Addio zio Tom (1971)

Directors:

Gualtiero Jacopetti
Franco Prosperi

Writers:

Gualtiero Jacopetti (writer)
Franco Prosperi (writer)

Release Date:

30 September 1971 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

300 years of hate explode today!

Plot:

Two documentary filmmakers go back in time to the pre-Civil War American South, to film the slave trade. |

Plot Keywords:

Rat | Humiliation | Fake Documentary | Rape | Beach

Cast

Gualtiero Jacopetti	...	Himself
Franco Prosperi	...	Himself

Also Known As:

Farewell Uncle Tom (Australia) (video box title)
Goodbye Uncle Tom (International: English title)
Uncle Tom (International: English title)
White Devil: Black Hell (USA) (X-rated version)
Zio Tom (Italy) (alternative title)
Addio, Onkel Tom! (West Germany) [de]
Adiós tío Tom (Spain) [es]
Adjö människan (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Farvel, onkel Tom (Denmark) [da]
Hyvästi ihminen (Finland) [fi]
Les négriers (Canada: French title) [fr]

Runtime:

136 min | Australia:128 min | Canada:103 min (Québec) | UK:94 min | USA:123 min | Argentina:108 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | UK:X (heavily cut) | USA:X (heavily cut) | Finland:K-18 (heavily cut) (1976) | Australia:R | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Italy:VM18 | Spain:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Company:

Euro International Film (EIA)

Trivia:

DECAMERONE NERO German Import DVD has a Super-8mm Version of "Goodbye Uncle Tom", (German Audio only) as a special feature on the disc.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Godfathers of Mondo (2003) (V)

Either version is certain to provoke a strong reaction

The story goes that when this played Times Square it caused a riot. I have no idea if its true or not, but if it did happen I can see why.

The film is an examination of race relations that focuses on slavery. As an indictment of the institution of slavery this film can not be topped. This is a nightmarish look at what slave mills must have been like almost 200 years ago.

The film exists in two versions that are very different different, and if you ever wanted to see how one film could end up as two different films, look no farther than this film (both versions are in the Mondo Cane box set)

Both films contain much of the same footage cut for different effect.The original Italian cut deals more heavily with race relations now, while the American version deals more with the slavery aspect. The final moments of both versions makes more sense in context of the Italian version since in the final moments we see that in many ways things have not gotten all that much better for the black race. Both films also have a good amount of footage unique to that version. I doubt seriously that the footage could be combined to make one super film since you'd end up with a third film with a third point of view.

I like both versions of the film. I think that right or wrong this is a film that will get you talking and thinking and wondering, which is what the film is suppose to do. I can't say that one is better than the other, both are flawed, however both should be seen, preferably with in a day or so of each other since the duel versions play off each other in unexpected ways.

See these films., But be prepared to get angry. You may not get through them, you may not like them, but you will be provoked into a reaction on some level. For better or worse you will be challenged and moved which is what the point of the film is.

9 out of 10.