Underground

After reading Prairie Fire: Political Statement from the Weather Underground in 1974, filmmaker Emile de Antonio determined to make a “new kind of didactic, revolutionary film”—a “film weapon.” He formed a collective with fellow filmmakers Mary Lampson and Haskell Wexler, and through a series of “cloak-and-dagger meetings” the trio arranged to interview active members of the radical political group the Weather Underground. Living with the fugitive activists in a safe house for three days, the filmmakers interviewed them about their ideological opposition to the American government and their personal paths to the controversial Weather Underground. Wexler, the cinematographer, was forced to film the activists either from behind or through a scrim to conceal their visual identities.

When the film became known to the FBI, de Antonio, Lampson, and Wexler were subpoenaed and ordered to turn over all of their negatives and tapes. The filmmakers argued that the subpoena violated their First Amendment rights, and represented prior restraint. After they were backed up by the ACLU and numerous Hollywood stars including Harry Belafonte, Warren Beatty, Jeff Bridges, and Mel Brooks, the subpoena was dropped. The completed film Underground was released in 1976. That same year Folkways released the soundtrack to the film, which includes the entire audio of the documentary. Liner notes offer a detailed account of the filming process, written by Peter Biskind and Marc N. Weiss.

Track Listing

101	Statement by the Underground	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	04:13
102	Violence Is Necessary: H. Rap Brown, Malcolm X, M.L. King, Jr., F. Castro	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	07:48
103	The Viet War: Ho Chi Minh, N.T. Dinh, J. Ford	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	06:58
104	SDS, Chicago 1969, Days of Rage	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	06:16
201	Attitudes of the Underground	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	06:46
202	Self Criticism	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	02:41
203	Puerto Rico-"Mongo Affair"	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	03:03
204	Making the Film	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	03:27
205	We are Professional Revolutionaries	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	02:17
206	The West 11th Street Explosion	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	08:39
301	Capitol Bombing- Returning Medals	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	05:18
302	Fear and Commitment	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	04:13
303	Class Origin and Class Stance	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	01:20
304	The Publication of The Praire Fire	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	04:06
401	Make Up of Capitalistic Power and the New Revolution	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	03:16
402	The Prison Movement and Attica	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	02:20
403	It Is The People Who Make The Change	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	01:28
404	We are a Small Organization	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	00:51
405	Interview at a L.A. Unemployment Center	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	07:48
406	Why We Are Communist & Speak Collectively	Emile de Antonio, Mary Lampson, and Haskell Wexler with the Weather Underground	03:15