

Tongues Untied
"Black Men Loving Black Men"
Overview
Marlon Riggs, with assistance from other gay Black men, especially poet Essex Hemphill, celebrates Black men loving Black men as a revolutionary act. The film intercuts footage of Hemphill reciting his poetry, Riggs telling the story of his growing up, scenes of men in social intercourse and dance, and various comic riffs, including a visit to the "Institute of Snap!thology," where men take lessons in how to snap their fingers: the sling snap, the point snap, the diva snap.
Movie Details
Languages
English
Studio
Signifyin' Works
Key Crew

Marlon Riggs
Director

Donald Woods
Writer

Marlon Riggs
Producer

Essex Hemphill
Writer

Marlon Riggs
Writer
Cast

Marlon Riggs
Self

Essex Hemphill
Self - Poetry Performance
Brian Freeman
Self

Michael Bell
Self

Willi Ninja
Self
Kerrigan Black
Self

Blackberri
Self
Djola Bernard Branner
Self

Eddie Murphy
Self (archive footage)