot for

And so his idea is,
"Let me go out there, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

And so his idea is, "Let me go out there,

He was the one who taught me - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He was the one who taught me

Roy Stryker actually
introduces Gordon Parks - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Roy Stryker actually introduces Gordon Parks

Here is a woman - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Here is a woman

Gordon Parks
is one of my heroes. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Gordon Parks is one of my heroes.

We have fought and died
for this country. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

We have fought and died for this country.

We have loved this country, but
the love has not been returned. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

We have loved this country, but the love has not been return...

Then I thought of Grant Wood
and American Gothic. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Then I thought of Grant Wood and American Gothic.

I said,
"Take this broom in one hand, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I said, "Take this broom in one hand,

She's standing in front
of the American flag... - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

She's standing in front of the American flag...

I made a very innocent,
bold, outrageous statement. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I made a very innocent, bold, outrageous statement.

You know, it reminds me
of the Malcolm X quote, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

You know, it reminds me of the Malcolm X quote,

Parks continues
to photograph Ella Watson. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Parks continues to photograph Ella Watson.

This is his way
of holding on to me, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

This is his way of holding on to me,

He says, "I got you now,
can't go nowhere." - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He says, "I got you now, can't go nowhere."

When I read
Gordon's autobiography,
A Choice of Weapons, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

When I read Gordon's autobiography, A Choice of Weapons...

I found the ability
to cope and move forward
through art. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I found the ability to cope and move forward through art.

Those photographs
are what enabled me - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Those photographs are what enabled me

In 2016, I was commissioned
by ELLE magazine - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

In 2016, I was commissioned by ELLE magazine

It couldn't have been
more than a week - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

It couldn't have been more than a week

This is the one that
I was seeing that was a baby? - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

This is the one that I was seeing that was a baby?

When I started doing
karate moves, like to practice,
he thinks he can do it, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

When I started doing karate moves, like to practice, he thin...

So I returned to Mississippi - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

So I returned to Mississippi

- Thank you.
- Amen. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

- Thank you. - Amen.

And so it was
a tumultuous time
to enter into Shea's life, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

And so it was a tumultuous time to enter into Shea's l...

I get to know the person that is
the main subject of the work, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I get to know the person that is the main subject of the wor...

I did a story on the need
of psychiatric treatment
in Harlem. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I did a story on the need of psychiatric treatment in Harlem...

Ellison actually
writes a manifesto - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Ellison actually writes a manifesto

This idea that photographs
can transcend what is
just being depicted. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

This idea that photographs can transcend what is just being ...

Images that psychologically
impact the viewer. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Images that psychologically impact the viewer.

Later in 1952,
Parks approaches Ralph Ellison. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Later in 1952, Parks approaches Ralph Ellison.

This picture could
have been taken during slavery. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

This picture could have been taken during slavery.

And my brother here
ran off the plantation. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

And my brother here ran off the plantation.

Parks takes the portfolio
of images that he shot - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Parks takes the portfolio of images that he shot

I met the picture editor, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I met the picture editor,

I used the broad approach - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I used the broad approach

I didn't take pictures
in the beginning. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I didn't take pictures in the beginning.

So one day he just said, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

So one day he just said,

This is like what he learned
from the Farm Security
Administration project - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

This is like what he learned from the Farm Security Administ...

He knows that he has to get
to know somebody really well - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He knows that he has to get to know somebody really well

He photographed Red
in his everyday life. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He photographed Red in his everyday life.

His goal was
to create a story - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

His goal was to create a story

He added levels of complexity - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He added levels of complexity

He also photographs him
out on the streets... - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He also photographs him out on the streets...

Two boys were killed
while I was with him. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Two boys were killed while I was with him.

He just saw a young man
that had a lot of potential. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He just saw a young man that had a lot of potential.

Gordon spoke about
the power of photography
and imagery - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Gordon spoke about the power of photography and imagery

Gordon spoke
about the 35 millimeter - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Gordon spoke about the 35 millimeter

You had Red Jackson,
his difficult life coming up. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

You had Red Jackson, his difficult life coming up.

I spent 20 years in
the Department of Corrections. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I spent 20 years in the Department of Corrections.

So I would place myself
in different positions - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

So I would place myself in different positions

If I saw a group, I would look
at the leader and say, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

If I saw a group, I would look at the leader and say,

Once the film roll
was completed, I would put
the film in the shop, - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Once the film roll was completed, I would put the film in t...

It let them know that
they weren't invisible. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

It let them know that they weren't invisible.

A lot of them
were really receptive - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

A lot of them were really receptive

So I was trying to
encourage them to be better.
You know, I didn't want to see - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

So I was trying to encourage them to be better. You know, I ...

I owe a lot of
where I'm at right now to Gordon - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I owe a lot of where I'm at right now to Gordon

This was entry into the media
that was seen internationally. - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

This was entry into the media that was seen internationally.

He really does have
that internally solid - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

He really does have that internally solid

I've tried to use the camera - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I've tried to use the camera

In 1956, LIFE sent Gordon
to Alabama - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

In 1956, LIFE sent Gordon to Alabama

Dispatches coming out
of the south - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Dispatches coming out of the south

In 1955, just months before - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

In 1955, just months before

His mother Mamie allowed
Jet magazine to publish - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

His mother Mamie allowed Jet magazine to publish

I was eight years old
when Emmett Till was murdered - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

I was eight years old when Emmett Till was murdered

That photograph
was really evidence - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

That photograph was really evidence

Gordon liked to embody
whatever subject - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Gordon liked to embody whatever subject

Because he knew that the readers
of LIFE magazine - A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Because he knew that the readers of LIFE magazine

A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks poster

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Follows Gordon Parks' stellar career from staff photographer for LIFE magazine, through his artistic development photographing everyday Americans, through his evolution as a novelist and groundbreaking filmmaker.

User Rating: 0.0 (0 ratings)

Director: John Maggio

Writer: N/A

Production: HBO Documentary Films,Kunhardt Films

Genre: documentary

Year: 2021

MetaScore: 73/100

ImdbRating: 7.5

BoxOffice: N/A

Released: 15 Nov 2021

Awards: N/A

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