February 2010 Artist of the Month: Sidney Poitier
Submitted by Rafe Telsch on Mon, 02/01/2010 - 22:16
We frequently have let current events help dictate who we choose for Artist of the Month, so selecting an artist in February, which has become popularly known as “Black History Month” seems like a no brainer. Narrowing the scope down, however, was a bit more difficult. Most of the podcast’s staff love Morgan Freeman, so he seemed like the obvious choice, but after several back-to-back contemporary artists, I wanted to return to the heart of the Artist of the Month program - expanding our knowledge of film through spectacular artists, which means going with someone who isn’t necessarily contemporary.
Sidney Poitier’s body of work may have dropped down to television movies in recent history, and there’s only been a single project from the this century, but there’s no denying the actor’s incredible presence and influential work. Movie-goers may ooh and ahh over Denzel Washington these days, but Poitier was first - the first African American actor to earn an Oscar, in fact. On top of his original Oscar victory, he’s been recognized by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences as well as the AFI with honorary awards, among others, and his performances have made many a list of “Greatest” performances and characters.
Poitier’s body of work is a tribute to the African American struggle in American history. Frequently, his characters are victims of racial discrimination and are forced to overcome adversity as part of the film’s storyline. The actor’s career seems tailor cut for a month when we are asked to remember the history of a race who has had to endure so much. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating the highlights of Poitier’s career as part of each week’s Weekly Blend Audio Show.
Widescreen Warrior.com Presents: Sidney Poitier
- February 7th:
- A Raisin in the Sun (1961)
- Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
- February 14th:
- To Sir, With Love (1966)
- In the Heat of the Night (1967)
- February 21st:
- Sneakers (1992)
- Little Nikita (1988)
- February 28th:
- Shoot to Kill (1988)
- Mandela and de Klerk (1997)
Full filmography available at IMDb
