The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971)

About The Murder of Fred Hampton

"The Murder of Fred Hampton" is a powerful 1971 documentary that narrates the tragic story of the death of Fred Hampton, a young, charismatic leader of the Illinois Black Panther Party. Commissioned and directed by Howard Alk and Mike Gray, the film presents an uncompromising critique of the complex socio-political circumstances leading to Hampton's assassination.

Making / Production

Conceived by Howard Alk and Mike Gray, the film was intended to be a portrait of Hampton's activism and leadership. However, it diverted to cover the conspiracy and blatant suppression of the Black Panther Party by the government after his sudden death. The film combines original footage of Hampton's speeches and gatherings with an investigative exploration into his death.

Actors

• Fred Hampton: As himself, his charismatic presence permeates throughout the documentary.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie was initially planned to be a film about Hampton's leadership, but it turned into an investigative account following Hampton's untimely death.
• To capture Hampton's charisma and spirit, much of the original footage of his speeches and public gatherings was preserved and utilized in the documentary.

Quotes

• "You can kill a revolutionary, but you can't kill a revolution."
• "We ain't gonna fight no reactionary pigs who run up and down the street being reactionary; we're gonna organize and dedicate ourselves to revolutionary political power and teach ourselves the specific needs of resisting the power structure, arm ourselves, and we're gonna fight reactionary pigs with international proletarian revolution."

Music, Soundtrack

• The documentary doesn't feature a traditional soundtrack. Most of the sound is diegetic, reflecting the real, grounded nature of the film.