Summer of Soul

I received a digital code of Summer of Soul to facilitate this review. As always opinions are 100% my own. Affiliate Disclosure: We work with a variety of different affiliate companies. This means that we will receive a small compensation if you purchase from one of our affiliate links. This will not affect the price of your item(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you would like more information please check out our Disclosure Policy.

Summer of Soul is now available on Digital and DVD as of February 8, 2022.

Getting new movies is always exciting, and we’ve had some visitors so I was finally able to sit down and watch Summer of Soul once they left. While I’m not a history buff, or a music buff either one, I would say that as a movie buff I could hold my own. The footage was that of 1969, and it just reminded me just how far our technology has really come.

Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). Now here’s the sad part…it was a revolution, but it could not be televised. It was filmed but never seen until now. I encourage everyone to watch Summer of Love because the music is truly magical and a very enlightening glimpse into history.

Film Synopsis

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was largely forgotten–until now. Summer of Soul shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present.  The feature includes concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension and more.

Bonus Features*

• Audio Commentary – View the film with audio commentary by director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson.
• Soul Searching – A behind-the-scenes look at Summer of Soul. We’ll learn about where the footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival has been, how it was uncovered, and why director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson decided to tell this story now.
• Harlem: Then & Now – We revisit Mount Morris Park, location of the Harlem Cultural Festival. We learn how the neighborhood was a crossroads of culture and precarious politics and explore why Summer of Soul is so relevant during this present time of great political upheaval.

*bonus features vary by product and retailer