Charles Burnett, at 80, represents a crucial voice in American independent cinema, showcasing working-class Black families in Los Angeles. Despite accolades, including an honorary Oscar in 2017 and the revival of his acclaimed 1978 work Killer of Sheep, many of Burnett's films have struggled for visibility. The recent restoration and limited release of his 1999 comedy, The Annihilation of Fish, serves as a milestone in correcting this oversight. This film features notable performances from late actors Lynn Redgrave and James Earl Jones, marking its cultural significance and the importance of Burnett's cinematic contributions.
Around the same time, we meet Redgrave's character, a San Francisco woman named Poinsettia, who, like Fish, has an active fantasy life.
Burnett himself received an honorary Oscar in 2017.
His movies, most of which focus on working-class Black families in his home city of Los Angeles, have been underseen, underexposed and sometimes misunderstood.
The overdue arrival of Burnett's 1999 comedy, The Annihilation of Fish, which...never landed an American distributor.
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