The Glass Shield
by Charles Burnett
Our Price: $14.99
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.25 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Bernie Casey, Erich Anderson, Michael Boatman, Richard Anderson, Wanda De JesusDirector: Charles Burnett
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 110 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-02-12
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Miramax
Movie Reviews of The Glass Shield
Movie Review: A deserving special edition for this movie
Summary: 5 Stars
Charles Burnett is one of America's most underrated filmmakers working today. Unlike his African-American contemporary, Spike Lee, he is not an outspoken personality in his own right, preferring to let the work speak for itself. In many respects, his films are self-aware in terms of social conscience as John Sayles' own work. As a result, Burnett also finds it hard to get his movies widely distributed. The Glass Shield was his attempt to reach a wider audience by having Miramax distribute it. Sadly, like Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man, it was subjected to the same lackluster release by Miramax head honcho, Harvey Weinstein and promptly disappeared.
Stylistically, Burnett is not as in-your-face as Spike Lee, preferring to let the content and the characters deliver his message. That's not to say his films don't have their own style-The Glass Shield is a well-shot movie (adopting a colour scheme that reflects Johnson's comic book fantasies)-it just doesn't cause unnecessary attention to itself.
There is an audio commentary by writer/director Charles Burnett and composer Stephen James Taylor. Burnett points out that the cops are conditioned not to trust anyone before they are sent out on patrol and this often explains their hostile behaviour on the streets. This is an intelligent, conversational track with lots of excellent observations by both men with some good stories told by Burnett.
"A Conversation with Charles Burnett" is a featurette that alternates between clips from the movie and Burnett talking.
"Film Scoring with Stephen James Taylor" explores this composer's creative process. He drew from all kinds of musical genres with Negro spiritual melodies as the score's heart. He also talks about the origins of key musical cues from the movie.
Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.
Summary of The Glass Shield
Eager rookie J.J. Johnson (Michael Boatman) is the only black officer in a Los Angeles sheriffs' substation. He soon comes up against ingrained racism, corruption, and violence on the force as he tries to fit in. A young black man (Ice Cube) is pulled in as a murder suspect after a wealthy man's wife is shot in a botched armed robbery. Boatman and Deputy Fields (Lori Petty) soon realize that the facts in the case don't add up and dig a bit deeper. They soon find a maze of deceit that extends upward from the sheriffs to L.A. city government. Though slow and rather convoluted, this film has an absorbing story worthy of Joseph Wambaugh and an interesting cast to hold viewers' attention. Blaxploitation vet Bernie Casey excels as Ice Cube's defense attorney, and Boatman is fine as the wide-eyed Johnson. Director Charles Burnett infuses a sense of dread and foreboding into sunny Los Angeles locations and well-lit convenience stores that turns the rules of dimly lit thrillers upside down. He also does a fair job of capturing the macho-cowboy mentality of the all-white sheriffs, complete with styled hair and heavy mustaches. Considering the timely subject matter, this film could have easily become heavy-handed cop opera, but the character development and performances are strong enough to lift it above the level of invective. After all, it's a scenario that's all too believable in light of late-1990s events. --Jerry RenshawDrama DVD Video
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Movies most talked about in Best semi-obscure crime films
Love & a .45LION'S GATE ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 1999-06-08; DVD
Best price: $8.46
Price in other shops:
Electra Glide in BlueTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2005-03-22; DVD
Best price: $4.41
Price in other shops:
Blue TigerRelease date: 2000-09-05; DVD
Best price: $159.95
Across 110th StreetRelease date: 2001-10-16; DVD
Best price: $6.06
Price in other shops:
The Way of the GunRelease date: 2001-10-23; DVD
Best price: $2.45
Price in other shops:
A Simple PlanRelease date: 1999-06-22; DVD
Best price: $4.53
Price in other shops:
The Onion FieldTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2002-09-17; DVD
Best price: $7.48
Price in other shops:
KluteFONDA,JANE; Release date: 2002-02-05; DVD
Best price: $11.22
Price in other shops:
The Glass ShieldRelease date: 2002-02-12; DVD
Best price: $15.98
The Mighty QuinnTWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2001-02-06; DVD
Best price: $6.17
Price in other shops:
Similar DVD Movies
StrappedWarner Brothers; Release date: 2005-08-30; DVD
Best price: $3.90
Price in other shops:
New Jersey DriveCORLEY,SHARRON; Release date: 2005-02-01; DVD
Best price: $6.47
Price in other shops:
SparkWarner Brothers; Release date: 2007-05-15; DVD
Best price: $6.60
Price in other shops:
Boyz 'N the HoodRelease date: 1998-07-14; DVD
Best price: $6.78
Price in other shops:
Devil in a Blue DressRelease date: 1999-03-09; DVD
Best price: $7.29
Price in other shops:
Cop Land (Exclusive Director's Cut) (Miramax Collector's Edition)Release date: 2004-06-01; DVD
Best price: $5.30
Price in other shops:
![To Sleep with Anger [Region 2] Image](/images/To-Sleep-with-Anger-Region-2-B00022VLXG-X.jpg)
To Sleep with Anger [Region 2]DVD
Best price: $89.94
Selma, Lord, SelmaSMOLLETT,JURNEE; Release date: 2004-02-03; DVD
Best price: $8.67
Price in other shops:
Killer of Sheep: The Charles Burnett CollectionRelease date: 2007-11-20; DVD
Best price: $26.54
Price in other shops:
NightjohnRelease date: 2005-06-07; DVD
Best price: $2.88
Price in other shops: