Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful scenery, awful movie
Review: Avoid this movie! Save your money to go visit the obviously beautiful island this movie is filmed at, because that is the only thing worthwhile in this very strange and disturbing movie. My class was forced to watch it at school and no one I talked to enjoyed it (or even understood most of it). It is a very bizarre movie that very few people could enjoy. Basically, it is a movie which poindexter professors will think is intetellectual, but in reality is only strange. It also has a very negative agenda. Over all, it is definitely one of the worst movies I have ever seen.
Rating: 
Summary: Must see movie!
Review: Daughters of the Dust is a richly evocative and absolutely beautiful film. Julie Dash masterfully combines her ten years of reseach in the moving film about a Gullah family on the verge of migration to the north. The performances are very strong and very moving. This movie must be seen more than once to capture the full meaning, but it is well worth the time. I would also recommend reading the screenplay which offers many insights into this incredibly deep and moving film. It is revolutionary in that it lovingly portrays wonderful strong and beautiful black women and tells their story in a manner that is free of sterotypes.
Rating: 
Summary: A magical story encrypted with emotional histories
Review: I had to watch this film several times. It was haunting. What was it I was missing? There was something here but I could put my hand on it. It was not my hand that was needed it was my heart. The film opened my male heart to an idea I had not considered. The mystical powers of matriachy. It made me reconsider those core expperiences and histories of women in my own family and how these experiences, these srcaps of memory affect me, mold me. Cinema is an experience. it is not about where a film is or what it is about sometimes...but where a film takes you. The experience of cinema can still be sublime. Now that is a comfort to me as a cinema lover. Daughters is a sublime experience that I will always cherish. I bought the DVD to learn more about the making of the film. It seems a miracle a film like this could even be made in America. The extra material on the DV really gives insigfht into the complex emotional and cultural history of African America.
Rating:
Summary: Seeing my past
Review: I had heard about Daughters of the Dust 14 years ago (1991) but it wasn't until I learned of my own Gullah heritage that I was compelled to find the video. I checked it out of the university library 4 times! and now am purchasing the DVD for my personal library. My paternal great-grandfather was Gullah and in viewing this film over and over, I have come to terms about why I've never quite "fit" with the movement to move away and forget about where my ancestors came from. I truly believe that there comes a time in every person's life when s/he realizes that moving away and trying to forget only leads to madness.
Rating:
Summary: A magical story encrypted with emotional histories
Review: I had to watch this film several times. It was haunting. What was it I was missing? There was something here but I could put my hand on it. It was not my hand that was needed it was my heart. The film opened my male heart to an idea I had not considered. The mystical powers of matriachy. It made me reconsider those core expperiences and histories of women in my own family and how these experiences, these srcaps of memory affect me, mold me. Cinema is an experience. it is not about where a film is or what it is about sometimes...but where a film takes you. The experience of cinema can still be sublime. Now that is a comfort to me as a cinema lover. Daughters is a sublime experience that I will always cherish. I bought the DVD to learn more about the making of the film. It seems a miracle a film like this could even be made in America. The extra material on the DV really gives insigfht into the complex emotional and cultural history of African America.
Rating:
Summary: What a beautiful mess
Review: I really wanted to like this moving, since I am from that part of the country. The scenery was beautiful. Thats about all though. There is no chararcter development. There are several people that have the start of interesting stories but they are never followed through. The family dynamic is the hart of the story, there are family members that have returned to the family their stories are not explored. There is a story of marital problems that is not dealt with. All in all the story needs to be deeper. Maybe instead of so many family members they could have focused on fewer and explored more of each persons story as well as the history of the Gullah people.
Rating: 
Summary: A challenging, yet visually arresting film
Review: I recently watched Julie Dash's daughter of the dust for a class I am currently enrolled in. While the cinematography is absolutely beautiful, I found little else in the film that would justify more than a single viewing. The narrative itself is confusing and very hard to follow. The plot of the film is quite simple: a large family of Ibo Landing residents decide to move from the island they currently inhabit to the mainland US against the wishes of the family matriarch. However, the way in which the narrative is presented could have been handled in a more straight-forward way. Because the film does express some important political opinions concerning feminism and explores an aspect of US history and black culture that might otherwise go overlooked, it is worth watching, but once was enough for me. I'm giving the film two stars for the cinematography. If you are in the mood for a challenge you may enjoy this film, but if you want an interesting or entertaining film, try again!
Rating:
Summary: It was so boring
Review: I was very bored with this movie and there wasn't any plot to it..it was to long....and I don't feel like I fully understood it.
