Sick Product of a Sick System

I'll tell you why so serious

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

I thought the documentary would be a dry, factual restating of the case. I was wrong. It pulsed with life, in the words of Mumia Abu Jamal, and in the many people who spoke from their hearts about the man, his case, and his effect on their lives. I learned more about the hidden history of this country. worth seeing and sharing. The fact that anyone, especially someone convicted on such flimsy and suspect evidence has been left in solitary is obscene. The way that Mr. Abu Jamal has not only retained his humanity, but is using his words to reach out and make a positive change in the world, is a lesson for us all. I was fortunate enough to also hear from the director of this powerful documentary, and his journey to gain access, and to bring this story to the world, also should be noted.

This film is a real eye opener. Mumia is a must see for every American. For those who already understand what lengths the government machine can and does go to in order to suppress revolutionary voices and actions, it adds fuel to the smoldering fire. To those who don't already understand, let's hope it is a small ray of sunshine piercing the elaborate red, white and blue smoke and mirror environment you have been brought up with and swallowed hook, line and sinker. Incredibly well researched and brilliantly executed by Stephen Vittoria, a documentary filmmaker at the very top of his game, Mumia is populated by a who's who of revolutionary thinkers who bring their thoughtful commentary to bear on this important subject. The subject of the film, Mumia Abu-Jamal, is nothing less than a universal thinker, philosopher and visionary. Mumia can extemporize and speak on virtually any subject or event without research or calculation at a higher and more thorough and profound level than most PHDs could if given a week in the central library to prepare to address a topic. Mumia thinks and speaks in an improvisational manner that can only be analogized to the riffs of jazz greats Coltrane, Davis and Monk. Don't miss it and watch it twice.

Mumia Abu Jamal: Long Distance Revolutionary is a magnificent artistic journey through Mumia's life. It spotlights his talent, brilliance, and perseverance in the face of insurmountable odds. It shows the absurdist Kafkaesque tragedy that our criminal justice system has become. A former Black Panther and a leftist journalist Mumia had a perspective that challenged the status quo and made his capture and silencing an imperative to the FBI and the Philadelphia police under the iron fist of Frank Rizzo. Filmmaker Stephen Vittoria brings out Mumia's humanity while never losing sight of the racial and class politics so intrinsic to Mumia's message of love to the world. Cornel West says Mumia is a long distance revolutionary because of his love for and dedication to humanity. He says Mumia is a blues man to the life of the mind, and a jazz man of ideas. Vittoria makes these musical allusions vivid in the film. He does this under the severe constraints set by the Pennsylvania prison system. He was not allowed to film Mumia, yet managed to use stills and vintage footage to maximum effect. The audience comes away from the film knowing they have experienced a truly remarkable man. Vittoria tells us that Mumia is so remarkable Paris has designated him an honorary citizen, and St. Denis, France, the city of kings, has named a street after him. This movie doesn't address the question of Mumia's actual guilt or innocence, but in a companion feature on the DVD , "Manufacturing Guilt", Vittoria shows how the evidence against Mumia was heavily fabricated. Fundamental police procedures such as testing for explosives on his hands that would indicate whether or not he had recently fired a gun were not done. At the same time a witness was coerced into giving a false confession which she later recanted. On appeal the evidence from Mumia's trial proved so flimsy, he was removed from death row after 30 years.

Because of Mumia Abu-Jamal's honesty and integrity, not to mention his gift of communicating through the medium of writing and broadcast journalism, this film is crucial is bringing information to the world audience of his humble beginnings and his consistent search for truth and justice.Since I've known him since the early days of WRTI in Philly and have been an ardent fan of his for many years, I can attest to the film's accuracy and historical validity. Great job done for a great cause. Mumia Abu-Jamal must be set free.Much respect, staajabu