There may be few popular figures who still are ensconced in enigma like Melvin Van Peebles. You'd be hard pressed to find another person who made such an impact on American culture in a brazen and stirring manner, so much so that you couldn't look away. How To Eat Your Watermelon in White Company is a visual testament to Van Peebles' genius.
The documentary's title actually stems from the title of an essay Van Peebles himself, had submitted to a magazine in the late 1960's.
The film is a delightful look at Van Peebles' life, told in his words and the words of friends and loved ones. And what a life it has been; from publishing a book while working as a streetcar conductor to his artistic growth in France to his trailblazing film career. Chock full of anecdotes, bittersweet tales and Van Peebles' own stinging but honest ironic humor throughout, this is one documentary that needs to be in every artists' library.
An excerpt from the DVD courtesy of MVPmovies.com...