Rating:
Summary: A Feast For the Eyes, Ears, And Heart
Review: In the opening of her film, Daughters of the Dust, Julie Dash alerts the viewer that this is no ordinary African American story. Conversely, this is an American history lesson with African origins. A small informative note at the start of the film puts the entire movie in context. Without this explanatory foreword, many viewers would probably find the film hard to understand. Though the movie tells the story of the Peazant family's migration from the sea islands of the South, the story also gives a panoramic view of the Gullah culture at-large. Because the islands are isolated from the mainland states, the Gullah retain a distinct African ethnicity and culture. Ironically, the Peazants want to rid themselves of the old ways and heritage, thus beginning an exodus from the islands to the mainland. Taking place in 1902, just fifty years after the end of slavery, Daughter of the Dust explores the Peazant's struggle for survival and escape from poverty. The movie opens on the eve of the family's great migration to the mainland. A family celebration and farewell-of-sorts take place on the beach. The Peazants even hire a photographer to document this momentous occasion. As the movie progresses, the complexity of the family's departure from the island emerges. Difference and changing values mire the pending migration with conflict and strife. As the family prepares to leave, in search of a new life and better future, the film reveals the richness of the Gullah heritage. Narrations of "the unborn child" of Eli and Eula Peazant offer glimpses into problems the family has faced since their existence on the island. As explained by matriarch Nana Peazant, the Gullah are like "two people in one body." Though most Peazants were born in the Americas, their African heritage is forever evident. The internal conflicts of this duality haunt the family as they become ensnarled in battle, only to war against themselves. Through old African customs and rituals, such as glass bottle trees, salt water baths, and herb potions, Nana wants to ensure that the family stays together. Moreover, Nana, "the last of the old," has chosen to stay on the island. She celebrates everything that makes her who she is: the ugly and the good. She knows slavery and she knows freedom. Her life revolves around the continuation and strengthening of the Peazant family. Her rituals are often unappreciated and looked upon with scorn by other family members. Some family members are unwilling to grasp Nana's teachings and wisdom. They want to escape the island, to run away from the Gullah way of life. However, they cannot run from themselves. Just as Nana proclaims, they will always live a double life, no matter where they go. The trip to the mainland certainly cannot rid their indigo stained hands of its blue-blackish tint. Nor can the northern journey erase the memories of whom or what they are leaving. Unbeknownst to the younger Peazants, the duality, the recollections and remembrances, and the old way and traditions are gifts from their ancestors. Sadly, few are able to accept these gifts or comprehend their importance. Through authentic Gullah dialect, vivid imagery and colorful characters, Dash reveals the uniqueness of the Gullah people. A cousin, Yellow Mary, returns from Cuba to the island, facing the scorn of her people because she is a "ruint 'oman." Haggar, a bitter woman who wants nothing to do with the old Gullah ways, does not realize that she cannot rid herself of whom she is. For example, she despises the "old Africans," yet retains their ways in her speech and use of African colloquialisms. Another cousin, Viola is full of Christian religious fervor and against the heathen practices and nature-worshiping traditions of her people. Eula, who gives a heart- wrenching soliloquy at the end of the movie, bears the burden of pregnancy and rape by a white man. Eli, Eula's husband, represents the strength and future of the Peazant clan. Besides being adept at character development, Julie Dash effectively educates the viewer about African-American history. Tales of flying Africans, water-walking Ibo, Islamic religion, and slave trading are skillfully woven in small snatches throughout the film. We also see connections between African-Americans and Native Americans. The lessons learned from this film are too numerous. One must see the film more than once to appreciate all the information presented. Daughters of the Dust awakens all the senses. The beautiful cinematography transports viewers to a surreal place and time, creating a visual paradise. Each scene makes its introduction with mesmerizing African music, which aptly fits each setting. As the Gullah women prepare food for the feast, one cannot help but imagine the taste and smell of gumbo, shrimp, and crab. This movie also arouses the heart. One can easily identify and empathize with the characters' passion and sincerity. Often, the characters relay sentiments and convictions so convincingly, that it is hard to believe that the players were acting. Understanding complete passages is often difficult because of the beautiful and authentic tonality of the language. Nonetheless, the use of standard English could not have conveyed Dash's message as successfully. We should appreciate this film for its originality and courage. Stories such as these are hardly ever told. Most films neglect the eclectic nature of the African American community, usually focusing on only aspects that are familiar to the masses. Here, Julie Dash reaches beyond the boundaries that are set for African-American films. Equally as important is her ability and willingness to validate the African-American experience. She eloquently and subtly deals with difficult subjects such as slavery, self-hatred, feminism, color prejudices, and rape. Dash does not throw one viewpoint in your face. Conversely, Dash gives the viewer a front row seat into the lives of a remarkable people. We are then left to draw conclusions for ourselves. One feels liberated, proud, and honored to be allowed a window into their lives. The movie is a celebration of the African-American diaspora. The images, language, and music of Daughters of the Dustwill linger in the minds of its fortunate viewers forever.
Rating:
Summary: Simply beautiful story-telling.
Review: It is indeed a shame that films like this are not more appreciated in our society, and that films like Independence Day and Lethal Weapon II are so "popular". This film tells the story of four generations of slave descendants living off the coast of South Carolina. The characters in this film are some of the most richly-developed and beautiful people you'll ever see on the screen. I feel that the director's real talent lies, not so much in the script-writing, but in the more artistic aspects of film-making. From the costumes, to the sound to the cinematography... etc., it is positively exquisite to see and listen to!
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