Wikipedia:Today's featured article/May 23, 2014
Coonskin is a 1975 American film written and directed by Ralph Bakshi (pictured in 2009), about an African American rabbit, fox, and bear who rise to the top of the organized crime racket in Harlem, encountering corrupt law enforcement, con artists, and the Mafia. The film, which combines live action and animation, stars Philip Thomas, Charles Gordone, Barry White, and Scatman Crothers, all of whom appear in both live-action and animated sequences. Coonskin makes reference to various elements from African-American culture, ranging from African folk tales to the work of cartoonist George Herriman, and satirizes racist and other stereotypes, as well as the blaxploitation genre, Song of the South, and The Godfather. Coonskin encountered controversy before its original theatrical release when the Congress of Racial Equality criticized the content as being racist. When the film was released, it had limited distribution and initially received negative reviews. Coonskin has since been reappraised. A New York Times review said that it could be Bakshi's "masterpiece" and Bakshi considers it his best film. (Full article...)
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