When we talk about 'Sweetback,' yes, it stars the whole black movement, but it's also the first time an independent film made that kind of money and was that successful and taken seriously. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
Before I made 'Sweetback,' I had a three-picture deal with Columbia and enough juice, if I was real clever with it, to proclaim that I wanted to do an independent film. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
I went to a number of schools when I was a kid on the south side of Chicago. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
Music or sound in a film is a character as important as another character. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
I'm not a normal director. You can't look at me that way. What's kept me alive is my technical skill at doing other things. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
Don't ask me something if you don't want to know. Because I will tell you. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
I was a trader for a company. That's different from the brokers who we sort of disdain as sort of just errand boys. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
After 'Don't Play Us Cheap,' I got very busy with theater and Wall Street. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
The studios didn't really take independent films seriously, till 'Sweetback' was such a financial success. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
Whitey is uptight about offending blacks without really knowing what offends blacks. — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
I said to my kids, 'Learn the business of America if you want to be an artist in America. The rest of that stuff,… — Melvin Van Peebles Copy Share Image
