Unlike much work on Poitier ... this volume [puts] the star in international context. Given Poitier's own international, cosmopolitan identity, such consideration is crucial, and Poitier Revisited does useful work in providing it. * Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television *
With Poitier Revisited Ian Gregory Stachan and Mia Mask present a well-curated collection of essays about Hollywood's first Black leading man. Each separate contribution provides an original interpretation of a complex man, performer, and political icon, while the collection as a whole comes together in thoughtful harmony. In all, Poitier Revisited is an important addition to a woefully under-represented figure in film studies. * Paula J. Massood, Professor of Film Studies, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, USA *
This is a comprehensive, sophisticated anthology, exploring every nuance of Poitier's incredible 'star' trajectory: from Hollywood's 'social problem' films through his Oscar wins and directorial triumphs... and well beyond. One must read it as one of the ur-texts of 'Poitier star studies' as well as black cinema studies and much more. * Ed Guerrero, Associate Professor of Cinema Studies, New York University, USA *
Strachan (College of the Bahamas) and Mask (Vassar College) have gathered work by North American, Caribbean, and European scholars representing a variety of disciplines-including history, sociology, and cinema studies. The contributors provide a range of perspectives on an iconic actor who, in terms of scholarship, is 'frozen somewhere between 1963 and 1967' (according to the introduction). In resurrecting Poitier and repositioning him in contemporary film studies, the essays cover a range of topics. As a political icon, Poitier is examined in relation to Martin Luther King, Jr. and Barack Obama; other essays explore Poitier's singular roles in films such as No Way Out, The Defiant Ones, In the Heat of the Night, Porgy and Bess, To Sir with Love; the implications of interracial marriage presented in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner; the actor's contributions to the Western genre; his directorial legacy (e.g., Uptown Saturday Night and Let's Do It Again); and his construction, through the characterization of the protagonist (played by Will Smith), in Six Degrees of Separation. Long overdue, this volume critiques Poitier in all of his complexity, addressing how Poitier laid the foundation for later representations of black masculinity. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. -- C. B. Regester, Univ. of North Carolina--Chapel Hill, USA * CHOICE *
