Isaac Hayes Tapes 'STAND' Days Before Death
Executive produced by television and radio personality Tavis Smiley, STAND is an unscripted reality styled piece that follows Smiley and 10 of his friends as they travel to Memphis 40 years after the death of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., visiting landmarks and discussing the state of black America as it pertains to music, religion and politics.
It is ironic that Hayes appears in the film taped during the
last week of July 2008, not long after he experienced a stroke. Hayes is
featured in a meeting with Smiley, and his roadmates who include the likes of Princeton professor Dr.
Cornel West, Georgetown professor and author Dr. Michael Eric Dyson and comedian and activist Dick Gregory. Hayes arrives with his long-time writting partner David Porter, who co-wrote with Hayes many of Sam & Dave's hits. But due to Hayes' failing
health, he is barely able to speak.
Smiley was surprised and humbled that Hayes showed up. "When I walked off that bus and saw David and Isaac standing there, my heart just fluttered as I couldn't believe that Isaac had gotten out of the sick bed," Smiley says Sunday following a blogger screening of STAND at his home in Hancock Park section of Los Angeles.
"There is a scene where we take our time and really show him as he tries three or four times to get his foot [onto the curb]," Smiley continues about Hayes. "I just wanted to show the condition he was in.
"One of my favorite scenes in the movie is just sitting there talking to him and David. At that point Isaac's speech wasn't fluent but he's a trooper."
Other music tie-ins are of a more comical tone. Watching the
shocking reaction Dr. Michael Eric Dyson gets when he champions Beyonce as an
artist who appeals to all generations is hilarious. Another funny segment is seeing
Sam Moore of Sam & Dave tell the story about the first time they played Madison Square Garden
and Ike and Tina Turner was their opening act.
"We're real cocky, we're Sam and Dave," Sam reflects to Smiley's crew. "We hear this audience, 'Ahhhh ahhhh.' Dave came back. I thought Dave had seen a ghost. He was white. I said 'What's up man? How's the crowd?' He said, 'That b-tch about to kill us out there,'" Sam adds, explaining how Tina Turner's electrifying stage show was fueling the crowd. Sam and Dave were nervous, not sure how they would top that performance.
Watching Smiley and his friends take this journey while discussing music, politics, and religion is compelling, as they debate their various insightful positions. It's a more accurate portrayal of African American men than what CNN captured in last year's Black In America special. Gotta watch this with my pops. All my folks will get the DVD for Christmas.
I tweeted while screening the film. See retweet highlights below. Also, check out the clip of Paxstereo.com interviewing me about the movie.
My STAND Blogger's Screening Twitter Review
y_billyjohnson: in tavis smiley's back house full of bloggers getting ready for the STAND screening.
y_billyjohnson: cornel and michael eric dyson arguing over beyonce and aretha. lol. dyson said b could hang with any generation. nah. lol.
y_billyjohnson: they just roll up to sam moore's house. DOPE.
y_billyjohnson: sam told incredible story about ike and tina opening for sam and dave and blowing them out. crowd was screaming Tina Tina Tina. lol.
y_billyjohnson: sitting with michael eric dyson and watching CNN special with his brother who is in jail for life.
y_billyjohnson: west and dyson start crying. love that these dudes are brilliant and down to earth.
y_billyjohnson: they coincidentally were together the night dyson's cnn segment aired. trip.
y_billyjohnson: eddie glaude said shekinah ministry song 'yes' changed his perspective on christianity.
y_billyjohnson: they are at fisk university ironically where cornel's parents met.
y_billyjohnson: dick gregory joked that gas prices are so high women in the ghetto where it as perfume.
y_billyjohnson: next segment, becoming soul men of greatness. isaac hayes is there.
y_billyjohnson: isaac passed not long after taping.
y_billyjohnson: tavis and the guys roll up to Mason Temple where King delivered his last speech. gregory said King said to him, 'They gone kill me,
y_billyjohnson: gregory didn't know what to say and joked, 'Better u than
me.'
y_billyjohnson: wow. they go to the motel where mlk was shot
on april 4, 1968. no dialogue.
y_billyjohnson: bebe is in church singing Donnie McClurkin's 'Stand.' he's killing it.
y_billyjohnson: this film is a great idea. you know what it is, it is a good version of the cnn special black in america. only cringed once. lol.
y_billyjohnson: made 40 years after the death of mlk. loved it. you guys have to watch next sunday on TV One. STAND.
