Tongues Untied poster
FilmDocumentary

Tongues Untied (1990)

1990-03-16 · 55m · EN
67%
User score
43 votes
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Black Men Loving Black Men

Marlon Riggs, with assistance from other gay Black men, especially poet Essex Hemphill, celebrates Black men loving Black men as a revolutionary act. The film intercuts footage of Hemphill reciting his poetry, Riggs telling the story of his growing up, scenes of men in social intercourse and dance, and various comic riffs, including a visit to the "Institute of Snap!thology," where men take lessons in how to snap their fingers: the sling snap, the point snap, the diva snap.

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Donald WoodsWriterMarlon RiggsDirector, WriterEssex HemphillWriterSteve LangleyWriter

Media

Top billed cast

Full cast & crew →
Marlon RiggsMarlon RiggsSelfMichael BellMichael BellSelfEssex HemphillEssex HemphillSelf - Poetry PerformanceBrian FreemanBrian FreemanSelfWilli NinjaWilli NinjaSelfKerrigan BlackKerrigan BlackSelfBlackberriBlackberriSelfDjola Bernard BrannerDjola Bernard BrannerSelf (as Bernard Branner)Eddie MurphyEddie MurphySelf (archive footage)

Keywords

LgbtBlack lgbtAfrican american man

Movie DNA

Genre affinityDocumentaryTheme affinityLgbt · Black Lgbt · African American ManPacingShortDirector preference767584Actor preference1325432 · 767584 · 63242Country preferenceUs

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Frequently asked questions about Tongues Untied

What is Tongues Untied about?

Marlon Riggs, with assistance from other gay Black men, especially poet Essex Hemphill, celebrates Black men loving Black men as a revolutionary act. The film intercuts footage of Hemphill reciting his poetry, Riggs telling the story of his growing up, scenes of men in social intercourse and dance, and various comic riffs, including a visit to the "Institute of Snap!thology," where men take lessons in how to snap their fingers: the sling snap, the point snap, the diva snap.

How long is Tongues Untied?

Tongues Untied has a runtime of 55 minutes.