Vinegar Syndrome Announces Its June 25 Film Restoration Calendar — Putney Swope Leads The Parade

In today’s media culture, with its landscape littered with grievance and social justice warriors, writer/director Robert Downey, Sr.’s 1969 “Truth and Soul Movie,” Putney Swope, could not be made … and if did get funded and produced, it would be attacked seven ways from sundown as being racist (and more).   

The same holds true for Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles … screams, the hysterics associated with the double feature presentation of Blazing Saddles and Putney Swope would be too much to bear … the shame of it!!

There is, however, an appropriate reply to such nonsense … “geyn funt zamd” (Yiddish for “go pound sand”).  Putney Swope still packs the same satirical punch today as it did in 1969 … and with the news from Vinegar Syndrome this past week that a new 4K restoration “from various 35mm pre-print elements” (not quite sure what that means) will be available on June 25 as a newly-minted Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack product offering, film buffs, fans and uninitiated can join the “go pound sand” movement.

Putney Swope (Arnold Johnson — Shaft, Menace II Society, etc.) is the “token black” (literally) at a large “Madison Avenue” advertising agency.   He is there for “color” only and as the film begins, Putney, and the rest of the agency members are gathered in the conference room to hear “Mario” (played by David Kirk), the chairman of the agency, speak.   Mid-sentence, he drops dead and with his lifeless body sprawled across the table, the members of the agency are informed that they must elect a new chairman.

Everyone starts to vote — remember, Mario is dead on the table, no paramedics, nothing — when they are further informed that the rules of the election stipulate that members of the firm cannot vote for themselves.   All of the ballots are crumbled up and tossed to the floor.   Negotiations begin, but each of the members quickly come to the conclusion that these will be fruitless, so they look about the table, think about it … and then cast their votes.

This brilliant opening sequence from Robert Downey (Greaser’s Palace, Pound, Chafed Elbows) sets the tone for what is to come.   All of the members arrive at the same conclusion.   They vote for the one person that no one else will vote for … the “token black,” Putney Swope, who is overwhelmingly elected the new chairman.

“The Truth and Soul” agency is born.   By film’s end, there will be a token white (“if we give you a raise, everyone else will want a raise … and you’ll be right back where you are now”) and the promise of change (complete with those marvelous color commercials) will have been corrupted to the point where nothing has change.   Political and social satire — and indie filmmaking — at its very best!   

If you have a film library, Putney Swope is a must (and look around for a copy of Greaser’s Palace while you’re at it)!!!

Bonus features included with Vinegar Syndrome’s Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack release of Putney Swope on June 24 include two commentary options, one featuring writer/director Robert Downey Sr. and the second with film critic and historian Sergio Mims (co-founder and co-programmer of the Black Harvest Film Festival at the Gene Siskel Film Center).

There are also two vintage video sessions with Downey (2001 and 2008), a Q&A session from the 2005 Philadelphia Film Festival, a video session with cinematographer Gerald Cotts and a “massive” archival article and promo gallery.

Rounding out the June 25 release slate from Vinegar Syndrome (all being released as Blu-ray/DVD Combo Packs) are Taking Tiger Mountain, which has a production history as interesting as the film itself; director John Huckert’s 1985 film release of The Passing; and, director Jeffrey Arsenault’s 1993 vampire/murder-mystery thriller, Night Owl.