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Wattstax

  • 1973
  • R
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
Wattstax (1973)
Documentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singers, and more.
Play trailer3:14
1 Video
23 Photos
ConcertMusic DocumentaryComedyDocumentaryMusic

Documentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singe... Read allDocumentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singers, and more.Documentary covering a Stax Records-sponsored all-day concert at the 1972 Watts Summer Festival with performances by Stax Records artists such as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staples Singers, and more.

  • Director
    • Mel Stuart
  • Stars
    • The Dramatics
    • The Staple Singers
    • Kim Weston
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    1.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mel Stuart
    • Stars
      • The Dramatics
      • The Staple Singers
      • Kim Weston
    • 20User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
    • 81Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:14
    Trailer

    Photos23

    View Poster
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    + 17
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    Top Cast64

    The Dramatics
    • Themselves
    The Staple Singers
    • Themselves
    Kim Weston
    • Self
    Jimmy Jones
    • Self
    Rance Allen
    • Self
    The Emotions
    • Themselves
    William Bell
    • Self
    Louise McCord
    • Self
    Deborah Manning Thomas
    • Self
    • (as Debra Manning)
    Eric Mercury
    • Self
    Abu Talib
    • Self
    • (as Freddy Robinson)
    Lee Sain
    • Self
    Ernie Hines
    • Self
    Sonny Warner
    • Self
    • (as Little Sonny Warner)
    The Newcomers
    • Themselves
    Eddie Floyd
    • Self
    The Temprees
    • Themselves
    Frederick Knight
    • Self
    • Director
      • Mel Stuart
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews20

    7.71.2K
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    Music

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      Originally The Bar-Kays were going to enter the L.A. Coliseum riding in horse-drawn chariots. However, when the executives of Stax Records heard what the group had planned they ordered them not to do it. It turned out that the reason they didn't want the group to do it was so that they wouldn't upstage the concert's headliner, Isaac Hayes.
    • Alternate versions
      The 2003 restoration includes the original ending; Isaac Hayes performing the songs "Theme From Shaft" and "Soulsville", which were removed from the film following the 1973 Los Angeles premiere due to the threat of a lawsuit from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) over the use of those songs in a motion picture. The replacement ending, Isaac Hayes performing "Rolling Down A Mountainside" (recorded on a Los Angeles soundstage months after the concert) has been removed and is included as extra material on the 2003 DVD release.
    • Connections
      Edited into Richard Pryor: I Ain't Dead Yet, #*%$#@!! (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      What You See Is What You Get
      Written by Tony Hester
      Performed by The Dramatics

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    Details

    • Release date
      • September 16, 1973 (Denmark)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • PBS (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • ワッツタックス スタックス・コンサート
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - 3911 S. Figueroa Street, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Stax Records
      • Wolper Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    • Gross US & Canada
      • $16,000
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $16,000
      • Jun 8, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $16,155
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 43m(103 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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