Water Melon Man (1970)
Jeff Gerber (Godfrey Cambridge), a white, middle class husband to Althea and father of two who is also a mild bigot. One morning, Jeff wakes up to discover that he has become a black man overnight. After trying in vain to remove his new pigment, Jeff ventures out into the world, only to discover the hostility he once engendered himself. After his neighbors petition to get him out of the neighborhood, his boss tries to use his new identity to the company's advantage and his doctor suggests he seek medical care elsewhere, Jeff comes to see the many sides of racism. The only rays of hope in his situation are the friendship of several fellow black people, including a bus driver and a restaurant counter man.
Extras:
- Introduction by Melvin Van Peebles (2004)
- The Guardian Interview with Melvin Van Peebles (1996): archival audio recording of the filmmaker and actor in conversation with broadcaster Darcus Howe at London’s National Film Theatre
- Racquel Gates on ‘Watermelon Man’ (2020): appreciation by the academic and author of Double Negative: The Black Image and Popular Culture
- Image gallery: on-set and promotional photography
- Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Sergio Mims, a 1970 profile of director Melvin Van Peebles, archival interviews with Van Peebles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and film credits
- New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
