The documentary Infiltrating Hollywood explores the making of the 1973 film The Spook Who Sat By the Door, a cult classic and important underground black production. Based on Sam Greenlee's novel, the film tells the story of a black man who is begrudgingly trained as a CIA agent and uses his position to challenge the oppressive forces in his community. Despite facing numerous obstacles, including a low budget and lack of film permits, the production team found support from African American Mayor Richard Hatcher and the city of Gary, Indiana. The film's creators also used the Blaxploitation film era to their advantage, producing a film that defied expectations and portrayed black people as fighting for their beliefs and freedom from oppression.
Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat by the Door
The 1973 film "The Spook Who Sat By the Door" was a groundbreaking production by black creators, but its impact was curtailed by the FBI due to its provocative content, remaining a relatively unknown piece of cinematic history until recently.
