Wattstax

Often called the "Black Woodstock," this documentary from Memphis' Stax Records stands as far more than simply a great concert film.

Wattstax chronicles the renowned 1972 LA Memorial Coliseum concert and celebrates the Los Angeles' black community's rebirth after the tragedy of the Watts riots a few years earlier. Richard Pryor's knowing monologues frame and serve as a Shakespearean musing on race relations and Black American life, alongside the incisive comments from people on the Watts streets. Wattstax also features dazzling music highlights from artists such as Isaac Hayes and The Staple Singers, capped by Rufus Thomas dancing the Funky Chicken in hot pants.

Wattstax was added to the National Film Registry in 2020.